Your Best Advice For a Beginner

[RussUK]

Be patient and keep at it, as they say "rome wasnt built in a day", however it was destroyed in a day!

Manage your expectations, you're not going to be (insert random pro golfer here) straight away if at all so make sure you play for the enjoyment of them game.

And lastly dont ask me for swing tips cos im rubbish 

[TimS65]

Something I'd mention would be to try to get to know their "bad" shot. My problem was (is?) that particularly with driver and woods my bad shots tend to go both left and right. This makes it really hard to play safe. I've recently tried to counteract that by strengthening my grip with all my woods. This makes it much less likely to leave the face open at delivery and makes it less likely to hit the ball miles right. This means I can aim towards the right side of the fairway with more confidence that my shot will at least be "in play", whereas previously I would aim down the centre and lose it both left and right.

[collapse]

To remember the definition of insanity when trying to learn golf--Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

[inthehole]

First - Easy tempo & keep head centered.

 

Second - If you're going to really give golf a serious try (and not half-ass it as so many do), take initiative to learn from all the internet resources available today - its such an advantage today with youtube, golf channel, etc.    Don't just rely on lessons as so many do who don't put any effort into learning on their own

[GolfLug]

If at a party, I would think definitely an adult so.. primarily I don't want a beginner to quit so I don't necessarily advise them, but I always tell them that wish I had taken lessons from the beginning. I would have started hitting the ball properly in 2 years instead of 8 or 10.

Also, to tamp down their expectations a bit I tell them how I whiffed completely or squirted the ball very often for a long time, which is what frustrates adult beginners the most and makes them quit IMO.

My wife is a beginner. She absolutely refuses to go to a pro for lessons, so I am it for her. I help her with basic grip and ball position for EVERY shot. She uses a tee for every shot and her most lofted hybrid for almost all shots till within 30 yards. And putter only from anywhere around the green.

Advise for swing - keep eye on the ball and rock your shoulders back and forth to hit. That's it. She hits the ball 50-70 yards with a bit of air fairly often. Primarily it FEELS good, which is all I aim for her at this point. She loves it.. for about 7 holes...   

[craps]

Don't go for lessons right away. Hack on your own. Read from books and learn from YouTube. After a while when you reach a point where you can contact the ball with EVERY swing, then go for lessons cos' you will understand better. 

[HRichards_Golf]

1. Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2AvRfxgpL4

2. Read "The Greatest Game Ever Played" by Mark Frost

3. Sign up for a 10-lesson package 

4. Practice putting and short game more than anything

5. Keep an official handicap and track your progress

6. Have a blast

7. Watch this again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2AvRfxgpL4

[collapse]

Also to remember that golf world has an established set of parameters that it wants to live within,anything outside of which is taboo.

Edited December 8, 2015 by collapse

[RussUK]

Was thinking of advice that shouldnt be given and one that springs to mind is the whole "low and slow" takeaway. On the face of it its not really that bad, however i think it can be miss-leading. My take-a-way swing thought is "smooth". If i go for low and slow i tend to overdo the slow and it ruins the rest of my swing.

New players need to find their ideal tempo. Mine is fairly fast, i can count 1-2-3 and im into the followthrough and have hit a decent shot, slow the takeaway down and im all over the place (too much time to think!)

[paininthenuts]

On 10/18/2015 at 5:52 PM, mvmac said:

You meet someone at a party and they mention they are taking up the game of golf. They tried doing some research on the golf swing but found all the conflicting information too confusing. They ask you for your best "tip" or the one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started playing golf. 

What do you tell them?

Take up another sport, golf is far to difficult

[nevets88]

Location, location, location...

Instructor, instructor, instructor.

Do your damndest to find a good teacher.

[chspeed]

On 10/19/2015 at 1:46 PM, mvmac said:

I'd just explain how clubs are meant to be hit and the basics of what's going on at impact. 

- Don't try and lift the ball in the air, the loft of the club will do that for you.
- You want to hit the ball first, then the ground.
- Having the grip end ahead of the club head at impact is how clubs were designed to be hit, that's how you hit it solid. There are certain things that have to occur to accomplish that but that's the goal.

I like these best, and they're similar to what I told my daughter. I tried to show her early what a golf swing at impact should look and feel like. Similar to that drill on 5SK in which you preset your impact position (weight/hips forward, club handle ahead of ball, hips a bit open, and to take short but aggressive swings in which you feel that descending blow.

[dave s]

I'll agree with those who stated adult group lessons is a good place to start.  Also, I'm a proponent of the hole-to-tee method.  Most true beginners have no idea how hard they have to putt a ball to make it go 2 feet or 20 feet.  Let them start with a few balls and a putter on a practice putting green.

Next, teaching someone how to chip and get them to understand and feel hitting DOWN on the ball and using the club's loft is what makes the ball fly.

Once they have that understanding and feeling, it's range time with longer clubs. The first time they take a melon-sized driver, tee it up and see one fly, they're usually hooked on golf.

dave

[colin007]

learn how to hit the ball hard.  then learn how to control where it goes.