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Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 35
Posts: 8,319
| Golf Help! Hey Guys, Well, on Friday I'm playing golf, for my first time. I've wanted to learn for a while now -- but I'm fairly petrified of destroying the course. I need as many hints as you can throw towards me! Gman gave me some great advice. -Dont try to hit the ball hard at first. -Stay loose -Etc
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Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Frederick, MD Age: 39
Posts: 4,624
| Re: Golf Help! If you have time, go hit a bucket today and tomorrow to hone down your swing, so at least you know where it's going to go when you hit the course on Friday. The other thing to focus on is keeping your head down. For me, I usually pick a spot on the ground behind where the ball is teed up. During your backswing and foreswing, do not take your eye off that spot. Once you're done your follow through, bring your head up to see where the ball went. I tend to bring my head up way too early, so this helps me stay focused on keeping my head down. Again, if you can go hit today and/or tomorrow, that will help you get a feel for your swing. Just have fun. It's your first time. Keep score, but don't worry about the outcome. You are not going to be Tiger Woods coming out of the shoot. If you can break 120 for 18 (60 for 9), you'll be doing just fine.
__________________ Bad Things man, I mean bad things... “WE TOOK HIM IN THE SIXTH ROUND SO WE'RE NOT SMART EITHER.” - Shanny on what the Skins saw in Alfred Morris |
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Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 35
Posts: 8,319
| Re: Golf Help! Yeah, apparently they're all bad and they're okay with my just picking up my ball if Im holding up the group behind us.
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Inactive Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: DC Metro Area Age: 39
Posts: 5,829
| Re: Golf Help! Quote:
The most important thing that you can understand right now is courtesy. Take any necessary steps that you can so that you are still having a good time but not killing the day for the rest of the golfers out there. Some examples are as follow. Don't hit anything more than 1 provisional shot off of the tee and only do it if it is absolutely necessary. If you can’t get a good shot off after two attempts the just drop with one of your buddies. When you do drop, drop it in the fairway so that you are giving yourself a chance to hit a decent shot. There is nothing more frustrating than watching a newbie hack away in the trees for 3 minutes. Do not rush in front of the guys that you are playing with to find your ball. I know that it helps speed up the game but some guys are anal about that sort of thing because it distracts them while they are hitting. Never spend more than 3 min looking for a ball. Buy lots of balls, you will need them. Taking your time while hitting will save you time in the long run. Concentrate more on your shot and less time trying to speed up. Don't worry about keeping an accurate score...you aren't good enough for that yet. Picking up as soon as you realize that you can do no better than a tripple bogie helps save time and frustration. Finally, as far as the bolded statement goes. You are paying for green fees, so essentially you are paying to destroy the course. Just do your best to fix and fill divots and rake the sand pits. Last edited by KLHJ2; 09-30-2009 at 05:14 PM. | |
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Captain Kirk Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Newtown Square, PA Age: 38
Posts: 10,817
| Re: Golf Help! The biggest fundamental in all of golf is to keep your head still. Through the backswing and the downswing, your head should never move. Imagine your head is fixed on a stake, and your shoulders hips and arms all rotate around it. If your head moves your eyes move, and that makes it appear like the ball is moving. Hard to hit a moving target. Keep that head still and it's half the battle.
__________________ God made certain people to play football. He was one of them. |
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Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 35
Posts: 8,319
| Re: Golf Help! FD -- I definitely plan on taking lessons, but this outing is a bit last minute. Im just trying to get some basics. I will certainly take that advice though. My friend worked at a golf club and played a ton and gave me some pointers a while ago, but I was still pretty bad... Before I go much further, I will get lessons, definitely. Angry, if I'm one thing, it's courteous. I know that's hard to believe here on TWP, but I'm often over concerned with trying to be polite and fair with others. So I have no issues picking up my ball and taking a 0. I think they've put a few of us on a team expected to do awful -- so we wont mess up any of the more competitive players. I don't mind picking up my ball and taking a 500, or whatever the absolute worst you can have. Thanks for the advice, Ive been reading that keeping your head still and your body relaxed is important. I think Gman's advice about not trying to really drive the ball is important. I don't think Ill use my driver at all.
