3 weeks ago I bought a set of cheap, used clubs from Facebook marketplace, booked lessons at a driving range, and got practicing. As the weather was so cold today (-3C), a coworker took me to the local club for a 7am Tee-Time as nobody else would be playing at that time, so no pressure. Took 4 hours to do all 18 as I ‘zig-zagged’ most holes and lost about 8 balls to the trees and water, but I had a great time…
Careful… played my first round at the end of August… It became an obsession very quickly.
Bliss said:
Careful… played my first round at the end of August… It became an obsession very quickly.
Too late! It’s also not helped that I live a mile away from a golf course and 2 miles from a driving range…
Welcome to the cult.
“One of us, one of us!”
Focus on short game, especially in the winter.
Your ball striking and learning of consistent “center of face” impact will translate to full swing eventually.
Buy yourself a mat, and PUTT PUTT PUTT.
@Oli
Thanks for the tips. I’ve got a mat and already managed to break something in the house because of it lol.
Arie said:
@Oli
Thanks for the tips. I’ve got a mat and already managed to break something in the house because of it lol.
Get some “soft” balls for indoor if you don’t have a ton of room.
Practice taking the club back only a couple feet. Start short and small.
Zigzag? I call that exploring the course. You paid for it, might as well get all the views.
I did my first round last July. Before then I’d say maybe a scramble or two a year and that was it. After my first round, I was hooked. Remember the phrase “you are not good enough to be this mad.”
Golf for me was first few rounds enjoying just being out there. Then I started getting mad because I thought I could be doing better. Then stopped focusing on low scores and just enjoying it. It’s a cycle; the more you know, the more you’ll realize what you are doing wrong.
Enjoy the addiction.
@Kiran
Similar to me, played a company golf day last year at last minute’s notice. I’d only ever played at weddings/stag dos before, so I got a lesson beforehand and borrowed clubs from the pro-shop for £30. Loved every second of it. Took a load more lessons, have built a bag from second-hand bits and cheap beginner irons. I’m a golfer now. Albeit a beginner.
@Shan
Yeah, before my solo outing I was asked by someone I respect to join their scramble. Was scared shitless, so I bought a net and hit on it a few times just to make contact. The day of the scramble did alright and we had a ringer, but I had a great chip shot a few feet by the hole; it was like that YouTube clip. My first round was two days after that and I’ve been hooked ever since.
@Shan
That’s what I’m hoping to do with my bag. According to my instructor, I’ve got cheap but adequate irons, but my woods are terrible and will need changing next. (But not for 6 months as what I need will change as I progress)
Only thing I’ve bought new so far was my bag as I figured my bag requirements wouldn’t change. Plus, £150 for a bag was probably the cheapest thing I’ll need to buy.
@Arie
I’ve just spent £160 on a new trolley (my last one was £5 
) and my irons were £129 brand new. I’ve had some great luck with other bits. Amazon has refunded a hybrid without asking me to return it, same with a rangefinder that’s consistently 10 yards short. And I got a £200 Odyssey White Hot OG 7s putter for £67.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt outside of the course, it’s not to buy anything full price!
Is that a green or the rough?
Zen said:
Is that a green or the rough?
I’m guessing that the course has set up temporary greens so that they can stay open longer while protecting their actual greens from getting damaged over the winter.
@Weston
This is correct, but boy, the temp greens are rough to play on. Putting was more like a pinball game because the ball bounced off every leaf and bit of mud in its path.
Good on ya! Fairways are for people that aren’t good at golf and don’t like being challenged!
Enjoy it!