Golf is one of the greatest games in the world. Anyone who engages in the sport can attest to this. According to Statista, golf is not only crucial for recreational purposes; instead, it also offers significant economic impact. The revenue generated from golf courses and country clubs in the U.S is estimated to attain approximately 24.65 billion USD by 2024.
As a beginner, getting started in the game can often seem overwhelming and even intimidating. But, with determination, you’ll undoubtedly sail through the beginner phase and enjoy the game more.
First, you must know the basics to help you maneuver and slowly build your skills, abilities, and understanding. With the right and latest golf tips, you can identify your areas of weakness and improve. You also discover new things and boost your points of strength. This is possible because you’ll know the best golf info. You’ll also discover the best golf accessories you need.
So, to help you understand how to take the proper dive, here’s everything you need to know about playing golf as a beginner.
1. Get the Basic Principles Right
It’s easier to spot a good golfer before hitting a golf ball. To start right, ensure you can practice the basic principles pretty well. Some of the essentials include grip, posture, and stance. You can even use indoor golf simulators to replicate almost any course and level up your game.
Note that poor alignment can often trick you into thinking that your hook or slice is due to bad swing mechanics. And in essence, you’ll find that there’s nothing wrong with your swing. So, how you align yourself will be the determining factor between a good and a poor result on the golf course.
There’s usually a specific order to do all these things. It’s known as a pre-shot routine. Once you nail these basics, you’ll know when to repeat a particular activity every time.
2. Know How the Ball Goes Into the Air
Golfers usually place too much effort into perfecting their golf skills, especially when starting. One of the significant challenges that may intimidate a beginner is continuously getting the ball in the air. It helps to know that such effort can yield exceptional results when combined with a better understanding of the physics of golf.
The basic notion is usually that; to get the ball in the air, you must hit the ground. But, the most important thing to do is to:
- Get into a good posture
- Bend from the hips downwards
- Ensure you feel as if you’re extending both arms into the ground during the swing- act like you’re throwing a ball.
There must be contact between the club head and the ball for the golf ball to get airborne. This should happen at the lowest point of the downswing. Here, the ball is trapped between the clubface and the ground. The ball will then spin up the clubface. The loft establishes how far and high the ball goes.
To get this feeling and get it right, please don’t fear hitting the ground on your practice swings. It will also enable you to launch beautiful shots quickly.
3. Understand How Far Your Clubs Extend
One best way to direct the ball to the hole and lower your score is to understand your golf club distances. Good golfers know how far each club extends. It enables them to hit more greens.
Even though they miss out on hitting more greens, it’s certainly in the right spots. Thus, controlling your distance is about learning your own game and hitting each club.
This is a crucial golf basic that will help you succeed as a beginner. Sometimes, you may not think you’re consistent enough to understand this aspect, but ultimately, you’ll realize you are.
To understand the clubs best, ensure you write down all your clubs on paper. So, when you hit a shot perfectly well, walk off the yardage and note it down. These numbers will keep changing. Nevertheless, understanding your distances will help you remain consistent on the course.
4. Work With a Reliable Club From the Fairway
As a new golfer, immediately you tee off and the ball is on the ground in the fairway, you may have a comfort level with one club over another.
The critical factor here is to find a club you’re comfy with. It should be one that can go a reasonable distance to help you build confidence and, at the same time, have fun.
An excellent choice for a reliable fairway club can, for instance, be your most lofted fairway wood, such as a 7-wood. The 7-wood should move a reasonable distance and remain consistent. This is when compared to the lesser lofted option. So, ensure you discover your go-to club and establish your confidence and consistency.
5. Manage to Hit a Basic Golf Chip
As a beginner playing golf, you should manage to hit a basic chip. The shot doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, as a newer golfer, you shouldn’t expect to have perfect distance control. Instead, you should aim to have a “go to” shot as soon as you near the green.
So, to hit the basic golf chip, do the following:
- Hold the club relatively lower on the grip.
- Using a narrower stance, lean your torso and weight towards the target.
- Create a basic putting motion, which brushes the grass. You can choose a pitching wedge for this shot and practice staying comfortable with it.
6. Work With the Short Game Priority Order
One of the golf basics that will enable you to succeed is knowing how to manage risk. You attain this by choosing the right shot. Usually, the smaller motion lowers the chances of errors.
