How to start?

Jimmy Bottlehead

Hey.

My dad gave me one of his old sets of clubs, as I've been thinking of taking up golf in the next while. Unfortunately, he lives on the other side of the country where fees are cheaper, and I'm fairly clueless as to how to get started

I'm guessing that lessons are the first place to start, followed by playing some of the courses. My budget is a bit of a concern having seen the membership fees... doesn't seem to be the cheapest hobby

I'm living in Santry, but I drive so courses outside Dublin are an option. As I'm a beginner, I'm probably going to be happy with any course

Also, what sort of gear is pretty essential to get started?

Thanks, and apologies in advance for the newbie questions!

Phoenix Park

Lessons and driving range to start, i reckon.

Get your grip right and stance right, i wish i had done that before i started before picking up bad habits!

Jimmy Iovine

Have you ever played any hurling? If you have then you should have no problem connecting with the ball. But you'd want to sort your grip out as well. Make sure your left hand is at the bottom (if you're left handed) or your right hand is at the bottom (if you're right handed).

Go out to a driving range and get a feel for smacking the golf ball with your driver and long irons. It's strange at the start but you'll get the hang of it quickly. Keep your head down and you'll be fine.

I'd recommend a few trips to a pitch and putt course. This will get you used to the short game. You could upgrade to a par-3 course then to focus on shots from 150-170 in. Go there before you go to an actual golf course. You could potentially shoot 10 on nearly every hole if you dive straight in at the deep end and I think you'd lose interest then. Start off on an easy course, build your confidence up and when you're ready move onto one of your local courses.

GreeBo

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

Have you ever played any hurling? If you have then you should have no problem connecting with the ball. But you'd want to sort your grip out as well. Make sure your left hand is at the bottom (if you're left handed) or your right hand is at the bottom (if you're right handed).

I recommend anyone to get a lesson as early as possible, but if you have played hurling Id recommend you dont attempt to hit a ball before a lesson. The danger is that you will revert to your hurling skills and end up with bad habits.

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

Go out to a driving range and get a feel for smacking the golf ball with your driver and long irons. It's strange at the start but you'll get the hang of it quickly. Keep your head down and you'll be fine.

Hit some 7 irons and such, I dont know why you would want to be hitting driver and long irons if you have never played golf before?

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

I'd recommend a few trips to a pitch and putt course. This will get you used to the short game. You could upgrade to a par-3 course then to focus on shots from 150-170 in. Go there before you go to an actual golf course. You could potentially shoot 10 on nearly every hole if you dive straight in at the deep end and I think you'd lose interest then. Start off on an easy course, build your confidence up and when you're ready move onto one of your local courses.

Starting at pitch and putt is a great idea, no pressure and will let you get a feel for the game. Stay away from Par 3 until you are reasonably able to hit the ball, otherwise you will just get pissed off and lose interest. Its a bloody hard game.

Best of luck, its a bloody great game too

Jimmy Iovine

GreeBo wrote: »

I recommend anyone to get a lesson as early as possible, but if you have played hurling Id recommend you dont attempt to hit a ball before a lesson. The danger is that you will revert to your hurling skills and end up with bad habits.

Good advice. I went straight from hurling to playing and I had no problem. I'm not a fantastic golfer by any stretch but I've always had a very good swing ever since I was about 4 years old. Being a righty playing left-handed helps a lot. Not in the task of buying clubs, but certainly in being able to control the swing with my right hand leading everything.

A lad I used to play with years ago though had a terrible swing. He played cack-handed and looked like he was starting centre-back on a junior B team. I tried for ages to get him to stop. He played 'correctly' for a few rounds but reverted back to his original habits. It was a pity because I could see improvement in his game but he wasn't willing to put the effort in. He continued to be terrible.

I'd probably advise you to ignore what I'm about to say but it might be an idea to look into putting cack-handedly if your natural grip is like that. Padraig uses it and Oosthuizen does as well I think. It can help some people to keep their putt on line. Ask a professional about it though before you go down that path.

