[Nodnarb]

Anyone here play?

I'm 19 years old and just starting out --- my dad and I are about to take a few lessons with one of his golf pro buddies (my dad's never played before either).

I just got loaned a set of clubs by my uncle, and I'm really excited to give it a shot. I used to think "oh golfs boring, slow, etc," and I may still feel that way after actually playing for a bit, but I am excited to learn how to play.

Has anyone been playing golf for years? Got any tips to share with a beginner? Any interesting golf stories?

[TETENAL]

Olbermann: Mr. President, the war isn't about you - Countdown with Keith Olbermann - MSNBC.com

[turtle777]

Playing golf ?

No. But I used to drive one. Does that count ?

-t

[iLikebeer]

Golf is great fun, you play against yourself and can be competitive.
Take some mulligans when you first start playing so you don't get frustrated.
Don't try to kill the ball, accuracy is more important than distance and youll make better contact. Distance will come with practice. That's why you see so many wives beat their husbands.
Trust your first read when putting.
Try not to rely on GPS to gauge distance.
If you're up for it, walk the course instead of renting a cart.
Have fun and don't dwell on your bad shots, it only takes 1 beautiful shot to get you addicted.

[Gator Lager]

if you're at a major PGA tournament and if someone like Tiger is teeing off
and after he hits the ball,
you hear some complete idiot or regular idiot scream
'GET IN THE HOLE'
do me a favor and knock him on his arse. what is it with these idjits.
as if tiger is going to turn around and say
'thanks for giving for my golf ball proper directions/instructions'
it now knows what to do. get in the hole. hmmm that simple.
idiots.

but it is a fun game. and that's all it is to me a game.

[Jawbone54]

I've been playing since I was about 15, and I still kinda suck. It's a VERY difficult game, but very addictive if you have the money to spend on it.

Since I don't, I play infrequently. Since I play infrequently (and practice not at all), I suck. Since I suck, I am less inclined to spend money on it...

See the pattern?

Have fun with the game.

[Peter]

I play.
Best thing you can do is have some lessons so you know how to swing properly and then take a 5 and 7 club and go to the driving range and hit 1000 balls.

[Gankdawg]

Rules of golf:

Must be played with a cooler full of beer
Don't keep score

It's the only way I can have fun at golf. Otherwise, I'm just too hard on myself.

[k squared]

Originally Posted by Peter 

I play.
Best thing you can do is have some lessons so you know how to swing properly and then take a 5 and 7 club and go to the driving range and hit 1000 balls.

What Peter wrote, plus I'll add: have fun and don't let how bad you're playing piss you off enough to throw of slam the club into the grass.

Also, try to look respectable out there -- leave the t-shirts at home.

[Jawbone54]

And if you wear jeans or jean shorts, you might as well stay at home with your t-shirts.

[TheWOAT]

Good advice so far... cant emphasize enough to get lessons.. Ive been playing 3 years, without lessons, and just now do I get the fundamentals, but have yet to apply them correctly, whereas if I had gotten lessons 3 years ago, Id probably be shooting below 85... so yea, get lessons... if you cant afford them, then try as hard as you can to NOT have tension in your swing.. Tension causes problems.

Also, dont buy expensive equipment, Drivers havent improved much in the last 5 years, and irons havent improved much since the Ping Eye 2 came out in the early 80s. Check the internet for marked down equipment... you can get new stuff that came out in 06 and 07 for decent prices.

Look into getting fitted into equipment, at the very least, check out Ping's website and go through their "webfit" program...

If you arent taking lessons, then I would avoid the range, practice putting and chippin instead.... range mats suck and can mess up your swing, just play a bunch of rounds, its funner that way.

have fun, dont swing hard, and one more thing, follow the rules of golf and etiquette (cept if your ball is on a some rocks or a tree root and you dont want to ruin a club, then just move it, mulligans are ok if you arent playing for money)

[Peter]

Also, dont buy expensive equipment, Drivers havent improved much in the last 5 years, and irons havent improved much since the Ping Eye 2 came out in the early 80s. Check the internet for marked down equipment... you can get new stuff that came out in 06 and 07 for decent prices.

I disagree.
as someone that played with Lynx Black Cats till a few months ago, I can say that sticking $500 into equipment is the single best thing you can do to improve your handicap - I found it makes a HUGE difference!
Go test the clubs, dont just buy a set online.

[SirCastor]

I've played Golf only once before. My personal recommendation is Just have fun. Golf is expensive, and some people get really wound up about too many strokes or an unstraight shot. Enjoy the air, laugh at yourself if you make mistakes, and have a good time.

[Nodnarb]

Thanks for all of the advice so far.

