Tips for starting Golf

In my opinion custom fitting for a beginner is a total waste of time.I have played off 5 or less for 20 years plus and my swing changes from one day to the next so a beginner will have no chance.

The money would be far better spent on a couple of lessons to get the basics of grip and stance correct.Take those lessons to a driving range with a 7 iron (certainly not a driver) and get to the point where you can get the ball up in the air on a regular basis and then go for a couple more lessons to sort out your technique.

Then practice, practice and practice some more.Don't be discouraged by bad shots as everyone (from Tiger Woods down) hits bad shots.

Are your clubs custom fit?
 
Are your clubs custom fit?

No, off the shelf Ping S58's.

I did have a Titleist set of irons custom fit a few years ago but they were fitted to how I was swinging on that particular day.
As soon as the fitter brought out the swing speed measuring equipment I felt myself hitting the ball harder and harder and ended up with X-stiff shafts which I couldn't deal with:rolleyes:
 
I can't get my head around the advice not to have clubs custom fit.

I agree about having lessons and practicing and buying cheap clubs to make sure you are going to enjoy the game or not but if you want to get better at the game and play to the best of your ability custom fitting is a must. If you continue to have lessons and your swing changes, have the clubs adjusted to suit. Most club pro's or American golf type outlets offer free custom fitting when buying new clubs anyway so why not?
 
No, off the shelf Ping S58's.

I did have a Titleist set of irons custom fit a few years ago but they were fitted to how I was swinging on that particular day.
As soon as the fitter brought out the swing speed measuring equipment I felt myself hitting the ball harder and harder and ended up with X-stiff shafts which I couldn't deal with:rolleyes:

Have you ever had lessons??
 
Once you've had a custom fit and unless your swing don't radically change overnight, one should have a good idea what his preferential flex, loft, lie is.
As long as you know this, custom fit is not required every time you time you change your irons...;)[/
QUOTE]

Eh that's no very good advice as one OEM's spec's are different from another...there isn't a standard between them all so you can't just order clubs at 1/2" over & 2° upright...

For example...

Callaway standard 7 iron spec is 35º Loft & 62.0º Lie

Mizuno standard 7 iron spec 36°Loft & 61.5° Lie

Of course any decent player would do their homework before-hand...;)
 
I can't get my head around the advice not to have clubs custom fit.

I agree about having lessons and practicing and buying cheap clubs to make sure you are going to enjoy the game or not but if you want to get better at the game and play to the best of your ability custom fitting is a must. If you continue to have lessons and your swing changes, have the clubs adjusted to suit. Most club pro's or American golf type outlets offer free custom fitting when buying new clubs anyway so why not?

My reasoning is that peoples swing change from one round to the next (unless you are a very low handicapper)

Unless you have really big/small hands, are either very tall or very short it is not worth bothering with.The average golfer will be fine with standard equipment (but that is just my opinion from my experiences with the game)

Maybe if I had all my clubs fiited for me I would be on the tour and not have a horrible toe hook that has plagued me for years:suicide:
 
What do you play off?

Me? Scratch+2...:)

I play off 6:confused:

I thought this was tips for the OP who is a beginner, (not a decent player as you put it) not a bragging contest. A beginner wouldn't know that different makes of clubs have different specifications so surely the best advice would be to have any new clubs custom fit?

But you being a better player must know more than me so I'll let you advise.

;);)
 
You'll probably find that most really low handicappers' have +lie angles...;)
Half a degree here or there is not worth raising an argument about lol....It's all about how the club performs and feels for that player.


Edit: I don't wish to argue for the sheer sake of it....
Golf is a simple game, but sometimes made difficult by others unwittingly offering bad advice...
 
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You'll probably find that most really low handicappers' have +lie angles...;)
Half a degree here or there is not worth raising an argument about lol....It's all about how the club performs and feels for that player.

Anything else?


I don't get you on that.Why would low hadicap golfers have +ive lie angles?

I have never heard that before.
 
I bought a cheapish set of irons last year straight of the shelf. have been using them since and am fine. I am joining a club next month and will continue to use them for a while until i can afford to get a good set and will get them custom fitted. (most likley callaway ones as the callaway performance centre is at the new golf club). I've been playing a couple of years and still can't hit a driver to save my life so just use my one really good club that was fitted for me for all my tee shots:D(Nike SQ2 3-Wood)

For a first set a standard set from a shop will be fine until you are reasonably good and can give a consistent swing to get the best from the fitting.
 
Getting back on track for the OP.

I can't emphasise enough how important a couple of lessons are to start out.I started playing when I was 10 and had my first lesson when I was 19.Because I left it too late for a lesson I have faults ingrained into my swing that I just can't get rid of.
 
You'll probably find that most really low handicappers' have +lie angles...;)
Half a degree here or there is not worth raising an argument about lol....It's all about how the club performs and feels for that player.


Edit: I don't wish to argue for the sheer sake of it....
Golf is a simple game, but sometimes made difficult by others unwittingly offering bad advice...

Totally agree, are you saying players should or shouldn't get custom fit?

Not sure what your comment about +Lie angles has got to do with anything though but I'm sure someone of your undoubted abilty knows custom fitting is not only about lie angles so again I'm not sure whether you are trying to help the OP or just buttering up your own ego.;)
 
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Getting back on track for the OP.

I can't emphasise enough how important a couple of lessons are to start out.I started playing when I was 10 and had my first lesson when I was 19.Because I left it too late for a lesson I have faults ingrained into my swing that I just can't get rid of.

