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How to start playing golf
This page is designed to answer some frequently asked questions, and give you advice on the easiest way for you to start playing and enjoying, golf.
If after reading this page, you have further queries. Please, feel free to send me an Email and I will answer as soon as possible. I hope you can enjoy the challenge, and make many new acquaintances from this wonderful game.
The quickest and best way of learning how to play golf is to seek tuition from a golf professional.
The two types of coaching available to you are group and individual lessons.
GROUP LESSONS
A major benefit of participating in a group clinic is you are learning with a group of people of a similar standard to yourself. This offers you the chance of not only forming some new friendships but are the most likely candidates for golf partners for future games of golf.
In my beginners class you will learn the basics of the golf swing, chipping , pitching. putting, some basic rules and golf etiquette.
These classes are often run over a period of consecutive weeks, by the end of which you will be confident enough to go out on a golf course and enjoy the experience.
INDIVIDUAL LESSONS
Individual lessons, cover the same topics as that of a beginners clinic but they are covered in greater depth and you will usually see faster results a s you have undivided attention from the golf professional for the duration as opposed to several minutes in a group clinic.
Beginners need to have their first few lessons spaced close together. Initially weekly intervals are best, as this gives you enough time to practice what you have learned but not enough time to overdo it. As you get better there will be less things going wrong so the frequency of lessons will be further apart. e.g. fortnightly or every two months.
Golf is a game where you never stop learning no matter what your standard. Even the best players in the world continue to seek advice from their coaches regularly.
PRACTICE - The How and Where
What you learn during your golf tuition equates to about half of your improvement. The other half is practice. Without it your rate of improvement will be quite slow.
There are four types of places you can practice your golf.
Firstly, you can purchase some plastic golf balls and them at home in your back yard. This is quite an effective way of practice especially in the early learning stages where you will be more concerned with training your muscles to repeat certain actions rather than ball flight.
Secondly, you can go to a golf range. At a golf range you can purchase a bucket of balls and hit them at your leisure from specially designed artificial grass mats.
When you hit balls try to avoid the "machine gun method" of hitting balls. i.e. bang, bang, bang.
It is a far better idea to hit the balls slowly, making sure you have several swings between hitting each ball. It is far better for you to hit 50 balls 3 times a week than it is to hit 150 balls in one practice session.
One of the best aspects of using a golf range is that you don't have to pick up the balls when you have finished.
Thirdly, you can play on a Public golf course and use their practice putting green to improve your putting skills.
Finally, if you join a private golf club you can use the practice facilities at that club. However, at most of these clubs you have to use your own practice golf balls and you must share the practice fairway with other golfers. This can be frustrating when picking up your balls at the end of your practice session.
How much should I practice ?
One of the most important rules of practice is that it must be regular. Ten minutes every day is far more beneficial than seventy minutes once a week.
How many clubs do I need to buy ?
The maximum amount of clubs you are allowed to use during a round of golf is fourteen. This sounds like a lot but most of these would be used in a normal round of golf.
An alternative to a full set is a half set. Half sets consist of a wood, usually a 3 wood, 3,5,7,9 irons & a sand wedge. These are more than enough to get you started and you can always add the fill in clubs to complete your set at a later date.
The downside of buying a half set and then buying the fill ins is the overall cost will be slightly more expensive than if you bought the complete set in one hit.
When buying golf clubs (full , half sets or individual clubs) make sure they are custom fitted to suit your physical attributes. This is as important as getting your clothes to fit you. We believe this is so important to your golf, we absorb any cost of any alterations needed.
Do I need to buy golf shoes ?
Golf shoes have spikes made of either steel or rubber. These help you keep your footing and balance during the swing. When starting out you can get by with a pair of runners. Once you start playing in regularly you will find having a pair of golf shoes will certainly save you strokes from your score, particularly when there is some moisture on the grass. Rubber Spiked shoes tend to make you slip and slide in these conditions.
Where can I play ?
Golfers come in two categories. Members of a Private golf club or Green fee / social players.
If you are a member of a golf club you pay a yearly fee which entitles you to full use of the course, clubhouse and practice facilities. You also have the opportunity to obtain an official Australian handicap and to compete in various local and nationwide competitions.
If you are a green fee or social player, you can play golf on any of the public courses. In doing this you pay a fee at the pro shop prior to play. If you are a Green Fee / Social player you can't have an official handicap and therefore can't play in any official golf competitions.
Many people begin by playing as a green fee player and then join a club when they feel confident in their ability or seek the challenge of regular competitions.
However, joining a Private golf club can be difficult, as most have waiting lists and can be quite expensive in the first year. On top of your yearly subscription, you must also pay a joining fee.
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