Sure, reading this section will not make a champion out of a novice golf player, but it might help you feel more comfortable and confident before heading to the green and hitting your first golf ball.
Tips for the Novice Golfer (New to the game ? Start here )
1. Understand the game and the rules.
The first thing to remember for novice golfers is that sportmanship and etiquette form integral parts of the golf game, so reading the golf rules and golf etiquette pages is a good starting point. These sections are really fundamental to understand what golf is all about.
Don't fall into the temptation to ask your friends (or partner) to teach you. If you want to start learning the basics of the golf swing and short game shots correctly, you need to take some lessons from a certified PGA teaching professional. Most golf courses and driving ranges will have a PGA teacher. Ask if they have package deals for novice golfers. Ideally, you should have some individual lessons first, where the professional will go over the basics such as grip, posture, balance, and mechanics of the golf shots. See also: Choosing the right golf teacher.
3. Buy a basic set of equipment
There are two schools of thought here. Some say you should not invest money in equipment right away, at this early stage. We believe that if you are serious about wanting to learn golf you need your own golf equipment. Whether this is the finest or most expensive equipment is not fundamental at this point, the important thing is that you play with the SAME clubs (see: golf club basics) and SAME balls (see: golf ball basics) so that you can adjust your game and learn from your previous shots based on a common standard. As you progress you may want to replace some of your clubs by more advanced irons, putters or drivers, but right now what you need is a good, complete basic golf club set. See: Basic set of equipment for the beginner golfer.
4. Keep reading
Confront what you have learned with what you have read and vice versa. Use the information you read to push your technique to the next plateau.
5. Practice, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
But keep alternating practice with some lessons and take your practice to the course as soon as you feel confident to do so. Remember that golf is not just about having a perfect swing, so do not spend too much time on the driving range. You need to practise your short game at least as much as your swing. With the time (and by reading our golf tips, common mistakes analysis and score killers) you will also see that to win this game strategy and mindset are as important as technique.
by Tony Dear, Bob Atkins
A complete instruction books for beginners with interesting pages about Course Management and the Mental Side of Golf More information:
The Women's Guide to Golf:
A Handbook for Beginners
by Kellie Stenzel More information:
