First time golfing - any tips?
 

Hi all,
So, I'm going golfing for the first time on Monday. It's something that I've wanted to do for quite a while, and would have done last summer if not for a broken hand.

Any tips for a first-time golfer? I'm fairly good at picking up sports quickly, but I'm also a bit too competitive at things, so I'm worried I'll just frustrate myself.

Any and all hints are welcome.

Hey!
Are you taking a lesson or just heading out for a round? Either way, have fun! It's a beautiful game.

I'll come back and post more later but off the top of my head, the number one thing I can think of is: have patience. It looks deceptively easy but it can be really difficult, and I tend to be competitive and frustrate myself, too, so I understand what you mean by that. If you can be patient and think of it as a chance to practice and learn, you'll enjoy the game a lot more.

ditto! The game is VERY Frustrating, but a lot of fun. Remember to laugh when you make a stupid shot... because if you don't you'll throw your clubs or break them. :D

No lesson, I'm just playing. I was supposed to get lessons this summer, but the timing never worked out.

1. Don't grip the club too tight. It really doesn't take that much force to hold it.
2. Keep your eye on the ball and follow through with a complete swing.
3. Have some cash on you for the beer cart. It's nice when they bring beverages to you.

I would at least get to a driving range before then and hit a bucket of balls. Have you even done that before?

That's one thing I have done - I've been to the driving range a bunch, so I'm at least comfortable with that aspect. I've also had the tiniest bit of instruction from a friend of mine on each of the clubs, so I'm at least familiar with them.

Thanks everyone thus far, the advice is great.

You're probably fucked, to be perfectly honest - it depends on how many range sessions, etc.

Call me before you go - I'll be around all weekend, I'll give you more specific advice, but here's my common advice for first-timers (I've actually taught quite a few now, which is weird):

-Don't keep score (for yourself). At all. Just concentrate on advancing the ball the best you can. In fact, don't keep score for a little while.

-Do NOT worry about direction, just that you hit it hard. For example, you'll probably slice a few out there and hack a couple directly left or right. Don't worry about that - just get a feel for hitting it hard. Golf requires muscles you really don't have yet - they'll get there, but until then it'll be a little rough.

-For that same reason, don't worry about "keeping up" or hitting as far as long-time golfers. I'm at least 6 inches shorter than you and average about 265 off the tee, with the longest drives reaching 300 depending on conditions - this is purely because of back/leg muscles and timing. Again, you'll get there.

-Practice chipping/putting - about 70% of your shots will come from 100yds and in. Before the round, hit a couple of balls on the range if possible, but spend 2x that amount of time on the putting green. Trust me.

-Most of your shots will have little to no chance of reaching the green. Find two clubs you're comfortable with (say, a 5-wood and a 7-iron, for example) and use those when you don't have another clear shot. For instance, let's say you're 220 yards away. If you're in the fairway, hit the 5-wood, advance it as far as possible, then hit it again. If you're in the rough, hit the 7-iron, even if you'll still have between 50 and 100 yards left - that's fine, you'll feel (and score) better making a "smart" play to hit the ball better.

-Check your posture/grip/alignment often - use your partners for this. That's the easiest thing to drop during a round.

-Have a couple of beers - seriously, sometimes that little bit of relaxation is huge.

That's probably way too much to think about, but seriously, hit me up and I'll give some more specific stuff.

Make sure to tip the beer cart person

Thanks, that's all really good advice. I'll definitely give you a call if I get a chance before Monday. I've been to the range quite a bit (10+ times this summer, and a lot before that), but I figured that it wouldn't help out much, if at all.

You hit on most of the areas where I'm concerned, so at least I know those are rational worries.

I know it will be rough out there, but I'm just hoping it will be a "little rough," instead of "don't want to play again" rough.

DON'T LOOK UP WHEN YOU SWING!

My golf instructor used to yell at me for that...not literally, but you know what I mean lol

Hit at least 1 good ball... you'll be hooked no matter how many times you screw up during the entire 4-5 hr span.

I was going to say, take an ice chest of beer, but others have already advised that. Golf is such a frustrating game, my suggestion would be to go completely easy on yourself, don't criticize your play because it's gonna su**. You can't just pick it up like some sports and if you are athletic and used to playing well, you might lose your mind (or your cool!!).

Go out to enjoy the beautiful course and the gorgeous day! Just don't worry about the golf part;)

Don't throw clubs in the water, toward the cart, or at other players!!