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Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Annapolis, MD Age: 33
Posts: 3,105
| Re: Golf Help! Quote:
Moving your head is probably the cause of 85+% of bad shots hit on a golf course. If you're moving your head, most of your body is moving and that destroys your swing. Keep your head down, looking at the ball and watch yourself make contact. If you can do that, everything else will be much easier in the future. | |
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Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Annapolis, MD Age: 33
Posts: 3,105
| Re: Golf Help! Quote:
Golf is simultaneously the most fun and most frustrating/difficult thing one can do, but you'll definitely have a shot or two that make you come back every time. | |
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Playmaker Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: close to the edge
Posts: 4,937
| Re: Golf Help! I dont play as much golf as I used to (used to be 3-4 times a week). all the tips aoubt keeping you head still, and keeping your eyes on the ball, not swinging to hard and letting the club do the work for you are true but hard to really ingrain into your swing if you're just starting out. so my advice is two things: 1) dont be embarrassed or nervous aobut other people watching you swing/tee off. you are going to look bad, sometimes missing the ball entirely or dribbling it 10 feet in front of you. the best thing to do imo is to stay loose, happy to just enjoy the nice weather. if you get frustrated or embarrassed at not being a good golfer the first time you play its not going to be a fun outing. after i would have a bad shot/tee off i would make a joke, laugh or buy a beer. after a bad shot do me mindful that you should try and address and advance your ball as soon as possible. and 2) THIS IS IMPORTANT IMO: find a comfort club and use it ALOT. its probaly going to be around a 7 iron for you. go to the range, hit alot of balls and try to find 1 comfort club you feel comfortable swinging and getting good contact on. on a bad day i would tee off with nothing less than a 4 iron sometimes. DO NOT BE AFRAID TO TEE OFF WITH A 6 or 7 IRON, 150 yds relatively straight with good loft will make you feel a whole lot better than dribbling the ball 10 feet in front of you with a driver. good luck!!
__________________ Life is brutal, but beautiful |
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Quietly Dominating the East Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 10,675
| Re: Golf Help! As Firstdown has already iterated, swing mechanics is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can learn. When you have a good swing, the game is fun....allegedly. If you do not, it not nearly as much fun and can make for some very long rounds. SEE A TEACHING PRO. If you do not, you will probably never have a good swing. Most of all have fun. As has already been mentioned, be courteous to the other guys. There is way to much you need to know (but you will learn) to do it here. It is by far the greatest game and better yet, you can play til' you die. Good Luck!
__________________ Goodbye Sean..........Vaya Con Dios thankyou Joe....... “God made certain people to play football. He was one of them.” – Joe Gibbs |
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I like big (_|_)s. ![]() Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Lexington, Virginia Age: 36
Posts: 18,873
| Re: Golf Help! I might be the only person who chimes in here saying that my few experiences with golf were the worst times I've ever spent doing something supposedly fun. I've played three times, taking a LOT of care to be courteous to other players, but each time I went and tried to learn, someone was screaming at me from three hundred yards away for hitting in the rough on THEIR course. Sure, I'm bad, but I can't learn if I don't try. It was a horrendous experience for me and each time was a different course and each time almost everyone there acted like they were better than me and were more concerned with bothering a rookie than caring about themselves.
__________________ Regret nothing. At one time it was exactly what you wanted. |
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Puppy Kicker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arlington, Virginia Age: 35
Posts: 8,319
| Re: Golf Help! I think a lot of that will be minimized by the size of our particular group. We are playing best ball tourny, mind explaining what that is for me?
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Quietly Dominating the East Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 10,675
| Re: Golf Help! Essentially each player plays his own ball through the hole and the "best" of the group is used on the card.
__________________ Goodbye Sean..........Vaya Con Dios thankyou Joe....... “God made certain people to play football. He was one of them.” – Joe Gibbs |
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Playmaker Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Annapolis, MD Age: 33
Posts: 3,105
| Re: Golf Help! Quote:
It's probably going to be that you all hit a shot and then you all play your next shot from the best out of that. For example: 4 players hit their drive and only Player B hit a decent shot. All 4 players will then hit their next shot from where Player B's ball ended up. It will either be that format or what Hog1 described, but in my experience recently, "best ball" has replaced the term "scramble." | |
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Quietly Dominating the East Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 10,675
| Re: Golf Help! Quote:
It may also have a "shotgun start" where each group spreads out over the entire course with each team starting on a different hole simultaneously. It will be fun......
__________________ Goodbye Sean..........Vaya Con Dios thankyou Joe....... “God made certain people to play football. He was one of them.” – Joe Gibbs | |
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