Starting golf and not sure where to begin? Our complete guide covers everything new golfers need - from golf basics, rules, and etiquette to how to choose golf clubs, perfect your swing, chip, putt, and lower scores as a beginner. Learn golf fundamentals step-by-step and practical tips to make rapid improvements. This is the ultimate golf instruction manual for newcomers who want to learn golf quickly and develop skills to play their first full rounds.
Welcome to this beginner’s guide to golf! Learning golf as a beginner can seem intimidating at first, but with some basic knowledge of fundamentals, the right equipment, and plenty of practice, you’ll be sinking putts and hitting great shots in no time. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know as a golfing novice to get started. We’ll cover golf lingo, swing techniques, clubs, rules, etiquette, and more. With our tips, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to play your first round of golf. Whether your goal is to join friends at the local course or compete in a tournament one day, this beginner’s guide is designed to help build your golf game from the ground up. So grab your clubs and let’s get started with the basics of how to swing, putt, and play winning golf as a beginner.
Let’s start by quickly going over some golf lingo and basic concepts.
The aim of golf is to complete each hole in the fewest number of strokes (or hits) possible.
This is the most common format of play, where the total number of strokes taken to complete all 18 holes is counted as your final score. The lower the score, the better!
Golf courses typically have 18 holes, and professional courses can be over 7,000 yards long from the back tees! Each hole will have a different “par” number, which is the expected number of strokes needed to sink the ball.
The par number rates the difficulty of each hole. Par 3 holes are shorter, Par 4s are medium length, and Par 5s are longer holes requiring more shots.
You’ll need clubs, balls, tees and optional gear like gloves and ball markers. We’ll go over these in more detail shortly.
A stroke is taken every time you hit the ball with a club. The goal is to minimize strokes per hole.
Your score per hole equals the number of strokes taken. In the end, all stroke totals are added up for your final score.
Now that you know the basics, let’s get into the fundamentals of how to swing and hit the ball properly.
The full golf swing is made up of a series of complex motions. Here are the key steps to practice your beginner swing technique:
How you hold the club is one of the most important fundamentals. Use a neutral/overlapping grip by:
This helps you control the face of the club through impact.
Stand about arm’s length from the ball, legs shoulder-width apart. Place 60-80% of your weight initially on your back foot. Keep your body aligned parallel left of the target line.
Rotate your shoulders and turn your back to the target as you bring the club up vertically. Don’t sway – maintain spine angle and posture!
Shift weight onto your front foot as you drop the club into the slot. Let gravity and the weight shift accelerate club head speed.
Strike the ball with a slight inwards path to put backspin on shots. The clubface should be square to your swing path. Follow through smoothly post impact.
Fully rotate through the shot and balance your weight onto your front leg, holding the finish briefly to check balance and form.
Practice the full swing in segments, focusing on proper setup, backswing transitions, impact positions, and follow-through. It will start coming together naturally with enough quality reps!
As a beginner, you can keep your golf club setup simple starting out:
Longest hitting club off the tee