If I was to put rankings on the advice I'd put having lessons right at the top so we agree on that:smashin:
 
A +lie or the up-right angle(toe end)adjustment is supposedly to do with the correct swing plane???, even quirky players have the ability to get right angles at impact...I don't know the scientific reasons for this, but the trend seems to implicate it's to do with planes(excuse the pun).
You would have thought standard lie would be the natural starting point for most of us, but from what seen and learned from other players including tour professionals is that most use a degree of the upright adjustment.
Low handicap and professionals will tend have anything from standard to +2 upright for irons 1-9 and usually a degree less for their wegdes, few seldom have heel(-) adjustments, unless one stature is on the short side!
Then again, I wonder what Woosie is?

I'll not include putters, as this is a whole new argument and one would have to ring Scottie himself to arrange the appointment!:D



As to custom fit...It really depends on the player in question...
An extremely tall or short player is definitely going to need shaft length adjustments first, but if one thinks their height is within the standards of average, then there is no need to to go rushing to their nearest custom fit centre.
Grip size is a personal preference in my opinion...
I have thicker(2 tape) grips than standard. this stops the hands from getting to active through impact, but grips can also help to weight balance the club, usually woods/metals.
IMHO..The shaft is the probably the area that will either benefit or break a player... Get it wrong and you'll more bad rounds than good...Through experience I'd always put forgiveness above outright performance. I've had couple of tour players' stiff wedges(X-100DD)unbranded TM Racs. On a good day they're brilliant, but hit them even slightly wrong, they make one look very foolish..:D
 
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Jesus chaps , sort out the quotes it a nightmare to read :rotfl:
 
When the time comes to buy a set of clubs, please make sure you are custom fitted for them or you'll not get the full benefit from them....I'm a club builder and see this alot....the games hard enough without using badly fitted equipment....I mean you wouldn't walk into a shoe shop that only sold size 7 shoes and you are a 10 and buy a pair would you..?

As for custom fit, there is no need to do this as you are just starting out, it can be expensive (brand dependent) and is really of benefit if you are over 6ft 1/2". I only went custom fit after more than 10yrs of playing and after getting my handicap into single figures (I'm also 6ft 3").


I'm a 6ft single handicapper. I went for custom fit clubs (which didn't cost any extra) and ended up with irons off the shelf.

Definately agree with those that suggest lessons. Most ranges do group lessons, which usually work out a little cheaper and get you doing the basics. Again, i agree ditch the driver to start. My advice would be start with a 7 iron just to get you hitting the ball. It's a good easy club to use, plenty of loft, yet still capable of distance. Final advice is be patient :thumbsup:
 
So many golfers in here yet the AVForums Golf Day is struggling for numbers.

Anyone who has never been, this is a very informal day of golf with a great bunch of guys, from single handicappers to those who just enjoy a nice walk. :D

Check out this thread and put your names down. A lot of effort goes into organinsing these days, so show your support.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/sport/918372-av-forums-golf-day-7-south.html


Sorry for taking this O/T Jim (though others have went on a slight tangent before me ;))
 
You absolutely, definitely need to go for lessons first. I started playing 18 months ago and started out with lessons, there were 2 of us starting together so we had joint lessons and split the cost. 1st lesson looked at grip and stance and a half-swing working up to a 3/4 swing and then full swing. It definitely gets you into good habits and there's so much to remember; grip, stance, roll your wrists, look at the empty tee etc that if you just pick up some clubs and go for a hack you'll have given up inside a few weeks.

We had about a dozen lessons before we even stepped foot on the course and as a result, even though we were both utterly useless, we knew what we should be doing. Muscle memory is a huge part of the game and can only be developed through regular practice, lessons do help you correct those little habits that can completely destroy a round.

I started out borrowing a 7 iron from the shop, got a cheap set of clubs and am now looking to buy a slightly better (and forgiving) set of irons. The shop does free custom fitting which I thought would be a good thing (one less excuse to use ;)). Now I'm not so sure!! :rotfl:
 
Custom fitting IMO should not even be considered for about 5-10 years.
Lessons - that's the only way to start - something I never did.
 
Custom fitting IMO should not even be considered for about 5-10 years.
Lessons - that's the only way to start - something I never did.

Why would you want to play with potentially ill fitting clubs for 5 to 10 years?

I think it's clear there is contradictory advice on here........the best advice surely would be to ask a PGA Qualified Teacher although I've never ever heard one advise not to have clubs custom fit out of probably 8-10 professionals I've personally known.:confused:
 
Why would you want to play with potentially ill fitting clubs for 5 to 10 years?

I think it's clear there is contradictory advice on here........the best advice surely would be to ask a PGA Qualified Teacher although I've never ever heard one advise not to have clubs custom fit out of probably 8-10 professionals I've personally known.:confused:

Ultima
I think people and me are saying is how can you custom something if you dont know what to custom, ie i have a bit of Fade got custom fitted clubs to compensate this by having the toe 3 degrees up, but i only knew this through my consitent swing and i was a 14 handicapp at time, a starter would not know he is fading or pulling as he not ligning up right or got stance right most probably not even hitting ball in air because of this so how can custom fit clubs help him, i beliave this is what people are saying get consistent first which takes ages then when you at that leval then get custom fit clubs.

Si
 
Ultima
I think people and me are saying is how can you custom something if you dont know what to custom, ie i have a bit of Fade got custom fitted clubs to compensate this by having the toe 3 degrees up, but i only knew this through my consitent swing and i was a 14 handicapp at time, a starter would not know he is fading or pulling as he not ligning up right or got stance right most probably not even hitting ball in air because of this so how can custom fit clubs help him, i beliave this is what people are saying get consistent first which takes ages then when you at that leval then get custom fit clubs.

Si

Si, I'm not sure if you have read my posts correctly. What is the point in having lessons to enable you to improve and achieve a square club face at impact if there is a possibility that ill fitting clubs are holding back your improvement.

I did say play the game and have lessons to start with. THEN, there is no point in not having your clubs custom fit, surely???
 

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