Went to the driving range with my friend today---we were pretty pathetic, but definitely hitting better towards the end of the bucket.

I am gonna get a few lessons in--- nothing too serious, just enough to get the basics down I think.

I could see where this game gets frustrating, but I also see how it can be very fun.

[TheWOAT]

Originally Posted by Peter 

I disagree.
as someone that played with Lynx Black Cats till a few months ago, I can say that sticking $500 into equipment is the single best thing you can do to improve your handicap - I found it makes a HUGE difference!
Go test the clubs, dont just buy a set online.

Point I was trying to make was that the Ping Eye2s were a leap in iron technology (cavity back irons) and after that not much has changed in iron technology... Im not saying to get a 20 year old brand of irons, just that there is no need to spend alot of money when the benefits are negligible. You can get some Adams A2OS irons for under $200 (beginner set), or for some Nike NDS (mid), and about $140 for Tommy Armour Silver Scot CBs (player style irons)... but you are right on testing the clubs, definately dont buy blind.

BTW, Lynx is actually a decent brand, they just dont pay pros to play their stuff. Some poeple think that is important, I do not.

[Peter]

indeed, just that when I upgraded to some Nicholsons my game instantly improved hugely.

[MacosNerd]

I've played the game but it really doesn't grab me

Most of the people that I know who seem to enjoy it, do so for the social aspect of the game rather then the actual sport and the nuances of playing it.

[Mrjinglesusa]

Originally Posted by TheWOAT 

Also, dont buy expensive equipment, Drivers havent improved much in the last 5 years, and irons havent improved much since the Ping Eye 2 came out in the early 80s. Check the internet for marked down equipment... you can get new stuff that came out in 06 and 07 for decent prices.

For the record, the bolded section of this post is complete and utter BS. Granted, someone starting out won't be able to tell the difference between a driver made 5 years ago and one made this year, but someone who's been playing for a few years will definitely be able to notice a difference. Same with irons.

I'd be interested to know of any professional playing with a set of irons from the '80s and a driver from 1993. There is a reason they don't - newer clubs are better. They hit longer and provide more feel and control.

The advice about not buying expensive equipment is sound, but also don't go the other way and buy a really cheap set. You should be able to get a set that will last you several years (skill wise) for under $300.

[Mrjinglesusa]

Originally Posted by TheWOAT 

Point I was trying to make was that the Ping Eye2s were a leap in iron technology (cavity back irons) and after that not much has changed in iron technology... Im not saying to get a 20 year old brand of irons, just that there is no need to spend alot of money when the benefits are negligible.

That's not what you said in your original post.

Originally Posted by TheWOAT
Also, dont buy expensive equipment, Drivers havent improved much in the last 5 years, and irons havent improved much since the Ping Eye 2 came out in the early 80s.

I would consider better distance, feel, ball control, etc. to be "improvements" wouldn't you?

[TheWOAT]

Originally Posted by Mrjinglesusa 

For the record, the bolded section of this post is complete and utter BS. Granted, someone starting out won't be able to tell the difference between a driver made 5 years ago and one made this year, but someone who's been playing for a few years will definitely be able to notice a difference. Same with irons.

I'd be interested to know of any professional playing with a set of irons from the '80s and a driver from 1993. There is a reason they don't - newer clubs are better. They hit longer and provide more feel and control.

The advice about not buying expensive equipment is sound, but also don't go the other way and buy a really cheap set. You should be able to get a set that will last you several years (skill wise) for under $300.

Oh boy. COR is COR, so a driver with .830 COR made in 2003 will give you the same distance as a driver with .830 COR made in 2008. So with a swing speed of 100 mph, a conforming golf ball will leave the face of the driver at NO MORE than 149.5 Mph (assuming a perfect conforming driver and center face hit)... that goes for any driver with .830, and certainly for any driver made within the last 5 years (maybe older). As for forgiveness, MOI is a nice buzzowrd, but the "forgiveness" gains are minimal, as explained by Tom Wishon. A 460cc driver (available in 2003 and beyond) has a MOI of around 4000 to 4500, the new 5500 to 5900 MOI drivers will give you a ball .25 degrees nearer to the target with an off center hit compared to a basic 460cc driver... is that about a 1 yard for a 250 yd drive? Aint worth the extra cash if you ask me.

[TheWOAT]

Originally Posted by Mrjinglesusa 

That's not what you said in your original post.



I would consider better distance, feel, ball control, etc. to be "improvements" wouldn't you?

Feel is subjective. Most better golfers belieev that a forged iron provides better feel, and Ping has done studies that show that most of what we "feel" in a shot is actually the sound of impact.. so Ping doesnt sell forged irons, and other companies do. I believe most irons way back in the day were forged... anyways, Im in my opinion, feel is impossible to prove.

