Golf Lesson

Orando Broom

Hi, I am an infrequent golf player, sometimes adequate most times poor. I had a SHOCKING round before Christmas, embarrassingly bad. Longest 18 of my life. It felt like every fundamental aspect of my game was wrong.

For the first ti e in my three years of playing golf I had played four or five times in quick enough succession, say six or seven weeks. Each time it seemed like my game was degenerating further and further into crap. After the nightmare round I gave the clubs to my friend so as not to have to look at them. It was that bad. I think I was 140 shots for the 18. Anyways my best friend who is a decent golfer wants me to play a pretty good course with him at the end of March. I've agreed, hesitantly, but I feel I will make a fool of myself. It's a four ball, one of the lads is a nine handicap e other two are mid twenties. I have no handicap (bar the actual playing of the game).

My problem is I have literally no time to actually put in sustained hours in the driving range and I simply have no money for a series of lessons. Is there anyone in South Dublin that would give one lesson to the likes of me that would just outline the basics of a swing to try and give me some semblance of competence for this. I reckon along with a lesson I might be able to squeeze in two further driving range sessions with somewhat of a concerted effort. Does any pro's offer this type of service?

Any further advice would be really appreciated. That last day out was a f****r.

k.p.h

Any pro will show you the basics, which will of course help.But you would have to view golf as a long term thing, maybe try to hit a few balls every week and over time you will improve.

If I were you I wouldn't worry about the standard of your play for that round but rather view it as a chance to get out and practice. Generally golfers are pretty understanding of people playing at that stage, because we have all been there, and occasionally for some unknown reason end up back there despite a wealth of experience. Sometimes you have to forget about the game too and remember just to enjoy being out on the course and having the banter with the lads.

If you want some good info on how to swing and grip the club etc you should check out Shaun Clements videos on youtube, plenty of good info.

Orando Broom

k.p.h wrote: »

Any pro will show you the basics, which will of course help.But you would have to view golf as a long term thing, maybe try to hit a few balls every week and over time you will improve.

If I were you I wouldn't worry about the standard of your play for that round but rather view it as a chance to get out and practice. Generally golfers are pretty understanding of people playing at that stage, because we have all been there, and occasionally for some unknown reason end up back there despite a wealth of experience. Sometimes you have to forget about the game too and remember just to enjoy being out on the course and having the banter with the lads.

If you want some good info on how to swing and grip the club etc you should check out Shaun Clements videos on youtube, plenty of good info.

I'm quite tall and a lefty, and I know this sounds weird (because it is illogical), but I find the videos sometimes to be more of a hindrance than a benefit. They say certain things and I try to implement them in my game but I think maybe they clutter my thinking as opposed streamlining my game. I find sometimes what they suggest feels awkward or just wrong. I'd really like the advice of a guy who knows what he is talking about to iron out my more fundamental bad habits. At least if I got a good baseline I could then start to build a somewhat coherent game. Thanks for the advice. I will look at those videos, anyways.

the lawman

Orando Broom wrote: »

I'm quite tall and a lefty, and I know this sounds weird (because it is illogical), but I find the videos sometimes to be more of a hindrance than a benefit. They say certain things and I try to implement them in my game but I think maybe they clutter my thinking as opposed streamlining my game. I find sometimes what they suggest feels awkward or just wrong. I'd really like the advice of a guy who knows what he is talking about to iron out my more fundamental bad habits. At least if I got a good baseline I could then start to build a somewhat coherent game. Thanks for the advice. I will look at those videos, anyways.

I know you said that you can't get a series of lessons but I think you're probably thinking if you take a lesson you'll have to take four in a 2 week period or something like that? This is wrong.

My advice to you is to find a decent instructor (where are you living?) and get a 30 minute lesson. Ask them to show you the biggest single problem area of your swing/game. From there practice what you're told until you feel comfortable with it even if it takes 5 weeks. Then go back for another lesson and work on the next bad thing in your game and so on and so on.

Learning new things is hard and it'll feel alien to you but stick with it and I guarantee you will start improving pretty quickly.

