Of course, very young learners may and do pick up bad habits;
but a little good advice will soon correct these if the learner is at
all keen on the game.
A girl who grows up under these conditions--and many do in
Scotland--does not need any hints from me. She starts under ideal
conditions, and ought to make the most of them. Others begin at a later
age, with fewer advantages, and perhaps without much help to be got at
home.
How, then, to begin. Be sure of one thing: you cannot learn to play golf
out of your own head, or even by an intelligent study of books on the
subject. For, if you try, you will do wrong and yet be unable to say
_what_ you are doing wrong. In that you will not be peculiar. Many an
experienced golfer will suddenly pick up a fault. After a few bad
strokes he knows he is wrong somewhere, but may not be able to spot the
particular defect. Perhaps a kindly disposed opponent--who knows his
disposition, for not everybody will welcome or take advice--tells him;
and then in a stroke or two he puts the thing right. So you need a
teacher.
Generally speaking, a professional is the best teacher, because he has
had the most experience in instruction. But professionals vary greatly
in teaching capacity, and cannot be expected in every case to take the
same interest in a pupil's progress that a friend may. If you are to
have the help of a relative or friend, try to get competent help.
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