Golf for Beginners – Getting Started
Golf for beginners can seem overwhelming and there can seem to be a lot of information and clutter to get through before a potential player even sets foot on a golf course. Here are some basics a Golf Beginner should know and some of essential equipment that is needed to golf.
Golf Basics to Know
Being new to the game of golf can seem overwhelming, because of all the equipment needed to golf and all the tips and tricks you’re probably getting from your friends and family.
The game of golf can seem overwhelming when starting, but some basic knowledge and some basic golf lessons for beginners is always a good way to start out.
Here is some necessary information on How to play golf for beginners.
You need to understand that golf is supposed to be fun, and when you’re having fun, you’ll play better.
The aim of golf is to go around an 18 hole Golf Course in the least amount of strokes.
Pretty Simple, Huh???
Learn the Basics of the Game for Beginners
The first step is to understand some of the real basics of the game.
Some of these basic terms will benefit before you begin your journey to starting the game of golf.
Driving Range – A practice facility where you will spend a little time initially to practice and work on your golf swing.
Tee Box – Short grass where you start each golf hole.
Fairway – Short grass you aim at from the tee box.
Rough – Long grass surrounding the outside of the fairway, and the green.
Bunker – A shallow pit filled with sand also known as a sand trap.
Green – Very short grass which will have a flag on it as an aiming stick.
Golf Holes
Each Golf course will be made of challenging holes that vary in distance.
Par 3 – The shorter holes, generally between 100 and 200 yards.
Par 4 – The middle length holes, generally between 300 and 450 yards.
Par 5 – The longest of the golf holes, generally over 500 yards.
Scoring Terms
There are also some scoring terms that you might want to make yourself familiar with. All golf courses are made up of different holes which are either a Par 3, 4 or 5. This is the number of strokes a professional player should get the ball into the hole.
Par – Scoring term indicating the standard on a hole.
Birdie – Scoring term indicating one under par.
Eagle – Scoring term indicating two under par.
Albatross or Double Eagle – Scoring term indicating three under par.
Bogey – Scoring term indicating one over par.
Double Bogey – Scoring term indicating two over par.
For example, if I was playing a Par 4 and I got the ball in the hole in 4 shots, I would score a Par. If my playing partner took five shots to get it into the hole he/she would make a Bogey. If you get the ball in the hole in 3 shots you guessed it that’s a Birdie.
See this game ain’t that hard!!!
Basic Ball Flight Terms
The flight of your good and bad golf shots will have six basic names.
Slice – The significant left to right curvature of the golf ball flight. (The most common bad shot among the novice golfer) This will be right to left for a left-handed player.
Hook – The opposite of the slice in which there is a significant right to left curvature of the golf ball. This will be left to right for a left-handed player.
Fade – Only a slight left to right curvature of the golf ball for a right-handed player. This will be right to left for a left-handed player. (Some of the world’s best players have played with this ball flight)
Draw – Only a slight right to left curvature of the golf ball for a right-handed player. This will be left to right for the left-handed player.
Push – A shot that goes directly right of the target with little or no curvature. The opposite for a left-hander.
Pull – A shot that will go directly left of the target with little or no curvature. The opposite for a left-hander.
Understand your Equipment
The Rules of Golf will allow you to carry as many as fourteen golf clubs in your bag for tournament or competition. Each of these clubs has different lofts on them and are designed to go different distances. I would recommend getting a full set of fourteen because you will be improving fast and be needing all clubs required sooner rather than later.
If you are a beginner and are on the lookout for a decent set of golf clubs, just use the following link to read about some good options. Best Golf Clubs for Beginners.
Loft is the angle of each golf club which controls trajectory and distance.
Driver – The lowest lofted club in the bag, usually between nine and twelve degrees. This club will hit the ball the furthest when struck correctly. It also has the biggest head size up to 460 Cubic Centimetres.
Fairway Wood – Woods are no longer made, but the name will always sound better than 3 Metal. Usually between thirteen and nineteen degrees of loft.
Hybrids – These are fairly new but are essentially something in between a fairway wood and a 3 or 4 Iron. Also known as a rescue or utility.
Irons – Made of solid iron or steel. The irons will make up at least seven or eight of the clubs in your bag.
Wedges – Used for short shots inside one hundred yards, and around the greens and bunkers. The highest lofted clubs in your bag.
Putter – Used to get the ball in the hole on the short grass.
Shaft – You will hear this term quite a lot. It merely is the tapered tube which connects the golfer hands to the clubhead. Your hands will obviously be on the grip.
For a list of all the other equipment, you might need just click the following link Equipment Needed to Golf.
Golf Tuition
One thing I can highly recommend is that unless your friends are highly qualified teaching professionals, It would not be recommended to let them teach you the game of golf. A lot of golfers go backwards simply by either listening to their friends or getting the incorrect advice.
An excellent place to start would be the golf grip. A good grip will give a golfer the best chance to control the golf club. Here is a quick link on how to build a good golf grip.
