Learning to play golf can seem daunting – you have a club, a ball, and a hole, but problems arise with all the rules, different types of clubs, and the terminology. While all these things can chase prospective golfers off, this learning to play golf guide will offer you all the information you need to overcome the uncertainty – from basics and critical factors to dumb questions and small details.
Learning to play golf is relatively simple at a glance:
· Learn about clubs
· Choose the perfect balls
· Educate yourself
· Gain a routine
· Train on short distance shots
· Practice your posture
· Go the long-distance
In theory, golf seems easy, but there is much more to be aware of as you grab a club. The whole purpose of this guide is to ensure that golf for beginners will no longer raise any question marks, so read on for the small print.
Golfing Basics – Discovering The Clubs
The best equipment is great when beginning golf, and learning about clubs is the first step.
Get a few clubs only.
You do not need to kill your savings account and buy a whole set – you can take up to 14 clubs in a bag, but you will not use all of them. Having a driver, a sand wedge, and a putter is needed for starters. Bring in a six and an eight as well, not to mention the hybrid and pitching wedge. These clubs are easy to use and allow great forgiveness – ignore the rest for now.
Try before you shop
Try out a few different clubs at a local golf shop or range. Try the 6 with the regular flex shaft, then the same one with the stiff flex shaft. The faster the swing, the more you will like the stiff option. This is how you start – once you know which one feels more comfortable, you can go shopping. Shop online or offline. It makes no difference.
Get more loft
Unless you have played other sports involving sticks, you need to go for more loft. More loft will reduce the spin, so your direction will not be affected. Plus, you will find it easier to get the ball up in the air. The driver should have at least 10 degrees, while the fairway wood should go over 17 degrees.
Look for beginner clubs.
Most golf lessons for beginners involve beginner clubs. You might want to consider a hybrid club instead of an iron. If you stick to an iron, opt for one with a low center of gravity. Most brands will make it crystal clear when it comes to their clubs – you will know precisely which clubs are made specifically for beginners. They provide more forgiveness, so you can make mistakes as you learn.
How To Learn Golf – Get The Right Ball
Balls are just as important. Once you are done with a training round, try to figure out how many balls you lose each round. Balls will cost you some money in the long run – they vary from one brand to another, so start with a few sleeves from different brands to see which ones feel better. Stick to cheap balls as you start and increase the price later on.
Learn how to golf – The first steps
Getting started is the most challenging part. Determine your golfing goals upfront. Ask yourself a few questions:
· Why are you into golf?
· Are you trying to make new friends?
· Are you hoping to become a professional?
· How much money do you want to put in?
There is a difference between playing for fun and competing in tournaments, so set your priorities straight.
Get some lessons
Not having a clue about playing golf could be good. You can self teach yourself if you play with another friend, and you are both clueless. However, you will gain a series of bad habits, hence the necessity of some lessons. Your friends might have some useful tips, but a professional will get things straight.
When getting a teacher, make sure your personalities match. Better to have a good fit than be opposites. If you are laid back, get someone who has a low-key approach. If you are the creative type, you need someone who will teach you the basics of golf as an overall image, rather than focusing on small details.
Get a range routine
All newbies do the same thing when they want to play golf – they try to see how far they can shoot—bad idea. Instead, warm up. Try out short-distance shots before moving on to long-distance shots. Stick to short irons or wedges, then move on to middle irons. Work your way up to the actual driver. Once you get there, repeat.
Practice the short distance shots
About half of your shots will go within 50 yards in the distance, meaning you need to practice with the putter and wedges about half the time. From this point of view, golfing for beginners could be boring, but the good news is you can practice in your backyard too. You can even do it indoors – stick balls between furniture legs or through doorways. Just focus on the aim for now.
Repeat
Not sure about one thing or another? Too much thinking? It happens – the more video tutorials you watch, the more complicated beginner golf lessons seem to be. If in doubt, straight back to the basics. Work on your posture and position. Thinking is good, but too much of it will create unnecessary tension.
Basic Golf Shots To Practice
Do not even think about starting with the big swings first. It all starts with the basics. There are a few shots you need to master when learning to play golf – everything else is based on these shots. One of those is learning how to use a driver with full confidence, not to mention hitting an iron off the ground without even looking at the tee.
