Conference 7.286::golf

    Mike,
    
    	When I first started to play I had a few friends that were already
    good players and they helped me out a lot.  After that I went to
    a pro for a series of lessons.  Those 2 things helped me keep the
    golf ball loses down to a minimum.  After joining a private club
    I got to know the head pro quite well and he gave me what he called
    'in the shop lessons'.  We would just talk about the swing but more
    specifically about the important parts of the swing.  (address,initial
    move away, initial move down and finish).  Then I went to the range
    to practice.  When I could predicably hit the ball, I started to
    play with a guy who had a 2 handicap.  He taught me how to play
    on the course.  (His most common statement to me was 'hit it to
    a spot where you can hit it again!')  From there I went from a 22
    handicap to a 9.
    
    	So what do you do to learn.  Video cassetes and books are good
    because you can learn what you should do when try to hit a golf
    ball.  But unless you can see yourself swing you really don't know
    what you are doing right or wrong.  So these things do you little
    good at first.  The best thing is to find a good teaching pro. 
    By good teaching pro I mean one that stresses the basics grip, stance
    and swing.  Some pros get real compilcated with pronation, square
    to square etc and all that will do is confuse you.  Ask other golfers
    you know about the pros that they know, then you can probably find
    a good one.
    
    	When you go to the range to practice work on just one thing
    at a time.  (ie pick one thing like set up and work on it till you
    get right,  then take away etc.)  Don't worry too much about hitting
    it straignt and true all the time, just try to make a good swing.
    If you can find a good player to watch you on the range it will
    also help. 
    
    	When you go out on the course to play, watch other people
    especially if they are good players.  Look at how they swing at
     the ball.  (Most good players don't try to flatten the ball they
    just try to get it into play,  mistake #1 for the beginner it to
    try to fatally deform the ball)  Then watch the way they manage
    the course.
    
    	So my advice is to take lesons from a good pro, try to get a
    playing partner, be observent on the course and most of DON'T TAKE
    THE GAME TOO SERIOUSLY.  If it's no fun to play then why bother
    
    
    					Good luck
    					   KO

    	Good advice Kevin, but you forgot one thing.  The short game.
    Most players just starting out, practice on hitting the ball long
    and straight, but spend very little time practicing putting and
    chipping.  Half of your strokes, and more than half if you're a
    high handicapper, come either on or within 20 yards of the green.
    Developing a good touch for these shots is more difficult than hitting
    off the tee for most people.  Learn to spend time on the practice
    putting green and develope your short game.
    
                                           Paul W.

>    < Note 53.2 by ARMORY::WELLSPEAK "Paul Wellspeak - Springfield, Ma. 243-2837" >
>                              -< The Short Game >-
    
    Agreed!!!!  The reason that I lost my flight of the club champonship
    this year was the short game.  I hit 9 fairways in the final round
    but only managed an 81.  A couple of 3 putt greens and failure
    to get it up and down (especially 17 and 18) cost me about $200.
    (As tears well up in my eyes still)  Without question you've got
    to get it in the hole!!
    
    A first or second year player shouldn't worry too much about that
    though.  To me the short game is the most complicated part of the
    game.  Even at my level of play, I have 5 or 6 different shots around
    the greens.  The new player is fourtunate just to keep it in play,
    and by the time they get to the green, their mind is so full of
    thoughts of the journey tend to inhibit getting it up an down. 
    But that's what I meant about watching good players manage the course.
    When your game gets to the point where you're in postion for par
    or bogey and you make double, while the good player made the par
    that's when questions start.
    
    So yes, for players like you and I, up and down is the most important
    aspect for scoring.  (That really is scoring).  For the new player
    traversing the fairway from tee to green may be enough for now.
    
    
    						KO
    

    If you want a good book on the fundamentals of Golf look at Ben
    Hogan's book (I think "The Fundamentals of Golf). It was orginally
    published for Sports Illustrated in the late 50s but is still accurate
    today. Personally I read it every spring just before I start
    practicing.
    
    Roger
    

    I had borrowed that book from someone, and ran off a copy.  I might
    be willing to do the same...............
    
    peter

    I did the same thing as I couldn't find it in a store (of course
    until after I made a copy). Most good libraries will have a copy
    though.
    
    Roge
    

    Most of the suggestions about the short game are thee best advice.
    These ideas are the basics of a book/system called "The Method".
    I don't know the author off hand.  If you have time and are not
    in a hurry, the approach outlined by that book is great. Basically
    it states that most people start out in golf with immediate failure.
    In other words they try to hit woods, lon and mid-irons and get
    frustrated because the results are less than impressive.  The author's
    idea is to start with short putts, work to longer ones...then to
    chipping etc until you get up to the big "sticks".  It does take
    time, but my father dropped is handicap from 22 to 13 in a season.
    
    Also, the "Fundamentals of Golf" *is* a classic...and is my personal
    favorite also. 
    
    Donald L.

    another good one is "The Touch System to Better Golf" (i think i
    got that right) by Bob Toski.  he too recommends the "short putt-long
    putt-chip-pitch etc." progression.
    
    the one thing that made the book stand out though, was that he was
    able to communicate (to me at least) how the golf swing should *feel*.
    this has been a major problem with my game for a while, at least
    until now.
    
    
    maury...
    
    

	 This is  probably  going to provoke some stiff reactions, but
	 here it is anyway:

	 I think  golf  instruction  books  are  a  waste  of time and
	 money!!

	 As far as I'm concerned, the only way of improving one's golf
	 game  is practice, practice and more practice.  A lesson from
	 the  pro  at  my  club is about half the price of the average
	 golf  instruction  book.   Two pro lessons will do a lot more
	 for my golf game than reading some book. 

	 There are  hundreds  of  books,  and  they  all claim to have
	 discovered the secret way to better golf.  The books all have
	 different  ideas  on  how to go about it.  The only thing you
	 will  get  from reading these books is confusion.  Then, when
	 you  go  out  and play, you will keep thinking about what the
	 book said instead of concentrating on your game.

	 No, try  practice and pro lessons instead.  That will do lots
	 more good!

	 -- Mr Litby

    I quess I somewhat agree with you but I do find certian books helpful.
    I use Hogan's book every spring as a warm up book. I couple it with
    Miller's book which came out several years ago. In that sense they
    are good. I agree that picking up another book is really asking
    for trouble. Each book generally represents a change in philosophy
    which means the golfer will sway with the wind (or book).
    
    However I'm also disturbed by constant switching of pros that some
    golfers do . In this sense it just like another book. Basicly I
    don't go to a pro unless something is really wrong and can't figure
    it out on my own. In that case I only have the pro look at my address
    and grip. I don't wont him messing with my swing. 95% of my problems
    and I thing everyone elses is in grip and stance. Correct those
    and your ok.
    
    Basicly I think you have to consider all forms of instruction. In
    time you'll be able to discard those which are not founded on sound
    principles wheter they are in a book or by a professional.
    
    Roger
    

    
    
    	I just want to thank everyone for there idea and suggestions!!!
    	Also, can any one recommend a Pro in the Littleton/maynard area?
    	
    
    Thanks again, and happy holidays
    	Mike

    There is a book out by Tim Calloway. It is a book about the "GAME".
    The game that goes on in your head. It cost about 15 bucks but it
    is well worth it. It is called "The Inner Game of Golf". After all
    the game is %10 physical and %90 mental.