The verb start in its base form
(start) can be followed with either a
gerund (ing) ora
full infinitive (to+verb).
e.g I always start
to feel irritated when my neighbour plays his music loudly.
e.g I always start
feeling irritated when my neighbour plays his music loudly.
Both sound natural to me and are grammatically correct. However some people might use one form and others might use the other.
I think it depends on
where its used (region, country)and
how it's used.
EXTRA INFORMATION.
If you use the past tense form of start
= started then you can also use either a gerund or a full infinitive form, and both sound OK to me and are grammatically correct,
e.g John started running very fast.
e.g John started to run very fast.
However,When "start" is used in continuous tenses
(starting) then an infinitive is correct and natural.
e.g John is starting to run very fast.= OK
e.g John is starting running very fast= unnatural and incorrect
Some verbs are followed by gerunds and others by the full infinitive and some can be followed
by both (sometimes with a difference in meaning). You have to learn these by heart or through experience.
If the grammar is not correct then the sentence will always sound unnatural.