Learning the game of golf can be scary. It can feel complicated and no one wants to be laughed at on the first tee because of whiffs or shanks.
We can simplify the experience of taking up this great game. Follow our golf lessons for beginners and you will quickly make progress.
It is easier to start playing when you are younger, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved as an adult.
Our golf lessons for beginners will not only help you learn how to swing the golf club but also how to feel comfortable at the country club.
We want you to feel confident when your buddies ask you to play over the weekend or your boss asks you to join them for some corporate golf.
Learning to play golf can be a fun experience. Our golf lessons for beginners will help.
9 Golf Lessons For Beginners That Anyone Can Follow
1. Get a Grip
Holding the golf club is the beginning of your swing and it is where many beginners make critical mistakes.
All golf lessons for beginners should start with a fundamentally sound grip. The good news is that you have a few different options and can pick the one that feels the best for you.
You can select from a 10-finger (baseball grip), the Overlap grip, or the Interlock grip.
The 10-finger (or baseball grip) is simple. You grip the club with all 10 fingers on the club, just like you would hold a baseball bat.
When using the Overlap grip, the pinky on your right hand (right-handed golfers) overlaps the pointer finger on your left hand.
Finally, if you use the Interlock grip the pinky on your right hand goes between the pointer and the middle fingers on your left hand.
We prefer your hands be “connected”, so we recommend the Overlap or the Interlock!
The other terms you will hear to describe your golf grip are strong and weak. This references how your hands are twisted on the club.
A great way to start. Set both of your thumbs down the shaft. Twist your right hand slightly to the left and twist your left hand slightly to the right.
2. Stance Is Critical
The second item on our list of golf lessons for beginners is also related to the “pre-swing” technique. Your stance, posture, and setup are critical.
Quick tips to create the perfect golf stance:
- Feet slightly farther apart than your shoulder width
- Flex your knees, but don’t bend them
- Bend from your waist without hunching your shoulders
- Keep your chin up
- Don’t reach for the golf ball, let your arms hang down and grip the club
This creates an athletic stance that will allow you to rotate around your spine without sliding off the golf ball.
You want a nice turn and weight shift, without your spine sliding from side to side.
3. Rhythm & Balance
Golf swings are like fingerprints. They are unique to the player and there are many different ways to swing the club and hit great shots.
Don’t believe us? Compare Jim Furyk’s swing to the swing of Tiger Woods.
We don’t believe golf lessons for beginners should include a bunch of swing tips or talk about shallowing the club.
Instead, you should use your natural athleticism to find your swing. The one that works for you. We like the quote from Will Smith’s movie character Bagger Vance:
“Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we were born with. Something that’s ours and ours alone. Something that can’t be learned.”
Don’t worry about replicating a swing on TV. Focus on your rhythm and balance.
You want a smooth rhythm to your swing with all of the speed at the impact. A fast backswing will not help you hit the ball.
We don’t care how crazy your swing may look, can you finish on balance?
Of all the golf lessons for beginners you will read & hear, the most important is the ability to stay on balance during and after your swing.
4. You Need Decent Equipment
Golf is hard enough to learn without fighting your golf equipment. Let’s be clear, we don’t think you have to run out and spend thousands of dollars, but you need decent clubs.
We have a couple of golf lessons for beginners related to the clubs in their golf bag.
First, you don’t need a full set. The rules of golf allow you to carry up to 14 clubs, but most beginners can learn the game with 5-7 clubs.
Second, you need to take advantage of new technology, especially with your driver.
You don’t need to spend $600 on the newest TaylorMade driver.
Find a model that was released 2-3 years ago – you will be able to get an awesome club for a fraction of the price.
5. Don’t Expect Greatness
We don’t want to crush your spirit, but you won’t hit your first drive 300 yards and you won’t shoot the course record the first time you play.
Learning to play golf is a marathon, not a sprint. You will need to be patient and celebrate small improvements in your game.
As soon as you start to play 18 holes, establish a golf handicap. This is the perfect way to track your progress over time and it even allows you to participate in Net tournaments.
If you only remember one thing from our golf lessons for beginners we hope it is this one. Don’t get frustrated – enjoy the journey!
6. Practice Your Short Game
The short game is your path to fast improvement in the game of golf. Even if it was only miniature golf, we have all hit putts before.
One of our favorite golf lessons for beginners – spend 50% of your practice time working on your chipping and putting.
Can’t find time to drive to the course or is the weather terrible outside? You can work on your putting stroke in your home.
Roll a few putts between Zoom meetings or challenge your kids to a putting contest in your living room.
There is no excuse not to work on your short game!
7. Be Aware Of Golf Etiquette
Golf has its own culture, language, and etiquette. This can be intimidating at first and most golf lessons for beginners don’t cover how you are expected to behave on the course.
The good news is that golf etiquette is fairly simple. Make sure you do these when you play and you will be fine:
- Mark your ball with a coin on the green when others are putting
- Rake the bunker after you hit your shot
- Help others in your group look for lost balls
- Don’t talk when others are hitting shots
- Fix divots on the green and fill divots in the fairway
Golf lessons for beginners should always include information on the pace of play.
Other players in your group or the group behind you won’t care if you struggle as long as you don’t hold up the course.
You don’t need to be scared to play your local country club. Keep these items in mind and you will look like a pro (even if you don’t play like one).
8. Learn The Rules
Let us be clear. You don’t need to be a certified rules official that understands every nuance of every rule. Simply learn the basics.
How do you handle it when your ball flies into a lake or ends up out of bounds?
Pay attention to when you get a free drop/free relief (cart path, casual water, etc.). This is on the golf lessons for beginners that can save you strokes on your scorecard.
The USGA (United States Golf Association) and the R&A (Royal & Ancient) are the governing bodies that maintain the rules of golf and they do change from time to time.
For example, the “belly putter” was made illegal in 2016. You can no longer use a putter that anchors in your stomach to putt.
In recent years, the USGA has made several changes to simplify the rules of golf, including allowing you to move loose impediments inside a hazard.
The USGA website has some great resources and you can order a small rules book to keep in your golf bag.
9. Create A Social Group
Golf is part sport and part social activity. There is no doubt that playing with your friends is better than playing alone.
The final piece of advice on our list of golf lessons for beginners is to find your weekend foursome.
The game is easier to learn in a group. You can motivate each other to practice, compete against each other, and celebrate together when one of you plays great.
Here is a good rule to implement. Whoever wins on the golf course buys the first drink in the 19th hole!
Take control of your golf group. Build an email list or a group chat. Make a tee time and shoot out a message to see who wants to play.
Before you know it you will have a foursome to play with every weekend. Next, you might decide to knock something off your bucket list and plan a trip to Scotland.
If you are thinking about taking up the game of golf, don’t wait. Get your journey started today!
