Best way to learn the game.

Hi my name is Franz, I am 47 yearrs old and have never played golf before. 2 years ago I had bi-pass surgery so now I have decided to get a little activity in and learn the game of golf. I am competitive by nature and looking for ideas to master the game at least be competitive enough not to embarrise myself. Question I have is what do you work on first.

if you are just starting you probably have to work on everything, but i would start with putting.

If you don't want to embarass yourself on the golf course the most important thing is to have the right clubs in the bag. Unless you wanna look like a sissy retard, use the following checklist.

-NO HYBRIDS!
-No cast POS CB irons (eg Ping, Callaway etc). Grain flow forged Mizuno's for maximum credibility.
-No iron covers.
-No over sized POS mallet style putters, traditional blade or similar (eg Scotty Cameron) only.
-No iron covers.
-No graphite shafts in irons.
-No regular shafts in anything.
-Always walk the course, and if you realy want to impress use a stand bag.
-NO HYBRIDS!

If you follow these simple rules you will never embarrass yourself in front of REAL golfers. You might still be a useless hacker, but at least you will look like you are trying to become a real man on the course.

P.S. What MTibbo said made alot of sense too.

[QUOTE=Not a hacker]If you don't want to embarass yourself on the golf course the most important thing is to have the right clubs in the bag. Unless you wanna look like a gay sissy retard, use the following checklist.

-NO HYBRIDS!
-No cast POS CB irons (eg Ping, Callaway etc). Grain flow forged Mizuno's for maximum credibility.
-No iron covers.
-No over sized POS mallet style putters, traditional blade or similar (eg Scotty Cameron) only.
-No iron covers.
-No graphite shafts in irons.
-No regular shafts in anything.
-Always walk the course, and if you realy want to impress use a stand bag.
-NO HYBRIDS!

If you follow these simple rules you will never embarrass yourself in front of REAL golfers. You might still be a useless hacker, but at least you will look like you are trying to become a real man on the course.

P.S. What MTibbo said made alot of sense too.[/QUOTE]

seriously ignore all of what he said... but i would say that you should start out by practicing shots form inside 50yds... outting chipping and little wedge shots... then work you way on out... itll take a lot of practice butit really is a great game when you get started...

not a hacker, he had by-pass surgery 2 years ago. why would he go and walk a golf course?

[QUOTE=Not a hacker]
-NO HYBRIDS!
-No cast POS CB irons (eg Ping, Callaway etc). Grain flow forged Mizuno's for maximum credibility.
-No iron covers.
-No over sized POS mallet style putters, traditional blade or similar (eg Scotty Cameron) only.
-No iron covers.
-No graphite shafts in irons.
-No regular shafts in anything.
-Always walk the course, and if you realy want to impress use a stand bag.
-NO HYBRIDS!

[/QUOTE]

Hmm, I have hybrids but honestly never ever use them, I can't hit the damn things for ****.

No iron covers so that's a point in my favor.

Damn, I have a mallet style putter so I lose that point.

Graphite shafts...check, another point down the drain.

Crap, regular shafts too, 2 points down.

Walking vs riding is 50/50 for me so I only go down 1/2 point there.

How will I ever hope top get the accolades from Hacker is I continue on this path?:confused:

As you had recent by pass surgery you could be allowed some concessions on the walking thing. Maybe get a cart for the back nine if you get itred. At least you will still look cool on the first tee.

1st- Read up on proper golf etiquette (google it). It may be a boring read, but you don't want to look like a jackass out there (ie. pace of play, rules, when to pick up, order, etc.)

2nd- Pick up a few books:
"The Plane Truth" - Learn proper set up and address (you will probably be a 2 planer)
"Tour Tempo" - Learn tempo and has really good drills for beginners
"Short Game Bible" - Short game is a must
"The Art of Putting" or "Putting Bible - Putting is much harder than it looks

3rd- Practice getting in the proper grip at home (a good grip is the foundation for a good swing). Practice getting the proper setup position (ie feet, posture, alignment). Use a mirror. **The key to good setup is to feel like you are well balanced**

4th- The first few times at the range try only hitting 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 shots. Don't worry about distance. The key is to make square contact with ball (straight shots). Never hit balls blindly. Always pick a spot (target) and try to hit towards the spot. I would start by using mostly a 7 iron. Vary your target every shot or so, and always readdress the ball after every range shot. Hitting balls over and over from same spot will not transfer to the golf course.

5th- Avoid golf magazines, tips, and quick fixes (many tips contradict each other). Try not to bog yourself down with too many swing thoughts. If you can setup to the ball properly, then you just have to focus on good balance, tempo, and staying loose.

6th- Master the basics first, then work on course management (maybe get a book) and work on visualizing what you want to do with each shot before you hit it.

7th- After mastering the Basics, you will be ready for proper equipment fitting.

Good Luck

You could always buy the How I Play Golf (Tiger Woods) book. that has alot of helpful tips, and tells you how to hit pretty much every shot

tibbs - you have to realize that a lot of golf books (and tips in general) out there aren't right for the average golfer. A one plane swinger may get a lot out of Tiger or Ben Hogan's book, but many of the fundamentals may not be right for an older gentleman that may not have the flexability that a one plane requires.

Learning golf is a very personal thing. What works for one person might not work for another. There are a few universal things though:

In order to play good and consistent golf you must figure out a way to:

Stay balanced throughout every golf shot
Stay tension free throughout golf shot (tension in any one area will mess you up)
Keep a good tempo for every golf shot (including chips and putts)
Develop a swing plane that allows you to make good contact with ball
Set up and aim properly
Visualize what you want the ball to do before each stroke

[QUOTE=The Purist]tibbs - you have to realize that a lot of golf books (and tips in general) out there aren't right for the average golfer. A one plane swinger may get a lot out of Tiger or Ben Hogan's book, but many of the fundamentals may not be right for an older gentleman that may not have the flexability that a one plane requires.

