When did you decide to take it from the range to the course?

[bamagrad03]

After doing a cursory glance through the many threads on when one SHOULD start actually playing, it seems the answer varies greatly. As a new golfer, I'm quite curious as to what y'all's experience and mindset was when you first started playing instead of just practicing. This is a little twist on a common question. I'm not asking when you think it's time for ANYONE to start playing, but rather:

When did YOU personally feel it was time to stop pounding balls at the range and try your hand at actual rounds of golf? Rounds where you kept score and actually played. What were the deciding factors for you in telling you that you were ready for that next step?

I'll hang up and listen...

[tiger187126]

i learn more from playing a round than 20 range sessions. i feel like hitting balls at the range isn't playing golf, it's a place to refine or try new things. if you went to a batting cage all the time you wouldn't consider yourself to have played baseball and it can't compare to staring down a person throwing at you.

as long as you can keep up pace of play it doesn't really matter if you're no good. play with someone who's experienced, pick up when you're not going to get home in double par, skip a tee shot if you hit them all in to the woods all day and drop a ball by your playing partner to get practice at your second shots.

you can be an excellent practice/range player and not be able to score worth a damn because you don't know how to manage a course or play out of tough situations.

[rustyredcab]

First time around, I was 11 years old and we had unlimited play passes at a local nine hole course. We did not get free range privileges so we never hit balls. Looking back, the guy in the pro shop was very nice to group of boys who knew nothing. We hung out all day and played when we were not a bother to others and hung out in the pro/snack shop when there were others on the course. (I still harbor some ill feeling toward all of our parents for not getting us started with lessons.) Dropped the game when I was 14 because I was frustrated about being very bad.

My last year of college, I took golf as a class with two of my roommates and fell in love with the game. We had about four classes and took our awful games to the course. We knew how to keep pace and the etiquette of the game. So, as soon as we could play without bothering others, we played. Didn't get "good" for another 20 years. But, I could play with anyone on any course. And I did get to play some of the finest courses in the country. I was a good guest and fun partner for all but the most snob of golf snobs.

[RoyHotPower]

During the summer about twenty years ago I started out by playing on a rural public course in Southern Illinois several times before I went to the driving range.  I knew some about the rules but little on etiquette and relied upon my college buddy to teach me the ropes as we went along.  It was only after the fall semester started that I went to the range due to demands on my time.

I don't know if that is even feasible as an option anymore, but I'm glad I was able to begin playing golf in this way.

[bamagrad03]

Originally Posted by tiger187126

i learn more from playing a round than 20 range sessions. i feel like hitting balls at the range isn't playing golf, it's a place to refine or try new things. if you went to a batting cage all the time you wouldn't consider yourself to have played baseball and it can't compare to staring down a person throwing at you.

as long as you can keep up pace of play it doesn't really matter if you're no good. play with someone who's experienced, pick up when you're not going to get home in double par, skip a tee shot if you hit them all in to the woods all day and drop a ball by your playing partner to get practice at your second shots.

you can be an excellent practice/range player and not be able to score worth a damn because you don't know how to manage a course or play out of tough situations.

I think all of these things have merit for someone who's at least a little bit introduced to the game of golf. But certainly you see merit in someone having a go at the range a little bit if they've never swung a golf club before...

[rustyredcab]

Originally Posted by tiger187126

i learn more from playing a round than 20 range sessions. i feel like hitting balls at the range isn't playing golf, it's a place to refine or try new things. if you went to a batting cage all the time you wouldn't consider yourself to have played baseball and it can't compare to staring down a person throwing at you.

as long as you can keep up pace of play it doesn't really matter if you're no good. play with someone who's experienced, pick up when you're not going to get home in double par, skip a tee shot if you hit them all in to the woods all day and drop a ball by your playing partner to get practice at your second shots.

you can be an excellent practice/range player and not be able to score worth a damn because you don't know how to manage a course or play out of tough situations.

