Teaching your girlfriend to golf...

[MountOdinMan]

We've been to the range a couple times, and she seems to really like it. Any tips for how to go about teaching her the game? Any advice on what kind of clubs I should buy for her to start with? Help would be appreciated.

Also, it's nice to see the board is still running, I haven't been here in quite some time.

[neverman]

Some used cavity backs. If she's strong and supple steel shafts, if she's a girly girl go graphite. BJDrivers should have some GI irons for sale in no time, keep reading here.

If you plan on keeping her, I'd get her lessons and not be in the same area when she receives them. I'd never try to teach someone in my immediate circle. Too many things can go wrong.

[Tee'd Off]

Ahhhh to be young and naive........how sweet.........INTRUDER ALERT! UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS HAVE ENTERED YOUR FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE!

[pingman360]

Ahhhh to be young and naive........how sweet.........INTRUDER ALERT! UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS HAVE ENTERED YOUR FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE!

???

dude how dumb can you get

[bjdrivers]

Some used cavity backs. If she's strong and supple steel shafts, if she's a girly girl go graphite. BJDrivers should have some GI irons for sale in no time, keep reading here.

If you plan on keeping her, I'd get her lessons and not be in the same area when she receives them. I'd never try to teach someone in my immediate circle. Too many things can go wrong.

my dad will have to pass on them first, sorry but he gets first bids.

[FreakOfNature]

We've been to the range a couple times, and she seems to really like it. Any tips for how to go about teaching her the game? Any advice on what kind of clubs I should buy for her to start with? Help would be appreciated.

Also, it's nice to see the board is still running, I haven't been here in quite some time.

First off, if you're going to buy her clubs then get her a fitting and buy her some good ones. Don't be a cheap-ass about it. She will only remain ignorant of the fact that you bought her $hitty clubs for so long. Once she realizes, you're in for it. My buddy just made that mistake. I'm not gonna see him for at least two weeks now. Not only did he have to suffer the humiliation of returning BROKEN (by a girl) cheap clubs, he had to be humbled by a clerk into replacing them with something of better quality (no, don't listen to me dude... wtf would I know ). Long story short - don't skimp. Get her the same thing you would get for yourself. She will appreciate it and it will show her that you have faith in her - that's more brownie points than you can count. You're welcome.

Teaching her to play? That's a whole different issue. Just because you can play a decent game, doesn't mean you can teach someone else how to do it too. Especially if that someone has an emotional attachment to you. I am trying to teach my wife the game but it is a "walking on thin ice" sort of endeavor. Sometimes I don't push enough and sometimes I push too hard. I try my best to explain the simple things - fundamentals, grip, tempo, rhythm - and that stuff goes over well. The more complicated issues you might want to wait until you get questions about before rambling off a chapter of a textbook. Let her dictate the pace at which she learns is more or less what I'm trying to say. So long as she isn't overwhelmed you should be ok. Don't overwhelm her with information. Just the basics at first and let her learn about the steep learning curve on her own. She will gain a new-found respect for what you can do if she has to learn some of it "the hard way", so to speak. From there on, whatever you say will mean something to her, because it will be a voice of wisdom and experience guiding her. That's trust and you need it to teach someone anything about golf or the lessons simply will not take.

Of course, if you don't have a clue about how to teach someone the game, you should enlist the services of a qualified professional to do it for you. It will be easier on everybody that way.



Putting the "fun" in disfunctional...

FON

[dorkman53]

Seriously, I wouldn't even consider trying to teach her yourself. Get her lessons with a pro who has a good, non-abrasive personality. Skiing and golf are two things NOT to try to teach a girlfriend/wife or your own kids. WAY too much emotional baggage with learning those two sports.

[Omen2]

i BELIEVE FON has explained it genuinely and accurately... that would indeed be best
the only thing i tried to convey to my wife about golf is that forged in japan was best, and Mizuno were the clubs used by BUDDHA.

Omen

p.s. and since she is Japanese she whole heartedly agrees.

[dorkman53]

i BELIEVE FON has explained it genuinely and accurately... that would indeed be best
the only thing i tried to convey to my wife about golf is that forged in japan was best, and Mizuno were the clubs used by BUDDHA.

Omen

p.s. and since she is Japanese she whole heartedly agrees.

Get her diamond studded Honmas if you REALLY love her....

[MountOdinMan]

Thanks for the advice guys, most of it seems pretty sound. I'm definitely going to get her lessons, that seems to be what everyone tells me. There's a lady golf pro at one of the courses near me, so that should work out. By the way, it's nice to see you around pingman360.

