Clubs are not looking to expand their business - really!

[Andyfez]

Shut in Thailand during this covid time as a non-golfer, I thought I'd take up a long-standing aspiration and maybe learn to play golf. I've been here 16 years, and never played.

There may be thousands of farangs out there in the same position: never played golf, but now we have the time to learn.

 

Are there beginners courses out there? Apparently not!

No-one is advertising beginner courses.

All the special offers seem to be geared to experienced golfers, and no club seems to be interested in expanding their customer base.

I've read the offers, and emailed several different clubs - no replies whatsoever........

 

I honestly believe the golf professionals in Thailand have their heads down one of their holes.....????

[bkk6060]

The golf professionals have little or no power.  The course owners do.

But, if you are a beginner you probably should not be out playing anyway. I suggest you pay for some lessons from the professional and learn good fundamentals first.

 

[Matzzon]

No, they do not want you to play on their courses before you have taken up some golf lessons. There reason is that you will damage their courses.

[topt]

2 hours ago, Andyfez said:

I've read the offers, and emailed several different clubs - no replies whatsoever........

Normal for most businesses in Thailand in my experience.

 

If you want to learn how to play as others have already said you need to find a golf pro who teaches at a driving range and go and learn the fundamentals.

This could be a stand alone range or one attached to a club. There are many English speaking pros and if you gave your location someone may be able to recommend one.

I know of 2 in the Pattaya area both attached to mid/upper level clubs who charge 1200 - 1500 for a one off lesson but who do packages - one used to have a beginners package. I also know of a pro attached to a driving range who only charges 500 baht per lesson and one at an indoor simulator who also teaches. 

[JAS21]

There is an over supply of golf teaching professionals in Thailand .

 

They will teach on a driving range or on a course. 
 

I know the guy at Top Golf Asia .. he is ok for beginner or improver. Located Bang Na.

[natway09]

What a load of rubbish.

Golf lessons/teaching advertised every day on many platforms. Plenty of English speaking teaching pro's available.

May I suggest that you get your head out of your proverbial & get along to a driving range where a pro will be available if you want to teach you the basics, from there dozens of societies will welcome you to join their bi or weekly golf games, where you will be able to get a handicap after 3 rounds .

Take a little time to understand the rules & nuances of this great game before you start

Make the effort, we will welcome you on board, good bad or in the middle

[Andyfez]

When I asked about beginner courses, sorry to those who misunderstood.

I meant beginner courses of lessons - I realize I can't just jump on a golf course as a beginner.

Despite many adverts for 'packages' on Thaivisa, I haven't seen any beginners lesson adverts. And to repeat myself again: I haven't had any replies to emails sent.

They must be all out on the 19th hole still.

Certainly one reply above was typical of the bar stool brigade - despite a little useful advice.

 

Thanks for that at least.

[ASEAN NOW Golf]

LIKE LEARNING TO RIDE A BIKE, YOU PRACTICE AT HOME BEFORE THEY LET YOU OUT ON THE ROADS.

 

It is the same for golf, best to hire some clubs say from a driving range and just go and hit some balls. Then if you feel you have the swing etc; best book a set of 5 lessons with a teaching pro, and then at that stage, maybe with the pro, you could try a few holes on the course. Good luck.

[topt]

1 hour ago, Andyfez said:

And to repeat myself again: I haven't had any replies to emails sent.

And to repeat myself again - if you have been here a while why are you surprised.......

1 hour ago, Andyfez said:

I haven't seen any beginners lesson adverts.

Tell us where you are based/whats convenient to get to and maybe someone can recommend something specific.

Otherwise go down to these clubs you contacted and ask to talk to the pro

 

Sometimes you can't do everything online.

[AgMech Cowboy]

39 minutes ago, topt said:

Sometimes you can't do everything online.

Well said, but I must fault the golf schools a bit, too. They could do a lot more to promote themselves. I started trying to play in 1999, but depended on my boss for what lessons I got the first 8 months. I didn't find the Laem Chabang golf school until December '99 and oh were my bad habits well established by then.

 

Many of you have blasted Andy for not just going to the driving range. I remember being a beginner. Golf is a whole new world and you don't know what you don't know. Adverts and promotions targeting beginners, "Want to Learn Golf? Start here." would be really great.

