How do you know when you're ready for the golf course?
PGA Professional Sarah Bennett on when’s the right time to tackle golf out on the course.
The replication of playing is very high on my agenda when coaching so, starting with the driver between tee markers and then hitting a hybrid or similar, and working in tandem with specific length holes. I may place the ball on an awkward lie or in a divot which obviously coaches the rules of golf and the how to factor these in.
No golfer is ever too early to play the game, a slight adjustment may be required to the length but we are here to 'play the game and not practise the game'. During the golf lessons I may try to let the player experiment with one club and moving the ball position to hit various shots, adjusting the backswing length and moving the hands up and down the handle to understand the creativity involved with one club. I will then provide a playing scenario relative to their experience level.
Those first steps are critical as it is the initial introduction to golf.
In terms of understanding the etiquette I'll point out a group while walking to the practice area and point out how they’re acting. My golf rule is never walk backwards, you should always be looking forward and that's great to help with the pace of play. It's the same with rules; I'll point out some out of bounds and when the flag is in or out, there's a lot that happens in golf for a beginner and you don't want anyone to feel like they are lacking in confidence in some of the game's nuances.
Those first few steps are so critical, we all remember our first nine or 18 holes and we want to make it as enjoyable and memorable as possible.
Another question that I regularly get asked is how many clubs should you start with? First up make sure that you’ve got the correct clubs for you. A great starting point would be three clubs, so just a couple of clubs and a putter, and I'll show them some different shots and how adaptable a club can be. The best training aid is the magnet on the clubface which is so helpful for a new player.
Everyone loves hitting their driver and they don’t seem to mind if it goes along the ground as it still goes a long way.
A great way to practise and understand how you stand differently to each club is to hit a driver and an iron and interchange after each shot.
These days there are so many options of what you can buy and a half set will easily do you for your first year, probably longer. When I started I used to get a club for my birthday and another for Christmas so I learnt very quickly how to hit different shots and that turned out to be my strength. It saddens me when I see a new junior with 14 clubs, you want to work your way up to that.
Sarah Bennett
I am a PGA Specialist Coach & Head Teaching Professional at Lexden Wood Golf Club Colchester with over 30 years of Coaching and Worldwide Tournament experience, I offer a wide range of 1-2-1 and group coaching options for the new to the more experienced golfer for Men and Ladies. GolfingGirl has been firmly established as the leading Women's Golf network community for 15 years now with a range of Golf Schools in the UK and abroad. A recent inclusion into the Golf Monthly Top 50 UK Golf Coaches is an accolade of which I am extremely proud but continuous learning is paramount for myself and clients. I ensure my coaching covers all areas of the game including on course and short game sessions appreciating the importance of fundamentals and transferring the learning to the golf course. The popular Golfing Girl Women's group sessions are highly sought after in Essex with days & weekend schools to cement learning and building upon the community. This in addition to my well attended short game clinics for Men which are held on both weekdays and the weekend The communication platforms offered in between lessons ensure learning can occur building a strong Professional rapport. The use of short game technology which combined with drills enables my clients to understand the specific areas to work upon. Much of my coaching is delivered on the course which is where maximum improvement and understanding occurs after all our goal is to play better golf.
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