About to golf for the first time...

[JamieLuu]

Hi, I recently thought about golfing since I received my golf clubs as a gift around 8 months ago. I was wondering if I should take some lessons (which I don't know if I wanna do), and getting the clubs fitted, but would that mean I should know how to play first before I get them fitted? I don't know much about golf at all but I think my clubs might be long, does that mean I have to get new shafts? and would it be safe to use as it is? I don't really wanna damage them since they cost around 2k.

On Sunday I might head to the range with a buddy to practice for a few hours, and he said that we should go to the course after the range. Is that a bad idea since this will be the first time?

Sorry for all the questions, hopefully someone can clear my mind.

Thanks

[Mattplusness]

I learned by going to the range and combining it with playing an 18 hole par 3 course. I would stay away from big courses until you feel comfortable. But hey, if you're up for the challenge, go for it!

[NI4NI]

Wow, if you've never played golf before, $2K is a big investment (gift or not).  If you've only thought about golfing, the assumption is that you never have done it.  Your comment about not knowing if you want to take lessons is telling; if it was me, I would defintiely take a few beginner lessons (ask friends or go online to find qualified PGA instructors in your area, and ask then about their methodologies to see if there is a match / comfort level).  I would take a few lessons, and then incorporate range time to practice the lesson's learnings.

The PGA instructor can also check your clubs for proper fitting, and suggest changes to the set-up in order for you to get the most out of your game.  Club fitting is a critical component that a lot of golfers overlook.

1.) Lesson(s) / Club Fitting

2.) Range to practice learnings

3.) Practice / Practice / Play / Practice...

Good luck

[Harmonious]

Seems you are having us on a bit with your first post, Jamie.  Just got a $2000 ! set of clubs, but don't want to hurt them?  Huh? Might be a bit long, too, so you already need new shafts.  Get fitted, even though you have never played?  C'mon guy. Next you will be asking whether you will be able to join the PGA Tour if you practice really hard over the next year.

OK

[JamieLuu]

Originally Posted by NI4NI

Wow, if you've never played golf before, $2K is a big investment (gift or not).  If you've only thought about golfing, the assumption is that you never have done it.  Your comment about not knowing if you want to take lessons is telling; if it was me, I would defintiely take a few beginner lessons (ask friends or go online to find qualified PGA instructors in your area, and ask then about their methodologies to see if there is a match / comfort level).  I would take a few lessons, and then incorporate range time to practice the lesson's learnings.

The PGA instructor can also check your clubs for proper fitting, and suggest changes to the set-up in order for you to get the most out of your game.  Club fitting is a critical component that a lot of golfers overlook.

1.) Lesson(s) / Club Fitting

2.) Range to practice learnings

3.) Practice / Practice / Play / Practice...

Good luck

I'll probably go to the range on Sunday try it out for the day then probably book some there.

Thanks for the help.

Originally Posted by Harmonious

Seems you are having us on a bit with your first post, Jamie.  Just got a $2000 ! set of clubs, but don't want to hurt them?  Huh? Might be a bit long, too, so you already need new shafts.  Get fitted, even though you have never played?  C'mon guy. Next you will be asking whether you will be able to join the PGA Tour if you practice really hard over the next year.

OK< assuming you might be even a little serious: Until you know whether or not you can even hit a golf ball, please stay away from a golf course.

I'm actually completely serious, sorry if I'm wrong but I thought getting fitted means switching shafts, and I thought getting them fitted would mean less of a chance hurting them. Is it such a bad thing to care about some that is expensive?

[Fatgigi]

Surely you should not bother about getting fitted until you have a consistent swing? And to get that you need some form of tuition! Get lessons man! Playing should not be a priority, first practice and then play will come easier.

[newtogolf]

You definitely don't want to go out on a course if you've never golfed before.   Get some lessons or at least make some trips to the range so you have some idea what you're doing.  There's not much worse you'll experience in golf than having a bunch of angry golfers backed up watching you while you try to figure out how to hit the ball at the tee box.

[JamieLuu]

I went to the golf range yesterday and hit about 100 balls, then my buddy wanted to play 9 holes at the course right beside it, I sucked at the range but decided to just try it out anyways. On the first 2 holes I did really bad I kept missing but the 2 people behind us didn't care, but when we got to the third hole I start to pick up the pace and didn't slow anyone down after that. I had a blast haven't really done anything that fun lately, now I just wanna get better so I'll probably take some lessons after my upper body and hands are less sore.

[GaijinGolfer]

My advice would be lessons, then the range then the course.  When I started playing I just went to the course right away and practiced by hitting foam golf balls in my back yard and it was OK, but if I had it to do over again I wouldnt do it that way.

Its going to take you a lot longer to learn on the course because you will be dealing with the pressure of other people watching you and waiting on you to play.

