No idea where to start

ste_cos

Right lads.

I just moved to Cork and am considering taking up golf and would like to hear your opinions on where to start.

From what I read I should look at getting a good second hand set of clubs and a few few lessons, so since I'm new to the area has anyone any recommendations?

MP62

ste_cos wrote: »

Right lads.

I just moved to Cork and am considering taking up golf and would like to hear your opinions on where to start.

From what I read I should look at getting a good second hand set of clubs and a few few lessons, so since I'm new to the area has anyone any recommendations?

If you've never played golf before then I'd start with a par3 or pitch and putt course and if you really like it and get the bug after 6/8 months then you should look at buying a 2nd hand set, but until then stick with Par 3 and P&P, also they supply the clubs so you don't have any big outlay and if it turns out golf isn't really for you then you won't have wasted a small fortune.

ste_cos

Its safe to say I'v caught the bug played a small bit of Par 3's and P&P but now I want to knock it up a notch...maybe look at lessons and sort out my swing and hit the driving range and Par 3's up until next summer. What you think?

MP62 wrote: »

If you've never played golf before then I'd start with a par3 or pitch and putt course and if you really like it and get the bug after 6/8 months then you should look at buying a 2nd hand set, but until then stick with Par 3 and P&P, also they supply the clubs so you don't have any big outlay and if it turns out golf isn't really for you then you won't have wasted a small fortune.

MP62

ste_cos wrote: »

Its safe to say I'v caught the bug played a small bit of Par 3's and P&P but now I want to knock it up a notch...maybe look at lessons and sort out my swing and hit the driving range and Par 3's up until next summer. What you think?

MP62 wrote: »

If you've never played golf before then I'd start with a par3 or pitch and putt course and if you really like it and get the bug after 6/8 months then you should look at buying a 2nd hand set, but until then stick with Par 3 and P&P, also they supply the clubs so you don't have any big outlay and if it turns out golf isn't really for you then you won't have wasted a small fortune.

Yes that sounds like a good plan, get lessons and hit the driving range and practice, practice, practice.

GreeBo

MP62 wrote: »

Yes that sounds like a good plan, get lessons and hit the driving range and practice, practice, practice.

it massively depends on what you are trying get to get out of it.
practice is fine if you want to hit balls. if you want get better at golf learn it from the green backwards and get as many lessons as you can afford.
getting just a couple and then hitting the range yourself is likely to develop a poor swing.
alternate between lessons and practice and only practice what was covered in the lessons.

MP62

GreeBo wrote: »

MP62 wrote: »

Yes that sounds like a good plan, get lessons and hit the driving range and practice, practice, practice.

it massively depends on what you are trying get to get out of it.
practice is fine if you want to hit balls. if you want get better at golf learn it from the green backwards and get as many lessons as you can afford.
getting just a couple and then hitting the range yourself is likely to develop a poor swing.
alternate between lessons and practice and only practice what was covered in the lessons.

I would have thought proper practice was a given, but obviously not.
Also you're correct the short game is the most important part of the game to learn and practice hence why I suggested par3 and P&P.

GreeBo

MP62 wrote: »

I would have thought proper practice was a given, but obviously not.
Also you're correct the short game is the most important part of the game to learn and practice hence why I suggested par3 and P&P.

practising the wrong thing is far worse than not practising at all.
IMO par 3 and even p&p is too much, forget about a full swing for now.

Corkblowin

Yes the short game is the most important part of the game ( I spend 75% of my practise on it) but you're both thinking like guys who've been playing for a while - ie it's all about scoring. But if you think back to when we all started what was it we were trying to do? Hit the ball in the air, hit it longer & in the general direction we were aiming!

OP - lessons are essential if you're serious. Some good pros around, Fred Twomey in Muskerry got me from 15 to 5 in a year. The guys in Fota are good, as is Don in East Cork (also the best short game coach I've ever dealt with!). I never went to Dave WhiteinFrankfield, butive heard he's ok.

If youre just looking to hit balls Frankfield or Carrigaline have decent ranges, but you're really serious about scoring Fota offer membership to their academy which has excellent short game practise facilities.

Enjoy it & welcome to your new addiction.

MP62

GreeBo wrote: »

practising the wrong thing is far worse than not practising at all.

You seem to under the impression that I believe all practice is good, I don't know where you got that from but just to reiterate, I think it's already a given that when one says practice that they mean constructive practice.