The reason the irons of today are longer is because, for instance, a PW is now 44 to 47 degrees, whereas in the past they were 48 to 50 degrees. That is damn near a whole club length difference in some cases throughout a whole set of clubs. They are jackin up lofts so you will have to buy a name brand gap wedge. A ping eye2 2 iron is 20 degrees, and3 iron is 23 I think, and my Nike 3 iron is 21 degrees.. WOW my 3 iron is longer than a Ping Eye2!!! well, not really...

As for pros, they are paid to play equipment, why would Ping have a paid pro play a model that aint available for sale? Its marketing. I have played against people with Ping Eye2s, old Tommy Armours, and other old clubs, not much has changed in 20 years with IRONS.

[olePigeon]

You guys bickering about clubs reminds me of a funny story I heard. I'm completely destroying it, but you'll get my point. This guy was practicing on the driving range when Ben Hogan showed up and began hitting a few balls. The guy sits back and watches Hogan's flawless swing. He whistles and says, "Hey, can I ask you what club are you using to hit that marker?" Hogan looks at the club face and says, "I guess it's a seven iron." The man looks out at the markers, "What about that marker over there?" Hogan looks at him, pulls out a 4 iron, hits the ball right next to the marker, then puts the club away. Takes out a 6 iron, hits the ball right next to the marker, puts the club away. Takes out a pitching wedge, hits the ball right next to the maker, puts the club away, then says, "It's not the clubs, son."

[TheWOAT]

Cant argue with Ben Hogan.

[Nodnarb]

Well it's been about 3 weeks since I've started.

Haven't been out to a course yet, but been going to the driving range a lot and have taken a few lessons, and I can finally hit a consistent shot with an iron!

I'm pretty good at putting/chipping, but the full swing was (and still is) kicking my ass. I think I'm trying to hard.

Difficult game, but it seems fun! I'm excited to go out on a course in a few weeks!

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

You guys bickering about clubs reminds me of a funny story I heard. I'm completely destroying it, but you'll get my point. This guy was practicing on the driving range when Ben Hogan showed up and began hitting a few balls. The guy sits back and watches Hogan's flawless swing. He whistles and says, "Hey, can I ask you what club are you using to hit that marker?" Hogan looks at the club face and says, "I guess it's a seven iron." The man looks out at the markers, "What about that marker over there?" Hogan looks at him, pulls out a 4 iron, hits the ball right next to the marker, then puts the club away. Takes out a 6 iron, hits the ball right next to the marker, puts the club away. Takes out a pitching wedge, hits the ball right next to the maker, puts the club away, then says, "It's not the clubs, son."

Nice story, but it's not that helpful to the topic. A 20 year old club has a sweet spot about the size of a dime. A newer club has a sweet spot about the size of two half dollars. Yes, Ben Hogan can hit it on the dime, so it doesn't much matter to him. You can't, so the difference does matter to you.

Go out and hit with one of the current year drivers and compare it to an older one. The difference is absolutely nuts. (It matters more for the driver than for the irons.)

[TheWOAT]

Youd be suprised how some guys who cant hit irons or drivers very well end up with a decent score because of their chipping, pitching, and putting. Keep practicing. The course is funner than the range, in fact, I dont even practice at the range anymore... I just play. I have improved very slowly, but thats probably because I havent had any lessons.

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by Nodnarb 

Well it's been about 3 weeks since I've started.

Haven't been out to a course yet, but been going to the driving range a lot and have taken a few lessons, and I can finally hit a consistent shot with an iron!

I'm pretty good at putting/chipping, but the full swing was (and still is) kicking my ass. I think I'm trying to hard.

Difficult game, but it seems fun! I'm excited to go out on a course in a few weeks!

Get some old crappy balls from the flea market. Spend a little time each day in your backyard with a wedge trying to hit things at different distances (5 ft, 10 ft, 15ft, etc). Try to chip over a chair and drop it on a target. Try to chip it under a chair and drop it on a target. It's going to be years before you're good enough to hit a green consistently from 100+ yards, which means that you'll be chipping on nearly every hole you play. You can either chip it and two putt, or you can chip it and one putt (or, when you're just starting out, you can chip it, chip it, chip it, and two putt!). The difference is 18 strokes per round. Single biggest difference an average golfer can make in his/her game.

It's fun to hit the big clubs, but practice more with a 9 iron than anything else. Since you're not trying to hit that club as far, you'll swing easier, which is good for control. You'll groove a good swing instead of a hard swing, and it will impact how well you hit the other clubs. When my swing gets out of whack, I always go back to hitting a PW for a few practice swings to get back to normal.