[daveperk]

My wife is sweet but naive.. :-)

I told her Miura was what I wanted, and she bought me a Lamborghini... I tell ya, that knucklehead, I love her anyways, heh heh.. :-)

[Kiwi Player]

You might find this link useful. Stina and GR have a special relationship and she is a great admirer of this site. I'm sure she would be happy to assist.

http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2008/07/stina

[pingman360]

Thanks for the advice guys, most of it seems pretty sound. I'm definitely going to get her lessons, that seems to be what everyone tells me. There's a lady golf pro at one of the courses near me, so that should work out. By the way, it's nice to see you around pingman360.

yeah maybe youll drop in once in a while???

[Horseballs]

My advice? Don't even try it unless you have an infallable swing and grasp of fundamentals. Golf is so frustrating when you're learning and you don't want her taking that out on you. By her a Swing Jacket and make her wear it 24/7 for a month straight. Yes it's uncomfortable and socially awkward and pretty pointless, but it will show that she is committed to the game. Stage 2 involves a Medicus and some Gorilla Glue. Let me know when she's ready.

[MountOdinMan]

yeah maybe youll drop in once in a while???

I'm trying, I've been busy though I guess.

I ended up buying her Tour Edge Moda's, she really likes them. She's learning quickly, so I'm happy about that. And if she stops making progress, I might just resort to a Medicus and Gorilla Glue, I think you're on to something Horseballs ;-)

[Fairways]

Women think golf is an Easter egg hunt. They're always in the bushes looking for dirty Topflites. Teach her to clean house and cook dinner while you're busting your hump on the course.

[Kiwi Player]

Women think golf is an Easter egg hunt. They're always in the bushes looking for dirty Topflites. Teach her to clean house and cook dinner while you're busting your hump on the course.

LOL

I like your style Fairways!

Welcome to GR - you'll fit right in here!

Gentlemen
Only
Ladies
Forbidden

[MJFGolf]

LOL

I like your style Fairways!

Welcome to GR - you'll fit right in here!

Gentlemen
Only
Ladies
Forbidden

NEVER, under ANY circumstances, submit to the male fantasy that we can teach our significant others (wives or girlfriends) how to play golf! Unless, and this is a small proviso, that you are competent to teach others the game. If your buddies neither solicit, ask or accept your teaching/swing advice.....you are NOT competent enough to teach your girlfriend. Get her lessons!!!! Pronto!

Then remember.....ALWAYS.....that mixed couples' golf is SIGNIFICANTLY different than playing with your buds. HOWEVER, planning travel around golf, or sharing that activity will provide you innumerable benefits in the long run and increase your standing in your girlfriend's eyes. They LOVE to think they are included in the game. But NEVER, EVER disclose that you would rather play with your buddies than her..........LOL

And no one is qualified to answer this thread UNLESS they speak from personal experience......LOL

[Fairways]

Seriously, I don't really mean to denigrate the female athlete. I use Sorenstam's putting drills and I love Creamer's steady soft drives right down the middle. Awesome. Look past her pony-tail and mini-skirt and you'll see she has a smooth, repeatable tempo on her swing. So I do appreciate the special skills that are sometimes best demonstrated by mop-squeezers.

[MJFGolf]

Seriously, I don't really mean to denigrate the female athlete. I use Sorenstam's putting drills and I love Creamer's steady soft drives right down the middle. Awesome. Look past her pony-tail and mini-skirt and you'll see she has a smooth, repeatable tempo on her swing. So I do appreciate the special skills that are sometimes best demonstrated by mop-squeezers.

Who's denigrating the female athlete? LOL Which of us able bodied males on this site have not at least fantasized (once or twice..............ok, ok, possibly innumerable times) about what it would be like to be with Natalie Gulbis or Paula Creamer or Anna Rawson or Sophie Sandalo, (or for that matter, anyone listed on: http://golf-babes.blogspot.com/

But I WOULD NOT want to be giving them tips on the golf course!

[jammer]

I started playing about two years ago. Like any new newbie, the 1st year was 'intense': hours on end at the range on weekday nights, and all-day weekends at the course.

It didn't take long before my GF arrived at the conclusion: "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" Actually, it was also out of guilt on my part (esp. for the 'selfish' weekends) that I eventually asked her to try swinging a club.

I did pay for 1 or 2 sessions with a pro for her, then the rest was self-practice after that. I think one thing us guys sometimes fail to appreciate is that women and children can be more agile and flexible, resulting in a free-flowing swing which most guys struggle to achieve (just watch the Korean ladies on the LPGA). Thus, once she got the hang of swinging a club, it didn't take long before she was able to hit them with a certain degree of consistency.

Note though when I say consistent, it's not necessarily the whole set, but may just be confined to 1 or 2 clubs. In my GF's case, it's my old 5-wood and her 6/7 iron (did I mention, I did buy her a Wilson ladies' set?). But that was enough to get her hooked.

I'd say the single most determining factor for her to get hooked on the game was the first time I took her on a real golf course. Sure, she ended up chunking some shots, but the few that she pured, her face radiated w/ a joy and epiphany that is priceless! Though she doesn't play with all the clubs in the bag, the 2-3 which are her favorites are enough to keep pace (or at least not cost undue delay) in the course.

