Sign up with GoogleHi, I'm interested in playing golf as a hobby. I've been talking to friends and I'm told to start with the driving range first to get a feel of the game. The course that I'm interested in is Mt Edgecombe here in Durban which is nearest to me. I would like to know what would be the best way to getting started, what clothing should i wear to play, and how does everything work and how do i join a club? and do they have tutors at the driving range that can show me the ropes?
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Golf - Getting Started
- Thread starter zoopy3
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I smell a free advert coming.
Anyways, golf is all about the swing.
Step 1 is to make sure that you have about R2500 a month to spend on this sport.
Step 2 is to purchase all the local golfing magazines you can find.
Step 3 is to contact the trainers in there, and tell them you have never swung a golf club.
Step 4 is to go to the free "intro" courses that they will offer, you're looking for a triner that you can work with, one that you feel comfortable with.
Step 5 is to go for a real lesson, and let your trainer recommend a few golf clubs to get you going.
Step 6 is letting your trainer train you in how to use your new clubs.
Step 7 is practising with your new clubs at any driving range you can find, using all your free time on this. Let your trainer check your progress at least once a week.
Step 8 is introducing the putting and wedging game.
Okay, now you can find a club, and begin to play socially.
Anyways, golf is all about the swing.
Step 1 is to make sure that you have about R2500 a month to spend on this sport.
Step 2 is to purchase all the local golfing magazines you can find.
Step 3 is to contact the trainers in there, and tell them you have never swung a golf club.
Step 4 is to go to the free "intro" courses that they will offer, you're looking for a triner that you can work with, one that you feel comfortable with.
Step 5 is to go for a real lesson, and let your trainer recommend a few golf clubs to get you going.
Step 6 is letting your trainer train you in how to use your new clubs.
Step 7 is practising with your new clubs at any driving range you can find, using all your free time on this. Let your trainer check your progress at least once a week.
Step 8 is introducing the putting and wedging game.
Okay, now you can find a club, and begin to play socially.
Start on the range. Go a couple of times so that you get an idea of you swing. Then go to a pro - to get you on the right track (it will save you years of frustration, trust me
) Then go back to the range. When you consistently get the ball air-borne and make semi-decent contact with the ball - then you go to the golf course.Don't be impatient and skip the steps above - you will only frustrate yourself and everyone else on the golf course.
Oh, and lastly, don't listen to your golf mates' advice - it tends to be handed out freely and more often than not worsens any swing problems you have. Stick to the range and pro.
Most driving ranges have pro's (tutors).
do they have golf clubs available at the range? and what clothing should i wear? (i'm a guy in mid 20's)
Phone them. The ranges I've been to don't have clubs. At a driving range you can where anything.
Mars
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R2500 per month? What are you doing? If you lose 18 balls a round, don't play with R35 per ball Titlists...
I play twice a month. I probably spend at most about R800 per month on golf.
PMG Membership fee : +- R350 (includes one free round)
Course fee's : Between R80 and R140 per round.
Golf Balls : About R50 per month. I lose about 2 balls per round.
Food and drinks. about R100 +
Sometimes we share a cart. R90 - 130
The best thing to do is to get lessons straight off the bat. That'll stop you developing bad habits.
Then join a club like Play More Golf or a virtual online club that you pay a monthly fee. You can join an actual club later when you know a bit more.
The closest one might not be the best one for you.
Also don't go out and buy the first set of clubs on special. Rather go for a couple of lessons and let the pro advise you on what clubs/grips/length/torque to buy. A good pro will have some clubs for you to use while he is teaching you.
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Mars
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I've been playing for just about a year now. I'm really loving it.
I broke 100 the other day. What an awesome feeling.
And no matter what your golf buds tell you, a long drive is not necessary for a low score, but it sure is cool to moer that little ball further than anyone else.
My biggest struggle when I started was keeping my head still. My buds kept telling me I'm lifting my head, so I was dropping my head to compensate. Its all crap.
The pro I went for lessons with said generally you lift your head during back swing and drop it again during the swing. So all I ended up doing was dropping my head even more and taking more turf with the swing.
The main thing I can say is. GO FOR LESSONS. It makes the game alot more fun.
I broke 100 the other day. What an awesome feeling.
And no matter what your golf buds tell you, a long drive is not necessary for a low score, but it sure is cool to moer that little ball further than anyone else.
My biggest struggle when I started was keeping my head still. My buds kept telling me I'm lifting my head, so I was dropping my head to compensate. Its all crap.
The pro I went for lessons with said generally you lift your head during back swing and drop it again during the swing. So all I ended up doing was dropping my head even more and taking more turf with the swing.
The main thing I can say is. GO FOR LESSONS. It makes the game alot more fun.
Awesome budget.
Now, add:
- the trainer
- the driving range
- buying a few clubs every month
- golf shoes
- the trolley and the bag
- the 19th hole
I just figured that he had better be prepared for a huge bill for the first 2 months or so.
And, if he can afford the 2500 a month, man, touring the South African golf courses is awesome.
Mars
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Awesome budget.
Now, add:
- the trainer
- the driving range
- buying a few clubs every month
- golf shoes
- the trolley and the bag
- the 19th hole
I just figured that he had better be prepared for a huge bill for the first 2 months or so.
And, if he can afford the 2500 a month, man, touring the South African golf courses is awesome.
I suppose.
The 19th hole being the worst. I had to buy plenty rounds for not hitting past the lady's tee. It was that or walk the hole with your totti out. I bought the rounds.
Come to think of it, I was spending more when I first started.
I was paying an extra 300 odd for the Vodacom golf village. But that included as many balls as I could hit, as well as Masterclasses, which are mini golf classes. I also spent about R2500 over 3 months on lessons.