Remember patience and work on one thing at a time and never go back to the things you did before if the instructor tells you its wrong! Your body will want to but make sure you don't.

Don't worry about one game in March that you're playing in worry about yourself getting below 140/120 shots in a few months time. Focus on yourself and set yourself a reachable target.

Good luck.

spacecoyote

I would assume that in half an hour pretty much any pro should be able to put your grip & posture right, which are two of the major steps you need to take to get yourself playing to any kind of level.

Maybe book a lesson and ask them to focus on these two things & ask them for a couple of drills that you could do at home to get your set-up right if you won't have time to get out regularly to practice

Orando Broom

spacecoyote wrote: »

I would assume that in half an hour pretty much any pro should be able to put your grip & posture right, which are two of the major steps you need to take to get yourself playing to any kind of level.

Maybe book a lesson and ask them to focus on these two things & ask them for a couple of drills that you could do at home to get your set-up right if you won't have time to get out regularly to practice

the lawman wrote: »

I know you said that you can't get a series of lessons but I think you're probably thinking if you take a lesson you'll have to take four in a 2 week period or something like that? This is wrong.

My advice to you is to find a decent instructor (where are you living?) and get a 30 minute lesson. Ask them to show you the biggest single problem area of your swing/game. From there practice what you're told until you feel comfortable with it even if it takes 5 weeks. Then go back for another lesson and work on the next bad thing in your game and so on and so on.

Learning new things is hard and it'll feel alien to you but stick with it and I guarantee you will start improving pretty quickly.

Remember patience and work on one thing at a time and never go back to the things you did before if the instructor tells you its wrong! Your body will want to but make sure you don't.

Don't worry about one game in March that you're playing in worry about yourself getting below 140/120 shots in a few months time. Focus on yourself and set yourself a reachable target.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice lads. I am in Rathfarham so Spawell is the closest Range that I know of. If anyone could recommend someone in the vicinity that would be brilliant!

Grip and posture, I feel would make an unreal difference to my game if I had both fundamentals right.

princess poppy

Gareth Mc Shea in Edmondstown is very good and he wont give you too much to work on. As with everything, good fundamentals are key.

Hang in there and dont worry so much about what others will think of you

the lawman

Orando Broom wrote: »

Thanks for the advice lads. I am in Rathfarham so Spawell is the closest Range that I know of. If anyone could recommend someone in the vicinity that would be brilliant!

Grip and posture, I feel would make an unreal difference to my game if I had both fundamentals right.

A little bit out but I found Michelle Carroll celbridge excellent. Still using her in fact and she'll take things as slow as you want and more importantly as slow as you need.

With scores like you're getting your alignment, grip and posture right you'll see huge improvements.

Patience and practice x 100.

Orando Broom

the lawman wrote: »

A little bit out but I found Michelle Carroll celbridge excellent. Still using her in fact and she'll take things as slow as you want and more importantly as slow as you need.

With scores like you're getting your alignment, grip and posture right you'll see huge improvements.

Patience and practice x 100.

Cheers, Celbridge is a bit away to be honest. Are any of the Spawell coaches worth recommending?

the lawman

Orando Broom wrote: »

Cheers, Celbridge is a bit away to be honest. Are any of the Spawell coaches worth recommending?

Not sure about Spawell but Stepaside have a great set-up. Not sure on the coaches but I'm sure they're good.

Orando Broom

the lawman wrote: »

Not sure about Spawell but Stepaside have a great set-up. Not sure on the coaches but I'm sure they're good.

That is the one on the Enniskerry side of Stepaside up the hill? I like that range, I have to say. Cheers.

mike12

Saw lessons on one of the discount web sites not sure if it was groupon or living social.
Mike

Dr_Colossus

Orando Broom wrote: »

Cheers, Celbridge is a bit away to be honest. Are any of the Spawell coaches worth recommending?

