How to learn to play golf?

broken image

Before answering this question how to learn to play golf, I would like to specify that fandegolf.fr will not teach you to play golf. Nevertheless, my objective is to give you learning methods, tips and tricks to allow you to start playing golf as easily as possible.

Who can play golf?

Golf is still considered a rich man's sport. Especially in France, where golf is not a sport for the masses. In comparison, France has 600,000 golfers against 24.2 million in the United States.

Nevertheless, mentalities are evolving, the presence of the Rydercup in France last year, new forms of golf are starting to appear such as more compact courses like pitch&putt, and practices are becoming more playful. For example, I invite you to discover what you can find in the United States with topgolf.

Consequently, this sport is evolving and showing signs of democratization. Golf is no longer reserved for the rich.

What: What is this sport?

Golf is a sport. As such, it allows you to be physically active and requires you to have a game strategy. For me, the interest of this sport lies in the complexity of the game. Indeed, to make a simple golf swing you have to take into account a very large number of parameters: Are my feet well placed? Do I have the right grip? Is my club well positioned in relation to the ball? What is my angle to the ball when I hit it? I'm not going to ask you all the questions, but you'll understand that your playing field is huge. As in other sports: tennis, table tennis, you can give effects to the ball. What a spectacle to see a ball fall on a green and come back to get closer to the hole.

The 14 golf clubs you can take with you are also a source of diversity in this sport. A swing with a driver is different from a swing with an iron or even a wedge, a club used for an approach shot close to the green.

In other words, I hope that through these few lines, I have been able to transmit to you the desire to play that I have today.

Where: Learning golf?

For me, the best way to learn golf is to go to the nearest golf course. In the beginning, you will need to spend some time on the practice range and putting green before you can play your first course or even your first golf competition. I would therefore advise you to have a golf course nearby, as this will reduce the travel time to your new sporting destination.

When: When to learn golf?

There is no specific time to learn golf. The only important parameter is the weather. If you are in an area where the weather is not always good, it will be more difficult.

My recommendation is to start playing in spring. There is nothing like a sunny morning to start playing golf.

How: What are the methods for learning golf?

Nowadays the possibilities of learning have expanded with new technologies. Nevertheless, the traditional methods should not be neglected. Here is a list of methods to learn golf.

1. Take group golf lessons at a golf club

The first method is to take group lessons at your nearest golf club. This is the easiest method. You will certainly make progress very quickly. I started golf with this method. However, if you have a larger budget I recommend another method because your learning progress will be much better with individual lessons.

The number of parameters to be taken into account to play is very important, you will very quickly have defects. With a group lesson, the teacher can't detect all your faults unlike an individual lesson.

The advantage that I find in the group lesson is simply that it gives you an easier entry to pass the green card. This card certifies your level of play and allows you to play on the golf courses.

2. Take individual golf lessons at a golf club

This method is for me the most effective and is a must for any golfer who starts to know how to play golf.

A teacher will see your shortcomings and will be able to give you the tips to correct them.

My advice on this method is to always have the same golf teacher. I have had the experience of having a series of lessons with several teachers because of price promotions on individual lessons. I do not recommend it. Each teacher has his own method, his own style of play. Each will have his own method to help you progress. Taking advice and exercises into account will destabilize you and you risk playing less well and becoming demoralized. And in all the teachers, there is some with whom it matches better, small wink to Jean Baptiste Levet (Thank you JB for all that you taught me

3. Taking golf lessons on the internet

Today, as I said in the introduction, it is possible thanks to new technologies to take lessons online via videos.

As far as I'm concerned, I haven't had the chance to take paid lessons on the net yet, but I hope to do so in a few months.

In this method, you have 2 categories, videos on free YouTube often delivered by golf teachers who have created a golf channel on YouTube. These channels are used as a showcase to then offer you paid golf lessons via their blog.

These paid video lessons can then be individual. You can benefit from coaching and interaction with this teacher.

In relation to this method, I will give you 2 names, champions of the discipline: Joel Bernard and Simon Camirand.

4. Take lessons with a friend

Big question: can you take lessons with a friend to learn golf? To this question, I would answer yes, a friend can teach you some moves, improve your game, and help you discover golf at the driving range. But I don't recommend that you actually learn golf with a friend. It's best to have a teacher.

However, a friend can give you very good advice. Here's an example: I couldn't get my ball to trajectory. A friend told me that I should point my club in the direction I wanted to send my ball at the end of the swing before finishing my stroke. It's a bit like throwing your club in the direction you want the ball to go. Well, this advice has helped me a lot in my consistency of trajectory. Thanks to you Pierre

5. Take lessons with a golf book

To be transparent with you, I haven't tried this method yet. I have already learned to play but this method may help me to progress.

If you have any advice on a book that can help you learn or improve your golf game, don't hesitate to leave the title in the comments of this article.

6. Take lessons with a golf magazine

Caught up in the sport of golf, I subscribed to golf magazine. And you might think that a golf magazine is full of ads and information about the players. Well, think again! In a magazine you'll find plenty of advice on how to play golf. So articles on how to play can teach you how to play golf.

I just advise you not to hang around to put into practice what you read in your magazine.

In conclusion, it is a good method to improve your golf game in addition to another method.

So the bottom line is that in golf you will continue to learn throughout your golfing career.

Why: Why learn golf?

That's a big question. For me, I love the sport in general. I have had the opportunity to play a lot of sports. When I saw golf on TV, my curiosity was piqued. At first sight it seemed a very simple sport: the guy plays with his club, the ball falls on the green, we are in mini golf mode and the little white ball goes into the hole.

So I tried it by going to an initiation. I then discovered that it requires thinking about the movement of your body and the position of your club and I stuck with it. What a joy it was to get my ball off the ground at that initiation. It wasn't a great shot, but the feeling of being able to hit that little ball gave me a taste for golf. Having started golf without any knowledge, today I am very happy to have golfing friends and to meet other golfers and to discover new courses during my holidays.