Given the cost of a game (plus the fact that only I have a membership in one golf club here), she doesn't play as often as I do. But at those times she does come w/ me (and I foot the bill), she is very, very grateful. And during those times I want to play and she can't? Well, let's just say that now she understands why I really have to play.

So in summary, I'd say some key success factors to get your significant other eased into this demanding 'mistress' of a sport: (i) buy her her own set (as the others in this forum have noted, this small investment encourages her to be committed to the game and at the same time shows your commitment/belief in her capabilities; (ii) start her off w/ some lessons from a pro; and (iii) get her right out on the course as soon as she can hit some balls -- golf is meant to be played in the course, to begin with.

[Kiwi Player]

I bought my wife a set of shiny new Powerbilt Ladies clubs a year or two ago and that got her out on the track quite often that first summer. Following year she was wavering so I bought her a fancy new sun mountain push cart to keep her interested.

Like your GF she mainly uses 2 or 3 clubs in the bag. 3 wood off most tees and seven wood for most 2nd/fairway shots, 7 iron closer to the green. She will never take this game as seriously as me but I still really enjoy playing with her and she hits the ball fine. I have drilled into her the importance of speed of play and it's not a problem. Occasionally she gets nervous when we play with strangers and can be hopeless to start with until she calms down but generally she has a nice smooth swing and gets the ball sailing down the middle.

I am a member of a club that has two 18 hole courses and I generally take her out on the shorter/easier of the two courses. The longer one is a bit tough for her. She is a fair weather player and only plays in summer and that is fine as our club offers a summer membership that is less than half price to play between 1 October and 31 March (SH summer). It's great for me. Generally I play in the Men's Club competition on Saturday mornings and then take my wife out for a relaxed, lazy round on Sunday afternoon. Beats the hell out of staying home and mowing the lawns! LOL

Hmm ... just wondering what shiny new piece of equipment I might need to buy her to rekindle her interest again this summer? LOL

P.S. I bought her a series of beginners lessons when she first started. I never tried to teach her to golf myself and very rarely offer her advice on the course unless it is something really obvious. e.g. she used to take a huge backswing on her pitch/chip shots and then de-accelerate the club on the down swing. I just told her to shorten her backswing but other than that I won't offer her technical swing coaching. I'll leave that to the pro's.

[Fairways]

I suppose there are upsides to taking the ladies to the course...
While they're skulling shots back and forth across the green it gives us guys a chance to talk about football.

[Fairways]

I suppose there are upsides to taking the ladies to the course...
While they're skulling shots back and forth across the green it gives us guys a chance to talk about football.

[jammer]

Hi Kiwi Player,

It's nice to know your experience w/ the missus is almost the same as mine w/ my GF.

As mentioned, largely because it's an outdoor sport played best in hot sunny weather, women in general (except maybe for pros) may not be into golf as much as the men. And thus they may not be too much into gadgets and new technology. Having said that, they do appreciate being given some golf-related items -- not necessarily new, and which do not necessarily cost you an arm and a leg.

Case in point is my GF. As mentioned, I bought her a Wilson ladies' set. Whilst the Wilson irons are quite solid, the woods unfortunately leave much to be desired (at least out of the set I bought her). Thus I passed on to her my 'extra' club -- a cleveland 5-wood w/ a grafalloy shaft. It was simple to hit and it didn't take long before it became her go-to club (when I was starting out, I had the similar experience w/ that club). I also passed on to her my extra Snake Eyes sand wedge, which greatly improved her chipping and sand play. Finally, once in a trip to Singapore, we saw a Lynx ladies titanium driver which was on sale for less than US$100. You can imagine how her face lit up when l bought it for her! This driver had a more 'solid' feel and sound to it when hit, compared to her Wilson steel driver which had a hollow thumping sound to it when hit.

On the times I play without her on the course, I do occasionally (out of guilt sometimes!) find myself buying small 'girly' stuff for her -- e.g., a pair of pink gloves, 'pearl' balls, colored balls (don't ask me why, but she likes them!), etc. When I get back and give it to her, you can tell she can't wait to try them out and go out in the course again.

It's not all a 'one-way' investment though. During my birthday last July, she gave me 18 ProV1 balls. ;-) Since she started playing golf, she now appreciates how expensive they are for 'daily' use, but knows they are for 'serious' golfers and that I've always wanted them. She has also given me other golf-related items as presents since I started playing (e.g., distance binoculars, swiss knife golf tool, etc.).

[MJFGolf]

Jammer: Sounds you met a hell of a woman! When you are ready to plan trips around golf with her, then I hear the "bells of the church aringin' " LOL

[jammer]

Jammer: Sounds you met a hell of a woman! When you are ready to plan trips around golf with her, then I hear the "bells of the church aringin' " LOL

Er.... thanks...I guess (gulp!). LOL