GreeBo wrote: »

Hit some 7 irons and such, I dont know why you would want to be hitting driver and long irons if you have never played golf before?

I'll admit that was probably bad advice. Not fully sure why I said it. I was half looking at Bubba booming drives when I posted so that might have played a part.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Thanks lads. I'll give Pitch & Putt a crack soon as I can, and look into lessons too. Thanks for the advice

brick tamland

Go and play the p&p mate and then par3. Make your your enjoying it before spending lots of money on lessons

Jimmy Iovine

I'd also recommend buying a copy of the Tiger Woods golf game for PS3 or the XBox. I haven't played it in years but back in the day the '05 version was the best IMO.You'll very quickly pick up the basic rules of the game and you'll get to know when to hit a certain shot and when not to.

It helped me a huge amount when I was starting out. It'll also help you to get the dreaded golf bug and soon enough your whole life will become consumed by the game. You have been warned.

deafroadrunner

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Thanks lads. I'll give Pitch & Putt a crack soon as I can, and look into lessons too. Thanks for the advice

deer park par 3 course. my dad brought me der wen i was starting out years ago. think its still open. i live in mayo now so not sure

Jimmy Bottlehead

deafroadrunner wrote: »

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Thanks lads. I'll give Pitch & Putt a crack soon as I can, and look into lessons too. Thanks for the advice

deer park par 3 course. my dad brought me der wen i was starting out years ago. think its still open. i live in mayo now so not sure

Would anyone have recommendations for an instructor for lessons? Preferably the Dublin area.
I did see the LivingSocial deal today is a half hour lesson with Kevin Beirth for 25e, but his name doesn't throw up any useful hits on this forum. Worth getting?

Gmpd

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

deafroadrunner wrote: »

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Thanks lads. I'll give Pitch & Putt a crack soon as I can, and look into lessons too. Thanks for the advice

deer park par 3 course. my dad brought me der wen i was starting out years ago. think its still open. i live in mayo now so not sure

Would anyone have recommendations for an instructor for lessons? Preferably the Dublin area.
I did see the LivingSocial deal today is a half hour lesson with Kevin Beirth for 25e, but his name doesn't throw up any useful hits on this forum. Worth getting?

Hey deer park us a great place to start.. They have 18 hole pitch and putt. par 3 with some very long holes for a beginner and it's a 14 hole course and then when your ready for it they've two full 9 hole courses and a 18 hole full lenght course..

As for kevin beirth I'm a beginner myself and I asked about him on this forum and got more bad than good comments but no first hand experience of the guy?

Also would like to add if you have an iPhone there are two free apps that I downloaded and find very handy. golf genie lite gives a lot of info on stance grip ball position common ball flights and so on.. It's a must.. Plus there is pocket pro golf. It's an app and u download the videos for free and there saved to the phone for when u want/ need them.. Covers almost everything a beginner will need to practice to get started in the game

Draupnir

Pitch & Putt would be a great starting point, in fact I'd suggest it for any golfer as a key way to gain a handy advantage over opponents in the long game.

If you are based in Santry, Ierne Pitch and Putt Club at the junction of Richmond Road & Grace Park Road would be a very good option. It's just beside Tolka Park there.

18 hole Pitch and Putt course, with all kinds of shots that require a high level of accuracy. It's hosted a few All Ireland Championships so it's a very good course.

You'll get plenty of practice of holing out, which is much more important than banging 100 balls at a driving range when you are starting out in my opinion.

mike12

Hi,
There is a decent Par 3/ pitch and putt in Swords.
By the way keeping your head down is the worst bit of advice you will every be given. What most people mean by this is keep your eye on the ball your head chin should be up to allow your shoulders to turn. the amount of new guys you see with there heads buried into there chest because everyone says to them keep your head down.
Mike