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YOUR BALANCE
I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice
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I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 8:33 PM

I’m wanting to take up Golf. My uncle is giving me some of his stuff. He says he has a lot of stuff he doesn’t use. What should I work on first? Driving range? I probably have been golfing 5 times my whole life and that was par 3. What are some nice ranges? I can use any help/advice you guys give me.

Thanks.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 8:43 PM

If you want to be a really good golfer you need to work on your swing.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 8:49 PM

Equipment is important too. I have noticed the best beginners have the most expensive equipment.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 8:54 PM

The best part about new clubs is that you don't have to get them sharpened, that gets expensive with hand me downs.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 8:57 PM

That’s a good point too. I didn’t originally consider that with them being new.

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Take lessons


May 24, 2020, 8:56 PM

Many pros offer beginners clinics that will teach you the fundamentals of golf (grip, alignment, posture, etc.) at a reasonable price. That’s the best way to learn the game.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 8:57 PM

I suggest a good antidepressant.

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"If a pig had a better personality, he would cease to be a filthy animal."


Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 8:58 PM

Spend plenty of time at the range working on your swing. Maybe some lessons. Go out alone and start by playing nine holes.Work up to eighteen.You should be able to do this in a year if you are serious about it. Then lay off for two weeks and quit.Golf is a maddening game.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 8:59 PM

The best way to learn is take lessons. Practicing a lot without proper instruction only develops a lot of bad habits that are hard to get rid of. A good practice range .... like Haas Family Golf Center in Greenville has a lot of great instructors. There are probably some near you if you are relative close to a larger city.

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The old adage "Practice makes Perfect" is a lie!!!


May 24, 2020, 9:59 PM

PRACTICE makes PERMANENT is the truth.

Don't take yourself or your game too serious . . . Enjoy the camaraderie and keep the beer cold!!!!!!!

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Re: The old adage "Practice makes Perfect" is a lie!!!


May 25, 2020, 7:22 AM

Perfect practice makes perfect.

Golf is a hard game. Get good lessons and practice chipping and putting as much as you do range work. You drive for show and putt for dough.

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Don’t.


May 24, 2020, 9:00 PM

Just kidding.

Seriously though, take lessons from day one. You can learn things the right way from the get-go, rather than having to unlearn bad habits.

This means taking regular weekly or biweekly lessons for at least 5-6 weeks. Find a good pro. You’ll pay more, but it will be worth it. They will probably start you out hitting irons. Once you get your swing mechanics correct, then you can start hitting your driver.

Don’t expect to be good anytime soon, but that’s okay. Have fun! Enjoy your time outside, knowing that you are taking up a game you can play for the rest of your life.

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"All those 'Fire Brownell' guys can kiss it." -Joseph Girard III

"Everybody needs to know that Coach Brownell is arguably the best coach to come through Clemson." -PJ Hall


Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 9:01 PM

You should watch Happy Gilmore and emulate his swing.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 9:08 PM

https://youtu.be/MEwSAvvbzJ4

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"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."
- H. L. Mencken


^^Along those lines!


May 24, 2020, 9:15 PM

Do you like bourbon or scotch? Do you lament the price of certain bourbons/scotches you'd like to try? If so, consider this: for the price of a round of golf, there's a fine bottle you're passing up. Why spend four hours tormenting yourself, ONLY to seek said bottle as a salve. If you want to walk...heck fire...go for a walk! But, do it on your terms...not chasing some little white/orange/yellow/pink(really?) ball, only to wind up wanting that special spirit you put off for four hours.

The bottom line is this: many golf solely for the 19th hole! I say...go straight to the 19th! ;)

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Can't argue with that logic.


May 24, 2020, 9:18 PM

But I still love to torture myself.

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"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."
- H. L. Mencken


Re: Can't argue with that logic.


May 24, 2020, 9:19 PM

Yeah...I know...so do I! But, I'm at that age of 'do as I say...not as I do'! It's not a bad age, in many respects! ;)

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Your uncle is evil for encouraging you


May 24, 2020, 9:12 PM

My uncle had been playing for 20 years and took me when I was 16 - he wasn’t any better than I was so I figured it was no need going a second time if no improvement is made in 20 years- have never regretted that decision

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Re: Your uncle is evil for encouraging you


May 24, 2020, 9:26 PM

If you don't curse, this game will teach you how very quickly.

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I never heard that uncle curse but


May 24, 2020, 10:32 PM

his favorite saying was “It’s enough to make a preacher cuss!”

