Where was that? Nags Head Golf Links? Currituck Club?

You've experienced exactly why golf is so diabolical. It takes advantage of a natural weakness in our memory which remembers the good shots vividly, but disposes of the bad ones almost immediately.

I agree that lessons and clubs that fit correctly are invaluable, but the cost of both can be prohibitive initially. I think you need to figure out if you like it enough first. I say borrow some decent game improvement clubs in standard length and lie, then find a course that offers group lessons or clinics to learn the fundamentals. Learn the basic rules (the most basic ones are play the course as you find it and the ball as it lies) and knock it around for a few months. That should give you an idea of how much you're willing to spend.

Do you need 14 clubs? Not necessarily. Lightweight Sunday bags with 7-10 clubs were pretty popular in years past, But, that said, I use nearly every club in the bag nearly every round. There's enough swing manipulation compensating for lie, wind, etc. I'd rather not introduce more because I don't have the right club.

the other thing to remember is don't get suckered in by really expensive golf balls

I have a swing speed of about 78 mph so for me hitting a ProV or a ProVX is both a waste money - they have such a high compression that unless your swing speed is 110 mph or better you're never going to get the performance out of the ball

I prefer Noodle and Wilson as they seem to have the best feel for me - any other ball is like hitting a rock

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nhtagmember,

quote:

Originally posted by jigray3:
Where was that? Nags Head Golf Links? Currituck Club?

You've experienced exactly why golf is so diabolical. It takes advantage of a natural weakness in our memory which remembers the good shots vividly, but disposes of the bad ones almost immediately.

I wasn't saying I shot par overall, far from it. a few holes I had to drive the ball three or four time because houses kept jumping in front of my shots. I was saying on a few holes the ball seems to have gone exactly where it was supposed to.

The groom the day before was playing with an exceptional golfer from my understanding, so he likely only played that well because they were only using the excellent golfers shots.

it was nags head links we played. Looking at the layout, hole 3 is one of the ones I did well on, I drove it into the sand and chipped it within inches of the hole (pictures page one). I'm looking at the layout now

Lots of advise here. Lots of it centered around how not to spend too much money
getting started. I would strongly recommend lessons first so you don't groove too
many bad habits. Most lessons center around hitting a single club in the beginning
so owning a full set is not necessary. If you don't go for lessons, consider working
backwards to start. Work on putting until you can get a feel for the greens, then short chipping and so on. The driver should be the last thing on your mind.
As for club fitting, how can a pro fit you for a decent set of clubs if you can't demonstrate a consistent,repeatable swing. Don't worry though, they will sell you something.
If you look around, you will see many people spending untold treasure trying to buy
their way out of a bad swing.
Good luck to you.

I concur with Bendable. Quit while you're ahead.

[ I want to actually learn to play the game.. I've gotten involved in hobbies before where I dove in head first and wasted a LOT OF MONEY. It'd be nice to not do that again![/QUOTE]

slowly back away and forget you were ever there. no such thing as not wasting lots of money playing golf. Scotty Cameron Putters go to Cameron collector and start reading. 20 k for a putter is not uncommon.

Take lots of lessons and let the pro screw you up completely with all there mumbo jumbo talk.

I'm not trying to discourage you but it can be one of the most frustrating hobbies of all time followed by that perfect shot.

Just remember you dont use a driver on every hole. However you are allotted 2 putts per hole. Being able to work the green will benefit you more than hitting a long drive.

Ive been playing for about 10 years or so, I started out with a cheap box set and worked my way up to this

Driver: Cobra F7 (bought on ebay new at a discount)
Irons: Mizuno EZ- Forged(bought on ebay new at a discount)
Wedges: Mizuno (3 set 52-56-60 (bought on ebay new at a discount)
Putter: Heavy putter bought a million years ago from Dicks, love that thing
Hybrid: Adams cheapo but nice new last years model $50

Whole set cost me about $719.00, that's what some guys pay for just the irons.... buy a little as you go and good luck cursing I mean having fun playing golf

My current clubs are a nice set of Mizuno MX-23's that I got for $100 on craigslist. Golf clubs are a dime a dozen on the used market. Many people play only sparingly and never wear out their clubs.

I there's a PGA Superstore near you, they usually have a large selection of used clubs and you can hit them at the store.

As I and others said, don't break the bank on the first set of clubs. If you find a set that work for you, stick with them. I play a set of Ping Eye 2 BeCu (Copper Beryllium) irons that are forever old, but for me the feel and swing just does it; they have a classic look and feel I don't get with any other clubs.

You'll find a set (likely not the most expensive, mind you) and will know it when you feel it. Look hard at craigslist and eBay this time of year, "season" is over for much of 'Merica and the costs are cheaper vs springtime.