IMO par 3 and even p&p is too much, forget about a full swing for now

You're entilted to your opinion but when I took up the game all I wanted to do was play and had no serious ambitions on improving, so the thought of practicing without actually playing didn't appeal to me at all and I'd say I would not have been unlike almost every other beginner who just wants to play.
When I started off 18 I'd say I spent about 5% of my time on the short game and the rest on just playing any spare time I got, it's only in then last year or so since I've got to 8 that I've spent any serious amount of time on my short game, I now practice as often as I can and spend 80% of time on my short.
So IMO the OP should play and practice as often as he likes but to say stick only to the short game isn't good advice, he'll figure that out in his own time.

GreeBo

MP62 wrote: »

You seem to under the impression that I believe all practice is good, I don't know where you got that from but just to reiterate, I think it's already a given that when one says practice that they mean constructive practice.

I'm not under that impression but anyway.
As someone who is starting from scratch I think its pretty impossible to have constructive practice unless you are getting regular lessons.

MP62 wrote: »

You're entilted to your opinion but when I took up the game all I wanted to do was play and had no serious ambitions on improving, so the thought of practicing without actually playing didn't appeal to me at all and I'd say I would not have been unlike almost every other beginner who just wants to play.
When I started off 18 I'd say I spent about 5% of my time on the short game and the rest on just playing any spare time I got, it's only in then last year or so since I've got to 8 that I've spent any serious amount of time on my short game, I now practice as often as I can and spend 80% of time on my short.
So IMO the OP should play and practice as often as he likes but to say stick only to the short game isn't good advice, he'll figure that out in his own time.

This is why in my first post I said it completely depends on what you want to get out of it. If you want to be the best golfer you can be then have a pro teach you the long game whenever you can afford lessons and teach yourself the short game in your spare time.
You can practice chipping and putting by yourself all day long and you will get better at it without any lessons. These are shots where being confident and comfortable is at least as important as learning some specific technique.
The long game is very different, its basically a different game with different goals and constraints. You dont have to be super accurate off the tee or from 150 yards, compare this to a 20yrd chip.

Sure you are going to want to play golf and have fun and thats encouraged and expected, no point in practicing if you never play, but if you just go to the range and "practice" by hitting balls into a field you are not going to get as good as you could get (imo) by the method I outlined above.

For the average golfer somewhere in the middle is ideal, but in my experience most people who take it up spend years trying to learn how to hit perfect drivers and perfect 7 irons when the reality is that to score better they dont need to do this, they need a better short game.
As many people have said, golf is about shooting the lowest score, not about how well you hit the ball.

Someday

All of the above and to put it down in pts for you.

1. Lessons and Lessons and even more, you will at least 5 to start off with ! Mates are fine but sometimes the advice is incorrect and no point hitting the driving range if you standing incorrectly etc etc

2. Keep to par 3 courses for the moment ! You will only get frustrated with the tougher courses at the moment.

3. Get cavity back clubs and clubs with plenty of forgiveness ( good second hand) these clubs are great for people like us

4. Leave you driver at home for the moment and start with the 3 wood off the tee, I can get this now to 200 with the lessons I got, only 3 so far !
Then buy a ping G20 or simlar when comfortable with a driver !

5. Don't buy cheap new clubs, get good second hand ones ( cavity back and plenty of forgiveness)

6. Proper glove, shoes and wet gear !

Good luck with it

MP62

GreeBo wrote: »

I'm not under that impression but anyway.
As someone who is starting from scratch I think its pretty impossible to have constructive practice unless you are getting regular lessons.

This is why in my first post I said it completely depends on what you want to get out of it. If you want to be the best golfer you can be then have a pro teach you the long game whenever you can afford lessons and teach yourself the short game in your spare time.
You can practice chipping and putting by yourself all day long and you will get better at it without any lessons. These are shots where being confident and comfortable is at least as important as learning some specific technique.
The long game is very different, its basically a different game with different goals and constraints. You dont have to be super accurate off the tee or from 150 yards, compare this to a 20yrd chip.

Sure you are going to want to play golf and have fun and thats encouraged and expected, no point in practicing if you never play, but if you just go to the range and "practice" by hitting balls into a field you are not going to get as good as you could get (imo) by the method I outlined above.

For the average golfer somewhere in the middle is ideal, but in my experience most people who take it up spend years trying to learn how to hit perfect drivers and perfect 7 irons when the reality is that to score better they dont need to do this, they need a better short game.
As many people have said, golf is about shooting the lowest score, not about how well you hit the ball.

We're both saying the same thing, you just choose to say in it in a more long winded roundabout fashion, but essentially it's the same thing as I said initially.
Anyway OP go out and enjoy it and you'll soon figure out where and how you want or need to improve.

GreeBo

MP62 wrote: »

We're both saying the same thing, you just choose to say in it in a more long winded roundabout fashion, but essentially it's the same thing as I said initially.
Anyway OP go out and enjoy it and you'll soon figure out where and how you want or need to improve.