It is a lot easier to get rid of any bad habits before you start them. This is where some golf tuition comes in very handy. The learning process is much simplified if you get lessons before you start golfing. There are also a couple of good books recommended that make learning the game very simple.
The first is an older book by the great Ben Hogan. Golf has become complicated over the years, but an effective swing does not change. If you don’t quite feel ready to take lessons, yet this book is a great starting point. Hogan keeps everything very simple in his Modern Fundamentals of Golf.
If you have been playing for a little while, and not seeing any improvements, maybe the book by Clive Scarff might be a better option. It is a more entertaining look at some of the common faults and how to fix them.
Practice
This one is obvious, but it is amazing how many golfers get this wrong. It is much like going to the gym. If you don’t put in the work, you won’t see any results.
How much you practice will depend on the amount of time you have, but as a beginner, at least one hour per week will benefit.
As a beginner, you can even practice at home and not have to go to the golf course. The correct grip can be practiced whilst watching your favourite TV show, and getting a feel for a golf swing can be practiced in your very own backyard.
There is a book which has made learning and practicing the game a lot easier. A lot of more accomplished players say they wish they had of read it long before they started wanting to improve with golf.
When starting it is easy to get carried away with the mechanics of the game, and all the tips and techniques you might see and hear from magazines, tv shows, and your friends. In the Book Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, Dr Bob Rotella will help you understand how easy and effortless the golf swing can be.
Professional golfers rarely have any more than two swing thoughts during the game of golf, and reading Dr Bob Rotellas book will help you achieve this.
Golf is a game of feel and rhythm, and making a club feel natural in your hands will make the game a lot easier.
What Equipment Do I Need?
You are ready to start golfing, but are wondering what exactly is the necessary equipment to golf and how much do I need.
First of all, there is not too much point in getting yourself a brand new flashy set if you have not played much golf before. There are many great golf equipment deals and many places to find some of the best golf equipment
online to suit a golfers needs.
However some of these clubs do make the game easier, so if you have the money it is suggested to invest in some of the better quality gear.
Top of the range golf equipment manufacturers spend a lot of money on Research and Design, and the goal with most sets of clubs is to make them as forgiving as possible.
This will make you more consistent on the golf course and also reduce the severity of your mishits.
First, you will need a full set of golf clubs.
You can rent these at a golf course, but by the time you have played four or five times, you could have purchased a set.
Going for a full set is ideal because golfers will need all the clubs for distance gapping sooner rather than later.
The best golf clubs for beginners would be a package set of some sort. The pricing can range anywhere from $200 to $2000 depending on the quality you want and how much you want to spend.
Some of the big-name brands include the range of Titleist Golf Clubs and Taylormade Golf Clubs. These are more on the higher end, but a Cobra Max Golf Set would also be ideal if players don’t want to spend too much.
Click on this link on How to Choose Golf Clubs to learn a little more about what is involved in picking the right set.
Golf Bag
A golfer has the option of the many golf bags that are out on the market with the primary objective finding the best golf bag possible.
Settling for the cheapest golf bag is not always the best idea as some of the cheap golf bags don’t have the best design and are not the most durable. Things to consider include the amount of pockets, full length dividers, a golf bag cooler pocket and some protection for the wet weather.
A golfer has the option of a cart golf bag or a carry/stand bag.
A golf cart bag is great because it has a lot of room and will match well and fit into most golf carts. A stand golf bag is ideal because a player can carry it, and most have a velcro strap so the legs will not pop out whilst on a golf cart.
Most golfers use cart bags, but stand/carry bags are popular for those who like to go to the driving range, and practice because they are easy to carry.
In terms of Brands, some of the more popular options include the Titleist Golf Bags and Callaway Golf Bags. These tend to be more expensive, but are a lot more durable compared to some of the less expensive models.
Some profitable mid-range brands to consider include the Srixon Golf Bags, Wilson Golf Bags and Cobra Golf Bags, to name a few.
Golf Buggy/Cart
When starting out, Golf Buggy Hire may be the best option to see if the game of golf is something you may wish to continue. Hiring a golf buggy can get a bit expensive if playing a lot, so investing in a good quality golf cart would be better than settling for one of the cheap golf carts.
There is a range of different golf buggies to choose from but, it is suggested to stay away from the cheap and nasty ones. These are not built to last and tend to break within months. A golf cart needs to have good golf cart rims and good golf cart wheels to help get around the golf course easier.
The more popular options are the three-wheel carts. This is because a golfer can push them around the golf course, which is easier and puts less pressure on the back.
A golf cart buggy with a seat is also a good option to give golfers resting time whilst waiting for the group ahead to clear.
One of the better options is the Clicgear Push Cart, which has a strong frame and three wheels. There are a range of different designs and they last a lot longer compared to some of the other brands. Most good golf buggy manufacturers will also provide a range of golf buggy accessories to add as an extra.
The electric golf cart is also another consideration, but really not needed when starting out in the game of golf.
Golf Balls
There is a huge range of golf balls to choose from, but it would be suggested to stick with some cheap golf balls when starting out. These would be the best practice golf balls as buying expensive, better quality balls could prove expensive in the initial stages.
