Golf Lessons...driving Range Or Indoor Golf Simulator

[arjunk]

Living in Bangkok, I want to start playing Golf and needed some advice on whats the best way to start. I understand from various people that taking lessons may prove beneficial rather than just starting on my own..

Wanted to know whether I should go about taking lessons on a driving range or will joining an indoor facility like the Wilding Golf Centre be better...Any advice/ experience is welcome..Thanks..

[mikecwm]

You understand, of course, that taking up golf is not compulsory?

My Thai wife forced me into it.

I spent the first 2 years just knocking the ball all over the place, which was very frustrating.

Then had a lesson and things got even worse as my body was trying to assimilate what I learnt in the lesson, but still keep

doing what I had picked up on my own.

Eventually I managed to make the things I had learnt in the lesson override the self taught stuff.

Finally - the balls started going in the right direction. Not necessarily the right distance, but it was a good start.

So my tip would be to take as many lessons from a pro (not a friend) as you can afford / manage.

The bloody game is frustrating and pointless as it is without adding in lack of skills.

Good luck.

If you meet a Farang / Thai couple out on the green one day and he is hitting her with a # 3 wood - say hello.

[ThaidDown]

If you have never hit a golf ball in anger before then a few lessons from a qualified instructor would at least get the basic stance, grip etc correct.

A possible advantage of an indoor facility is being able to see a video of your stroke.

If you meet a Farang / Thai couple out on the green one day and he is hitting her with a # 3 wood - say hello.

I think that is extremely bad form and you should be banned from the course.

A 3 wood indeed, on a green the putter should be used.

[arjunk]

Thanks guys...I am intending to take lessons...Was just wondering if the indoors with all the video assessment would be of any value add for a beginner like me..

and mike I'll be on the lookout!!

[farangme]

My two cents: an outdoor range with an instructor who has video equipment. My personal experience with simulators is that they mask a lot of the ball flight action and make your shot out better than it is. Just my experience. Nothing like seeing your actual ball flight. Maybe start on a simulator and progress to the range. You'll get addicted after catching a few on the sweet spot.

Sent from my PC36100 using Thaivisa Connect App

[GregHanrahan]

FYI,

Definately take some lessons at the beginning to atleast learn the basics from someone who really knows. I learned the game by myself and lost my tour cards trying to make my swing better at the top of my career. I swung like Jim Furyk and when i met him at a Johnnie Walker Tournament in Taiwan, i said " Hi jim they say that my swing is like yours". He replied "Is that good or bad?" He won the US Open that season! Anything works as long as you have the basic correct fundamentals and you hit loads of balls. Make it easy - get some lessons.

The simulators will be of little value until you can actually play pretty good. First you need to hit the ball fairly consistently and keep it on the planet.

I have been doing video with my golf students and then posting on youtube for easy reference before practice or play. Seeing your swing surely helps in creating the correct image to adjust the physical movement to perform better.

greg

[canman]

Op, a great game and as you have been advised, lessons at the range are the way to go. A beginner myself, I saw a guy the other day with a T-shirt which said:

"I hate Golf"

"I hate Golf"

Nice shot

"I love golf"

You will appreciate that once you start getting the hang of it.

[arjunk]

Thanks for your valuable input guys...Guess driving range is the way to go then

[potters]

Thanks for your valuable input guys...Guess driving range is the way to go then

Contact Greg Hanrahan above he is a great instructor

and cen keep you amused with his storys from playing on tour.

I have met him so i know.

Potters

[arjunk]

Can't agree with you more Potters..Been already getting some lessons from him since last month! cheers..

[Puyai]

I sent Mr. GragHanrahan a message on his face book page about getting some lessons and I've never heard anything back! Mr. Greg I am really interested in some lessons and by the sounds of it your the man to go to!!

PM me please..

[JohanBKK]

Always take lessons, i started on my own at age 12, after two weeks i was playing double bogey and got stuck with it for long years. Then i took lessons and it changed my swing, at first you will play a lot worse then a lot better after a while. Now i can play under the par.

[GregHanrahan]

I've just PM'd you Puyai. Apologies to all - haven't been using facebook or even logging in here in a long while. Sorry all - I'll be a regular again and write some golf for ya'all.

[valrhona]

I think that the range and the simulator offer advantages. I like the simulator because it gives you a lot of good information that you can't quite see on the range. I can't really see a 5-10 yard difference on the range if I'm hitting a longer iron but the simulator gives me that feedback along with launch angle. I learned a lot about my optimal distance/launch angle on the simulator and of course, it's nice not to be sweating like a pig after an hour of practice. I like setting different targets to hit at different distances which ranges don't always set up very nicely.

That being said, the simulator's actual distances mean very little and I find the the direction and ball flight somewhat unreliable. It appears that my desired ball flight often looks like a draw on the simulator while it looks fairly straight at the range. I'm also not a great fan of hitting from a carpet but that is also the case at many outdoor ranges.

If you're a beginner then I'd go where it's cheapest and most comfortable since you're first looking for consistency.

[GregHanrahan]

Well said valrhona,

To use a simulataor you first need to be a player! What would be a launch angle to an average player. I would say that a 'little' club head speed analyzer for a hundred or so bucks would be the best for practice on a range. I love the flight of the ball - i can see the angle of trajectory also - REAL GOLF....thank you.

To quote Tom Watson "I never hit a ball without first seeing it's flight". This is how we create - we first see it! and then the muscle memory inspired by the engine of 'heart' makes it happen in the physical. OR IN THE SPACE OF THE AIR!

I was always the best with those knock ups or knock down 3/4 swings. I felt the same speed tempo with each swing and then checked out my grouping when i picked them up. No use of a speed meter - i learned to feel it. Then i overlapped the actual eyesite and distance numbers to be 'distance accurate' which is of far more importance than just accuracy. How many times have you've been prideFUL with a shot that looks great.....only to arrive greenside and see you are way short or long....that sucks. Right and left is fine when you know how far it is going.

So i just overlapped distance shots to achieve 'more distance accuracy'. Choked down 8 iron at about 65-70 mph swingspeed - (knew when i had it tested). it could do a 'sweet' 130 yrds with a low draw - high cut....whatever, i practiced them all. My full 48 degree W was also 130 yrds - so at minimum i had 5 yrd. increments and could choke up or down for 3 yrd adjustments.

So basically i am agreeing with you and yet not! GREAT TO TALK GOLF !!!!!