 

@Andyfez Golf is a really fun game and it's even more fun in Thailand. Sadly there are a bunch of a-holes who don't want you out there. You'll slow down their game. Heck you might even get paired with them in one of those 'society' golf groups. If you want to learn golf, there are plenty of avenues. If you're near Pattaya, Laem Chabang still has a golf academy.

[Thingamabob]

There are professional golf teachers all over Thailand. Many are based at driving ranges. Go to the driving range nearest to where you live and chances are you will locate a teacher, or at least a recommendation as to where to find one. Also, just type golf lessons/Thailand into any search engine and you will get all the info you need. Easy, really.

[DJ54]

As said start out taking lessons and get comfortable over the ball....

it’s a sport you can enjoy for many years... when you get ready to

buy clubs make sure to buy what works for your game...  Most of all Enjoy

[runamok27]

I would recommend going to a club, not a really expensive one, just a normal every day club and talk to the pro there. Any pro can teach the basics to a beginner. You do not need to be paying top dollar for lessons at this point. Also, if you buy a series of lessons, spread them out so you can work on what the instructor taught you on your own at the range for at least a few sessions. There is way too much involved with golf to be taking a bunch of lessons and filling your head with endless garbage that you will forget. I've had several friends take lesson after lesson after lesson and they ended up confused. Look at Tiger Woods, when he changes his swing, these are minor changes mind you, it takes about a year for him to be totally comfortable with the change.

 

My recommendation:

1. take a lesson

2. work on what was learned at the lesson for at least 3 to 5 range sessions. however long that takes.

3. take another lesson

4. work on what was learned at the lesson for at least 3 to 5 range sessions. however long that takes.

Keep repeating until your lessons are done. After about 5 lessons, unless you are really uncoordinated, you should be good enough to play on a course. Since you are new to golf, I'll let you in on a little secret, most people stink at golf but it's about having fun and hanging out with your buddies. Once you get out there, you will be amazed at just how horrible most golfers are. Enjoy the journey and most of all have fun. If you ever find yourself near Udon Thani, send me a message and we can go play some golf. One last important tip, most scoring in golf happens in the last 100 yards, if you are good in this area your scores will be good, so you really want to focus most of your work on shots used in this area.

 

From Dave Pelz, one of the best instructors in the world:

"It's your bad shots and weaknesses, not your strengths that largely determine your scores," he says.

 

A very true statement from Butch Harmon, one of the best instructors in the world:

"Sometimes we get so afraid of hitting bad shots (making bad pitches), we don't let ourselves hit (pitch) good ones," says Harmon. "That nugget’s for free."

[runamok27]

3 hours ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

 

@Andyfez Golf is a really fun game and it's even more fun in Thailand. Sadly there are a bunch of a-holes who don't want you out there. You'll slow down their game. Heck you might even get paired with them in one of those 'society' golf groups. If you want to learn golf, there are plenty of avenues. If you're near Pattaya, Laem Chabang still has a golf academy.

That's strange. I find Thailand a great place to learn because folks here seem to play incredibly slow. I've seen plenty of guys on the tee warming up and taking their time like they are on the PGA Tour and if you've ever been to a tour event, you know how slow those guys play. 

[Berkshire]

18 hours ago, Andyfez said:

When I asked about beginner courses, sorry to those who misunderstood.

I meant beginner courses of lessons - I realize I can't just jump on a golf course as a beginner.

Despite many adverts for 'packages' on Thaivisa, I haven't seen any beginners lesson adverts. And to repeat myself again: I haven't had any replies to emails sent.

They must be all out on the 19th hole still.

Certainly one reply above was typical of the bar stool brigade - despite a little useful advice.

 

Thanks for that at least.

Do you have any friends who golf?  They can help point you in the right direction.  I have a friend who just took up golf and I've spent time with him on the driving range.  Finally took him out for a round and he's loving it.  Trying to learn from scratch all on your own in a foreign country will lead to unnecessary frustration.  And sending e-mails in English to Thai folks will not get it done.

[berrec]

IMHO as stated it a bit like learning any new function in life that your body has to manage.

