The Foundation of Golf

Golf hit me hard at the start. I had the fever as thoroughly as one could get it. I talked golf when I could and I dreamed golf when I could not talk it. Everyone I saw with a golf bag seemed a personal friend of mine.

I had only one day a week when I could play, as my business did not allow of any other time, but at odd moments I pored over vardon's articles in the golfing papers and also taylor's. Vardon was making his memorable trip through the country that year and I knew every wrinkle on his hand, as far as one could learn from photo-graphs. I had only vardon clubs, an enterprising maker having put out a line with his name on them. I bought all the papers which published golfing news and knew vardon's every move. I marveled at his skill, as many a golfer has done.

If I could play golf but once a week, that didn't prevent my practicing at home nearly every evening I went out in the kitchen after the maid had gone upstairs and I was at it. I had the photographs of great players on the kitchen table, and I was sure I was doing every-thing according to the book.

I committed all the instructions for playing to memory and was dead certain I observed them all. Hour after hour I went through this practice, but when I got out on the links my finely-trained strokes wouldn't work. Mornings I would be beaten invariably. Afternoons I 'would give up form and get there any old way. I always did better afternoons.

 

During the following week when I got home at night from business I would start all over again to reconstruct my theories and develop form. Form was the only way to become a golfer. I made up my mind that I would cultivate the correct way to play if I never won a match. I persisted for over two years in this endeavor, with but a slight improvement in my game. The fellows I played with, who took up golf at the same time I did, were allowing me four and five strokes, and I was discouraged.

Finally I decided to discontinue trying to follow others and build up a method of my own, founded on sound mechanical principles. I was always a good mechanic, and the same application to my own ideas that I had given to others began to show in my play. My game steadied and my improvement was regular. I was on the same handicap basis as my friends in a few months, playing only when they did. In the fall I con-ceded three strokes to them. I have been improving ever since.

Where to Play

At the driving range, of course, where you can hit a bucket of balls and nobody (except you) will care if most of your shots are terrible.Most driving ranges also have practice putting greens. Some also feature practice chipping areas and sand bunkers.

Your back yard is another good place to practice a swing, although you obviously don't want to be hitting real golf balls. Try a wiffle golf ball, or just work on the swing mechanics you’ve been learning during lessons.

And then there’s the living room - made to order for putting practice.

Where to Play

Par-3 courses are good choices for beginners. These are generally nine holes, all short par-3s. Executive courses are also shorter than full-sized 18-hole courses.

If you want to try 18 holes on a full-sized course, ask some golfers you know for recommendations. You want courses that are not too lengthy and that don’t have much sand or water. You want a wide open, easy course.

Many beginners don't like to play with a lot of people watching, so ask about crowds, too. Find a course that doesn’t receive a ton of play.

Choosing Your First Set of Clubs

There's a phrase experienced golfers use to describe newbies who look like they have game... but don't: "He’s got a $1,000 bag and a $10 game."

That creative phrase holds a kernel of truth - you shouldn't spend tons of money on golf until you know how to play it. Golf is an expensive game. You'll have plenty of time down the cart path to buy top-notch clubs.

As a beginner, though, it's in your best interest to be thrifty. Manufacturers such as Wilson, Dunlop, Ram, Knight and many others make quality golf sets that can be had for less than $150. Big-box retailers - Wal-Mart, Kmart and others - often carry bargain club sets.

Another option: garage sales or yard sales. Don't knock it - many experienced golfers buy a new set on a yearly basis, so you might get a great deal on a set that cost somebody else many hundreds of dollars.

A year from now, you'll be ready to spend that kind of money yourself. For now, take the money you're saving on clubs and invest in...<p> Also see: Before You Buy Used Golf Clubs

Taking Lessons

If you do have a lot of money to spend, and want to learn as quickly as possible, then a golf academy might be the choice for you. Most major metropolitan areas have at least one good golf school, and most major golf schools offer lodging packages for those willing to travel.

For most, though, the choice should be weekly lessons with a local pro. Most pros are available for lessons. The rate depends on the course the pro is affiliated with and the time allotment. But many pros offer sessions for as little as $30 for a lesson ranging from 30 minutes to an hour.

Tips for buying golf clubs and golf equipment

A common myth is that the higher the price of a club, the better your game will be: "This club cost me $799.00, I must be playing great now!". Just think about it, are drivers really worth $600 to $1000 and iron sets $1500 to $3,000? The big manufacturers spend millions of $$ to promote their stuff and still make huge profits. Who you think pays for that? Paying high prices does not lower ones handicap, but a properly chosen club will, even a cheap one.

If you've ever wondered why those name brand golf clubs cost so much we recommend you read this great article over at Pinemeadow Golf Lesson #5: Golf Club Clones vs Brands (will open in a new browser window). You may also want to get our very own Golf Beginner Guide, produced by the publishers of LearnAboutGolf.com. This 272 page resource covers everything a Golf Beginner has to know.

Once you have achieved a decent level of play, you can consider custom clubs with proper fitting. And even then, go for value rather than show. If you need some extra advice on what clubs are good (for your) I suggest you take a look at these Golf Club Reviews and our own Golf Reviews.

Some points you should consider before buying Golf Clubs:

1. The shaft is the axle of the club, the better the shaft, the better the club.

2. Shaft flex has a major effect on the feel of a golf club and a medium effect on distance, thus an important determination in choosing clubs. If you do not know your speed swing (mph or km/h), some local golf shops can measure it for you. Otherwise the following chart may be helpful.

