golf advice

[luckydawg]

how many out here golfs? I have just started to play around some and have a golf lesson this week. but right know I am awful. how long can I expect to be fair and not embarrass my buddies?

[Bray]

how many out here golfs? I have just started to play around some and have a golf lesson this week. but right know I am awful. how long can I expect to be fair and not embarrass my buddies?

Golf is a strange game. Some people pick it up quick and others it takes a while. If you need any help let me know, I used to give lessons and would be glad to share some tips. Last year I carried a 2 and this year I am down to a 0 exactly.

[Bray]

The best advice I can give to a beginner is 1) Learn to play from the green to the tee. The best players I know are all great putters. 2) When you are just starting don't worry so much as where the ball goes becuase you can change your ball flight, but worry about making solid contact. Solid contact is the foundation for the golf swing. The quicker you learn to make solid contact the quicker you can control your swing inorder to control your ball flight. 3) I don't know where you play, but if you can find a small golf course where you can wander into the driving range and hit balls for free that is a great way to practice without paying a fortune, if you can't you can get some nice foam practice balls at Dicks or Walmart. Contact is key. 4) A great book to read is the 5 Modern fundamentals of golf by Ben Hogan. It is the foundation of my golf swing and is a great read.

You said you are taking lessons, that is a great place to start. Don't be discouraged if you aren't seeing immediate results. Golf is a very complicated game to just pick up. Its the hardest game I have ever played and can be truly addictive. Like I said earlier if you need any help let me know.

[gobblergetter]

I've been playing for six years and still suck.:D I picked it up in college and started with my short irons7-8-9, pitching wedge. Those seem to be the easiest to hit. For years I tee'd off with nothing but irons b/c that is what I was comfortable with. Something I didn't do much of (time) was go to the driving range. Practice Practice Practice. Its true now that you are picking the game up, you will get addicted. I've played football, basketball, track, wrestling etc and golf is the most challenging (not physically), frustrating game I have ever played:eek:. Have fun but be patient. It will take a while.

[ky_bull]

Practice, Practice, Practice and more Practice. My new brother in law is going to Arizona next week to play in the National Junior College Championships and hes been playing darn near all his life. He plays pretty much every day, doesnt hurt he lives with a mile of a course. To me golf is a lot like archery in ways. Its all about concentration and muscle memory, and thats where all that practice comes in. Youve got to train your muscle and body to do the same thing every time. I could talk for hours on the mechanics of golf, but the best thing anyone could do is have a decent coach or pro to show you the proper forms and practice.

[DearDoctor]

When the blade of the windmill is at the bottom thats when you hit your ball. Also make sure you aim for the center of the clowns mouth. :D:D

[RocketRider]

My advice is:



Don't fall off the ball-washer!!!


RR~

[hunt-4-life21]

practice is very important!!! dont be very aggressive at the beginning, play shots that you are comfortable to hit and dont go for par 5 greens in 2 shots. dont swing 100% just swing about 80%. tiger woods is the only golfer on the pga tour who can swing as hard as he can and the ball will go to the right spot

[killinmammals]

well I have played for 16-17 years....assuming you are 21 the best advice I can give you is to drink beer as you play:D. It helps me loosen up and relax....although sometimes I swear I hit 2 balls at once and one made a hole in one and the other hits the bunker...my buddy must play alot of jokes on me cause I only find the one in the bunker not the hole in one:D:eek:

[naturalelite]

I don't know the exact statistics I am sure someone on here will but like 90% of your shots will be within 75 yards of the green. You can tell most of the good golfers at the range DON'T GRAB THE DRIVER AS SOON AS THEY GET TO THE RANGE..

Bray had some excellent advice about learning to play from the GREEN to the TEE. Learn to putt, read greens and learn to hit your wedges accurately and you can go to ANY course and put on a good show. Driving is fun to watch and people puff out their chest on those 300+ yard drives but if your second shot isn't on the green after one of those drives you have wasted it. If you take a normal 18 hole course there will be at least 4-6 par 3's so that has taken the chance to use driver down to 12-14 holes. If there is a water hazards or tight fairways that cuts it down even more8-12 times that the Driver can be used. Put I promise you that you will use your putter at least 25-35 times a round depending on your ability.

Note: None of the above mentioned advice has any bearing on my golf game. I am a hacker that never gets cheated on a swing. I hit the ball a long way and seldom know where it is going. :D

[corndogggy]

I played very recreationally, got to where I could shoot 45 on 9 holes, which isn't great, but it's not like I was embarassed about it either. So, about the only thing I can add without getting all serious about the advice is that if you're first starting out, make sure your upper body stays stabil and level when you swing. Most beginners have a messed up swing where they actually raise up at the end of it, but your shoulder/head height shouldn't really change. Getting comfortable swinging while staying stabil like this will held tremendously with consistency. Beginners will usually have one good shot, then totally shank the next one or whatever, because they raise up and are not stabil. You can't work on anything on your swing unless you can do the same thing over and over again and not bob up at the end.