1) Get fitted by a good club fitter. Ask around for referrals.
2) Follow the fitters advice.
3) Irons are for accuracy and consistent distance, it does not matter which 5 iron you hit "10 yards farther"
4) Don't let ego get in the way, the game is HARD

quote:

Originally posted by slabsides45:
As I and others said, don't break the bank on the first set of clubs. If you find a set that work for you, stick with them. I play a set of Ping Eye 2 BeCu (Copper Beryllium) irons that are forever old, but for me the feel and swing just does it; they have a classic look and feel I don't get with any other clubs.

You'll find a set (likely not the most expensive, mind you) and will know it when you feel it. Look hard at craigslist and eBay this time of year, "season" is over for much of 'Merica and the costs are cheaper vs springtime.

You know a good clean set of Eye 2s in BeCu are worth thousands? Especially with ZZ Lite shafts. Condition is everything.

I only played once this last season and have zero time to play anymore with three kids all in sports. I might be interested in selling my bag depending on how close you are, email is in profile.

quote:

Originally posted by cmr076:
I wasn't saying I shot par overall, far from it. a few holes I had to drive the ball three or four time because houses kept jumping in front of my shots. I was saying on a few holes the ball seems to have gone exactly where it was supposed to.

The groom the day before was playing with an exceptional golfer from my understanding, so he likely only played that well because they were only using the excellent golfers shots.

it was nags head links we played. Looking at the layout, hole 3 is one of the ones I did well on, I drove it into the sand and chipped it within inches of the hole (pictures page one). I'm looking at the layout now

No, I think we get you had some bad holes, but also some really good ones. To experience anything close to the kind of success you describe for a golf newbie is very unusual, especially at a tight course like NHGL. I'm happy for you, but that's also the rub. I play quite a bit, about 200 rounds in the past 2 years, and I keep coming back specifically because it's so damn hard. and frustrating. and addictive. and occasionally even rewarding. Enjoy!

1. Put down the damn Golf magazines & don't look at any advertisements
2. Get fitted for custom clubs by a certified professional. A full fit session envolve a flight analysis machine, hitting balls and measurements. Minimum an hour.
3. Get custom clubs from the data gain during the fitting session. Don't worry too much about getting the best, bespoken brand clubs for your first set. e.g. japanese forge yada yada.. Just get the custom offering from brands like Ping, Talormade, Mizuno, etc.
4. Of all the clubs, invest the most fitting time and money on your money club - the putter
5. Get lessons
6. Don't get a driver or play with one for your first year
7. Play ready golf; from the white or blue. For fuck sake dont tee up on the black/gold tees until you start breaking 80s consistently
8. Learn the etiquette
9. Practice smartly. Start with putting, chipping, lobbing, irons and finally end with your fairways and driver. Don't pound mindlessly at the range especially with your fairways and driver which will lose its "bounce" over time - no more than a 2 dozen ball per FW/drivers per session
10. Resist the urge to upgrade clubs every year for the latest and greatest because you do not need to. Your clubs are fitted to you, learn to play from them. Only upgrade if your swing has changed from when you were fitted.

If your not that serious abou it and just want to have fun. You don’t need to spend stupid money for name brand clubs. Look at gigagolf.com. They will be more than adequate to start with. Incredible customer service and a great company to get your learner “knock-offs” from.

Find the name brand club that fits you. Order the equivalent from these folks at 1/3 the price

I’ve ordered 2 full sets and various other celebs from them and all been fine.

They do lie adjustments, grip sizing etc etc etc

Using clubs from them, when I played a bunch, had to register scores I was a 10 handicap. Would aset of $600 clubs make it better, sure, but by only a few strokes. Why bother , I’d rather buy more ammo with the saving

Golf...like firearms...yoi get what you oaid for. Stick with Callaway, Taylormade, or Ping. Dont get a full set of irons. Get an iron set from 5 to 9. Buy wedges separately. Buy hybrids. Dont get a driver...hit 3 wood instead. Buy better balls than top flites. You dont need pro V either. Play, play, and play....enjoy!

Many believe that putting is the most important skill. It is important, but analysis over the past few years (made possible by the PGA keeping data about every single shot hit) shows that while putting is important, that the biggest contributor to lower scores (at least at the good golfer level) is the approach shot, or shot into the green. It makes sense - if your approaches land 10 feet from the hole, you will make a fair number of one puts and two puts. It is harder to three put from ten feet out.

If you are an atrocious putter, with six or eight three puts each round, you should practice your putting. But once you get to be a decent putter, practice your iron shots. Get them close to the hole.

thank you all for taking the time to share advice! I think the plan will be to buy some cheap beginner clubs, have them fit to me by a pro, take some lessons, and if I like it, put some money into it.

The only issue I'm thinking of is how do I get fit for clubs without having a real swing? but how do I get a real swing down without having clubs