   

Before you start emptying your wallet out for professional lessons, spend some time on YouTube watching some of the better teachers giving free video lessons on the basics of the golf swing.

 

My two personal free YouTube references for basic teaching of the golf swing are “Scratch Golf Academy” (excellent technical tuition on all aspects of golf) and Saguto Golf (mad as a meat axe) but simple in his teaching of the golf swing.

 

Be a little careful as teaching the golf swing is often a personal opinion on how the golf swing is applied.

 

I have watched thousands over the decades and it just gets more confusing with all the numerous opinions of the golf swing. 

   

There are YouTube teaching videos that go through the biometrics of the swing and every aspect of how amateurs swing and strike the ball compared to a pro; keep away from these videos at the beginners stage.

 

 Like learning to ride a bike you have to get on the bike and fall off a few times to get the feeling of balance.

  

The golf swing is the same, after you study some basic YouTube videos grab a couple of clubs at a local driving range and go and get the feel of your golf swing.

  

If you can have a friend that plays golf go with you they can really help with the basic and fundamentals of your golf swing.

   

There are free golf swing analyzers for Android and IOS you can download on your phone and have friends from week to week record your golf swing from down the line and front on to show you how you are progressing week by week.

 

It’s amazing to see frame by frame video of your golf swing; it really helps accelerate the learning curve.

  

I have the free versions of V1 Golf and Technique golf swing analysis apps on my phones.

  

The other aspect of golf is putting, one of the most important clubs in the bag.

  

Once again YouTube has some great teaching aids for putting for beginners as well.

  

Don’t go near a golf course until you reach a level of confidence with both striking the ball and putting the ball.

  

If you want to advance your putting skills you’re best off going to a golf course that has a driving range with a practice putting green.

  

These golf courses with practice ranges and putting green also normally have a chipping green area; another skill you will have to master is chipping.

  

Once you are on the road with your golf swing and putting it off to the sand traps as you now have to endure more pain and learn how to hit out fairway bunkers and greenside bunkers, once again a lot of YouTube videos on this craft.

 

As stated, for putting, sand traps and chipping for beginners you can find ample YouTube videos to assist you.

  

So in summary if you want to get out on a golf course there are possibly many months of learning and practice required.

 

Once you have the basics under control then go get some professional tuition to help you refine your golf swing; try to find a friend that recommends a good instructor. I see so many so called golf instructors at my local driving range that I would not recommend as they are over teaching the golf swing rather then focusing on the fundamentals. 

  

Once you feel comfortable try to grab a friend that plays and go out late in the afternoons for somes 9 hole rounds; there will be less golfers on the course and you can take your time hacking your way around  the course without golfers behind you getting ####%%%%$$$$  55555.

 

Think of it as a continuous learning experience and of course you will have good days and bad days like all of us that have been playing the game for decades.

 

Golf can be a great social and rewarding experience, meeting new friends from all walks of life.

 

The secret is, take you time to reach your desired goals and you  will get the most out of it.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

Just go out to any practice range, hit balls to your heart's content. There will usually be one or more teaching professionals there, get half hour lessons. Any more is beyond the attention span of most people.

There are three basics to golf - grip, stance and swing. Get those right first on the practice range. Preferably with the help of a pro, YouTube videos will only confuse you as there about a million of them with a corresponding number of swing theories associated. Too much information.

Don't waste your money on new clubs. That comes after you have achieved some level of proficiency. Depending on your age, buy steel shafts if young, graphite if in senior ranks. Look for cavity-back irons, more forgiving.

Take some time to learn the etiquette and rules of golf. It's good manners. Don't be surprised if you see them constantly breached here.

It will be time to get out on the golf course when you feel you can hit the ball with some consistency.

Good luck. Just remember it doesn't matter if you play badly on the course proper, there will always be someone who plays worse.

 

[Presnock]

I know Chiang Mai as most driving ranges there are pro's willing to teach.  Some have up to date equipment

showing exactly what is wrong with one's swing and the pro can help correct the faults.  They are not overly

expensive compared to other countries I have lived in.  I agree with others, that until one learns how to play, and the etiquette of golf course play they should not be on any course unless it is deserted!