Tightwad golfing
Discussion
So I recently had a fathers day gift of two lessons of golf,
I have no sporting ability, I was at school being picked last to play football, that kind of thing, so quite why I had been bought golf confused me.
Anyway, I tried it, expected to hate it, but actually I have only done the driving range to try out my swing and improve (well develop it since I don't have one) my ball hitting skills. But genuinely enjoyed it, something quite therapeutic about hitting a ball, and to keep trying the way you hold, swing and move to get it right.
Anyway, I have found that you can rent the balls fairly cheaply, get one club cheaply, and so a weekly practice can be £5 rather than the £100s I feared.
Anyone else start golf in a similar way?
Any tips?
Am I loony and getting it all wrong?
I have no sporting ability, I was at school being picked last to play football, that kind of thing, so quite why I had been bought golf confused me.
Anyway, I tried it, expected to hate it, but actually I have only done the driving range to try out my swing and improve (well develop it since I don't have one) my ball hitting skills. But genuinely enjoyed it, something quite therapeutic about hitting a ball, and to keep trying the way you hold, swing and move to get it right.
Anyway, I have found that you can rent the balls fairly cheaply, get one club cheaply, and so a weekly practice can be £5 rather than the £100s I feared.
Anyone else start golf in a similar way?
Any tips?
Am I loony and getting it all wrong?
Good for you! I started at my local driving range as well - I booked some 1-2-1 lessons but they also now run a beginners course for free - all you pay for are range balls.
To keep costs down, I also bought my first set of clubs second hand, again from the golf range - £100 for a full set of irons which served me perfectly for the first couple of years. There is no need to pay hundreds of pounds and to buy expensive drivers and fairway woods. A decent set of irons will get you round most courses whilst you are learning the game - you can then add the driver etc at a later date.
When you are ready to get onto a course and play a round, have a look at what offers are about. If you can play midweek or evening, there are often reduced green fees available - maybe £15 instead of the usual £25-£30.
Golf can be played quite cheaply but beware the lure of expensive branded clubs, drivers etc - there aren't many poor golf clubs around nowadays and you would generally be better to invest in ongoing lessons than expensive equipment - although the lure of shiny things is strong!!
And just remember that golf is probably the most frustrating game you will ever play - you can never ever play the perfect round! But get a few mates together and it is a good excuse for a few hours of banter with the added bonus of the odd occasion when you play "that" shot from 180 yards, across water and roll it within a couple of feet of the pin! Rare but a great feeling when it happens.
To keep costs down, I also bought my first set of clubs second hand, again from the golf range - £100 for a full set of irons which served me perfectly for the first couple of years. There is no need to pay hundreds of pounds and to buy expensive drivers and fairway woods. A decent set of irons will get you round most courses whilst you are learning the game - you can then add the driver etc at a later date.
When you are ready to get onto a course and play a round, have a look at what offers are about. If you can play midweek or evening, there are often reduced green fees available - maybe £15 instead of the usual £25-£30.
Golf can be played quite cheaply but beware the lure of expensive branded clubs, drivers etc - there aren't many poor golf clubs around nowadays and you would generally be better to invest in ongoing lessons than expensive equipment - although the lure of shiny things is strong!!
And just remember that golf is probably the most frustrating game you will ever play - you can never ever play the perfect round! But get a few mates together and it is a good excuse for a few hours of banter with the added bonus of the odd occasion when you play "that" shot from 180 yards, across water and roll it within a couple of feet of the pin! Rare but a great feeling when it happens.
timlongs said:
If you're after a good set of second hand clubs I've got a set of Ping Eye 2's lying around the garage, make me an offer!
I might take you up on that in the future - at this point I actually have no idea what to offer you or how Ping Eye 2's are different to wilsons or goodyear. But thanksmy advice would be get yourself a set of clubs, have lots of lessons now before you developed any bad habits, that way your golf coach won’t have to unfix anything just show you the correct way to swing the club.
You could also buy Harry Vardan’s complete golfer and Bed Hogan’s five golf rules books.
I bought a full set of Dunlop clubs from sports direct for £99 and I used them for about 4 years until I upgraded my irons a few years back.
You could also buy Harry Vardan’s complete golfer and Bed Hogan’s five golf rules books.
I bought a full set of Dunlop clubs from sports direct for £99 and I used them for about 4 years until I upgraded my irons a few years back.
Skii said:
DervVW said:
I might take you up on that in the future - at this point I actually have no idea what to offer you or how Ping Eye 2's are different to wilsons or goodyear. But thanks
Ping Eye 2's will last you a lifetime, and are probably the best irons ever made.milner993 said:
my advice would be get yourself a set of clubs, have lots of lessons now before you developed any bad habits, that way your golf coach won’t have to unfix anything just show you the correct way to swing the club.
