| |
Main
Date: 18 Nov 2006 20:45:24
From: Birdie Bill
Subject: The Newbie
|
A friend of mine from work has been bugging me to
"show him how to play golf". This guy is an absolute
beginner. I brought up the subject of lessons, but
he said he wanted to try it out a little, first, to see
if he liked it.
So I took him out to the range to hit some balls. He
asked some questions, so I gave him a quick
overview of the golf swing and let him get after it.
Wow, I never thought I would see a swing worse
than Charles Barkely, but there it was! He started
out with the clubhead hovering about a foot over
the ball, picked it straight up and then froze like a
deer in the headlights.
After a couple twitches and false starts, followed a
fierce lash in the general direction of the ball. Only,
the ball wasn't there. He stood there and whiffed
about 5 straight times before finding any part of the
ball.
It suddenly occurred to me that many of the things
I talked to him about were totally irelevent. He
needed to be working on a whole different set of
fundamentals.
Towards the end of the session, I tried to get
across the idea of swinging the golf club rather
than chopping at the ball, and he did manage
to hit some low rollers.
He said he enjoyed it. Next time, though,
I'm going to take him by the pro shop and get him
info on lessons.
|
|
| |
Date: 19 Nov 2006 12:10:59
From: Birdie Bill
Subject: Re: The Newbie
|
On Nov 19, 8:25 am, "annika1980" <annika1...@aol.com > wrote:
> Birdie Bill wrote:
> > > Wow, I never thought I would see a swing worse
> > than Charles Barkely, but there it was! He started
> > out with the clubhead hovering about a foot over
> > the ball, picked it straight up and then froze like a
> > deer in the headlights.
>
> > After a couple twitches and false starts, followed a
> > fierce lash in the general direction of the ball. Only,
> > the ball wasn't there. He stood there and whiffed
> > about 5 straight times before finding any part of the
> > ball.
>
> > It suddenly occurred to me that many of the things
> > I talked to him about were totally irelevent. He
> > needed to be working on a whole different set of
> > fundamentals.Your first mistake was using a ball.
> First lessons go much better when no ball is ever hit.
> Let him swing and brush the grass.
> Another advantage to this method is that grass is cheaper than range
> balls.- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -
The fact that I didn't think of that is more proof
that I probably shouldn't be teaching him anything.
|
| | |
Date: 20 Nov 2006 04:22:35
From: Rob Davis
Subject: Re: The Newbie
|
Birdie Bill wrote:
> On Nov 19, 8:25 am, "annika1980" <annika1...@aol.com> wrote:
>>Birdie Bill wrote:
>>>It suddenly occurred to me that many of the things
>>>I talked to him about were totally irelevent. He
>>>needed to be working on a whole different set of
>>>fundamentals.Your first mistake was using a ball.
>>
>>First lessons go much better when no ball is ever hit.
>>Let him swing and brush the grass.
>>Another advantage to this method is that grass is cheaper than range
>>balls.- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -
>
>
> The fact that I didn't think of that is more proof
> that I probably shouldn't be teaching him anything.
>
Harvey Penick suggested clipping tees out of the ground ... that's
something he could try.
Also, I've read more than one recommendation to start total beginners
"from the hole back". Rather than going to the range and whaling away
(especially since it sounds like he doesn't have much natural aptitude)
... maybe try putting and then chipping. Try to get him to make some
nice, easy, very small *swings* ... just easy rhythm and getting the
club head swinging thru the ball with no effort to hit the ball any
distance. It might give him some feel for swinging the club and it will
certainly serve him well once he does actually get on the course.
It's nice of you to try and give him a hand. But it sounds like maybe a
tough case and you can only teach as much as you're comfortable and
confident of.