:rolleyes: Ok Chief.

ste_cos

Someday wrote: »

All of the above and to put it down in pts for you.

1. Lessons and Lessons and even more, you will at least 5 to start off with ! Mates are fine but sometimes the advice is incorrect and no point hitting the driving range if you standing incorrectly etc etc

2. Keep to par 3 courses for the moment ! You will only get frustrated with the tougher courses at the moment.

3. Get cavity back clubs and clubs with plenty of forgiveness ( good second hand) these clubs are great for people like us

4. Leave you driver at home for the moment and start with the 3 wood off the tee, I can get this now to 200 with the lessons I got, only 3 so far !
Then buy a ping G20 or simlar when comfortable with a driver !

5. Don't buy cheap new clubs, get good second hand ones ( cavity back and plenty of forgiveness)

6. Proper glove, shoes and wet gear !

Good luck with it

Ya that's pretty much what I thought.
Could you tell me a bit more about cavity back clubs?

Also what golf resources are there around Cork/East Cork for equipment and stuff (2nd hand preferably)

Im aware of the pro at east cork golf club are there any other good ones?

curly from cork

I see Paul Coleman in Lee Valley is having a huge sale ( saw it on his FB page ) you might get some clubs, bits and peices from him. Nice guy too for lessons Ive heard . Lee Valley is just outside Ballincollig.

brick tamland

My advice may be slightly different that the rest, make sure you enjoy thr game

Go out and play pitch and putt and Par 3 if possible, see if you enjoy it. Lessons can be expensive and not thatt much craic so make sure golf is for you before splashing out.

I know of a few who started straight at lessons, didnt enjoy it and gave up straight away

Tweaky

ste_cos wrote: »

Ya that's pretty much what I thought.
Could you tell me a bit more about cavity back clubs?

Also what golf resources are there around Cork/East Cork for equipment and stuff (2nd hand preferably)

Im aware of the pro at east cork golf club are there any other good ones?

If you are based in east cork and near fota you should definitely look at joining the academy. Fantastic facilities as has been mentioned before and an ideal place to practice what you learn in those lessons. There is an option when you join the academy to add 6 half hour lessons for €100. Hard to beat that price anywhere else. I'm getting lessons there myself at the moment. Ian is the guy that I'm getting the lessons from. He understands that I'm a beginner and what I need to learn and is not just interested in low handicappers.
Hold off on joining the academy for the moment though as it is calendar year membership. However they usually do offers around october to give 15 months for the price of 12.

ste_cos

brick tamland wrote: »

My advice may be slightly different that the rest, make sure you enjoy thr game

Go out and play pitch and putt and Par 3 if possible, see if you enjoy it. Lessons can be expensive and not thatt much craic so make sure golf is for you before splashing out.

I know of a few who started straight at lessons, didnt enjoy it and gave up straight away

Thanks for the advice. I'm pretty sure that I will enjoy the game. Iv played par 3's a little bit and loved it and also like watching the golf on TV. I don't know why I haven't taken it up sooner!

Tweaky wrote: »

If you are based in east cork and near fota you should definitely look at joining the academy. Fantastic facilities as has been mentioned before and an ideal place to practice what you learn in those lessons. There is an option when you join the academy to add 6 half hour lessons for €100. Hard to beat that price anywhere else. I'm getting lessons there myself at the moment. Ian is the guy that I'm getting the lessons from. He understands that I'm a beginner and what I need to learn and is not just interested in low handicappers.
Hold off on joining the academy for the moment though as it is calendar year membership. However they usually do offers around october to give 15 months for the price of 12.

I was looking at the academy during the week and it looks like a runner. What sort of prices would it be for the year and what facilities come with that? From what I hear its mainly only driving range and short game facilities available. While that's good for practicing I wonder would it joining a club and getting lessons from the pro be better in the long run?

Tweaky

ste_cos wrote: »

I was looking at the academy during the week and it looks like a runner. What sort of prices would it be for the year and what facilities come with that? From what I hear its mainly only driving range and short game facilities available. While that's good for practicing I wonder would it joining a club and getting lessons from the pro be better in the long run?

the price for the year is €200 unless you get a special offer. The facilities you get are the driving range and practice area. The driving range is off grass tees which makes a huge difference for me. I found the mats too forgiving and struggled when I went playing on a course.
The area is floodlit during winter months and open until 9.30 nighly. The only extra cost you will have is range balls. You buy vouchers from the pro shop. If you buy in bulk you get prices as low as €1.50 for 25 balls which is about €0.70 cheaper than most pay as you go places. Hit 50 balls 3 times a week and you will save that €200 initial outlay
Also you can add the 6 lessons for €100 when you start up. Definite saving there.
Pm me if you want any more details