So, answer the OP's question. When did YOU start playing on a course? Had been been on a range?

[saevel25]

Really, i started on the course. My dad just took me out with a spare set of clubs, i was hooked. I have really good hand eye coordination, i still can save a shot if i feel off in the downswing. sometimes i have had my back foot spin out in wet ground, and i still can hit a decent drive. So, really i took to the game fast and had quick improvement.

I really didn't start going to the range to hit balls until i decided to try out for highschool golf, that was about 3-4 years after i started. I failed freshman year, but sophomore year (specifically taking some lessons and spending a summer practicing), i got good enough to make the team.

But really i don't pound golf balls, i tend to make swing corrections as i play, its just how i am use to it. If i am really out of sorts, i will go hit a bucket of balls and work on a few things.

To me it depends on the person, its hard to say. If i started on the range and went to the course, it would be strange. I was lucky to have someone who played golf for a long time to teach me the game (my dad). He taught me ready golf, proper etiquette, ect.. But he didn't teach me a swing, it was pretty much myself that did that.

[tiger187126]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

So, answer the OP's question. When did YOU start playing on a course? Had been been on a range?

yeah i read the other responses and mine seems a little off. i hit golfballs in my backyard when i was a little kid and would go out and play on a course with my dad and just kind of knock balls around while he was playing.

my family is not big on practice so i probably was on the course way more often than the range.

come to think of it, when i played as a kid (probably 7-14) i don't think i ever set foot on a range. i actually could play our little 9 hole course on the island pretty well.

last year i played a couple times early without going to the range, but more recently i've been ranging it a lot more trying to work through a new swing which i think has cost me more strokes because i completely lost my feel for the short game.

i think me at half my current age could easily outputt and outchip me now.

so a quick sum up. i was on the course as a little kid and didn't step foot on a range until recently where i'm on the range probably 2:1 to actually playing. i also didn't play at all between 14 and 24.

[GaijinGolfer]

When you can make solid contact with the irons when hitting the ball off the deck, then its OK to take it to the course.  You should expect to not play very well your first time at the course, because you are going to be nervous.  You are going to want to play well and place expectations on yourself and having other people watching you is going to creates nerves.  Once you play for a while and get some confidence in your game those nerves will go away, but that, combined with having to string several good shots in a row to play well is going to creates some nerves.

[rustyredcab]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

When you can make solid contact with the irons when hitting the ball off the deck, then its OK to take it to the course.  You should expect to not play very well your first time at the course, because you are going to be nervous.  You are going to want to play well and place expectations on yourself and having other people watching you is going to creates nerves.  Once you play for a while and get some confidence in your game those nerves will go away, but that, combined with having to string several good shots in a row to play well is going to creates some nerves.

so YOU started on the course when and after doing what...?

[dak4n6]

A buddy I worked with got me into golf. I bought  a set of cheapo irons, and we went straight to a local dogpatch 9 hole. I never hit a range until I was a couple years into playing, although I only playe maybe 8 times per year back then.

If you have a 9 hole dogpatch, go for it. Nothing to lose, except your patience, composure, peace of mind, and self-confidence! ;-]

[SloverUT]

I started playing Golf 3 months ago in mid May.  My brother, boss, and I were ready to leave work and decided to go play 9 holes at the local municpal.  We didn't go to the range before and just hit the course.  We had a great time and made sure that we didn't effect others play.  We set a maximum of playing to 3 strokes over par.  (Par 4=max 7 strokes)  And if we lost a ball in the woods we didn't bother looking for it, we just dropped close to where we thought it went and hit the ball.  By doing this we rarely ever held groups up and if we did we just let them play through and had no problems at all.  In my 3rd month of play I just yesterday shot my lowest score ever of 86 and my brother shot an 84.  So while the range is nice and we've used a range facility a few times since we started playing, I don't think its something you need to do 6 months before you ever play a course.