[jaredemma]

Not trying to steal the thread but i have always played sports and can hit my driver better than any club in the bag, but with my irons i have a hard time keeping my head down and watching the club hit the ball, any advice that can help me any practice drills?

[Bray]

Not trying to steal the thread but i have always played sports and can hit my driver better than any club in the bag, but with my irons i have a hard time keeping my head down and watching the club hit the ball, any advice that can help me any practice drills?

If you are right handed, pinch your shirt around your left collar bone and put it in your mouth. Bite on your shirt and hit a few balls. This will help keep your head down through impact.

[gobblergetter]

Golfers are always concerned with where the ball is going when it leaves the club head which is why we can't stay down on the ball. We lift our heads to look for the ball. Unfortunatley when that happens we're watching for the ball in all the wrong places (100-200-300 yards away):D Its not a drill but do not take your eye off of the ball. Don't worry so much about what is down the fairway.

As for luckydawg, the beer drinking is always fun. Depending who you play with, make sure you hit it past the lady's tee (to avoid the DO rule) and expect practical jokes to be played on you. Take them in stride even though you're so mad you can't see straight b/c you whiffed three times in a row. LOL. I had a guy that would run over my ball with a golf cart everytime in the fairway. Made it impossible to hit when it was buried in the fairway. I actually played a whole at Paris Landing in Tenn with my pants around my ankles b/c i didn't hit it past the ladies tee. :eek:

[Bray]

Don't worry about swinging hard inorder to hit the ball further. A smooth swing will hit the ball just as far (if not further) and you will hit it more consitantly. The next time you get a chance watch a PGA tournament on TV. Take notice of how smooth their swings are. A slower tempo will yeild more solid contact. Practice practice and practice smooth tempo.

[luckydawg]

Thanks I just got back from walmart and got some practice balls. so what you are saying is not to try to kill the ball but rather get a smooth good contact on the ball. getting ready to go out in the yard and practice.:eek::confused:

[shot'm&hook'm]

Have you tried Wii golf. it could improve your putting reading the green and wind and such! I'm not a golfer but I love the game! If you know anyone who has one you might want to try it if nothing else it is great for a good laugh!

[timber_wolf16]

ima have to go wiht killinmammals lol if ya drink beer ull be fine lol but i just started playing about a year ago and i picked it up pretty quick still not tha best but i can show sum of my buddys up and steal sum of there money to lol

[Bray]

Thanks I just got back from walmart and got some practice balls. so what you are saying is not to try to kill the ball but rather get a smooth good contact on the ball. getting ready to go out in the yard and practice.:eek::confused:

A smooth swing will result in more consistant contact. Ask anyone who plays much golf, the harder you try to hit the ball the more you lose control and make bad contact. Don't worry about losing distance from swinging easier. A smooth swing results in better mechanics and better mechanics results in better contact and mroe distance. Just make sure that you aren't decelerating the club that can result in "chunks" or "heavy shots".

[canemaker]

Sam "Slammin' Sammy" Sneed once stated, " Golf is mans simplest game, there are only two variables, distance and direction"

[naturalelite]

We need to set up a trip to Dale Hollow around the end of July? Would be a good chance to get to meet some members and that course from the tips is always a good way to ruin an otherwise perfectly nice Saturday:D

[Bray]

We need to set up a trip to Dale Hollow around the end of July? Would be a good chance to get to meet some members and that course from the tips is always a good way to ruin an otherwise perfectly nice Saturday:D

Is Burnside going to open this year? I know the guy who designed Dale Hollow did Burnside and I am sure it will be just as nice as Dale.

[naturalelite]

Is Burnside going to open this year? I know the guy who designed Dale Hollow did Burnside and I am sure it will be just as nice as Dale.
Yes It is supposed to be open Memorial Day Weekend I believe.

[Highbow]

I've been trying to play for about 12 years, shoot in the 80s and proud to do that.

[luckydawg]

Burnside? by Chance are you guy's from around the Somerset area? I live in Somerset if so.
on another note I hit the practice balls in the yard I believe better than I did on the course the other day. kept my eye on the ball and tried to make a smooth swing,,, but by all means I stink in driving still. :cool:

[Bray]

Burnside? by Chance are you guy's from around the Somerset area? I live in Somerset if so.
on another note I hit the practice balls in the yard I believe better than I did on the course the other day. kept my eye on the ball and tried to make a smooth swing,,, but by all means I stink in driving still. :cool:

Driving was always hard for me when I was just starting. I would hit my 3 iron on a lot of tees. Driving isn't nearly as important as its made out to be. I can hit the ball 300+ but would trade 30 yards if I could make 3 more putts a round. Just keep working on your iron play, wedge play, and short game in general. Most beginners have trouble around the green, practice on that and you could shave 10 strokes off your card in a few months.

I am not from Somerset, but I live very close. I am about 10 minutes north of Eagles Nest, in Rockcastle Co.