Depending on where you are playing some golf courses have lakes and thick bushes, so golf balls are difficult to find on the odd occasion. Don’t spend too much money on the top golf balls, although the better more expensive balls definitely do have benefits once a golfer starts getting better and they have learned how to hit a golf ball.
Some of the better more forgiving golf balls include the Srixon Golf Balls. They have a range of golf balls which are considered the best golf balls for beginners and one of the better models to consider would be the Srixon Q Star Golf Ball.
To learn more about which type of golf ball to choose click the link on How to Choose Golf Balls.
There is also some information on the best golf balls for seniors. That’s if you are starting the game at a later age. A lower compression golf ball will be more forgiving and help with distance for the below-average swing speeds.
Golf Glove
This one often gets neglected by beginners because they don’t want to look too serious in the initial stages of learning the game of golf.
The main purpose of the golf glove is to increase the feel in the top hand, but it also helps reduce blisters from practice.
It is highly suggested to get a decent golf glove as a golfers hand will not be used to gripping a golf club constantly, and they may suffer from blisters.
There are leather golf gloves and synthetic golf gloves to choose from.
The Cabretta Golf Gloves which are leather, offer the greatest feel but do not necessarily last the longest. Synthetic golf gloves tend to be a little less expensive and may be the better option when starting out. There is also the cadet golf glove which is for golfers with shorter fingers, so there is a glove to suit every individual.
One of the best golf gloves for durability is the Mizuno Golf Glove and they would be ideal if you do not want to spend too much money because they last a lot longer.
Men’s Golf Gloves and Ladies Golf Gloves are available in several different brands and are essential to playing better golf.
Golf Accessories
These include tees, ball marker, pitch mark repairer and a towel. This is a simple one and you will need some tees to tee off with, and a ball marker to mark your golf ball on the green.
A pitch mark repairer is used to repair pitch marks on the green. Your more experienced playing partners will respect you around the course a lot faster if you repair these, simply because not a lot of golfers do it. The golf towel is used to clean your golf clubs. A golfer can purchase most golf accessories online.
Optional Extras
A golfer could also look at getting the following, but they really don’t need them just yet. These are things that might be worth purchasing once they start improving and their game is more consistent. A golf club cleaning kit
is worth mentioning as it is important to keep the grooves and overall look of the golf clubs in tact.
Golf Club Cleaning Tool– This tool is relatively cheap and is used to clean all the dirt out of the grooves of your irons and wedges. Most accomplished players will do this, especially with wedges as it increases the chances of spinning the ball. It is also known as a golf club cleaning brush.
Golf Shoes – Golf shoes provide your feet with a lot of support and dynamic balance during the golf swing.
They are fantastic for walking in grass and are generally quite comfortable. They also feature spikes, which much like football boots provide more stability. This will allow you to transfer your weight a lot easier and give your golf swing more balance.
From Skechers golf shoes, to Adidas golf shoes and the ever-popular Footjoy Golf Shoes, there is a style of shoe to suit your game for comfort and performance. The best golf shoes are the ones that are comfortable and the perfect fit.
Golf Attire – A lot of golf courses will require you to wear at least a collared shirt to play golf. Some private clubs require full attire, and It would be recommended to check the golf courses dress code before you proceed to the course to avoid having to buy expensive attire at the golf course.
There is a stack of fashionable ladies golf attire and men’s golf attire to suit all individuals wishing to enjoy the golf course.
Golf GPS – The first few of these that were made were very hit and miss and were quite inaccurate. The GPS system has come along way, and now golfers can get accurate distance measurements on a golf gps watch or on a handheld GPS. This is something to consider to make club selection a lot easier in the near future.
The best golf gps is one that helps a golfer decide which golf club to use based on yardages. One of the best brands is the Garmin Golf GPS, with the Garmin S60 Golf watch leading the way in terms of performance. The Garmin Golf GPS Devices are second to none when it comes to golf technology.
Golf Rangefinder – Much like the GPS these are used to scope the distance to the flag by doing it yourself. You point the rangefinder directly at the flag, and it will give you an accurate measurement.
It would be suggested to avoid buying the cheap options with these as they really are not that accurate. The more expensive ones have a better scope, visibility, and magnification. A good model is the Bushnell Golf Rangefinders and their Pro X2 Model is one of the best.
Another thing to consider once you start getting more consistent and confident with golfing.
Golf Swing Analyser – These gadgets are designed to show you some swing characteristics including swing path and clubhead speed. They are great to check clubhead speed, launch angle, and swing path. Once again this is something more advanced, but can really help you improve once you start gaining more confidence with your ball striking.
That is pretty much all the equipment you will ever need to play golf, although there are many different types to choose from in each category they will all do the same thing. Some are better than others so it all comes down to the quality you are after and how much you are willing to spend.
Remember, golf is a game that takes time to master, so enjoy the journey and have fun on the course. The more you practice and play, the more confident and skilled you’ll become as a golfer.
If you want to learn a little more about the game of golf, click the links below.