Starting up in Dublin

royal_alchemist

Hi All,
i've been trying to dig up something already from the forum, as I guess this question has been asked over and over, but found nothing too specific.

I am a self starter with a few session of driving range (6/7) and a few pitch and putt who's now ready for the next step... or at least willing to try!

After a big improvement from day 1 to the others, I have notice no signifcant improvement (missing the ball from time to time, shot that goes where it shouldn't... etc).

So I was wondering whether it was the case to have a few lessons with an instructor: is there any good deal around? What would be the price? I usually go to driving range in Greystones (with Dart... no car here... ), but i can probably reach Spawell or any that has access from town with a public transport.

I also was looking forward to get a set of clubs of my own to stop using the ones from driving ranges... I've seen a few interesting (from my absolute non expert point of view, that is) on amazon.co.uk:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wilson-Profile-Mens-Package-Set/dp/B0021L8WQU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1265152700&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FX100-Right-Graphite-Clubs-Package/dp/B0026BPUWO/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1265152784&sr=1-16

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sayers-Fire-Golf-Package-Model/dp/B0024SN7N8/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1265152784&sr=1-14

What do you think? Is there any shop in town that has good deals over club sets?

Sorry for the long post... hope somebody will be able to provide me some help!!
Thanks very much!
RA

royal_alchemist

Heya,
I understand I am a golf-noob, however I was hoping that at least some of you could give me a few hints concerning what I've been asking.
Even a link to another website/article/resource that you consider helpful, will help me a lot.
Thanks!

ShriekingSheet

Hi there,

All of those sets look fine - they're from well known brands and very suitable for a beginner. If you have the enthusiasm, which it seems you do, step #1 would certainly be to get the basic equipment you need to play a game. The good news is, clubs/balls etc for people starting out are hugely reasonable (as you see in your links). The expensive stuff only really comes into play when you start to get a hang of the game, and even then, getting good gear s/h is probably the way to start out. So get whichever set you like the look off - they're all fine.

You really would be better off getting out on a golf course, rather than driving ranges and pitch & putt. While 80 yard shots are a huge part of golf, 80 yard shots from a tee stuck in a matt are pretty useless, in terms of development.

Starting out, the best thing to do is get to the golf course off peak, and with someone who's played for a while. If you can do a midweek morning, you'll have the freedom of the course, no pressure from groups playing behind and the chance to just enjoy it and get an idea of the various different types of shots involved in a round of golf, that you just never, ever get in the driving range.

Having someone who can play to some extent will also help you learn, and help you out with things like the indices of holes, guide to choosing the right club, and the pointers you'll need on how things work as regards ettiquette.

A great thing that helped me when I was just about able to hit the ball, was to join a society. A golf society is just a group of people, might be a football team or regulars in a local pub, who organise a few golf outings a year in different courses. It's a great evironment to start, relaxed and usually has people happy to give a new golfer a steer. A good organiser will put a beginner in a suitable group to help him/her along. So maybe you know someone in a society, or your local might have one - when you've played a good few rounds of golf (maybe 5-10), it'd be a good idea to join a society.

In summary, you can't learn golf on a driving range or by reading a book - get clubs and go and play!

L.O.F.T

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

A great thing that helped me when I was just about able to hit the ball, was to join a society. A golf society is just a group of people, might be a football team or regulars in a local pub, who organise a few golf outings a year in different courses. It's a great evironment to start, relaxed and usually has people happy to give a new golfer a steer. A good organiser will put a beginner in a suitable group to help him/her along. So maybe you know someone in a society, or your local might have one - when you've played a good few rounds of golf (maybe 5-10), it'd be a good idea to join a society

I think sheet has it spot on. I also think the choices you have found in relation to the clubs to start with are perfect.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sayers-Fire-Golf-Package-Model/dp/B0024SN7N8/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1265152784&sr=1-14
I do think you should however keep practicing at the range and mix your range with a round of golf if possible. Keep asking questions here as you will always get honest responses.

sweetswing

hi there and welcome to the golf forum, , as said above the clubs are spot on . best advice i can give you is the same that was given to me ,which is ,practice putting all the time ,you can do this at home on your carpet, try to hit balls off grass as much as you can .do not on any occasion try to hit the ball to hard {biggest beginner mistake imo}. and last but by no means least "its a game,so enjoy yourself" dont dwell on bad shotts move on . best of luck with it mate ,

royal_alchemist

Thanks very much everybody for the suggestions and advises! I really appreciated that!
Will definitely head down to a golf club this weekend or the next.
It is however, quite difficult to go and play on off-peak times... so I guess be really early might help with that.
Any particular noobs-friendly course in the Dublin area that won't cost a fortune to start?

Regarding the club sets, do you think it is possible to get something along the lines directly in Dublin at a price comparable to the one on amazon?

Thanks again everybody!

ShriekingSheet

royal_alchemist wrote: »

It is however, quite difficult to go and play on off-peak times... so I guess be really early might help with that.!

Haha, do not try and play early at the weekd :P Most clubs have a "dawn patrol" who's sole aim in life is to finish their round before most other players have gotten home from the night before It's a mad time, some are family men, others just prefer playing early - all of them play at break-neck speed!

Afternoon would be your best bet - even just 9 a couple of hours before dark. Call the proshop when booking and explain you're looking for a quieter time and they should help you out.

royal_alchemist

eheheh... i thought about that just after having replied...