Rob
|
| |
Date: 19 Nov 2006 12:07:53
From: Birdie Bill
Subject: Re: The Newbie
|
On Nov 19, 11:08 am, Howard Brazee <how...@brazee.net > wrote:
> On 18 Nov 2006 20:45:24 -0800, "Birdie Bill"
>
> <bighorn_b...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >He said he enjoyed it. Next time, though,
> >I'm going to take him by the pro shop and get him
> >info on lessons.At his stage, I recommend group lessons. They are cheap and oriented
> towards rank beginners. I like the ones that star with putting,
> move to chipping, and gradually move the target away.
Yeah, that was what I was thinking, too.
|
| |
Date: 19 Nov 2006 17:08:38
From: Howard Brazee
Subject: Re: The Newbie
|
On 18 Nov 2006 20:45:24 -0800, "Birdie Bill"
<bighorn_bill@hotmail.com > wrote:
>He said he enjoyed it. Next time, though,
>I'm going to take him by the pro shop and get him
>info on lessons.
At his stage, I recommend group lessons. They are cheap and oriented
towards rank beginners. I like the ones that star with putting,
move to chipping, and gradually move the target away.
|
| |
Date: 19 Nov 2006 06:25:37
From: annika1980
Subject: Re: The Newbie
|
Birdie Bill wrote:
> > Wow, I never thought I would see a swing worse
> than Charles Barkely, but there it was! He started
> out with the clubhead hovering about a foot over
> the ball, picked it straight up and then froze like a
> deer in the headlights.
>
> After a couple twitches and false starts, followed a
> fierce lash in the general direction of the ball. Only,
> the ball wasn't there. He stood there and whiffed
> about 5 straight times before finding any part of the
> ball.
>
> It suddenly occurred to me that many of the things
> I talked to him about were totally irelevent. He
> needed to be working on a whole different set of
> fundamentals.
>
Your first mistake was using a ball.
First lessons go much better when no ball is ever hit.
Let him swing and brush the grass.
Another advantage to this method is that grass is cheaper than range
balls.
|
| | |
Date: 19 Nov 2006 14:34:24
From: Robert Hamilton
Subject: Re: The Newbie
|
annika1980 wrote:
> Birdie Bill wrote:
> > > Wow, I never thought I would see a swing worse
> > than Charles Barkely, but there it was! He started
> > out with the clubhead hovering about a foot over
> > the ball, picked it straight up and then froze like a
> > deer in the headlights.
> >
> > After a couple twitches and false starts, followed a
> > fierce lash in the general direction of the ball. Only,
> > the ball wasn't there. He stood there and whiffed
> > about 5 straight times before finding any part of the
> > ball.
> >
> > It suddenly occurred to me that many of the things
> > I talked to him about were totally irelevent. He
> > needed to be working on a whole different set of
> > fundamentals.
> >
>
> Your first mistake was using a ball.
> First lessons go much better when no ball is ever hit.
> Let him swing and brush the grass.
> Another advantage to this method is that grass is cheaper than range
> balls.
Next up...some George Hibbard like instructor is going to promte the
Charles Barkley swing.!!
|
| |
Date: 18 Nov 2006 22:25:14
From: Birdie Bill
Subject: Re: The Newbie
|
On Nov 18, 11:43 pm, High_Colo...@webtv.net (Miss Anne Thrope) wrote:
> I think you can skip getting him info on the lessons.
>
> After spending a couple hours with you, I'm sure his little infatuation
> with golf has completely run it's course.
No, actually he stopped by the next day and told me how much
fun he had. He's already talking about "next time". I dread
playing an actual round of golf with him, but he is a good friend.
I think we'll start at the pitch-and-putt.
But definitely lessons first. He's at a stage that I can't relate to
at all.
(And, yes, I did understand your little jab, but I just felt like
talking about golf. It's the non-conformist in me.)
|
| |
Date: 19 Nov 2006 00:43:52
From: Miss Anne Thrope
Subject: Re: The Newbie
|
I think you can skip getting him info on the lessons.
After spending a couple hours with you, I'm sure his little infatuation
with golf has completely run it's course.
|
|
