Complete Beginner - Lessons?

Kung Lao

Hey, I'm considering taking up golf as a hobby. I enjoy watching the sport and a lot of my friends play so I would like to get involved. I am in my late 20s and have never played. I did one round of pitch and putt a few years ago and that's about it (needless to say I wasn't very good).

So I'm just looking for some advice here as to what would be the best way to start. Should I get some lessons? I don't really want to just start going onto the course with my friends yet for a number of reasons:

1. I will slow both my friends and other players on the course down;
2. I will be terrible and don't want to embarrass myself too much;
3. I don't want to destroy the course with my poor drives.

So my preference would be private lessons on the course and driving range. I'm not looking to become the next Tiger Woods, I just want to get a grasp of the basics before venturing onto the course and playing a live round. Any advice would be much appreciated.

P.S. I have seen a deal on Groupon for unlimited golf lessons until the end of this year with Kevin Beirth, a PGA pro, for €249. Not sure is this good value but on the surface it would appear to be.

mike12

Not sure you need unlimited lessons but you should start either in a group lesson(cheaper) or book 5/6 lessons with a pro they usually do a deal if you are booking that many.
Even if it is from watching some videos on line get the basics of grip, stance/posture correct if you are starting fron the correct position things are so much easier for the pro and yourself going forward.
Then it is just a matter of putting in the hours on the range.

hades

If your friends play, go play with them. Meet up with them some evening and hit a few balls at the range using their clubs. They'll give you a few pointers. And when the evenings start getting longer, go to your local club and meet your friends for a quick 3 or 4 holes. The lads will set you straight on a few of the basics just to get you started.

Having got the basics down, ask around for a pro recommendation and take it from there.

The thing with golf is to just get out there and play, have fun and don't be worried about embarrassing yourself.

cairny

Dan_ep82 put together a really good beginners guide to golf here-

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=92240574

Mods: Please consider adding it to the Useful Threads sticky

spacecoyote

I've seen both points of view.

I've a mate who said he wanted to feel like he could swing a club himself first & then think about lessons. He's struggling off a handicap in the 20s since he took it up, hasn't taken any lessons yet, and isn't making much headway. His fear is of getting worse before he gets better, and he doesn't take instruction very well.

I think he has it backwards. If I was starting out now for the first time, I would definitely go for a minimum of 3/4 lessons & learn the basics before you can pick up too many bad habits, which you will inevitably do anyway. I started membership of a golf club with a handicap of 22, waited a year or so before taking any lessons, handicap going nowhere. Once I started taking the lessons, I haven't looked back.

In terms of Kevin Beirth, I haven't had any lessons with him. My dad had one & wasn't impressed, and I've never heard anyone on here or elsewhere have much positive to say about him as a coach

Kung Lao

spacecoyote wrote: »

I've seen both points of view.

I think he has it backwards. If I was starting out now for the first time, I would definitely go for a minimum of 3/4 lessons & learn the basics before you can pick up too many bad habits, which you will inevitably do anyway. I started membership of a golf club with a handicap of 22, waited a year or so before taking any lessons, handicap going nowhere. Once I started taking the lessons, I haven't looked back.

In terms of Kevin Beirth, I haven't had any lessons with him. My dad had one & wasn't impressed, and I've never heard anyone on here or elsewhere have much positive to say about him as a coach

I would agree with this line of thinking which is another reason why I would like to get the lessons first, avoid picking up any bad habits and learn all the basics right from the start.

So does anyone have any good instructors to recommend for a beginner?

ShivasIrons

Kung Lao wrote: »

P.S. I have seen a deal on Groupon for unlimited golf lessons until the end of this year with Kevin Beirth, a PGA pro, for €249. Not sure is this good value but on the surface it would appear to be.

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/irish-professional-golfer-to-stop-promoting-himself-under-pga-banner-29530646.html

Kevin Beirth is not a PGA Pro.

Best bet for beginner lessons would be one of the golf centres, maybe Leopardstown. Join a group, meet other new golfers and enjoy the learning experience together.

Kung Lao

ShivasIrons wrote: »

Kevin Beirth is not a PGA Pro.

Best bet for beginner lessons would be one of the golf centres, maybe Leopardstown. Join a group, meet other new golfers and enjoy the learning experience together.

He has references to PGA all over his website, think I'll be avoiding so!

spacecoyote

If you're based in Dublin area, the spa well range are running their Play2Learn sessions, which are aimed at learning the basics whilst making it enjoyable at the same time. Could be worth a look? Think they are running something like a 6 week, once a week course.

PARlance

Kung Lao wrote: »

He has references to PGA all over his website, think I'll be avoiding so!

Yip, best to give Kevin a wide Berth...

The lads up in the Spawell seem to run a good operation. Haven't had lessons with Dave but he seems very genuine and I've heard positive things

Sipper

Mr Beirth is back in the PGA as of 2015

Letree

Get the grip right from the start. It is fundamental to good golf. When you do go for lessons you will find when the pro puts you into the correct grip it very awkward if you haven't been gripping it right initially. I would advise getting used to that before you go for lessons. Get a golf club, practice the correct grip and go swing in your garden a bit to get used to it. Then get your lessons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcvA8tcuH2o

rollotomasi

Letree wrote: »

Get the grip right from the start. It is fundamental to good golf. When you do go for lessons you will find when the pro puts you into the correct grip it very awkward if you haven't been gripping it right initially. I would advise getting used to that before you go for lessons. Get a golf club, practice the correct grip and go swing in your garden a bit to get used to it. Then get your lessons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcvA8tcuH2o

Good advice but I would look to this way of gripping with the left hand over Haney's method which is too much in the palm, IMO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS2gasPqNys

whitefoot

As everyone else has said, the place to start is The Fundamentals, The Grip, Stance and Posture and The Swing.

All these are covered beautifully in the classic instruction book "Ben Hogans Five Lessons".

Every DVD and book is really a reiteration of what is contained in this classic. Having a copy of "Ben Hogans Five Lessons". would allow you to familiarise yourself at home with the essentials that all PGA's pros will cover with you as a beginner. It seems to be almost universally agreed that this book should be in every golfer's library.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ben-Hogans-Five-Lessons-Fundamentals/dp/0743295285/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424872393&sr=8-1&keywords=ben+hogan

Ollieboy

Corrstown Golf Club are starting a Beginners Group shortly for men only. They already have a very successful one for ladies.

This will include some off the following:

Lessons from pro and other members on everything
Learning of rules
Beginners Comps
Buddy to introduce you to the club and other members
Explanation of equipment involved
etc.

I think it only cost €100 and runs every week.

At the end of the 10/12 week course you'll get the option to join the club if you enjoyed the experience etc. They have loads of different membership options so something to suit most budgets.

PM me if interested and I'll arrange for someone to contact you.

Johnny_Fontane

Mr Beirth is still around it looks like!

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/high-court/professional-golfers-association-seek-to-have-ex-member-jailed-for-contempt-1.3629437