So, you can follow these tips for the short game priority order:
- Putt whenever you’re able to
- Chip when you cannot putt.
- Pitch (this is a longer and higher chip) only when you must
This order will help maintain the ball in play even during missouts.
7. Discover on Hitting a Basic Bunker Shot Right
Sand shots tend to be part of the most complex areas for beginner golf players. And, as stated earlier, to hit the ball up, you must hit the ground. This means that you must overcome any instinct about lifting the ball. Instead, you should commit yourself more to hitting the sand.
To achieve this, try digging your feet into the sand. Go ahead and move the ball much forward in your stance. Ultimately, it becomes easier to hit a bunker shot.
8. Identify the Equipment You Need
As a beginner golfer, you must be prepared with the right tools that you’ll be using on the golf course. In this case, set out with the basics, which include:
- Golf clubs
- Golf balls
- Golf bag
- Golf shoes (with non-metal cleats)
Other essential types of equipment can help both new and seasoned players. But those mentioned above are basically what every golf player needs. Make sure you have 6-12 golf balls in your bag. Besides, you can also consider carrying:
- Golf gloves
- Handful of tees
- Ball marker in your pocket.
- A divot tool and off you go
Please note that being ready to go anytime it’s your turn to hit is an essential part of golf. And having all the necessary equipment will enable you to do that.
9. Learn to Control the Distance in Putting
Learning to putt may be challenging to most beginners, but it’s doable. Again, it’s one of the golf basics that is interesting to know. A perfect basic putting posture to start with is:
- Bowing from your hips
- Allow your eyes to stay above the ball
- Let your arms hang beneath your shoulders
Keep in mind that your back stroke length helps in distance control. This means that; smaller strokes slow down the putter swing, while larger strokes facilitate faster putter swings. This is a fundamental concept that helps you get started. It backs up the concept that ‘stroke size controls distance.
Other important tips to help control the distance in putting include:
- You can use your feet to regulate stroke sizes (assuming your feet are around hip width)
- For smaller putts, imagine your putter head moving from one big toe to another.
- For medium p/popputts, imagine one little toe moving to the other one.
- For large putts, target 2-3 inches outside each foot
- For an extra large putt, go 6-7 inches outside each foot
The Dos of Playing Golf as a Beginner
- Begin on a practice range, and not on the golf course- the range is low-pressure; thus, you can stay as long as possible.
- Work with a professional to attain a proper swing foundation- It helps you learn better and faster
- Focus on chipping and putting (short game). Do this before concentrating on the long irons (3-4 irons), your hybrids, driver, and fairway woods.
- Try recruiting friends to learn together and make it an event- You may find a local golf area, and ensure you celebrate your practice sessions and achievements
- As much as you can play without gloves, it helps to use them- your palm needs protection.
- Always learn how to grip the club right
- Bend from your hips downwards
- Take time to learn the basic golf rules and etiquette.
The Don’ts of Playing Golf As a Beginner
- Stop worrying about anyone else on the range- No one is judging you; after all, everyone was once a beginner
- Avoid maintaining your head down through impact. Let it be the same with the entire body.
- Do not try playing on the course until you can get the ball airborne- This will benefit you and others on the golf course.
- Avoid spending too much time looking for your ball, and do not pick up any other ball on the course, even when there’s no one around- Doing this might spoil another person’s good round.
- Don’t use a huge ball mark. Something larger than a poker chip is likely too much.
- Avoid staying flat-footed through impact.
- Do not purchase headcovers for your irons. Please don’t.
Key Takeaways
When starting as a fresh golf player, do not get discouraged. The golf game may be challenging at first, but it’s all worth your effort in the long run. According to Arnold Palmer, golf may satisfy the soul and frustrate the intellect. But, it is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing games man ever invented.
To start right, ensure you familiarize yourself with the rules and etiquette of the game. Understand the official way of dropping the ball. Also, discover the right thing to do when your ball is out of bounds. And also, know the action to take if you hit the ball into a hazard.
More so, accept invitations to join other groups. Remember that golf is a social sport, and it’s a perfect way to meet and interact with new people. So, go forth and accept requests to join the right groups. This will help you learn and discover more!
Last, always remember the great shots and forget about the bad ones. All the best as you start the journey of playing the most fascinating game- golf!
