Miles Bennett
Golf is a fun, relaxing hobby for many, and a competitive sport for some. If you're a beginner, it's important to start with the basics: learn the rules, get some second-hand clubs, and find a golf professional in your area to give you lessons. You can practice your short game in your backyard or TV room, and when you're ready, try a par-3 or executive course before taking on a full 18-hole championship course. There are plenty of resources available to help you improve your game, including books by Tiger Woods, which offer a conversational, engaging, and instructional guide to the sport.
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What You'll Learn
- Learn the basics: grip, stance, posture, rules, and techniques
- Get the right equipment: clubs, tees, and balls
- Practice your swing: copy the pros, watch videos, and use a mirror
- Start small: play on a par-3 or executive course before trying 18 holes
- Keep score: understand par and the nicknames for scores, like birdie and eagle
Learn the basics: grip, stance, posture, rules, and techniques
Grip
The way you grip your club is important. Place your lead hand on the handle in its most natural setting. To find this, stand erect with your arms dangling freely at your sides, then grip the club. With your lead-hand hold, point the club out in front of you, then begin rotating the handle back and forth, as if turning a doorknob. You should feel more comfort and range of motion. Now, add your trail hand to your grip. Hold the club out in front of you at a 45-degree angle and slip your trail hand onto the grip, ensuring it goes through the base of your fingers.
Stance
Your stance is key to setting up a good golf shot. The distance you stand from the ball in a proper stance for golf is dictated by the length of the club you are using and your posture. The longer the club, the further you stand away from the ball. It is important not to hunch over and reach out for the ball with your arms. Your arms should hang down naturally. A good golf posture for full shots is achieved by bending over from the waist while keeping your spine straight. When looking at posture from behind the golfer, the spine angle should be bent over at approximately 35-40 degrees. This will provide plenty of room for your shoulders to rotate. Your weight should be balanced on the balls of your feet, not too much in the toes or heels.
Rules
Golf has many rules, but the most important for beginners to know is etiquette. This includes being aware of pace of play, taking care of the course, and respecting fellow players.
Techniques
There are many techniques to learn in golf, and one of the most important is the swing. To start, you can take lessons at a driving range to learn mechanics and how to swing. You can also practice chipping and putting. For chipping, pretend you are going to physically throw the golf ball underhand onto the middle of the green, and swing the club with that feeling. For putting, imagine you are physically going to roll the ball into the hole and putt with that tempo and pace.
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Get the right equipment: clubs, tees, and balls
Golf requires a variety of equipment, including clubs, tees, and balls. When starting, it is recommended to get the minimum number of clubs, which include a driver, putter, sand wedge, 6-iron, 8-iron, pitching wedge, and a hybrid. These can be rented or purchased second-hand from sporting goods stores. Tees are small, brightly coloured wooden or plastic nails that you set your ball on before hitting it.
Golf balls vary in quality and price, and it is recommended to buy cheaper balls when starting out, at around $20 per dozen. As you improve, you can consider purchasing more expensive balls, with the price depending on how many balls you tend to lose during a round. For instance, if you are losing three to five balls per round, you could consider purchasing balls that cost less than $30 a dozen.
In addition to equipment, it is important to learn the basics of the game, such as the rules and techniques for swinging a club. You can learn by seeking professional lessons, practising your swing, and studying the techniques of experienced players.
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Practice your swing: copy the pros, watch videos, and use a mirror
Golf can be a challenging sport to get into, but there are plenty of ways to practice your swing and get a feel for the game. One of the best ways to improve your swing is to watch and copy the professionals. While it may be difficult to replicate their swings exactly, studying the pros can help you identify bad advice and give you a "textbook" swing to aim for. For example, you can look at how Tiger Woods keeps a "flat left wrist" during his swing, and try to incorporate that into your own technique.
You can also learn a lot by watching videos of your own swings. This helps you match your "feel" with the reality of your swing mechanics. It can be a real eye-opener to see the differences, and you can then work on making adjustments.
Using a mirror is another great way to practice your swing. You can get instant feedback on your swing motion by watching yourself in the mirror, and you can correct your technique in just a few minutes a day.
There are plenty of online resources and lessons to help you get started, with tips and tricks from professionals. You can learn a lot from the short game lessons of Phil Mickelson, who is not only a great player but also a great teacher. Lynn Blake is another excellent source of advice, with a focus on concepts from "The Golfing Machine".
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Start small: play on a par-3 or executive course before trying 18 holes
If you're a beginner, it's best to start small and play on a par-3 or executive course before trying 18 holes. Par-3 courses are shorter and more manageable, with each hole having a par of three, meaning you should be able to get the ball in the hole in three strokes or fewer. These courses are usually less than 200 yards in length for each hole, and you can find them in 9-hole or 18-hole variations, ranging from 100 to 250 yards per hole.
The benefit of starting on a par-3 course is that you can get acclimated to the game without feeling overwhelmed. They are also great for practising your short game and honing your skills. You can play a full round of golf on these courses in 2-3 hours, making them perfect for beginners or those with limited time. Additionally, they are generally less expensive than larger courses.
Executive courses, on the other hand, typically have a mix of par-3, par-4, and sometimes par-5 holes. These courses are designed to be shorter and quicker, catering to busy individuals who want to play a round of golf in a shorter time frame. They usually have nine holes, with a par ranging from 30-34, and the overall course length is less than 2,600 yards. Executive courses are often found in cities or densely populated areas, making them convenient for urban golfers.
Starting on a par-3 or executive course is a great way to build up your skills and endurance before tackling the challenge of a full 18-hole championship course. You can focus on learning the basics, improving your swing, and getting comfortable with the game in a less intimidating environment.
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Keep score: understand par and the nicknames for scores, like birdie and eagle
Golf scoring may seem simple: hit the ball, find it, hit it again, and so on, and add up all shots at the end. However, there are a few subtleties to keep in mind.
Firstly, you need to understand the concept of 'par'. Par is the predetermined number of strokes that a skilled golfer is expected to need to complete a hole. The par for each hole varies depending on its length and difficulty, with most holes being either par 3, par 4, or par 5. Holes are generally assigned par values between three and six, which includes a regulation number of strokes to reach the green based on the average distance a proficient golfer hits the ball, and two putts. Par-3 holes for men will typically be under 260 yards (240 m) from the tee to the green, par-4 holes will be 240–490 yards (220–450 m), and par-5 holes will be 450–710 yards (410–650 m). Par-6 holes are rarely seen in professional competitions.
Now that we've covered par, we can move on to the nicknames for scores. A very good golfer, or a very lucky one, might complete a hole in fewer strokes than the par (called "under par"). This is where terms like 'birdie', 'eagle', and 'albatross' come into play. They describe a golfer's performance on a hole in relation to the hole's par. A birdie is a score of one stroke under par on a hole (for example, scoring 4 on a par-5). An eagle is a score of two strokes under par for a given hole. A double eagle, also known as an albatross, is a score of three strokes under par, which is very rare. On the other hand, if you need more strokes than the par, this is called being "over par". A bogey is 1-over par on a hole, a double bogey is 2-over par, and a triple bogey is 3-over par.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step is to get some basic instruction. Find a golf professional in your area and take some lessons to learn the correct grip, stance and posture. You can also watch videos of professional golfers and try to copy their swings.
You will need a set of golf clubs, tees and balls. You can rent clubs at the golf course or buy them second-hand. If you've never played before, buy cheap balls that cost around $20 per dozen.
Each hole on a golf course has an ideal number of strokes, known as the "Par". Each time you hit the ball counts as one stroke. If you hit your ball out of bounds or into the water, you will have to take a one-stroke penalty.