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You will a fortune if you through it all in the dumpster


May 24, 2020, 9:26 PM

I love it. I spent a #### load chasing that ball around

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 9:27 PM

If you don't take lessons, I would suggest practicing most with your nine, wedges and putter. That's where most of your strokes will come from. Set up a "cuss jar" too. If your game is like mine, you will have a down payment for a new car soon. Good luck, though. Golf is truly a great game. I learned a lot about myself playing golf. Some of it was good, too.

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Stop counting at six and write down a five.***


May 24, 2020, 9:29 PM



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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 9:58 PM

I am avid golfer and have played close to fifty years (I started as a kid). Take lessons and practice a lot before you ever go the course. Spend money on lessons rather than equipment early on. As you improve then you'll know what equipment matches your swing and budget. FYI, it's a humbling game so be patient.

I play to a 12 handicap but about 2-3 times a year I have a day when everything clicks like I experienced on this past Thursday when I shot 41-37 at the South course at Lake Jovita CC in Dade City, FL. I am able to play 75-100 rounds a year as I live just north of Clearwater. It's a great game and very fun once you learn how far you hit each club.

You will improve eventually but give it time..

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Real advice: get a copy of this book


May 24, 2020, 9:59 PM




and read it cover to cover. Equipment does NOT matter at your stage. FUNDAMENTALS do. Save your money for later. The basics of golf have not changed in 100 years. Been many books to follow, but this book is the best. This book has influenced millions of golfers.

First - find your GRIP. Get comfortable holding a club correctly. To the point that it feels "natural" to interlock your fingers. If you played baseball, it will feel really weird. But after awhile, it will feel normal. It takes time though. How much pressure to apply. Don't even think about a lesson before you figure out how to grip and take a decent swing, it'll just be too odd and frustrating.

Then, work on your setup, addressing the ball. Then your backswing rhythm. Then your downswing rhythm. Shifting your weight properly. Keeping head still. Timing. Get those basics down pat first, there is plenty of time to tweak to your natural limitations and athletic ability (reality: that part will never stop). No two golf swings are exactly alike. But every good golfer has the same fundamentals.

PRACTICE. Until you get calluses. There's no other way to get there. Subscribe to Golf Digest, for tips and tricks, and to learn the basic rules. Watch the pros play on TV and see what they do. Hit alot of balls. Chip in the yard.

Once you get comfortable, then you can invest in equipment and lessons. Lessons are to tweak things, IMO, not so much learn fundamentals. You can do that part on your own if you are truly dedicated.

Good luck!!

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here's a short youtube critique of this book.


May 24, 2020, 10:16 PM

I'm sure there are hundreds, this was the first one that popped up, as an example. There's 4 more of these from this same guy highlighting the 5 basics.

https://youtu.be/xuaLmnVcU9A

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Re: here's a short youtube critique of this book.


May 25, 2020, 12:16 AM

What this guy is saying is, as my father once told me - loosen up on your right hand grip, always, every shot. Then adhere to every other 4,567+ things, simultaneously, a pro is trying to tell you to pay attention to every time you swing. It's that simple. And simply have fun is what it's all about!!!

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it's like learning anything else...


May 25, 2020, 8:11 AM

think about learning to ride a bike, or drive a car, or play a guitar. At first, there are a thousand things to think about and concentrate on, and it's really complicated and daunting. You really wonder how anybody can do this well. But with repetition and some internal "want-to", you eventually become able to do things without thinking about them. Like breathing, you do it subconsciously.

Remember when you first learned to ride a bike? You had to really concentrate on your balance, where your feet were on the pedals, how you gripped the handlebar. Remember how fearsome that was? But now, even if you haven't been on a bike for 10 years, you are confident you could jump right on any bike and ride with no problem.

Well, golf is the same way. At first you have to think about a thousand things...where your hands are, how your weight is balanced, are your feet too close together, on and on. My god, it's complicated. But one day the light comes on ---- you don't have to think about those any more, they become second nature. Muscle memory. It's burned in, and will be there forever. And your mind is free to concentrate on other things. THAT'S the secret to improvement, and the mastery of any talent.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 10:13 PM

You live in the upstate? Keep ur eye on the ball is the key to being a good golfer.

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Yes I live near Simpsonville/piedmont area


May 24, 2020, 11:26 PM

.

