Golf in London

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Learn to play

In time this page will be developed to give advice and information to: people who are thinking about playing golf but don’t know where to start, beginners, and people returning to the game who can’t see their swing for their slice.

START SMALL

If you’ve never played golf before, but want to try it, start by playing some pitch and putt golf. Pitch and Putt is different to miniature or crazy golf, it’s more of a scaled down version of golf. There’s lots of courses to choose from in the London area and you don’t need to buy any equipment. Just turn up and you can hire everything you need.

FREE COACHING 

Get into Golf

If you’re more serious about learning to play, there’s some great free coaching offers by golf clubs who participate in the Get into Golf scheme run by the English Golf Union. Participating clubs offer a free taster session of golf coaching. Several golf clubs in the London area run this offer, but be sure to call first as free coaching will only be held on certain days of the year and subject to availability:

Learn to Play in May

‘Learn to play in May’ is an annual scheme run for golf ranges and golf centres to encourage people to take up golf and is open to everyone. During May participating golf ranges and centres offer free group lessons. All you pay for is the cost of a bucket of balls.

The following driving ranges are involved, so give them a call during May to book your place:

More details about the scheme and participating golf ranges can be found here.

PAY FOR GOLF LESSONS

You can pay for golf lessons to be held at a variety of locations. Some teachers will come to your home, others will be based at a public or private golf club, or at a golf driving range, golf centre, or specialist golf school. You can even choose to pay for a golf coaching break.

PGA professionals or EGTF golf teacher

Golf lessons can be given by a golf professional who is a member of the Professional Golfers Association or a golf teaching professional accredited by the European Golf Teachers Federation. An EGTF golf teacher has trained for seven days and has demonstrated an ability to score 11 over par. A PGA professional has spent three years in training and must have achieved a handicap of four or better.

Lessons at a driving range

The most easily accessible way to have a golf lesson is at a golf driving range. These are single or double storey buildings divided into individual bays with teeing areas that look out over a large area marked with distance signs (25-300 yards) and surrounded by high fences. You pay into a machine by cash, card or token which dispenses a number of balls into a bucket (25-125 at a time). You take your bucket to a bay, where you can tee the ball up on plastic tee or play from a strip of artificial grass.

Find a driving range

There are golf driving ranges all around the London area. Take a look here to find the one nearest to you, and make sure you take along some pound coins. The minimum you will need is £2 and the maximum probably being £8. You may not even need to bring clubs with you as many golf ranges have a shop where you can borrow a club to play with.

Nearly every golf driving range allows PGA golf professionals or golf teaching professionals to offer lessons using their facilities. A few bays at either end of the range are commonly set aside for tuition.

Lessons in a group

Golf ranges will offer a course of several lessons (whether for a half-hour or hour) where you learn in a group. Taking group lessons is a far cheaper alternative than booking individual private lessons. Although you won’t get so much individual attention, watching others learn may help you to improve also. You can expect to pay between £50-£100 for a series of 5 or 6 introductory lesssons. To get you started, these lessons often come with a free golf club - a 6 or 7 iron, so that you have something to use at the lessons.

Don’t let the price put you off though. There are deals to be had and there is no need to book a series of lessons. You might just want one or two introductory lessons, which may be bought for around £20.

Individual lessons

Individual private lessons will be more suitable for golfers who have been playing for a while and have picked up the grip, posture, and basic swing mechanics. You can expect to pay between £20-£50 for a private one-to-one lesson, depending on where you take them, how long the lesson is, and how experienced the teacher. Some places even vary the cost of their lessons depending on whether the lesson is filmed, allowing you to take away some footage of your swing to study at home. The length of a single private lesson will usually vary between 30 minutes to an hour.

Booking a number of individual lessons at once and paying up front can mean discounts. Six lessons for instance, could cost around £100.

Before booking a lesson

It’s a good idea to buy a bucket of a balls and practise your swing for a while before approaching the pro to book a lesson. See if you can listen in on the golf professional giving a lesson. Not to pick up free tips, but to decide from what you hear, if you like the professional’s teaching style and manner.

And remember, not all teaching facilities at golf ranges are equal. Before handing over any money for lessons, ask what facilities there are. A selection of things on offer at different places are:

  • video swing analysis (ask if you have to pay extra and can you take home or be emailed the film)
  • free club hire
  • free balls during your lesson
  • swing training aids (these come in all wacky shapes and sizes, from clubs with bendy shafts, to impact bags, to circular frames to swing against - Explanar)
  • putting green
  • practise bunker
  • short game practice area (for pitching and chipping)
  • par 3 course
  • concession with a golf club for when you have a ‘playing lesson’ (where a golf pro accompanies you for 9 holes of golf to give advice on your course strategy, pre-shot routines, club selection, etc)
  • Coaching diary. Some teaching professional will summarise each lesson for you afterwards in writing, allowing you to go away with key points to practise before your next lesson. This is a valuable addition, as you will be able to look back on your lessons after completing a course and won’t forget so easily what you’ve learned. It can be a simple as handwriting on a scrap of paper or electronically via a website or email.
  • Course management advice (how to decide what type of shot to play on a course)
  • Rules and etiquette advice (will help you when playing golf with others and out on the course generally).

From a PGA golf professional at a golf club

You will find a golf professional at every golf club. They will lease and manage the ‘Pro Shop’ where they sell clothing, clubs, balls, tees, and bags. More often than not, these professional golfers will also make alterations and repairs to golf clubs and offer golf lessons. No matter how exclusive or expensive the golf club looks, there will almost always be a pro shop where you will be welcome to enquire about golf lessons. Just give them a ring, ask to speak to the PGA Golf Pro, and ask whether they offer golf lessons to non-members.

Specialist Golf Schools

There are a few of these in London, which have responded to people who don’t have time to spare after work or who don’t keep a car in the City, but who still want to learn. They offer top of the range facilities and experienced staff. The indoor centres are, however, obviously hindered by the fact that you don’t get the instance feedback on how well you’ve struck your shot by watching the flight of the ball (as you would at an outdoor golf driving range). They have their own technological solutions to this, including simulators, monitors and sophisticated swing analysis software.

Those that I know of are:

  • City Bunker (Canon Workshops, Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, London E14 4AS, Tel. 0207 537 7940)
  • City Golf & Health Clubs (40 Coleman Street, London EC4R 5EH, Tel. 020 7796 5960)
  • Holland Park Golf School (Holland Park, Abbotsbury Road, Kensington, London W8 6LU, Tel. 07766 105 594 - for tuition / 020 7602 2226 - for reserving practice bays)
  • Knightsbridge Golf School (47 Lowndes Square, London SW1X 9JU, Tel. 020 7235 2468 / 07976 597 195
  • Mark Janes at Tower 42 (Mark is based at Chessington Golf Centre but also offers coaching in central London in partnership with Back in Action Physiotherapy, Tel. 020 8391 9038)
  • Metro Golf (19 Sheldon Square, Paddington Central, London W2 6EP, Tel. 0207 266 7950)
  • Swing Factory (Central London, Tel. 08702 71 71 72)
  • Urban Golf Soho (33 Great Pulteney Street, London W1 9NW, Tel. 020 7434 4300)
  • Urban Golf Smithfield (12 Smithfield Street, London EC1A 9LA, Tel. 020 7248 8600)

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