DonkeyPokerTour

Bowing to superior knowledge here but sheet do you reckon it would be a good idea for him to try a par 3 course before "graduating" to a full course?

Generally I find them a bit more relaxed in terms of speed and etiquette but give a lot more chance for playing shots than pitch and putt.

As for the clubs listed above, all fine but assuming your a young male (correct me if I'm wrong), I'd avoid the all graphite Ram set. General convention for younger guys is Steel Irons and Graphite woods which it appears at first glance that both of the others are.

Regards
Ian

ShriekingSheet

DonkeyPokerTour wrote: »

Bowing to superior knowledge here but sheet do you reckon it would be a good idea for him to try a par 3 course before "graduating" to a full course?

Generally I find them a bit more relaxed in terms of speed and etiquette but give a lot more chance for playing shots than pitch and putt.

As for the clubs listed above, all fine but assuming your a young male (correct me if I'm wrong), I'd avoid the all graphite Ram set. General convention for younger guys is Steel Irons and Graphite woods which it appears at first glance that both of the others are.

Regards
Ian

Sorry yeah, didn't spot if the irons were graphite. Royal, ensure steel shafter irons and graphite woods.

I see your point Ian, and I played some par 3 golf myself as a starter, but in all honesty I'd base it on the fact that a full golf course being a lot more fun than a par 3 course, as much as anything else. But on the game-learning side, I think the sooner you start hitting iron shots off the fairway and from the rough, as well as the driver or 3 wood from the tee, the better.

It's personal choice really. But I think to avoid a full golf course in favour off tee'd up irons shots just delays the fact that you have to just get out there and give it a lash at some stage!

You're spot on about pace of play and ettiquette, and how you need a better idea of this to play golf than par 3, but I think you'll learn this a lot quicker at a quiet time, with someone who knows the game a bit.

There's no right or wrong answer. I just think it's better to dive in and paddle like mad!

In a similar vein, some might advise lessons before to go near a course, or very early on. I really disagree with this as it prohibits you from getting any kind of flow, in terms of just getting up and whacking it. Nothing worse than seeing a beginner fixing their body into tight, awkward positions before tentatively taking the club back. Yet the same guy might have played a bit of casual tennis or hurling in the past where they just swung and hit the ball.

royal_alchemist

All right!
So no graphite irons... just to be on the subject, why is that?
I'm anyway not a too young (25+) male and about 1.70m tall (or short... depending on point of view... )
I like the idea of going for a full experience soon; should i really bother though at the beginning about scores and finding the occasional lost ball in the woods, or should i just get a new ball where more or less my previous one has landed?

This is because as i mentioned in the first post, some incredible misfires still happen with a certain frequence, hence why I was keep practicing at the driving range.

I also like the idea of practising the putting as I noted from my experience in P&P that it can be a really difficult task!

carnsoreboxer

My own experience, had 6 lessons, got call to say I'd interview for membership for golf club following morning, hadn't even thought of joining a club but definitely best way to go and owe my pal big time for getting me out and getting a handicap.

Got 3 superb pieces of advice which I have shared many times
- you need lots of patience, will take about 2 years before you start really enjoying the game and 4 years before you are settled into a handicap - spot on said I'd give it 2 years either way which prevented me flinging my clubs into the nearest lake many times in the early days!
- you will let lots of advice ie your lifting your head, standing too close etc, unless you are being told this from a pro just ignore. I spent months nearly breaking my neck keeping my head down only to be told by a pro that my head was fine I was straightening my right leg therefore lifting my entire body on forward swing!
- count your putts and dont worry about your score, if you are having 3 putts per hole thats 18 shots extra you are playing per round. Aim for less than 30 putts per 18 holes. Play snake or dots, snake whoever has 3 putts carries the snake on their bag until the next person 3 putts, dots - give yourself a dot for every 2 putt or less from on the green, say 50c per dot or whatever whoever has the most amount of dots at end of round wins the cash!

Good luck and enjoy and you will be bitten by the bug just like the rest of us in no time

stockdam

Hi,

It's quite usual to start off well and then hit a brick wall. That happens in most sports. Keep getting the lessons (group ones will be cheaper and may be good value for a beginner).

Focus on doing the basics right......grip, posture, alignment etc. Don't try any short-cuts or quick fixes as it's all about the basics.

At the start you'll hits lots and lots of bad shots but it will get better with time. Learn what clubs you hit best and use them even if it means hitting a 6 iron off every tee.

Get out on the golf-course and learn how to hit different shots.

As for sets.....the ones you listed are fine.....they are good basic sets. An alternative would be to use a 2nd hand set if you have somebody who has just upgraded. Don't worry about the woods as you probably will struggle with them anyway.

royal_alchemist

Thanks very much lads!
I'll try to get out as soon as I can... hope none of you will be on the course with me for your safety's sake!

royal_alchemist

Last thing I'm still wondering about...
Shouldn't I get at least one or two lessons from a proper teacher to be sure that the basics are fine? If so, can you reccomend one that won't kill my wallet for a few lessons?
Thanks again!

ShriekingSheet

royal_alchemist wrote: »

Last thing I'm still wondering about...
Shouldn't I get at least one or two lessons from a proper teacher to be sure that the basics are fine? If so, can you reccomend one that won't kill my wallet for a few lessons?
Thanks again!

No! Honestly, just go and hit the ball and have some craic. There's guys on this board playing to a high standard who never got a lesson in their lives. Get yourself able to hit the thing forwards first, then get a steer off a pro...

royal_alchemist

I like that!