I've had a few lessons with David Lavelle in Spawell and find him good and seems to genuinely show an interest in progressing your game.
I've had a lesson with Kevin Foy in Stepaside last year and found him equally as good but a bit of the expensive/cheeky side as wouldn't provide the golf balls for the lesson.

brians947

Well i know how you feel. A year ago i decided on lesson and was reccomended Micheal Dixon in the k club by one if not the best club maker in ireland. At first i said k club = expensive but he gave a good deal and a little below what others out there charged. After the first lesson with him i couldn't believe the difference. He changed my swing totally. But not in a way you think i will never get this. It was so simple i couldn't believe it. Have been seen him about a year know think about 5 lessons and am averaging in the high 80's low 90's. The last time i was with him he told me to by a golf book. Well two. Extraordinary golf by Fred Shumacher and The inner game. Have been reading the inner game. Started the other day. Took his tip for concentration which is the first chapter and hit the ball better than i ever have. And its a simple mind thought to help with tempo.

Tones69

Orando Broom wrote: »

I'm quite tall and a lefty, and I know this sounds weird (because it is illogical), but I find the videos sometimes to be more of a hindrance than a benefit. They say certain things and I try to implement them in my game but I think maybe they clutter my thinking as opposed streamlining my game. I find sometimes what they suggest feels awkward or just wrong. I'd really like the advice of a guy who knows what he is talking about to iron out my more fundamental bad habits. At least if I got a good baseline I could then start to build a somewhat coherent game. Thanks for the advice. I will look at those videos, anyways.

Thats exactly the way it should be, if you're comfortable doing it right away then its probably wrong. If you have a really weak grip or whatever, the very first lesson you get a proper stronger grip will be drilled into you, it will feel terrible at first but after a while going back to the older way will feel weird, gotta trust the instructor

newport2

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

I've had a few lessons with David Lavelle in Spawell and find him good and seems to genuinely show an interest in progressing your game.
I've had a lesson with Kevin Foy in Stepaside last year and found him equally as good but a bit of the expensive/cheeky side as wouldn't provide the golf balls for the lesson.

I'll second that, David Lavelle at the Spawell is very good.

newport2

Orando Broom wrote: »

Hi, I am an infrequent golf player, sometimes adequate most times poor. I had a SHOCKING round before Christmas, embarrassingly bad. Longest 18 of my life. It felt like every fundamental aspect of my game was wrong.

For the first ti e in my three years of playing golf I had played four or five times in quick enough succession, say six or seven weeks. Each time it seemed like my game was degenerating further and further into crap. After the nightmare round I gave the clubs to my friend so as not to have to look at them. It was that bad. I think I was 140 shots for the 18. Anyways my best friend who is a decent golfer wants me to play a pretty good course with him at the end of March. I've agreed, hesitantly, but I feel I will make a fool of myself. It's a four ball, one of the lads is a nine handicap e other two are mid twenties. I have no handicap (bar the actual playing of the game).

My problem is I have literally no time to actually put in sustained hours in the driving range and I simply have no money for a series of lessons. Is there anyone in South Dublin that would give one lesson to the likes of me that would just outline the basics of a swing to try and give me some semblance of competence for this. I reckon along with a lesson I might be able to squeeze in two further driving range sessions with somewhat of a concerted effort. Does any pro's offer this type of service?

Any further advice would be really appreciated. That last day out was a f****r.

If you're stuck for money, this looks good value

http://golf.justtreats.com/intro?redirectUrl=deal%2Fdublin%2Fkarl-kelly-pga-professional%26utm_source%3Di%26utm_campaign%3Dda3%26utm_medium%3Demail%26blastID%3D182393%26rcpEmail%3Ddara.kennedy%40ireland.com

newport2

newport2 wrote: »

If you're stuck for money, this looks good value

http://golf.justtreats.com/intro?redirectUrl=deal%2Fdublin%2Fkarl-kelly-pga-professional%26utm_source%3Di%26utm_campaign%3Dda3%26utm_medium%3Demail%26blastID%3D182393%26rcpEmail%3Ddara.kennedy%40ireland.com

Cheaper again

http://www.groupon.ie/deals/dublin-special/beirth-academy-of-golf/3630633?nlp=&CID=IE_CRM_1_0_0_57&a=1768

Lots of deals out there