So my girlfriend just took 4 one hour golf lessons. She is doing ok off the tee, not hitting for any distance, but hitting it straight and in the air for 75, maybe 100 yds. I think pretty good for a beginner.

My question is, say we are 120 yds from the green, should i have her hit a 3 wood, because that's her best chance of getting there, or should i have her hit like a 9 iron, since that is what she should be hitting eventually?

It seems like I should have her swinging different clubs throughout a round, rather than swing a driver, then 3W/5W a few times, then putting.
Thoughts?

Have her play to her ability...not where she'll be in x years.

Worthless without pics.

BO

This is going to sound dickish (sorry) but isn't meant to be: How about seeing how quickly she can figure it out herself?

This for sure. My wife plays a bit and we go through this same thing every round.

HER: What should I hit?
ME: How far do have?
HER: I don't know.
ME: Figure it out.
HER: About 130, what do I hit?
ME: What club do you hit 130?
HER: Like a 6 iron?
ME: Sure.
HER: Full swing?
ME: I don't know, what do you think?
HER: Yes?
ME: Ok.

Then she hits it.

Of course she complains about how unhelpful I am but she needs to figure it out.

Where I do help is around the greens. She has 3 shots in her bag. Full swing, half swing with wrists, and a chip shot. When she has less then 50 yards I generally help her with the thought process in picking a shot type and setup for each different scenario.

For example, with a pitch over a bunker the convo might go:

Do you need to hit this high?
-yes to carry the bunker.
Can you hit a no wrist chip shot here?
-nope, it's too far.
So full swing or half swing?
-its short so a half swing
What club?
-I need to hit it high so my P (she calls her wedge her P)
What kind of setup? Where is your weight and ball position?
-weight on my left side a little, ball position in the middle.
Ok, hit it.



The key to her learning is making her verbalize the thought process. While she is learning she is going to be slow so make sure you take that into account. I try to take my wife out late afternoons so we can take our time and she can figure it out.

Tiger when he's 4, your wife when she's...

Most women never hit a full 9i 120 yds, often around 70-80 or even less. I guess that your gf is young and athletic, she may very well get to hit a 9i 120 yds, but that is far from certain.

But teach her to chose the right club for the shot, depending on lie, distance, obstacles, target etc. Never teach her what she may or may not eventually will hit.

Hmmm, I was imagining something else...

120 is pretty long for a women's 9 iron, but 70-80 yards? come on now. That is like saying the average guy hits his 9 iron 100.

Btw, there is a massive difference between your "old woman in a pink visor" who has about a 30 mph swing and your normal athletic woman who is in fairly decent shape.