If you know the basics of the swing, is it easy to self-learn golf?

If you hit the 5-9 irons well, you should* be able to hit everything else well, to boot. It's the same swing for all 13 clubs (putter doesn't count). *= As far as that's concerned, that's assuming you've been properly fit for your clubs. Loft negates sidespin, so the higher the loft of the club, the less likely you are to hit slices or hooks (pulls and pushes can still happen). If you aren't hitting your wedges well, they may be too long and/or have lie angles not appropriate for your swing. The long irons and woods might also be too long for you. You should look into getting a full-length mirror or digital camcorder. Watch yourself swing in the mirror (or watch the playback) and see where you're at. You'd be surprised- two years ago, I thought I was making an efficient turn back through the ball, only to find out I had developed a lateral slide, sapping energy that should've been put into the ball. I never felt that slide, but it was plain as day on the video. Finding that out and fixing it helped make last year one of my best scoring and driving years ever.

I've not had an official lesson from an instructor. I've eavesdropped off of lessons being given while at the range and I've had a couple of people who decided to help me out of the goodness of their hearts. One taught me how the overlapping grip and another gave me some ideas that I had forgotten about(grip pressure and proper alignment). I've read Tiger's book and have had a subscription to Golf Magazine off an on the last decade. I typically play a lot of 9 hole rounds and this year I had a couple of personal bests for 9 holes(1 and 2 over). I actually played more 18 hole rounds this year than years past, IMO, it's not easy to self-learn golf. Golf isn't easy. You can self-learn golf, but I feel you'll progress faster with an instructor. Besides, most pros have instructors. If you're ok with slow progression ala me, then you can self-learn just fine.

Actually self learning is the only real way to learn golf. Imagine having an instructor to teach you how to walk or learn how to ride a bike. Would be kind of silly right. Because in these two things you need to learn by feeling. You can learn golf the same way by feeling the swing. There are no paint by pictures to learn golf. Because in golf, as in all sports, you must 'react' in order to be really good. After all you can't think your way through an athletic move. It is a dynamic swing, and only can be felt. Especially if you really want to be good. Fortunately there is a way to learn golf automatically.

No, it's not easy to self-learn if you don't know a lot about the game or have only been playing for a few weeks or months. A few golf lessons from a pro can make a world of difference. Investing in maybe 3-5 lessons will provide you with the basics which provides you with a solid platform from which to practice with confidence. There are many on-line guides that can help, however, mastering the basics is fundamental to progressing in the game. Don't be fooled by thinking you can learn them all by yourself - sometimes you just need someone to show you what to do. Learning how to swing a golf club is easy when you know how. When you do, 90% of other golfers will not be able to even compete with you.

Congrats on beginning to learn the game! I would advise for you to get an instructor for golf. First off, I'd have to disagree with Jence. Furyk and Perry may have odd swings, but these guys get lessons every day from top notch instructors for hours. Every swing can get better and professionals are professionals for a reason. They can help you in ways that you simply can't help yourself. Try to stick with a regular schedule with your instructor. This is how you can progress instead of forgetting what was previously mentioned. As a beginner, it is okay to be inconsistent. An instructor can easily help you gain more consistency in golf as well as a better overall swing. After taking a lesson, you should always go out and play by yourself. This way you can input what you know in your golf game. So in a way, even with and instructor, you teach yourself golf. An instructor is supposed to make what you have better and help you reach your goals. Hopefully this helps you. Just remember that instructors are there to help and if you see them regularly, you will notice a dramatic change in your golf game which would have been unachievable alone.

No you have to have a good teacher or good player to help. You can't teach yourself alot of things that you know nothing about. Basics are fine but they differ from person to person and a skilled person can help you to sort things out and set you on the right path to improvement.

books help, watching others is good. some pros have videos which are good. a repeatable swing is the goal.

Hey, bro. Basic fundamentals are what golf is all about. It's about finding what's comfortable and most of all, what works for your type of swing. Then you gotta get the right shafts, balls, etc, which is a whole new conversation. :) The problem with a lot of instructors, or guys that just know a skat ton about the game, is that they want to break you all the way down and teach you their way, usually what worked for them. This, in effect, is virtually counter-productive. Look at the weirdo swings on tour, Furyk and Perry, to name the most "irregular". You wouldn't even think of beginning to teach what they do, but they've been pretty successful thus far, to say the least! At the end of the day, golf takes a natural ability, as all sports. You need the ability to discipline yourself to learn everything you can about the fundamentals of every aspect of the game. What the ball does in the air is the best indicator of what is either going well or what is wrong with your swing. After this basic understanding, it really comes down to playing enough. Unfortunately, golf is an expensive sport where repetition is almost a must to get better and continue to improve (a few guys don't need to practice, but that's more than likely not the case for guys like you and I). And finding an instructor that's going to work off of the strengths of your game is ideal as well. Then he could tweak the smaller things rather than overhauling your whole swing. And to answer iHelpYou: Furyk and Perry's swings were not taught to them. First off, Furyk's old man taught him, who was never a pro himself. And he stated himself that it was just how he brought the club back. Secondly, there isn't a pro in the world that would teach you to do what Perry does at the top of his swing. You are right about getting "instruction" from coaches all the time. But that's mainly for the rest of the game (outside basic swing fundamentals). And if they do get advice on their main swing/plane, it's only to go off "the strengths that already work for them"...which is what I stated. :)