You could also buy Harry Vardan’s complete golfer and Bed Hogan’s five golf rules books.
I bought a full set of Dunlop clubs from sports direct for £99 and I used them for about 4 years until I upgraded my irons a few years back.
Not very tightwad to buy loads of lessons, but I suppose like driving its better to learn how to do it right first then practice, rather than practice and have to spend twice as much relearning.You could also buy Harry Vardan’s complete golfer and Bed Hogan’s five golf rules books.
I bought a full set of Dunlop clubs from sports direct for £99 and I used them for about 4 years until I upgraded my irons a few years back.
Thanks
Welcome to the most beautiful sport in the world Derv.
Buy yourself some used clubs from e/bay etc, try and get the whole lot - clubs/bag/trundler/balls/tees etc - from a deceased estate or retired golfer, it'll probably cost less than £100 all up if you look around. Don't buy shoes yet.
Get cheap lessons, it doesn't need to be from a pro just a decent golfer, then head out to the driving range as often as possible for 2/3/4 weeks.
Watch stuff like 'Playing Lessons' The Haney Project' and 'Golf Fix' on you tube but don't overload your mind - there's only so much "head down, elbows in, left arm straight etc etc etc" you can absorb.
Lessons/practice/lessons/practice/lessons/practice.
Then, find someone to play with, go to a quiet course and play your first round, relax, enjoy it and don't worry about your score (but report it back here) and we'll have an internet sweepstake on what you'll hit.
My guess: 146
Oh, and finally, try to keep the amount of thoughts you have during your backswing to under 300.....
Buy yourself some used clubs from e/bay etc, try and get the whole lot - clubs/bag/trundler/balls/tees etc - from a deceased estate or retired golfer, it'll probably cost less than £100 all up if you look around. Don't buy shoes yet.
Get cheap lessons, it doesn't need to be from a pro just a decent golfer, then head out to the driving range as often as possible for 2/3/4 weeks.
Watch stuff like 'Playing Lessons' The Haney Project' and 'Golf Fix' on you tube but don't overload your mind - there's only so much "head down, elbows in, left arm straight etc etc etc" you can absorb.
Lessons/practice/lessons/practice/lessons/practice.
Then, find someone to play with, go to a quiet course and play your first round, relax, enjoy it and don't worry about your score (but report it back here) and we'll have an internet sweepstake on what you'll hit.
My guess: 146
Oh, and finally, try to keep the amount of thoughts you have during your backswing to under 300.....
I paid £125 for 3.5 hours of lessons each lesson lasting 30 mins with 3/4 weeks between each lesson so I can practice what I’ve been taught.
Think of it this way your get better faster with lessons and will lose fewer balls and have more fun because golf balls aren’t cheap if you lose a few each round.
Think of it this way your get better faster with lessons and will lose fewer balls and have more fun because golf balls aren’t cheap if you lose a few each round.
milner993 said:
I paid £125 for 3.5 hours of lessons each lesson lasting 30 mins with 3/4 weeks between each lesson so I can practice what I’ve been taught.
Think of it this way your get better faster with lessons and will lose fewer balls and have more fun because golf balls aren’t cheap if you lose a few each round.
A few?????Think of it this way your get better faster with lessons and will lose fewer balls and have more fun because golf balls aren’t cheap if you lose a few each round.
Most of my early rounds were at the Three Locks golf course just outside Leighton Buzzard. It has water on 14 of the 18 holes. On some holes, particularly the long par five where any slice from tee to green puts you in the lake, I'd lose a few balls per hole. Fortunately, there's a ready supply of lake balls there.
spikeyhead said:
milner993 said:
I paid £125 for 3.5 hours of lessons each lesson lasting 30 mins with 3/4 weeks between each lesson so I can practice what I’ve been taught.
Think of it this way your get better faster with lessons and will lose fewer balls and have more fun because golf balls aren’t cheap if you lose a few each round.
A few?????Think of it this way your get better faster with lessons and will lose fewer balls and have more fun because golf balls aren’t cheap if you lose a few each round.
Most of my early rounds were at the Three Locks golf course just outside Leighton Buzzard. It has water on 14 of the 18 holes. On some holes, particularly the long par five where any slice from tee to green puts you in the lake, I'd lose a few balls per hole. Fortunately, there's a ready supply of lake balls there.
I'm down in South West London and at my driving range they have been running a thing called "get in to golf for free in Surrey" or something like that. You join a group and have six group lessons on the beginner course for free at the end of it they give you a 7 iron. Then you can book on to the intermediate course about £50 for another block of group lessons then a day out on a course. It's a good way of meeting people that are going to be of a similar ability. The wife did it and now she loves it( be warned golf should be something for blokes and she wants to come with me now)
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