[jbc311]

I don't think I played a full course until I had been hitting the range and par 3s for a solid 6 months to a year.  If you cant hit a driver at least 150 or so with some consistency, then I cant imagine a full course being anything but frustrating.  If you insist on playing the full courses though, it is right as a paying customer.  But please learn etiquette first, most importantly the part about allowing others to play through.  Most of the other players won't mind a hack, but can't stand an inconsiderate hack.

[nevets88]

That's what I did, my friends took my out on a regulation course, used by an LPGA event when I first started out. Still sore at then for that. I'd take lessons, start with small swings, chips and pitches and a par 3 course before spending any money on equipment.

[Roberbober]

Well first of all welcome to the best and worst game on the planet.  Here is a short background.  When I was in high school I played a little golf.  No lessons.  Then I put it down and picked it up last year at age 26.  I am a natural athlete and I though I could "teach myself"  how wrong was I.  A year later of bad rounds on the course I decided to take lessons.  I told myself I am going to take this game fore real this time.  After 3 months of playing and 4 lessons with a PGA pro I could not be happier.  I also got a membership at a course.  My past two rounds was a 116 and a 115.  Not bad for myself.  Also I count "every stroke!"  No pocket lies or foot wedges or gimmes.  Its a bad feeling when you watch a drive go 300 yards to the right into the woods and have to take a provisional off the tee for three. Then write a 10 down on a hole.  But in the long this is my advice.

Get lessons they are worth every dime!

Do not listen to ANYBODY give you tips on the course!  Swing tips or putting tips.  Just listen and smile.  Everybody can give "tips" but a PGA pro can tell miss hits by sound and ball flight.  Believe me they know what they are talking about.

Golf as much as you can at the range or on the course.  But go to each with a mission.  Driving, or putting, just have a goal.

Do not cheat, you are only cheating yourself in the long run.  If you write 15 down on a par 4 it hurts but its the only way you can track progress.

Most important have fun.  In a few months you will go to the course and watch a guy hacking a ball three strokes to go 5 feet, and you will feel there pain and smile thinking about your improvement.

[WUTiger]

Definitely start out with lessons. Learn the basics at the beginning, and you can make faster progress. See if you can find area golf clinics - beginners meet a couple of evenings a week and learn together. Then, you can take some personal lessons.

Make sure you can practice the first couple of days following a lesson to reinforce what you have learned. You don't have to hit 200 balls each time to make progress. If you just hit 30 to 40 shots while concentrating on what you're doing, and chip and putt some, you will make progress.

As some have suggested, start out on a par 3 course and think about "scoring" in the early going. Then, you can move to full 18-hole courses a bit later.

After a couple of months of practicing and playing, get a basic static fitting. Teaching pros often can do this for you. Static fitting involve checks to see if the clubs are the correct length and have the correct lie (not too flat or too upright) for how you address the ball.

Good luck, and welcome to ST.

[JamieLuu]

Thanks for the replies, and advice guys. I found a place for lessons today right down the street from my house opened about a month ago, and its around $60 an hour the cheapest place I found within 15 miles, I'm probably gonna go sign up tomorrow afternoon.

Pretty excited, hopefully they turn out to be good teachers.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by WUTiger

Definitely start out with lessons. Learn the basics at the beginning, and you can make faster progress. See if you can find area golf clinics - beginners meet a couple of evenings a week and learn together. Then, you can take some personal lessons.

Make sure you can practice the first couple of days following a lesson to reinforce what you have learned. You don't have to hit 200 balls each time to make progress. If you just hit 30 to 40 shots while concentrating on what you're doing, and chip and putt some, you will make progress.

As some have suggested, start out on a par 3 course and think about "scoring" in the early going. Then, you can move to full 18-hole courses a bit later.

After a couple of months of practicing and playing, get a basic static fitting. Teaching pros often can do this for you. Static fitting involve checks to see if the clubs are the correct length and have the correct lie (not too flat or too upright) for how you address the ball.

Good luck, and welcome to ST.

Extremely good advice. To get your moneys worth out of a lesson, you have to work on it for the days following it. Otherwise it just isn't worth going for a lesson. Repeating good fundamentals is key.

Most of all, have fun. Nothing better than golfing with friends.family, enjoying the sun and being outside. It's a great game!

[darkhunter139]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

You definitely don't want to go out on a course if you've never golfed before.   Get some lessons or at least make some trips to the range so you have some idea what you're doing.  There's not much worse you'll experience in golf than having a bunch of angry golfers backed up watching you while you try to figure out how to hit the ball at the tee box.

Idk about that, if you can hit it fairly straight at the range going after the twilight rate starts might not be so bad.  My first time on a course was after  like two range sessions but there was not a lot of other people on the course and I still had fun.   Worse case scenario just pickup your ball and move on if you have to.

[livendie4golf]

Make sure to spend a lot of practice around the green.  Chipping and putting will help your game tremendously.  When you go to the range work on the lower irons (wedges - 8 iron)  if you can get comfortable hitting these irons, you can gradually become more comfortable with a longer and less lofted club.

Enjoy the game!