How did you learn golf?

[titaniummd]

I got interested in golf after playing the Tiger Woods 2006 Game. I thought, how hard could it be? I was hitting 300+ yard drives. Boy, what a revelation!

I took a couple of lessons with basic swing (he had me use a PW), grip, chipping, etc. However, most of my reinforcement has been through using training aids, reading books, and watching videos.

I would like to say I was self taught but my main focus was to read it, do it and practice it.

I am planning to take lessons this Spring. I want some distance.

[Sinsation]

lessons will definately help. i was a self learner and did ok. still doing ok. but i'm taking lessons to straighten out my long clubs. the local pro here helped me a bit, but i know he'll be able to help even more if i spend more time with him.

oh BTW, you've got some niiiiiiiice sticks for a beginner!

[Stiofan]

My golfing buddies would say I haven't.


I started in high school just playing with friends 30 odd years ago. From age 25 until 35 I rarely played. Since then I've gotten into it pretty strong. I play well enough to enjoy myself, which is all that matters. I've never had any lessons, but I read a lot and hang out places like here. I'm pretty comfortable with my swing, I just need to play more and get more consistant.

[atm_73]

My dad's good friend bought a golf course (9 hole dump) when I was around 10. He also started a golf course upkeep business - spraying, turf maintenance, aerating greens, etc. So my dad would work with him on Saturdays, and I got keys to a cart, some loaner clubs, and the man's son and I started playing. Finally got a set put together from the man from their lost and found, and been playing ever since.

I've never had a lesson, although I'm sure it would help tremendously! I've been able to groove a decent swing by reading and watching instruction and tips, my main flaw is a lack of practice, but I plan on remedying that in 07'

[jwaldrop]

When I started my teaching career in 1976, I became buddies with a couple of young coaches who loved golf. I bought a basic set 3-5-7-9-driver at Sears and off I went. Got hooked, and have loved it ever since. I was pretty much self taught for the first 10 years, and then took a few lessons when we got a new pro that jump-started my game.

[Chubbsco]

I learned by watching other people's bad swings! I caddied all through middle school and high school. So, I had a pretty good look at the game, and saw what to do, and what not to do!

[HotWheelz]

I started doing business with a local country club. My contact invited me to go play (I had played a few times, but didn't really know what I was doing). After playing with him a few times I got hooked. Now 8 months later I play or practice 5-6 times a week, and I've shot my best scores of 89,88,89. I went from an avg. score of 125 to 93.

To help me get started I was taking lessons every two weeks. I haven't had one in a couple of months, but I plan on taking more this month or next.

[tachus]

my grandfather started me out the summer before my senior year and i was hooked ever since...

[nachos]

My parents..having absolutely no knowledge of the game bought some 3 woods when I was you to hit around in the football stadium parking lot (empty). It was a lot of fun although I could never get the ball off of the ground.

When I was 15 or so I got first set of clubs. I've been golfing on and off ever since.

Last year I really started to get hooked. I now play 1-2 times a week when the weather permits.

[rgcgolfin]

My buddy played and was left handed like me taked me into goning to range one day with him and have been hocked ever sence that was in 1986

[xnavyct]

My best friend at work picked up the game about 8 years ago and has always been after me to try it (we have worked together for 12 years). So, two years ago next month I finally caved and went with him to give it a try, after I got some garage sale clubs (a set of RAM's) for $20.

Wow. Blue skies, green grass, get to joke around or talk about life with your buddy with no wife or kids around, the rush when you stripe a shot...then going into the clubhouse and having a beer and some laughs about a shot you made on the 15th hole. Great stuff. Never had been around anything that is as addicting and aggravating at the same time. So I started building my set a piece at a time to replace the RAMs (I think one of the irons was missing, and the 3 wood 'rattled' when I hit it), and have enjoyed doing that. When I won my X460 off of Golf Digest last summer, that was a big thrill.

My only regret is I didn't try this before I was 39 years old. Especially considering I spent three years in Hawaii on shore duty in the 80s! I could have golfed and golfed and golfed...I think how good I could be now instead of shooting what I do...

[Shorty]

I started to caddy when I was in middle school and the caddies were allowed to play tne course on Mondays{sunnehanna country club} so my best friend at the time was a golfer and ask me to play a round with him. I started at 15 yrs old played for 2 yrs. then quit for 27yrs. Boy was that a mistake. Iam completely self taught,which is not a good thing, but I have fun when I play.

[tmtp]

I watched Jack win the '86 Masters and started swinging a plastic club that my parents had given me (they must have known). After that my parents got me a small club and I started hitting balls in the backyard.

[ErikGalindo]

Originally Posted by Chubbsco

I learned by watching other people's bad swings!

Stop looking at me! Hahaha, just kidding. I use the way to learn as well. Whenever I see a bad swing, or one that's a good deal different from what I think my swing is doing, I try not to look. I say, "well, at least that's not me", or sometimes it's, "well, at least that's not me anymore!" I also learned how to bowl this way too, just by watching others.

[Fourputt]

Played my 1st 9 holes at my cousin's country club when I was in 10th grade.... that would have been in 1962. It wasn't anything that was really recognizable as golf. Played a few times here and there over the next 10 years, never more than purely hacking around the course. Then I moved to Colorado and met a guy who played a lot. He got me started and I played occasionally over the next 10 years, but at least it was a game that looked more like golf. Then in the mid 80's I really got the bug... even took a 1/2 hour private lesson. The rest, as they say, is history.

Now I sit here going slowly insane because the snow isn't melting fast enough to get me at least on the range this week....

[90civicracer]

I taught myself. When I was younger (10 or 11) my parents picked me up 4 old clubs from a freebies ad in the paper. We had a dirt field across the street (an orchard that was tore down) and I used to take old balls from my grandpa and go over there and hit them. A year or two later I got a costco set of clubs, and started going to the range, then a year later or so I started playing at a par 3 course. I can safely say I've never had a lesson, never watched a dvd/video, and have never read a book on golf.