Learning golf is a very personal thing. What works for one person might not work for another. There are a few universal things though:

In order to play good and consistent golf you must figure out a way to:

Stay balanced throughout every golf shot
Stay tension free throughout golf shot (tension in any one area will mess you up)
Keep a good tempo for every golf shot (including chips and putts)
Develop a swing plane that allows you to make good contact with ball
Set up and aim properly
Visualize what you want the ball to do before each stroke[/QUOTE]

Sorry Bud, but your wrong, that book has alot of useful tips for high to low handicapper, beginner to everyday player. Until you have read the book from cover to cover come talk to me

ASK OMEN... its that simple

1. Don't set foot on a golf course until you've spent at least 50 cumulative hours on the driving range.
2. Only play local 9 hole muni courses until:
a. You can drive the ball longer than 200 yards
b. You can make decent contact on every swing
3. You can play the nicer courses as long as you scramble with a better player and take a max of 7 strokes on any hole.

Another word of caution, don't hit any Titleist clubs until you reach #3.

Dude, its a cool book with lots of pretty pictures. But its title is "How I Play Golf" and its not even how he plays golf anymore (he has since switched coachs and has learned a new swing). I think the book is most valuable for its insights into Tigers mental approach to the game, but it lacks in the instructional department. Tiger is even quoted in the book saying this is how "he plays the game" and that it may not be suited for everyone.

Sorry to go off topic. (I will not address this again - start a new thread and flame it up if you'd like)

[QUOTE=The Purist]tibbs - you have to realize that a lot of golf books (and tips in general) out there aren't right for the average golfer. A one plane swinger may get a lot out of Tiger or Ben Hogan's book, but many of the fundamentals may not be right for an older gentleman that may not have the flexability that a one plane requires.

Learning golf is a very personal thing. What works for one person might not work for another. There are a few universal things though:

In order to play good and consistent golf you must figure out a way to:

Stay balanced throughout every golf shot
Stay tension free throughout golf shot (tension in any one area will mess you up)
Keep a good tempo for every golf shot (including chips and putts)
Develop a swing plane that allows you to make good contact with ball
Set up and aim properly
Visualize what you want the ball to do before each stroke[/QUOTE]


Damn good post, very valid points & I have seen what you mean by the magazine & book experts tips actually contradicting each other. I dont worry about 1 or 2 plane swings, all I concentrate on is going thru the same routine every shot. Getting the right grip, stance, mindset, etc.

Over 10 replies and nobody's mentioned cargo shorts? Seriously, why would you want to golf with only 4 pockets?

[QUOTE=Cargo Putter]Over 10 replies and nobody's mentioned cargo shorts? Seriously, why would you want to golf with only 4 pockets?[/QUOTE]

gues no one thought of it... so i will...

unless you are playing at a super-pretentious CC... cargo shorts are banned..

[QUOTE=Cargo Putter]Over 10 replies and nobody's mentioned cargo shorts? Seriously, why would you want to golf with only 4 pockets?[/QUOTE]

Here is a pic of Hunter Mayhan at the Presidents cup yesterday, in cargo pants

[QUOTE=LyleG]Here is a pic of Hunter Mayhan at the Presidents cup yesterday, in cargo pants[/QUOTE]
You got one of him putting?

[QUOTE=Franz]Hi my name is Franz, I am 47 yearrs old and have never played golf before. 2 years ago I had bi-pass surgery so now I have decided to get a little activity in and learn the game of golf. I am competitive by nature and looking for ideas to master the game at least be competitive enough not to embarrise myself. Question I have is what do you work on first.[/QUOTE]


In addition to the many good suggestions already made - If you're brand new to the game, the best advice I could possibly give you would be to [B]feel the clubhead[/B]. Don't ever try to choke the life out of the golf club. You'll never know what a true [B]swing[/B] feels like if you do. Grip the club just firmly enough that you don't feel like it will fly out of your hands, and no more. [B]Less grip pressure = more feel[/B].

Tune your senses in to the weight and momentum of the clubhead. Sense where it wants to go. Gravity and momentum will give the clubhead proper direction. [B]You[/B] are trying to make the clubhead pass through the ball, and [B]how[/B] it passes through the ball (if it passes through the ball) largely depends on [B]where you put the club[/B] at the top of your backswing. Start in the right place, and if you let gravity and momentum direct you back to the ball you will get consistent results.

If you can manage, swing a weighted golf club. Swing it slowly (at whatever pace gravity pulls on it is optimal) - not powerfully - and it will exaggerate the weight and momentum of a club, so you can feel how it wants to work when you're trying to hit a shot. The added weight will help train you to [B]not[/B] make the swing fault (coming over the top) that most new players tend to make - the one which causes a big slice - and it will teach you good tempo and rhythm, which are keys to good balance and consistent ball-striking.

Lastly, get a big mirror, so you can see what your swing looks like in [B]real time[/B]. I can't stress this enough. Once you can see yourself doing things you're trying [B]not[/B] to do, you can remedy them. Video is good for analyzing trends, but a mirror gives you immediate feedback. You'll actually be [B]feeling[/B] what you're [B]seeing[/B].




Best of luck,

FON

I apreciate the advice, I'll try not to look like an ass.

Good Luck Franz.

Let us know how your range sessions and first round go.