SWING SPEED CONVERSION CHART

LADIES FLEX

Driver speed swing less than 60 mph (100 km/h). Driver carry distance less than 180 yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 3 iron or wood.

SENIOR or A FLEX

Driver speed swing 60-75 mph (100-120 km/h). Driver carry distance 180-210 yds. Club used from 150yds. a 4 iron.

REGULAR FLEX

Driver speed swing 75-84 mph (120-135 km/h). Driver carry distance 210-240 yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 5 or 6 iron.

STIFF FLEX

Driver speed swing 84-93 mph (130-150 km/h). Driver carry distance 240-260 yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 6 or 7 iron.

X-STIFF FLEX

Driver speed swing over 93 mph (150 km/h). Driver carry distance 260+ yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 8 or 9 iron.

3. Shallow face metalwoods are well established game improvement clubs on the market. Pinemeadow Golf have a top quality and good priced selection (I personally like the Excel Strong 3 Wood, they play great and represent excellent value for money). Generally, shallow face metalwoods are easy to hit and extremely accurate due to their low center of gravity - something every golfer will appreciate.

4. Beginners and novice players choosing a set make-up, should consider eliminating the 2, 3 and 4 irons from their set, replacing those hard to hit irons with #3 and #5 hybrid clubs. You may want to check out this great value for money Hybrid Club selection. Some very popular choices are the well established Command Hybrids (my personal choice) and the new ZR1 Hybrids. Both models also come as complete iron/hybrid sets if you prefer that combination.

5. All golfers should use standard length clubs unless he or she is short or tall. Standard length clubs allow players to hit the ball on center a higher percentage of the time, thus increasing distance and accuracy. In recent years, light weight Titanium driver heads and Ultralight graphite shafts have extended driver playing lengths from a standard 43-431/2" to 44-46". This is good news and bad news. The good news is, when you increase length, you will increase distance. The longer the club, the more club head speed generated , thus more distance. The bad news is, the longer the club the more difficult it is to control, thus less accuracy. To put this into perspective, the following information will be helpful. A driver hit on center at 43" = 250 yds. 43 1/2"= 262 yds. 44" = 270 yds. 44 1/2" = 275 yds. 45" = 275-280 yds. As you can see a significant increase in distance is achieved up to 44". After 44", distance increases only a minimal amount . CONCLUSION - It is not worth sacrificing accuracy for the minimal amount of distance gained past 44". Keep driver playing lengths to 44" or less.

Where to best buy golf clubs?

Most Pro shops and driving ranges sell second hand clubs. They will also be able to offer you advice and let you try some clubs out. Just make sure that you don't pay more for a used 'branded' set than you would for a brand new 'clone glub set' (see below).

Alternatively, nearly all driving ranges will have clubs for hire if you want to have a go without committing to a set until you get the hang of it.

Or ask other people at the driving range, you will soon find out that many have another set of clubs at home because they made the exact same mistakes I mentioned above. Make sure you try before you buy, if they fit (and only if they fit!) you can often get them for a steal. Or try advertising in some classified sites for second hand clubs. Alternatively, you can also check some online auctions. One of our readers, CJ Matthews, suggests that swap meets and garage sales are always good places to get cheap gear. Also, his favorites are Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Make use of these opportunities, and also take a look our editorial on how to choose a golf club.

Having said that, the advantage of a brand new set is that it provides a great boost in confidence and committment, compared to playing with a used, second hand set. So, if you prefer to have your own brand new set of clubs I suggest that you take a look at the selections at golf clone manufacturers like Pinemeadow Golf and GigaGolf, arguably the two best clone club merchants on the web. There you can get a complete golf sets from some US$150, including custom fitting. The quality of their clubs is comparable to well known brands, but their prices are way more 'realistic' (however, if you have to have the big brand name clubs than take a look at the selection on the Austads Golf website where they offer the name brands for less).

Getting custom fitted is easy and painless with web-based fitting tools like the 'club fitting wizard' at Pinemeadow Golf or the 'e-fit System' at GigaGolf. It helps to have a partner who assists with some of the measurements required.

I again stress that you need to have a basic understanding on which club suits you reasonably well before you buy. DO NOT buy expensive brands at this stage.

You will also need golf balls. As a beginner you will lose quite a few due to stray shots into the woods, water hazards etc. To save some money on balls don't buy the expensive new ones, instead get recycled golf balls that play just as well but cost only a fraction - I guarantee that you will NOT see a difference in your game compared to using new balls! A comprehensive source is here: LostGolfBalls.com - Largest Selection of Recycled Golf Balls.

The very first steps

 

The biggest mistake by people wanting to start in golf is to rush out and buy a brand new set of shiny and expensive golf clubs. While they are nice to look at you should keep in mind that today's golf equipment comes in great varieties to cater for different golfing types and abilities. Since you're just starting out you do not know which set fits you best. Just imagine the envious looks you get at the driving range when you come with your $2000 set, and the subsequent laughter when you try and just 'hack away' - not worth the embarrassment! Once you spend a few hundred or even thousand $$ on a set that doesn't suit your style you're stuck with it or you have to sell it to somebody else at a loss.

Learn how to play Golf

How to get started in Golf?

Golf is a great game: sometimes rewarding, often frustrating but highly addictive. Getting started in it is actually not so difficult, and hopefully this article can help you avoid some of the pitfalls and point you in the direction of a lifetime of fun (and frustration). Of course, this article can only cover so much. If you really want to get a head start you should consider getting our Golf Beginner Guide, a 270-page publication developed by the owners of LearnAboutGolf.com. It's a great resource (but of course we're a bit biased...).