I like what the guy said above..   Going to the range isn't really playing golf just like hitting balls in the batting cage isn't playing baseball.

While I certainly understand the want to try to be the best you can be before going to the course, going to the range is for work (imo), and playing the course is supposed to be fun.

Short version:  I started playing on the course and by minimizing time sinks we never held up play and have gotten increasingly better.

[mplsgolfer]

My old man took me out to the range when I was 8 years old, hit balls and worked on the swing for a couple years and then he took me out on a pitch and putt par 3 course. The fiancée has been on the range probably 10 times total. I showed her swing fundamentals and how to align herself etc. After those 10 range sessions, we went out on a local 9 hole par 3 course and she really enjoyed it. Second hole she hit one from about 100yds that rolled to 5 ft. She felt that great feeling of striking the ball and watching it end up near the hole. In my opinion, the range is great for swing work and fundamentals, but understanding all the shots you'll need to have and how to manage a course is done exclusively while playing 9 or 18.

[inthehole]

A buddy of mine gave me some great advice ... he told me to call the club & find out when is the best chance to get on the course with the least amount of golfers.      After a company outing that was my first ever golf experience, I put in several range sessions & was dying to get back on the course ... I'm glad I called the 9 hole course & got a good tee time as NO ONE was behind me practically the entire round (took a day off work - played around 2:30PM as I recall).    As a beginner, the last thing you need is someone pushing you - the pressure of feeling like you're holding up good golfers is enough to make alot of golfers quit.

[Dave2512]

I started in the junior program and I don't think they had us on the range simply because we couldn't hit too far. As I progressed and got a little older my parents bought us seasonal passes that allowed use of the range and discounted tee times. Believe it or not the cost to play 9 holes was .25 cents after paying $150 for the pass. We were there almost every day during the summer. I remember splitting my time equally between the range and the course.

Those that want to get out on an empty course, new or experienced, just need to call and find out or experiment. I like to go when it's slow simply because I can get around quickly. The course I play regularly is wide open pretty much any day after 3PM and mid-day weekdays. The other courses I don't play as often are slow Fri, Sat and Sun afternoon. Going out just before or after league play is usually pretty open. Every course is different.

[Liteenie]

I used to only go to the practice range and I was dying to go play but there were two things I did before I felt confident to go play on a course:

1) have a basic understanding of golf etiquette and playing ready golf

2) do a playing lesson with my instructor out on the course

With at least those two, regardless of my golf skills, I can keep up with pace of play (even if it means picking up my ball sometimes). My biggest fear about playing on a course was slowing everyone down.

Now I love walking 9 holes by myself, I try to go when it's not busy so I don't feel too nervous or pressured. I definitely think it's better to go play rather than just practice at the range because I realized how different the two actually are after my lesson on the course (I actually posted about it, I was so discouraged. But I feel better now!).

Good luck!

[Spyder]

I started playing around at the range with my dad when I was like 12. For a few years, we would go to the range once a week during the Summer time until I was around 18 or so. We stopped going at that point and I maybe golfed twice, possibly three, times in the next 6 years and then no golf whatsoever for the following year or so.

I have been playing serious golf for 2 and a half years now. I never thought I would be hooked, but I have it really bad now and I'm 110% obsessed. Looking back, I wish I would have taken golf more serious when I was younger but I was more focused on Football and Boxing. In the latter years, I was more concerned with partying and being obnoxious. After going through a lot of different things in life, which made me grow up and mature quickly, I slowed down in life and realized that golf was the ideal hobby/sport for me.

On a side note, I will have my son learning the game of golf as soon as he is able to hold a plastic golf club without injuring anyone, or anything around him! He's 9 months old in a few days here and my wife and I think he is going to be left-handed. Unfortunately, there will be no hand-me-downs from dad as he would need his own brand new stuff. Future Lefty Jr. hopefully!

[dsc123]

I probably went to the course first.  Got some hand me down clubs and hit the par 3 course.