Chipping and pitching
Short distance shots involve chipping or pitching. A chip shot is practically low, and the ball always keeps in touch with the ground. The pitch shot goes higher, and the ball barely rolls. The chip is suitable when the hole is in front of you – no obstacles whatsoever. The pitch is excellent when the ball needs to get over an obstacle or stop fast – soft landing will cause quick stopping.
Getting out of bunkers
Every beginner golf enthusiast must know how to get out of a bunker. For this, you do not have to touch the ball. Instead, you hit the sand behind it while the sand pushes it out of the bunker. It would help if you went a bit harder, as the sand works against the club and slows it down.
Try it out the right way:
· The ball must be even with the front instep
· Twist the feet
· Focus on a place a couple of inches behind the ball
· Swing the club halfway up and hit the spot
· Your body must keep rotating until the chest faces the target
Using your body
Learning to play golf is also about using your athleticism – this is why the best golf players are in good physical condition. Golf beginner lessons focus on this aspect because many new golfers are so focused on the technique that they forget about the athletic movement, which is responsible for the dynamics.
Balance your weight on your legs and try to get the posture basketball defenders use. When you swing back, stretch your arm back and coil your body. When hitting, imagine a hockey player taking a shot. Keep the wrists firm too.
Playing with the driver.
The driver can be intimidating when you are first starting out – every beginner golfer will avoid it. This club is long and has a huge head. It provides more forgiveness than any other club, so give it a try. Place the ball on the tee, make a full body turn with the club in your hands, and get back facing the ball. Swing through it. Try to finish in balance – it will help you control your movement later on.
Back to basics
At this point, your beginner golf lessons should go back to basics. You may feel frustrated at times – the more frustrated you are, the more you will fail. Go back to chip shots, then. This is the basic shot. Pay attention to your chip shots and try to understand what is going on. Build your way back again and see how it feels. Learn to play golf – Moving on to a course. By now, you should know the basics and have a few clubs in your portfolio. How about getting on an actual golf course for a game? This is where you learn how actually to play golf.
Stick to small courses
Do not go for the largest golf course in your area, but start with the basics. A par three course is ideal when you learn how to play golf. Most holes are 200 yards or less, one from another. Get used to such a course before moving on.
Go for three holes
Golf can be described as a sport of endurance as well. You cannot go for 18 holes when you are a golf beginner because it will exhaust you instead of building your way up. Go practice with three holes when the course is not too busy. Once you feel frustrated, stop it and come back the next day.
Find the perfect course.
You can practise your golf swing and other tricks on the course. If you go on a massive course that will discourage you before you even get to the green, you will lose interest. Instead, stick to a short course with many flat surfaces and little to no obstacles. This step is all about gaining positive momentum.
Keep moving up
Move up slowly – there is no need to become a pro overnight. All beginner golf tips from pros involve playing at 5,500 yards – not more. You will save time with all the walking, as well as frustration. Furthermore, you will save some money on balls too. You can even meet other people learning how to get into golf – share some tips, learn a few tricks, and motivate each other. There are more recreational golfers than ever these days.
Focus on your pace
A professional golf course will ask you to complete the 18 holes in about 4.5 hours. You can do it in less. Maintaining pace is about focusing and setting some rules – for example, try to complete each hole in less than seven strokes.
Golf Basics For Beginners – The Annoying Rules
A full manual of golf has around 200 pages – you have all the time in the world to study it later on. Be aware of a few simple rules when getting started with golf:
· Never move your ball, not even when you train
· Stick to your ball, even if you find random balls around
· It is alright to play from another hole if you do not interfere with other golfers
· Don’t spend too much time looking for a ball – not more than five minutes
· Play within the golf course
Golf beginner tips – How to get in shape
Golf training for beginners also involves reaching optimal fitness status. Keep these general ideas in mind:
· Walk instead of riding
· Stretch before playing golf
· Take some snacks and a bottle of water
· Train with weights and do some cardio
Learning To Play Golf Conclusion
The bottom line, learning to play golf may seem complicated and challenging. It is, indeed, but mastering the basics will help you become a better player. The same rule applies to most sports out there, and golf makes no exception either.