[TheWOAT]

Originally Posted by wallinbl 

Nice story, but it's not that helpful to the topic. A 20 year old club has a sweet spot about the size of a dime. A newer club has a sweet spot about the size of two half dollars. Yes, Ben Hogan can hit it on the dime, so it doesn't much matter to him. You can't, so the difference does matter to you.

Go out and hit with one of the current year drivers and compare it to an older one. The difference is absolutely nuts. (It matters more for the driver than for the irons.)

Depends on which 20 year old club. By 1988, there were quite a few offerings of forgiving cavity back irons.

Drivers you are safe with drivers made within the last 3 years, and some as old as 6 years old(IMO). My last few drivers were from 2005.

[macroy]

Another aspect is club fitting..... all of these factors play into one's game once you become serious. A twenty year old club may not give you as good results because of the shaft technology as well.

I think for someone starting out - craigslist is a great place to find a good set of used clubs - used meaning 2-3 years old. Not saying anything older than that is crap - but I don't think the price differs much after that.... But make sure the clubs have not been customized - either factory specs or they reveal what was done (shaft lengthened/shortened, lie angle changed etc). And customization is something that should be done once you are serious - if you buy clubs from retailers, they will usually fit you for them. And most will also make changes for you for free if your swing changes (lie angles etc. / not shaft changes of course).

There has been slight improvement in clubs over the recent years from a playability standpoint. You just can't compare this to the introduction of Ping Eyes though.. that was a huge breakthrough with regards to cavity back clubs. I definitely would not buy into the hype on an annual basis. I myself play to a 6.8 index and use 4 year old irons (Titleist 670MB) and 3 year old woods (Titleist as well).

[Randman]

Always remember that lots of golfers are as sholes and are plenty ready to give you advice, be it wanted or not, and good or not (much like the forums).

[TheWOAT]

Originally Posted by Randman 

Always remember that lots of golfers are as sholes and are plenty ready to give you advice, be it wanted or not, and good or not (much like the forums).

You should listen to this fellow.

[boy8cookie]

Originally Posted by Randman 

Always remember that lots of golfers are as sholes and are plenty ready to give you advice, be it wanted or not, and good or not (much like the forums).

I think this could be further generalized to include just about every activity, I know it holds true for pickup basketball games, and surfing.

[Randman]

Originally Posted by boy8cookie 

I think this could be further generalized to include just about every activity, I know it holds true for pickup basketball games, and surfing.

Yes, but it seems to be more common with golfers.

Also, professional golfers are the biggest prima donnas in pro sports and the worst to interview.

Edit: I like to golf just that I don't get too serious about it.

[finboy]

Originally Posted by TheWOAT 

Good advice so far... cant emphasize enough to get lessons.. Ive been playing 3 years, without lessons, and just now do I get the fundamentals, but have yet to apply them correctly, whereas if I had gotten lessons 3 years ago, Id probably be shooting below 85... so yea, get lessons... if you cant afford them, then try as hard as you can to NOT have tension in your swing.. Tension causes problems.

I can suggest Ben Hogan's book. I read it in college and my swing is the same for 20 years. Amazing guy. Don't waste money on the equipment of the month, and take lessons.

Good luck.

[voodoo]

Watch Caddyshack. Be the ball Billy.

[TheWOAT]

NaNaNaNaNaNaNaaaaa

[Nodnarb]

Originally Posted by wallinbl 

Get some old crappy balls from the flea market. Spend a little time each day in your backyard with a wedge trying to hit things at different distances (5 ft, 10 ft, 15ft, etc). Try to chip over a chair and drop it on a target. Try to chip it under a chair and drop it on a target. It's going to be years before you're good enough to hit a green consistently from 100+ yards, which means that you'll be chipping on nearly every hole you play. You can either chip it and two putt, or you can chip it and one putt (or, when you're just starting out, you can chip it, chip it, chip it, and two putt!). The difference is 18 strokes per round. Single biggest difference an average golfer can make in his/her game.

Thanks for this advice. Helps a lot.


I went to the course for the first time yesterday with a friend and our dads, and had a blast. A lot of things went wrong, but when they went right, it was such a good feeling.

I shot a 110 on a par 70.

[NateB]

I don't particularly play golf, although I have never tried it--I plan to. Often I go to the YMCA and play racquetball with my dad. We do this at least once every week. It's fun, I recommend trying it.

[TheWOAT]

Originally Posted by Nodnarb 

Thanks for this advice. Helps a lot.


I went to the course for the first time yesterday with a friend and our dads, and had a blast. A lot of things went wrong, but when they went right, it was such a good feeling.

I shot a 110 on a par 70.

Thats an awesome score for your 1st time out. Congrats and keep at it.