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Re: Yes I live near Simpsonville/piedmont area


May 25, 2020, 12:55 AM

Call Jaime McCalla at the Haas Family Golf Center (a very nice lady). Jaime used to be the golf pro at Thornblade and learned to teach from #### Harmon, Lucas Glover's teacher and brother of Butch Harmon.

John Gerring is also at Haas Family Golf and he was a Golf Magazine top 50 teacher in the country. He is a great teacher and loves teaching.

Books are fine, but are not a good substitute for a teacher. In the golf swing, you can emulate what a book tells you to do, but what you "think" you are doing and what you are actually doing may be two different things. Someone needs to watch you and correct the mistakes. A good teacher will work with your tendencies and if you have some experience will not try and change everything unless absolutely necessary.

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Re: Yes I live near Simpsonville/piedmont area


May 25, 2020, 10:43 AM [ in reply to Yes I live near Simpsonville/piedmont area ]

If you ever need somebody to play with and give you some advice I could meet you out there sometimes. I live near the NC/SC state line in Spartanburg County. I'm not a great golfer I shoot in the mid to low 80s and have taught a couple of my friends to play.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 10:25 PM

2 things.

Try not to stand too close to the ball...after you hit it.

Learn to say "Ah chit!" after you hit the ball.

You'll fit right in. Enjoy.

That Par 3 course is a really good place to work on your short game. Get good at that, and then maybe hit the driving range before playing the bigger courses. I was an avid golfer 45 years ago, but going back to college caused me to give it up, and I never got decent again, so I gave it up for tennis. You can get addicted to golf if you find a good group to play with. You will thank your uncle numerous times for his generosity.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 24, 2020, 11:15 PM

‘Ben Hogan’s 5 Lessons’ is a great book that is easy to understand and to practice. Get your grip and stance situated, and the rest of the swing falls into place.

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Talk to several full time instructors.....


May 25, 2020, 12:33 AM

Buy time with the one you are most comfortable with. Pro tip: not all instructors are the same you gotta pick best one for you. It will take a long time to build a golf game so you have to trust your guy or gal.


Don't waste money on clubs until you instructor tells you it is time.


When you do finally get to the course, it will be tough. But there will be one shot or one hole that feels so great you will search for that feeling until you find it again. Then repeat.

Have fun.

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It's all in the hips***


May 25, 2020, 12:37 AM



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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 25, 2020, 1:35 AM


I’m wanting to take up Golf. My uncle is giving me some of his stuff. He says he has a lot of stuff he doesn’t use. What should I work on first? Driving range? I probably have been golfing 5 times my whole life and that was par 3. What are some nice ranges? I can use any help/advice you guys give me.

Thanks.


Don’t do it. Country clubs and cemeteries......biggest waste of real estate. I can build condos here, a shopping mall over there. Rodney Dangerfield - Caddyshack.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 25, 2020, 7:18 AM

For my two cents:
Make sure you have the right equipment - for beginners use a cast irons not forged, bigger sweet spot, shafts should be mid flex, stay away from those with too much flex.
Best way to improve game and start off is the short game, spend most of your time on short shots, pitches, etc. If you can find a practice range with greens and traps, spend a lot of time there.
On the range, at first, I would use irons only, maybe no more than 5 iron to start until you have a good swing established and then work up from there. Most folks want to start out booming drivers before getting a swing established.
Learn the game, there are plenty of short versions of the rules of the game but know at least the basics.
Oh yes, don't play with the wife. If she is a beginner too, you will immediately turn into a pro giving all the advise. If she is better than you, then well....

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 25, 2020, 7:30 AM

First off,make certain you have a full set of clubs(14) then hit the driving range.Secondly,if you know someone who plays regularly,don't take lessons from them.Good habits are one thing,bad habits are harder to break.
Third and final thing if you can find a reasonable price on lessons take them.

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 25, 2020, 7:34 AM

Moe Norman on YouTube

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Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 25, 2020, 7:34 AM

https://www.secondsale.com/i/ben-hogan-s-five-lessons-the-modern-fundamentals-of-golf/9780671723019?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInvXuhvXO6QIVFODICh1I3A4XEAQYAiABEgKYm_D_BwE


This will help.

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First step:


May 25, 2020, 7:36 AM

Never refer to it as "golfing" ever again

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The road goes on forever and the party never ends...


Re: I want to take up Golf..Need help/advice


May 25, 2020, 7:57 AM

If you havent already, build up an alcohol tolerance.

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Brad Brownell: more losses than any other coach in school history.


The most important thing is


May 25, 2020, 6:47 PM

Lessons.

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