Where to start? Teaching a Newbie

[ttaggart]

My brother-in-law wants to start to learn how to play. I feel as though I have a lot of knowledge that I could impart on him and know the swing mechanics pretty well but I'm just wondering where I should start with him.

Should I just take him to the range, hand him a driver and go to work on creating a proper swing? Start him off with a PW and work up from there? Just let him create his own swing and make minor tweeks to it?

Any advice would be great, thanks

[Adam Young]

If you are a good player, just stand in front of him and make a few smooth swings without hitting a ball. Ask him to watch you, then close his eyes and imagine himself doing it. Then ask him to copy it. Once he has a decent movement simply from copying, ask him to 'clip' the tee as he is making the swing.

If there are any obvious faults, such as a poor weight shift, then exxaggerate it in your demo. Maybe bring his awaerenss to it by asking "look at where my weight moves" but no more technical than that.

Maybe exoplain a few basica laws such as the clubface controlling direction, hit the tee to make the ball fly and hit the centre of the face and let him experiemnt with those. Try and get him to top the ball, then hit the tee. Try and make him hit the toe, heel and then centre, and try and make him hit with an open and closed face.

Thats pretty much all a beginner needs for the first week or so. Then you can start going into more details in the fundamentals. But drip feed the info. Too many people will give too much at once, working on swing plane and such before someone can even hit a tee.

[retexan599]

When I was introducing my grandchildren to the game, I started with putting, then chipping, then a more full swing with a middle iron on a tee.  Using a tee was important to give them a feeling of getting the ball airborne.  Putting first emphasizes the objective of the game, to get the ball in the hole.  I thought it also important for each one to have their own clubs (and glove, balls and tees, etc.) 'to have and to hold' so to speak.  Also to emphasize stuff like the right grip, how far away from the ball to stand, etc.  Then go to advice of previous poster.  Just my take.

[Shorty]

Direct him to a proper instructor.

[jamo]

Direct him to a proper instructor.

Yup. This.

[tristanhilton85]

Gotta agree with Shorty and Jamo here; the best thing you can do is get your friend to a good instructor. His time on the course will be much more enjoyable if he learns the right things from the start.

[ttaggart]

Not everyone can afford a private instructor.

Looking to do this by just teaching him the fundamentals and letting him decide if he really does want to pursue this as a hobby and possible take lessons on his own down the line.

[nevets88]

Originally Posted by Shorty

Direct him to a proper instructor.

That's the rub - not easy to find. I probably wouldn't start off a driver though.

[WUTiger]

Originally Posted by retexan599

When I was introducing my grandchildren to the game, I started with putting, then chipping, then a more full swing with a middle iron on a tee.  Using a tee was important to give them a feeling of getting the ball airborne ....

If you can't direct him to a pro for instruction, this sequence would work well.

About three times I have showed someone the basics when I couldn't get the person to take a proper lesson. Better than them showing up on the course cold and upsetting a hundred actual golfers.

The putting and chipping fit into each other, and chipping gives a taste of contacting the ball that translates into a full swing. Bring in a 5-iron and 7-iron full shot, and a wedge, and the person is ready for a couple of rounds of par 3 golf. Then, introduce hybrids and fairway woods.

(It would not hurt beginners to play the first season using a 3W or hybrid off the tee. That way, they can get more concentrated practice on a couple of long clubs without the distraction of the driver. Add the big dog in season 2)

[AmazingWhacker]

I agree with those who suggest the instructor.  I have "taught" several people to play golf.  I show them the grip and stance and then let them have at it - suggesting emphatically that they not do as I did and waste years screwing around on the range but to go get a couple lessons.  Of course it helps that there is an awesome instructor in town that I feel totally confident referring people too.