I got my bag with a full set of clubs (Fearless) on special for just over 4k, but I see now you can get full sets for around R1500. Don't know how good they are.
So yes, you're right when you put it that way. But the way you made it sound was hectic.
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Hey, those are really nice tips on how take lessons in golf. Loosing your golf swing is a common situation. Learning to master in it is very hard. Thank you for sharing your information.
golf swing trainers
saffakanera
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What about World of Golf? Its like R360 per month?
Mean_Monster
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Get custom fitted for your clubs. I played the last 15 years with some Ping Irons that I thought was ok for me (they are not bad clubs, I thought I was just playing badly), but started hitting them even worse the last couple of months (probably the shafts are done by now). Came out the lie angle, length was never right for me and I couldn't swing naturally and had to adjust myself to fit the clubs, which is never really recommended.
Got custom fitted Irons and actually so far after 2 rounds took 5 shots of my score. Still strugling a bit with the distances of the clubs though as I hit these much longer. And No Custom fitting didn't cost me anything more than the standard price of the clubs.
With the custom fitting I told them what my budget was and they got clubs in that price range. I hit 6 or 7 different makes and then was left with 2 that I really liked and felt I hit well. One the flight scope this also came out as the clubs I hit the best and then they worked it down from that. Measure your length length of your fingers, swing speed etc etc. Keep in mind not everyone is the same length and hand sizes differ etc, so unfortunately one size does not necessarily fit all.
Now if I can just start hitting the driver in the fairway that would help, although maybe the driver is not right for me either.
Just my 2 cents on my experience on this.
Got custom fitted Irons and actually so far after 2 rounds took 5 shots of my score.
Still strugling a bit with the distances of the clubs though as I hit these much longer. And No Custom fitting didn't cost me anything more than the standard price of the clubs. With the custom fitting I told them what my budget was and they got clubs in that price range. I hit 6 or 7 different makes and then was left with 2 that I really liked and felt I hit well. One the flight scope this also came out as the clubs I hit the best and then they worked it down from that. Measure your length length of your fingers, swing speed etc etc. Keep in mind not everyone is the same length and hand sizes differ etc, so unfortunately one size does not necessarily fit all.
Now if I can just start hitting the driver in the fairway that would help, although maybe the driver is not right for me either.
Just my 2 cents on my experience on this.
Mars
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World of Golf in cool. If you have the time.
You can hit as many balls as you can, they have mini classes, I would recommend it. IF you have the time. I canceled it because I don't have the time anymore.
I would definitely recommend Play more Golf tho. For the casual golfer who only plays twice a month its perfect. It allows you to play a variety of courses at decent prices. If you go for the top option, you pay an extra R80, but you get a free round anywhere. So you could use your Free round (R80 so not actually free, but anyway) to play at Royal JHB which costs R200 a round (affiliate rates). The average round is about R100 so for 80 its definitely worth it.
Just keep in mind, they are prone to creative billing on occasion. Once they billed me x3, and once the did not bill me for 4 months without me noticing, and then in the 5th month whacked the whole lot off.
That was a rough month.MielieSpoor
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Get custom fitted for your clubs. I played the last 15 years with some Ping Irons that I thought was ok for me (they are not bad clubs, I thought I was just playing badly), but started hitting them even worse the last couple of months (probably the shafts are done by now). Came out the lie angle, length was never right for me and I couldn't swing naturally and had to adjust myself to fit the clubs, which is never really recommended.
Got custom fitted Irons and actually so far after 2 rounds took 5 shots of my score.
With the custom fitting I told them what my budget was and they got clubs in that price range. I hit 6 or 7 different makes and then was left with 2 that I really liked and felt I hit well. One the flight scope this also came out as the clubs I hit the best and then they worked it down from that. Measure your length length of your fingers, swing speed etc etc. Keep in mind not everyone is the same length and hand sizes differ etc, so unfortunately one size does not necessarily fit all.
Now if I can just start hitting the driver in the fairway that would help, although maybe the driver is not right for me either.
Just my 2 cents on my experience on this.
One day is one day, then I will also be able to get my own custom fitted clubs.
saffakanera
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OK went to World of Golf today to check it out, VERY nice deal, R360 pm, 5 free master class training sessions, daily free training sessions, GYM!!! And they are open from 5:45 to 8pm every day, not a bad deal, I dont even need clubs to start, obviously ill get some later, but still, I rate its probably the best place to start as a noob.
Also helps that the new flat we are moving into is 2k's away from the place *Sunninghill*
Also helps that the new flat we are moving into is 2k's away from the place
*Sunninghill*
charlieharper
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Golf really is a great game to play. Even though I haven't played too much lately, I definitely have to play more. (surfing took over
)Mt Edgecombe really is quite a bit of a hard course, so I wouldn't recommend playing there without at least a little bit of experience.
You definitely have to start at a driving range at first.
See a pro (which you usually get at a good driving range) to help you a bit just in a few lessons.
Buy some golf DVD's. There is some really good ones available at the Pro Shop (there is one in Springfield Park- The Biggest golf store in Durbs).
Another thing, dont give up. You get days when you own the course and other days when nothing good happens.
Practice Practice Practice Practice - Especially your short game (putting, chipping and bunkers) as a 3cm putt=300meter drive.... figure it out
Enjoy the game
Hey buddy, you have a few choices in starting up golf in Durban. Mt Edgecombe range is best for starting as they mentioned. Start playing only after you get lessons from a pro at Mt Edgecombe or even Durban Country Club. Starting playing at Windsor near Blue Lagoon opposite Durban CC, a public layout with cheapish green fees. You wasting your time paying fees for a sport you cannot play. See a pro off the bat as they all suggested. Enjoy and c u at the range in Mt Edgecombe soon.