My golf buddies had been playing for about 10 years and got me to go with one of their old sets. Had fun being out with them, etc. and after a couple times a year for a while, I decided to get serious. I bought my own set (Armour 845U's) and took a beginner's package offered locally with one-on-one lessons. I now recommend to anyone who will listen about the importance of taking some lessons early on to learn the mechanics of the swing. In one year I now beat the tar out of one bud, and have beat the other, better, player the last two times out. I think the importance of lessons lies in the fact that there is nothing intuitive about the golf swing. Your body does things during the swing that watching the pros won't teach you, regardless of how athletic you have been prior to picking up a club. All that range time is wasted IMHO, if you haven't had a pro show you the basics and what to look, or rather feel, for while you practice. I'm a believer. Got to go, tee time is 10:45, gonna kick some serious butt!!!