Newbie seek Expert/Pro advices

Dear all Sifu and Seniors ( not by age but by the fact I just started golf 2 months back),

Not sure what sort of information i need to provide, but here it is,
I am 37 years old, starting taking lessons 2 months back, now only left the last lesson to the green.
My height is 1.75M. Here is my problem,
I have not been able to hit the soft ball after thousand of balls practise, although there a few lucky cases. Current record, using iron 7 hit ball maximum - 120 m, normally between 50 to 80 m niah. Then use iron 5, also same distance. , seems to me that iron is iron to me only.
Can someone advise where are the areas i should look out for, e.g. my club, type of length, shaft etc...or specify good model for beginner like me. LEt assume the stroke and body movement is correct since i have an instructor.

u will need to know the fundamentals of the golf swing mechanics. set-up, address, upswing, downswing, tempo, balance, weight shift, closing the clubface, follow through, etc etc.... there are alot of details n yet its also very simple. tat's the irony of golf. come to MBGC tmr from 730-11 n u can find many frenly golfers willing to share with u hve fun golfing....

icorpion, obviously something wrong with your stroke if you can achieve 50 to 80 metres averagely with your 7 irons.

now this is me just being stereotypical, but for a beginner your height, i think you should be looking to get a consistent distance of at least 100 metres with your height AT LEAST.

Equipment should be the least of your worries now. but i am curious, what clubs are you gaming now?

its the indian not the arrow! you can get the best clubs but if you aren't hitting with them correctly, it won't result in anything.

but MC is right, 7iron would get you 100m+ at least.

Assuming everything is constant, the swing speed will affect the distance.

For your case... I'm with MC, more like problem with the swing.... maybe the contact is usually flat or thin and that one time you are able to hit the sweet spot and the ball goes 120m...

ok. reading your posts again. i think i know what u are asking for.

i would first like to know what clubs u are using. if u are borrowing a friend's club for your lessons right now and thinking of investing in a set of your own.

i highly recommend u to go to second hand shops to look for clubs. Look for the cheapest or mid-ranged priced clubs. You probably will be hacking your ball with this set anyway and everything is going to be scratched and mucked up.

exactly what kind of clubs should you be looking for? go for those clubs with alot of meat. or they call it 'super-game-improvement' irons. look for thick souls and big club face. all these helps in launching the ball easier. if you are asking for specific models? the Ping G series clubs, Cleveland Hi-Bore Irons, Callaway X Irons...

Hi Icorpion,

My assumption is, 2 months into the game you are already hitting with all sorts of clubs in your bag (including your woods and driver). My personal experience for picking up this game is... try concentrating in getting the right swing feel as well as the feel of a 'clean' impact first; there is no need to rush into swinging with the different clubs since you are probably just wasting your balls no matter how many thousands of balls you hit.

Pick out an iron that you are comfortable with (usually a short iron, e.g. 9/ 8 iron) and keep using that iron for practice until you can hit shots consistently. Starting with a half swing... to 3/4 swing... to full swing. Only move to the next swing when u can hit the ball consistently on the sweet spot. No point making a full swing everytime when you don't hit the ball properly. When you can do it well, move on to the next longer club so on and so forth.

It is a PAINFUL process... but the returns are huge after you can start hitting the ball well. Only then you will get to enjoy your time on the greens...

And meanwhile... enjoy and welcome to the game of golf! Hope the above helps

Hi Icorpion

Welcome to GR. I no expert but will share with you my experience. Me only abt 8 mths in golf... When I first start out, every club I hit, also get same distance... U juz need more practise to get a more consistent swing... Once this is ok, u will see the diff in distance...

As for clubs, MC is rite... Go for the game improvement or super game improvement clubs... These are more forgiving... Join the GRians at Starry Starry Nite, u will find lots of clubs there... I guess they will be more than willing to lend you theirs to try... U might find ur ideal set there...

Cheers

Many Thanks for the valuable inputs. In fact, my queries are all answered. Regarding joining some of the gathering and event, i will try to make it.

