Quick tips for first time golfer

[AbsoluteTruths]

My co-worker is going golfing for the first time today. I wanted to give him a couple quick tips. Here is all I came up with.

Let me know what you all think.

Teach him how to grip.

Show him how to keep head still.

Tell him he has to hit down for the ball to go up.

Leave the driver in the bag.

Golf is hard.

Have fun!

I will not be with him. Be he will be in the office this morning so I can show him.

[RayG]

Has he had ANY previous experience? Range? Lessons? If no, your advice should have been to stay home. Stay home and research where to take lessons or go to the range.

[dkolo]

Has he had ANY previous experience? Range? Lessons? If no, your advice should have been to stay home. Stay home and research where to take lessons or go to the range.

We say stuff like this having played, knowing what it takes to get better, and seeing crappy golfers. But if you want to hook someone, sometimes just getting them out playing so they understand what the game is and then want to get better is fine. We want to grow the game, and that takes getting new people involved.

Take him to the range and have him work as much as he's willing to before getting antsy and wanting to go out and play, but yeah, screw it, go have fun. When I actually took up golf, it was because I decided to randomly go out and play one day. Then I started practicing.

[RayG]

And it's also a way to ruin his day and those that are trying to play around him. It may also scar him for life, and never play again. Taking someone out cold turkey on a full course is a disaster in waiting. Take them to a pitch and putt, or a range. At least until they can actually hit the ball. Even someone who has NEVER played would get annoyed watching someone slash at a little white ball 5 or 6 times before actually making contact and advancing the ball a few feet. And THEN repeating the process for 400 yards.

[mvmac]

My co-worker is going golfing for the first time today. I wanted to give him a couple quick tips. Here is all I came up with.

Let me know what you all think.

Teach him how to grip.

Show him how to keep head still.

Tell him he has to hit down for the ball to go up.

Leave the driver in the bag.

Golf is hard.

Have fun!

I will not be with him. Be he will be in the office this morning so I can show him.

Just to clarify the hitting down, I would add a description of what good impact looks like and how clubs are designed to be hit (handle forward at impact). Basically with good Key 2 and 3 hitting down takes care of itself.

And obviously head "still" doesn't mean un-moving, the head can still rotate.

[dkolo]

And it's also a way to ruin his day and those that are trying to play around him. It may also scar him for life, and never play again. Taking someone out cold turkey on a full course is a disaster in waiting. Take them to a pitch and putt, or a range. At least until they can actually hit the ball.

Even someone who has NEVER played would get annoyed watching someone slash at a little white ball 5 or 6 times before actually making contact and advancing the ball a few feet. And THEN repeating the process for 400 yards.

That's extreme. Most people will go in knowing they're terrible and just have fun. And pick up / place the ball as needed to keep up. My friend brought his girlfriend out to play a while back having never played. She just hit her 5 iron off the tee and fairway on most holes and eventually got near the green. Tried driver a few times for fun. Gave her a bag of about 20 balls and told her not to worry if she lost any or all. She was wildly unathletic and still managed fine. Now she loves the game. If you manage the person's expectations, it's not an issue at all.

[Club Rat]

Generally, beginners should find lessons with other beginners at various facilities.

There are many organized which they can join, IE: schools, churches, practice facilities, etch. which offer classes.

Then along the way, your friend will have an understanding when you offer to assist and invite them to practice together.

Going out on a course is difficult and time consuming and frustrating.

As they progress, then introduce them to playing a few holes or possible nine holes. (par 3 courses work well)

Have them start with just play around the green, chip and putt and then progress to play at 50 yards and extend farther in increments.

Club Rat

[dkolo]

Those are options. Some people want to go out and play. As long as expectations are managed, I'd encourage that. And this guy is going to play so it's academic at this point. Having a great attitude about it is the most important thing. Hitting down as opposed to trying to scoop or sweep is also great advice. I'd also add he should consider a simple putting chip motion because it's easy to pick up and be functional around the green, even though I prefer an action with more wrist hinge myself.

[Patch]

Show him a decent grip, a one piece take away to the top, and tell him just have fun for his first time out. I might also suggest he get to the course early, and hit a few range balls before teeing off. Also explain to him that everyone who played golf for the first time usually sucked big time, and any score under 115 should be considered a decent first time score. Main thing is to have him make it a fun time for himself. It's OK to laugh at your self.

[AbsoluteTruths]

Thanks. I found out later that he had played a couple times before. I will find out next week how it went and post an update.

[trickyputt]

Its too late, but the one thing that makes the most difference for anybody I have run across is to simply close the toe. Its a real piece of reverse psychology of course, because the minute that happens they begin to align their body differently, and they swing down and all that. I never mention that part.

[anderjam]

A beer every hole should help!

[dave s]

Some useful and overlooked items:

1. Always stay well behind anyone hitting a shot

2. Stay well out of the way of others and keep still while others are hitting

3. Pick up your feet while walking on the green!

4. Figure out which club is working and use it until you need your wedge and putter

5. Make use of the practice putting green before stepping on to #1 tee box

good luck playing with your buddy.  Hope all goes well and he enjoys the experience.

dave

[rehmwa]

That's extreme. Most people will go in knowing they're terrible and just have fun. And pick up / place the ball as needed to keep up. My friend brought his girlfriend out to play a while back having never played. She just hit her 5 iron off the tee and fairway on most holes and eventually got near the green. Tried driver a few times for fun. Gave her a bag of about 20 balls and told her not to worry if she lost any or all. She was wildly unathletic and still managed fine. Now she loves the game. If you manage the person's expectations, it's not an issue at all.

this  ^^

I find most people that advise beginners to not go play - this person they are protecting isn't the newbie, they just don't like newbies on their course

manage expectations, take newbies to relatively laid back and easy courses

[AbsoluteTruths]

Well he did pretty good. I found out he last played over 10 years ago. He borrowed an old set of clubs from another co-worker of mine.

He said he did not use the driver because he could not control it. So he used the 3w. The co-worker that lent him the clubs and

lives on the course he played said he say them and watched for a couple holes and said he could strike the ball pretty good.

I asked how he could play relatively well and if he had ever had lessons. He said no lessons and he just hit the ball.

I am going to use that technique next time I go out. Just hit the ball!

[WUTiger]

And it's also a way to ruin his day and those that are trying to play around him. It may also scar him for life, and never play again. Taking someone out cold turkey on a full course is a disaster in waiting. Take them to a pitch and putt, or a range. At least until they can actually hit the ball.

Here's a commentary I wrote many months ago...