Beginner - slow lessons, or straight into a course?

[Target]

I've decided I finally want to have a go at playing golf for various reasons (looks like fun, want to stop declining invites from work colleagues, etc), but I'm trying to work out the best way to get going. I know from posts on here that it's a good idea to start off with a pro lesson or two; makes sense, and I was always pretty dubious of people saying I should just "show up and get some pointers" while playing.

So anyway, while I was looking around for lesons, I found the James Andrews golf school; they do 2, 3 or 5 half-day intensive courses for beginners. I guess I was wondering - does that sound like overkill? Has anyone heard of this school?

http://www.jamesandrewsgolfschool.co.uk/courses/beginner3halfdays.html

Alternatively, think I should I just arrange a few one-off lessons to get me going?

Thanks for any suggestions, or comments about this school!

[tristanhilton85]

That seems like it would be a great idea for beginners... on top of the swing lesson you get info on ettiquette and rules which is good. There is video done on the third day which is also good.

[Ernest Jones]

Definitely get lessons or study some good books if you feel you can learn that way. You can also find some crappy 9 hole goat track where everyone is a hacker like you, takes all the pressure off. Added bonus: they are usually really cheap which is good because you'll probably lose a TON of balls at first.

[Tuflehundon]

get a couple of lessons and then hit the course. I took some lessons when I first started. But it wasn't until I hit the course that it all started to make sense. playing a round also helped me understand my weak points, and that was what I worked on at my next lesson. I took 4 lessons when I started. Did 2, played 2 rounds, and then did 2 more classes.

[Goonsidious]

Get a lesson..if u cant do it yourself.. on how to position yourself, grip, wrists, swing plane, ball placement, and posture. Once u understand how to get the motion correctly.. its time for exclusive range play until you know how to hit the irons well then your woods and driver. Then you take those swings to the courses where youll have to deal with real issues like slops, awkward ball positions..rough..etc. Im a freak accident.. athetically gifted and a fast learner. YouTube + trial and error was all i needed.

[old geezer]

Great tips for learners on this forum....I found also that Paul Wilson is very good

on U tube...always in red shirt and bone trousers...easy to identify.....

Easy to understand and has a series of lessions on all aspects of the

game...is a good teacher and Ive learnt a lot from him...good luck with

whatever you decide to do....

[LovinItAll]

When my wife began playing, she took a couple of lessons to learn grip, posture - the basics - then I hit the course with her. Starting out, if she couldn't get to the green in par, she'd pick up, throw the ball on the green and take up to four putts, then we'd move on. It was pretty painful at first - I think she used every stroke, 144, the first time out. Her index was a seven within two years and she managed to finish second in our club championship at the end of her second year. If not for an eight on the first hole of the medal play tournament, she'd have won the damn thing. She never practices and hits it 210-225 down the middle from the ladies tees. She drove a 245 yard par 4 a couple of weeks ago and rolled in a 12 footer for her first eagle on a par 4. While I love to see her play well, it kills me that it comes so easy for her and I have to practice my ass off to have any game. If she got her putting under control, she'd play right around scratch. Also, if anyone starts talking anything technical around her, she's like, "LALALALALALA"..... she doesn't want to hear it. Goes to show how we over complicate things sometimes. Walk up, hit it, find it, hit it again. It should be that easy for me, man. Someone will ask her if she played in college or who taught her to play. She'll tell people I taught her, but I've never given her a swing tip in my life. At first, I coached her on where to hit/miss it, but now I struggle trying to win our bets on the course. Can't tell you how many times I've had to do the dishes/laundry, etc. for a week after losing. Also, she's the bomb in a scramble ;-) Sorry for the digression. I say get a couple of lessons that cover the basics and get out there and play, just don't hold anyone up. Welcome to the game, and I hope you enjoy it as much as many folks here do.

[lisevolution]

From someone in the same position your're in just a couple of months further along I'd say take at least 1 lesson before you go out, it will make things much more tolerable emotionally. I hadn't played in over 10 years since taking golf as an elective gym credit in college and playing a few friendly rounds with friends after that. I was terrible and just gave up even attempting to play. Finally after turning down multiple offers to play with coworkers and friends over the last couple of years I decided to finally join them. I went out and played with just one horrible practice session at the range the night before and it was a total disaster, mixed with just enough decent shots to get me sucked back in. Since then I've started taking lessons with Golftec and the progress has been huge after only a couple of lessons and some practice time I dropped from a 135 on that first round to shooting between 105 and 110 on my last couple of rounds. The lessons definitely help and it also makes you less self conscious on the course because you know you're not doing everything totally wrong...

[dbuck]

Originally Posted by Tuflehundon

get a couple of lessons and then hit the course. I took some lessons when I first started. But it wasn't until I hit the course that it all started to make sense. playing a round also helped me understand my weak points, and that was what I worked on at my next lesson. I took 4 lessons when I started. Did 2, played 2 rounds, and then did 2 more classes.

I think this is good strategy.  Getting started out right is important for most folks and it is easier to not learn bad habits than to unlearn them. Interspersing some "course work" keeps you in touch with the fun and game aspect.

I am also a "feel" player-translation I have a lot of technical imperfections ingrained over 40 years and too old/lazy to fix most of them. The point of that jibberish though, is that once you do master or at least become comfortable with some of the technical parts, relax and enjoy the game. As one said, hit it go find it, and hit it again.

[GlasgowsGreen]

I'd advise you to spend time on the range whilst getting regular lessons before hitting the course.

You have to be able to hit the ball before you start playing. If you go onto the course too soon you might yourself hating golf before you have even given it a chance!

[Target]

Thanks for all the help guys - will definitely aim for lessons and perhaps some range work to make sure I have the very basics in order!  I think I might still do the three-day course; I'll avoid the five day though - that seems a bit much! (Not exactly cheap, either.)