I never cease to be amazed by the number of golf beginners I come across who believe that they can become proficient at the game by taking lessons from their best mate or from online tutorials.
This is a false assumption.
Having decided to buy some new golf clubs and to play the game my recommendation to anyone in this early stage of their career would be to invest in some golf lessons from a PGA qualified professional.
However easy the game may look when watching the golf professionals on the TV, the fact is golf is a very technical game and requires a lot of skill to become even modestly proficient.
One slight error in the grip, the stance, alignment, the swing plane or the tempo of the shot and the result will be consistent; a bad shot or total duff.
At the point of making the shot it is important to get a number of factors in sync.
For these reasons therefore it is crucial at a very early stage to get the basics right.
You can spend a fortune on new golf clubs but without an understanding of the foundations of the swing you will never become proficient to any level.
And remember - it will take twice as long to later correct bad habits! The arguments against golf lessons are well worn; my mate/brother/drinking buddy is a good golfer and can teach me all I know.
Or the other most commonly touted excuse for missing out this vital step is that lessons are expensive.
Unless your mate etc is a very low handicap golfer then you really need to discount that road to perfection immediately.
I guarantee that these well meaning friends will have developed bad habits, possibly over a period of years, and will simply pass them onto you.
By the time you realise the error of your ways you will have a great deal of difficulty in making adjustments.
Even small changes to something like the golf grip or swing take an age to get used to and it is amazing how many bad rounds you have to play before the changes become to feel like second nature.
PGA teaching professionals are a highly qualified group of people who understand the mechanics of the golf game from every aspect.
By simply watching a golfer hit a couple of shots they can quite easily pick up where and why problems are occurring.
From there they can work with the player to address the faults.
For newcomers to the game they are an invaluable resource.
From less than a handful of initial lessons they will provide the golfer with all the information necessary to ensure that the game is enjoyed from the outset and, more importantly, that bad habits are not formed.
The benefits gained from taking some initial introductory golf lessons with a PGA professional far outweigh the costs involved.
Indeed, if you consider how they compare to the cost of the new golf clubs then there is simply no argument.
My advice would be to sign up today.
You will never regret the decision.