Maggie Evans 
It’s simple, get the gear, see a pro, and spend few hours on the driving range! You’ll be hitting it miles in no time! We have helped countless people getting started. We love the game and everything around it. To speak the truth, it might take a while to get good, but it doesn’t take much to start having fun! Still, need convincing?
Why do people play golf?
Because it’s fun! It’s a great sport to network, reduces stress, and helps losing weight!
Around 24 million Americans regularly play golf. It’s is a great hobby you can pick up at any age. Golf is a community, and there are plenty of golf websites where you can learn more about the game, equipment, and technique!
The Basics
I’m sure you’ve seen Tiger Woods celebrating a hole in one on TV or have that uncle with the funny-looking tan marks where the golf shirts end. Do you want to know how to play it?
Here the basics:
- A round of golf consists of 9 or 18 holes
- It takes average golfers around 4 hours to complete 18 holes (and 2 hours to play 9 holes)
- You play against par – every hole has a stroke number which an excellent player should match. That’s called Par
- You are not allowed to pick up your ball unless you’re on the putting green and mark it
- You get penalties for losing balls or hitting them out of bounds (OB)
- Your job is to get the ball in the hole with as few strokes as possible
- HAVE FUN!
Don’t panic if you didn’t understand every word mentioned. Here a glossary with the most common golf terms.
The Equipment
You don’t need much to get started, and it doesn’t need to be expensive. But you’ll need a few things if you seriously consider playing golf.
Clubs
Different golf clubs have different purposes. The loft of a club (angle on the clubface)determines how far your shots will go. Higher lofted clubs are meant to be used around the green when you need to launch the ball height and make it stop quickly after impact. Lower lofted clubs will give you lower ball flight that goes further. They’re great if you are teeing off or have a long way into the green and need to lay up your next shot.
You’ll need only 6 clubs to get started:
Driver
Usually played off the tee (the starting point of any hole). The Driver has the least amount of loft, usually 9-12 degrees, and is designed the get the ball far out the fairway.
It’s also one of the more challenging clubs to hit and will require a lot of practice.
Putter
You’ll use your putter on the green to putt your ball into the hole. A good golfer will get the ball dropping in the cup within 2 strokes, from anywhere on the green.
6, 8 Iron & Pitching Wedge
Designed to play off the fairway or on short holes. Great for hitting your ball into the green! The lofts range from 31-45 degrees.
Sandwedge
Your highest lofted club. They are mainly used to play out of Bunkers or hitting short shots (chips) around the green. Playing around the green is also called the short game.
You can get most of this equipment second-hand. If in doubt, ask a pro to recommend you some.
Balls
You’ll need golf balls, and you might need plenty. Beginners tend to lose them quickly and donate them to the water golf gods by playing them into the lake.
The Practice
Now that you are all set find a driving range and practice your game! I recommend you to get started with a pro right away, so you don’t get into any bad habits.
You don’t need a lot of strength to play decent golf, but you might feel muscles you don’t often use after your first practice sessions. Here are some golf exercises that help you get stronger.
What’s next
Golf is a game you can play long after retirement and a great way to make friends. If you seriously consider playing golf, read this in-depth guide on how to play golf.