A few brothers asked about what club i am using. I am using a second hand, grahite shaft, standard length. But it was customed made by the first owner. Since it is cheap, i just buy.
After reading all advices, i am abit worried that my swing, follow through etc....
In fact, at one stage, i almost feel like given up due to frastruation.....but will press on....

since u already bought one set of irons. just stick with it for a while and keep working on your swing. as u go along, u will know what clubs u will want.

icorpion, stick to your guns mann.... golf is a very simple game of feel. hug your club to sleep everynite n i guarantee u will hit the sweet spot the next day!!!

when u r at the driving range.
1) observe more how good golfers swing n strike the ball. dun be stuck in your bay hitting hundreds of balls n cursing along the way. hit 2 to 3 shots n then take a break. look up n observe.
2) before approaching a shot, visualise in your head how u r going to swing. take a practise swing smooth n unhurried before addressing the ball. the moment u set up, keep your brain EMPTY!!!! dun think abt it anymore. let your body take over.

Hum... I've tried the hugging part... didn't work! Ended kana bashed up by my wife with the clubs the next morning! :PPP

I would think it SHOULD largely be the contact.
Get one of those contact tapes and see where u contact the ball on the club face.

Actually i think what you are experiencing is typical of someone starting out in golf.
Go range often (more than once a week), go back to a coach to fine tune (swing can never be perfect), play as much as you can (to focus on the other aspect of golf, other than ball striking).

Just try to enjoy golf as much as you can.

Set goals like breaking 120, 110, 100.........that is better than how far the ball flies..IMHO.

icorpion wrote:

Dear all Sifu and Seniors ( not by age but by the fact I just started golf 2 months back),

Not sure what sort of information i need to provide, but here it is,
I am 37 years old, starting taking lessons 2 months back, now only left the last lesson to the green.
My height is 1.75M. Here is my problem,
I have not been able to hit the soft ball after thousand of balls practise, although there a few lucky cases. Current record, using iron 7 hit ball maximum - 120 m, normally between 50 to 80 m niah. Then use iron 5, also same distance. , seems to me that iron is iron to me only.
Can someone advise where are the areas i should look out for, e.g. my club, type of length, shaft etc...or specify good model for beginner like me. LEt assume the stroke and body movement is correct since i have an instructor.

Hi icorpion,

I just join this forum and hope that I can share my view. If your 7 and 5 iron is of the same distance, you are approaching the ball with the club face open. And try maintaining your spine angle.Frankly, very hard to tell you unless we see how you swing. Try keeping the whole swing quiet and feel that you are rotating and not swaying. Cheers

alvin7379 wrote:

Hum... I've tried the hugging part... didn't work! Ended kana bashed up by my wife with the clubs the next morning! :PPP

are u tiger woods?

Haha... Tiger's wife used irons... my wife prefer to use the driver... according to her.... can generate more clubhead speed... LOL

icorpion wrote:

Dear all Sifu and Seniors ( not by age but by the fact I just started golf 2 months back),

Not sure what sort of information i need to provide, but here it is,
I am 37 years old, starting taking lessons 2 months back, now only left the last lesson to the green.
My height is 1.75M. Here is my problem,
I have not been able to hit the soft ball after thousand of balls practise, although there a few lucky cases. Current record, using iron 7 hit ball maximum - 120 m, normally between 50 to 80 m niah. Then use iron 5, also same distance. , seems to me that iron is iron to me only.
Can someone advise where are the areas i should look out for, e.g. my club, type of length, shaft etc...or specify good model for beginner like me. LEt assume the stroke and body movement is correct since i have an instructor.

bro, if I'm not wrong, given your range experience, you are still hitting behind the ball and because the ball flies, you take the distance! With the same shot on the greens, you ball might not roll more than 10 meters! Don't worry about distance as with your height, just dropping your arms would generate a distance further than what you are experiencing now! What you need is to feel with your hands on how a proper impact feels like before you record your distance! This means hitting the ball then the mat...

Cheers