Quote:
Originally Posted by KSigkid
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.
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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.