NO LIE - a friend of ours was out playing and got frustrated and threw the club at his bag in the back of the cart. The club ricocheted off the cart, broke, and the sharp broken end came flying back and impaled him in the calf!!! He had to be carried into the club where there was (thankfully) a doctor that could stop the bleeding, it had severed a major vein. He ended up having to have surgery and was in the hospital for a couple of days.

Boy, he'll never live that one down;)!!

1. Don't swing too hard
2. Don't take advice from anyone who isn't really good (70's, under par, etc.)

This is one of my fears - as KSigRC can attest, while I'm by no means a great athlete, I can handle myself fairly well in a number of sports (i.e. I don't usually embarrass myself). I haven't tried a new sport in a long time, so I'll just have to get used to being terrible, at least for the short term (hopefully).

Drink lots, so you can play shitty on the last nine and blame it on the alcohol.

It'll definitely help - actually, it's good you did that, as it'll make it go way better. However, most people's range time is dedicated to full swings with a limited number of "pet" clubs or shots - most people don't spend enough time on the green or practicing "real" shots. You're in a better position than most people, but one thing to take out of your first round is to learn the things you need to improve upon.

It'll be "a little rough" at worst - I'm hoping you picked an easy, laid-back course, as that helps immensely. Just remember to keep pace with the people in front of you and not to get frustrated - it's a hard sport to learn as an adult, but you'll get better even as the round progresses.

actually, drinking relaxes me to the point to where I don't care and therefore don't try so hard, and I end up doing a lot better on the back 9 than I did before I started drinking :p

Practice putting, it makes a difference and you can do it at home or on the putting green.

Follow through, don't hit the ball and stop like croquet.

Check the dress code, though you probably have appropriate clothing and know how to handle yourself some courses are very particular.

Bring rain gear, umbrella, wind shirt, whatever; conversely, put on sunscreen if it is hot and sunny.

Run.

Run while there is still time. :)

Rent the movie, happy gilmore!:D

Golf is one of the greatest games but the most frustraiting damn game you will ever attempt!

On your cart, (do not walk) have your clubs with lots of balls, and a cooler of beer!

Just figure that golf is communing with nature! You will see a lot of it the first time you play! Oh, do not forget a ball retreiver! It is a a must!:D

I always tell first timers that it is a good idea to invest in some lessons before they play to the point that they’ve developed bad habits. It’s a lot easier to teach someone how to swing then it is to fix a swing.

Hi all - thanks again for all the advice. To make a long story short, it was a fun, although at times frustrating, day. I was much better with my irons than I thought I'd be, but my driving and putting was subpar. I'm definitely investing in lessons, and may get a package of lessons as an early Christmas present.

It was a lot of fun, and I'll be extremely sore tomorrow - 18 holes of golf really took a lot out of me.

I'm surprised that, as important as golf is in the corporate world, they don't teach it in law school!

Haha, seriously. I've heard from a bunch of the 3Ls that they essentially took golf lessons as an extra "class," and made an investment in them as a part of their education.

It's not a bad idea; the last thing you want to do on an outing with a client is embarrass yourself.

Despite the frustration, I really enjoyed myself, and now I'm very eager to take lessons.

I wouldn't worry too much - almost every lawyer I've played with has sucked.

Yeah - after the ribbing I got originally, almost everyone in my office admitted they aren't very good. The managing attorney of the office is apparently a fantastic golfer (close to a scratch golfer), and my boss is pretty good, but besides that, no one is breaking course records out there.

Plus, most attorneys who have enough time to make it onto the course often enough to stay good are either a.) crappy to the point where they're putting in a short week (the "Of Counsel" corollary) or b.) so far up the partner totem that I can't afford to gamble with them anyway, so it's kind of a self-selection thing.

The Phi Alpha Delta group (why do they call themselves PAD, and not FAD? makes me crazy) at UI had a golf clinic last spring for law students. I'm taking a course through the University, for credit, and almost everyone is a business major (mostly undergrads), and mostly male. My former was way into golf so he got me playing, and now I take the class so I can practice with other people who aren't great.

Very true - I can't wait to start lessons; even if I can't play much my first few years of practice.

I'm kind of surprised none of the groups at the law school don't sponsor something golf-related. There are a ton of courses around here; you can't go too far in the state without running across a course.