Born in Scotland but enjoyed all around the world, golf isn’t just your grandfather’s game. It can be loved by all – beginners and experts alike.
Golf is a relaxing yet technically complicated sport. And as a beginner, it can be daunting to understand the rules, the clubs and the courses enough to enjoy your mate’s bucks party or talk shop with your boss at the next conference.
Here, we’re letting you in on all the best beginner’s tips – from how to play golf, what you’ll need, and where to start. It’s tee time!
Areas of a Golf Course
There are 4 main areas you’ll find on any given course:- The teeing area
- The putting green
- Penalty areas
- Bunkers (usually sand pits)
How to Play Golf – The Rules
Here are the basic rules of golf that’ll get you through a golf game as a beginner.- Play the course as you find it.
- Play the ball as it lies.
- You can only start to play a hole in the teeing area behind the tee markers.
- As the game continues, the player whose golf ball is furthest from the hole takes their shot first.
- If your ball lands in an unplayable area, you can drop it into a playable area within 2 golf club lengths from its position.
How do you win a game of golf?
The ultimate goal of any golf game is to get the ball in the hole in the fewest amount of swings. But depending on which type of game you’re playing, there are two ways you can win a game of golf.- Match Play – The winner is the player who won the most holes.
- Stroke Play – The winner is the player who took the least number of strokes during the game.
What clubs do you need to start playing golf?
If you want to stick by the rules, you’re limited to using only 14 golf clubs during a single game. But as a beginner, you actually probably only need half of that. The main types of golf clubs you’ll need include:- Driver – This club is used to hit far distances and is usually used when teeing off at the start of each hole.
- Putter – This club is used to hit short distances and is usually used in the last few shots in the putting green.
- 5-iron, 7-iron and 9-iron – These clubs are used to hit mid-range distances. Higher numbers are used for shorter shots and lower numbers are used for longer shots.
- Pitching wedge and sand wedge – Wedges are used to hit short, high shots as you get closer to the green or to help get your ball out of a sand bunker.
New to Golf? Try These Tips for Beginners
Practice Some Swings at a Driving Range
To get a feel for playing golf on the green, start at a driving range. It might be surprising how something as seemingly simple as hitting a golf ball with a club can take quite a bit of practice. Driving ranges are perfect because you’ll get the repetition. You’ll be able to hit golf ball after golf ball without too much time in between to really get the hang of it.Try Your Putting at Putt-Putt Golf
Next, it’s time to work on your putting which is a great excuse to enjoy some putt-putt golf. Similarly to how you practiced long shots at the driving range, putt-putt gives you the opportunity to hone in on your putting skills with lots of repetition. Plus, who doesn’t love putt-putt golf?!Improve Your Skills With Indoor Golf
Once you’ve started to get the hang of driving and putting, indoor golf is a great opportunity to test your skills before you actually get out on the course. The main advantages of indoor golf for beginners include:- No walking or carting around
- Ability to play golf no matter the weather
- Opportunity to practice on many different courses
- Golf simulators that use cameras to analyse every angle of your swing, perfect for learning
