Category: Golf Lessons

Are you interested in learning golf, but don’t know where to begin?

Starting any new sport can feel daunting, and golf in particular often has a steep learning curve. Beginning golf in Hong Kong is even more difficult, however, with the right approach and resources (like our indoor facility), you can absolutely become a golfer – without breaking the bank.

At our indoor golf facility, we’re passionate about helping new players get started on the right foot. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive beginner’s guide to starting golf. By following these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying this wonderful game.

Get the Essentials

The first step is to make sure you have the basic equipment needed to play golf. At minimum, you’ll want a set of golf clubs, golf balls, and appropriate golf attire. As a beginner, you don’t need to invest in the most expensive gear right away. Many golf facilities, including ours, offer club rental options so you can test out different types of golf clubs. You don’t need to spend a lot on finding clubs immediately, but you do want to make sure that the set you start out with is comfortable for you so when you do move on to a more customized one, you don’t feel like you’ve made a dramatic change. It is also important not to practice consistently with a set that doesn’t fit you well because you might end up practicing the wrong movements, which is harmful over time. Make sure you talk to an expert-like the coaches at our facility-to scope out what your best starting options are. 

Learn the Golfing Fundamentals

Before stepping foot on the golf course, it’s important to build a solid foundation of golf knowledge and swing mechanics. This is where golf lessons come in extremely handy, especially for brand new players.

Our indoor golf facility offers golf lessons with PGA-certified instructors who specialize in working with beginners. They can teach you the proper grip, stance, posture, and swing techniques to develop good habits from the start. If you’re interested in what some of these fundamental swing habits are, check out Golf.com’s list of the top 10 fundamentals in golf. 

Learning the fundamentals through expert guidance will pay dividends as you continue playing and improving your game. Developing good habits from the beginning is a must, and learning them can contribute to injury prevention, consistency, and a well-rounded understanding of the game. It is much more difficult to change something that was learnt incorrectly down the line than it is to invest in golf lessons early on. This is why we recommend starting out with a coach and taking lessons consistently. 

We offer trial golf lessons with our performance coaches, so you can dip your toes into the water before fully committing to the process-but we’re sure you’ll be back for more!

Practice, Practice, Practice

Once you have the basics down, the key to progressing in golf is consistent practice. Luckily, our facility has state-of-the-art golf simulators where you can hone your skills without the pressure of an actual course. If you would like to simulate the on-course environment, we have that option available to you from the comfort of our indoor bays as well. 

Spend time working on your full swing, chipping, putting, and other essential golf shots. The more repetitions you get, the more comfortable and consistent your swing will become. We have a variety of options for you to choose distances and practice different types of shots. Feel free to book additional golf lessons as needed to fine-tune your technique. We do recommend consistently seeing a coach to maintain and improve your swing over time. 

Keep Learning & Enjoying the Game

Golf is a lifelong pursuit, and the learning never stops – even for experienced players. Embrace the process, celebrate your progress, and most importantly, have fun with the game.

Our indoor golf facility is here to support you every step of the way, from your first golf lesson to your first hole-in-one. We can’t wait to help you embark on an exciting new golfing journey. Book your practice or lesson with us today!

The Mental Game

The great Arnold Palmer once famously said :

Golf is a game of inches. The most important are the six inches between your ears.”

Undeniably, golf stands out as one of the most mentally demanding sports. When confidence drops and pessimistic, illogical thoughts take control, your scorecard will suffer.

So how do we improve our mental game?

We can improve it by using mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a mental state and practice that involves intentionally focusing one’s attention on the present moment without judgment. It is about bringing full awareness to your present experience, including thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment.

Two of the many ways it helps you play better golf is by improving your self-awareness and focus. By being mindful, you can recognize negative thoughts as they arise, observe them without judgment, and consciously choose not to engage with them. This awareness allows you to redirect your focus back to the task at hand, such as your next shot. Mindfulness teaches individuals to observe their thoughts without getting entangled in them.

You can apply this non-attachment to negative thoughts like “Don’t hit it in the water left”. Instead of allowing these thoughts to consume your attention and impact your performance, you can acknowledge them and let them pass, refocusing on the present moment. Whenever you try to suppress negative thoughts they actually get stronger through a process that psychologists call “amplification”. Which will make it more difficult to execute the shot at hand.

There are multiple methods to practice mindfulness, but for this blog post i’ll go over breath-centered mindfulness. No matter our location, activity, emotions, or state of mind, one constant remains: we are breathing. It serves as a reliable anchor to the present moment, readily accessible at all times. Hence, it comes as no surprise that mindful breathing stands out as one of the fundamental and powerful techniques for cultivating composure.

Breath-centered mindfulness practice

• Please sit comfortably in an upright position on a chair.
• Softly close your eyes.
• Take a moment to let your focus naturally align with your breath.
• There’s no need to modify or assess your breathing or exert excessive control over it. Simply let your attention harmonize with your breath.
• Remind yourself that this practice involves observing your breath without passing judgment.
• Stay mindful of your breath, whatever its nature may be. It’s normal for your thoughts to occasionally wander from your connection to the breath. Should you notice your attention drifting away, acknowledge this shift in your inner experience and gently guide yourself back to your breath.
• Repeat this process as many times as needed for the next five to 10 minutes.

Remember to Breathe for your Mental Game

When you play your next round of golf, I highly suggest taking two or three connected breaths before addressing any shot. Purposefully grounding ourselves before each shot directs our attention to the present moment, enhancing our performance. These factors significantly improve the likelihood of executing a shot as intended.

By Ryan Hood
Ex Tour Professional and Performance Coach at Optimus Golf Performance