[Yoda]

Hi Guys
This is my first post, although I have been lurking about the forums for a while.
What I want to do is take up the swing, I am a high handicapper and cannot progress any further, I've tried numerous other systems with little improvement.
What I would like to know is

1...Do I need the book right from the start.
2...I know about golftgm, iseekgolf sites, are there any other good sites for
help with TGM?
3...Any books videos that would help with the basics ie grip, how you know if
you are a swinger or hitter etc.

All help will be really appreciated and I look forward to participating in the forums in the future.

Cheers

Welcome to The Arena, Southsiderlad. We appreciate your first post!

Regarding your questions:

1. 'The book' could help, but without a guide, its complexity could also hurt. Its best use early on would be to focus on the 'samenessess' common to all Strokes. Later, you can focus on the 'differences.' As a primer, I suggest you familiarlize yourself with the various Wrist Motions and Conditions (Chapter Four); the Twelve Sections of the Stroke (Chapter Eight); and the illustrations of the various positions and alignments of the Body, Arms and Hands throughout the Stroke (Three Zones / Chapter Nine).

2. There is much help on the web. I would not limit my exploration solely to TGM-based sites. There is much good information, for example, on www.thegolfchannel.com and www.pgatour.com. Best of all, there is video where you can actually see what is being described. In learning golf, both the eye and the intellect must be engaged.

3. There is no shortage of video from recognized leaders in golf instruction. Almost any of these will provide adequate guidance in the fundamentals, i.e., grip, stance, posture, and the basic motion. As far as specifics of the grip, you would do well to download (without charge) the Ben Hogan home video in our Gallery. There, one of history's greatest players describes in detail how to go about it.

Most of all, southsiderlad, I feel strongly that you need personal, "hands-on" help in your journey. And that means you need a competent instructor. Here, common-sense guidelines apply: Look for satisfied students and an absense of personality conflicts. The goal is a mutually-satisfying, long-term relationship rooted in realistic expectations (based on your talent and the time you have to devote to the game).

Good luck!