Golf Essentials Every Beginner Should Know
To the uninitiated, golf can be a very complicated game. From the many rules to the different types of clubs and the jargon, getting to figure out the game, and enjoying it can take a bit of research and time. That should not scare you if you are a prospective golfer.
This online guide provides the essentials every golfer will need to ward through all the uncertainties of the game. How do you pick the right golf club? What are the different types of stokes? When are you ready for your first golf course? These are some of the main questions that golf experts have answered in this guide. Of course, the first thing you will need is the interest in the game, but the fact that you are here means that you are ready to learn.
All About Clubs
Whatever the sport, getting the right equipment is usually the first step to mastering the game. The same is valid for golf. For starters, you need not worry about raining your bank account to get the best club in the market. You need to focus on keeping the expenses on the minimum while getting the most out of your club. After you have your skills on the next level, you will then consider going for the high-end clubs for professionals. So, what do you need to know about golf clubs as a beginner?
You only need a few
As mentioned before, it is okay to start small. While you are allowed to have up to 14 clubs, your first learning will not need as many. Instead, get a putter, a driver, a sand wedge, a pitching wedge, an 8-iron, a 6-iron, and a hybrid or a fairway with 18 to 21 degrees of loft. These are ideal for newbies since they are easy to get airborne and are pretty forgiving.
Try before you buy
For your fist club handling experience, you should try them out before buying. You want to be sure that you are comfortable with either the 6-iron with a stiff-flex shaft or one with a regular flex shaft. The tip is, get the shaft with the label “S” for faster and more aggressive swings. After determining the type of shaft that is workable for you, you will have made the first vital decision for selecting all your clubs. After that, when your skills grow, you will be able to use clubfitting to get the most out of your clubs.
Go for more loft
Why is it advisable to go for more loft? Woods with more loft are ideal for getting the ball in the air and for reducing side spins. As such, your shots will be straighter than would otherwise be the case. Drivers with lofts of no less than 10 degrees and fairway woods of at least 17 degrees of loft qualify as more loft. You would only consider lesser loft if you have experience with sports such as baseball, hockey, softball, and tennis.
There are clubs for beginners
You will want clubs that are easy to hit, given your level of experience in the game. For this reason, you will be better off with hybrids other than the 3- to 5-irons. Besides, irons with wider bottoms are best for launching high-trajectory shots and prevent clubs from ticking on the ground when your shot is way behind the ball. As a rule of thumb, you should only consider irons that measure at least two fingers in with at the bottom (sole).
The right number of balls
The amount of money you spend on balls, and therefore, the type of balls you buy should be guided by the number you lose per round. For instance, start with balls that cost less than $20 per dozen if you have never played before. When you lose about 3 to 5 balls a round, go for those that cost less than $30 a dozen. Ideally, you don’t want to buy the expensive balls if you are losing many in a single round.
Learn How to Play
After taking care of the essential equipment for playing golf, the next thing is to learn how to play. This is arguably the hardest part. Interest may not be enough. You need to do a complete soul-searching to know precisely why you want to learn to play golf. How fast do you want to learn it? Will you be playing professionally for pay or social reasons? The point is, you need to decide what you want out of the game before coming up with a plan.
Take lessons immediately
Lessons are a must for every beginner. You want to get as much information about golf as you can. What is right and what is not. Terminologies, rules, and answers to the many questions you probably have. Research can go a long way in getting you started with the sport, and if you can get a professional golfer, then you will be making even more significant strides.
Find the right tutor
Among the first things to consider when you want to learn how to play golf is to find the right teacher. There are lessons online, but if the teacher is not patient to newbies, it will be hard for you to grasp the fundamental concepts of the game. With an experienced teacher, you will be able to learn tricks of the game and the best route to follow to hone your skills as you progress.
Conclusion
The learning curves are different for different people. You may take some time to learn the basics, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you will not be good at golf. You should be ready to be willing to put in both time and money to learn and become the best you can be in golf. And when you are unsure, take a pause and go back to the basics. It is easy to overthink stuff, but you should always aim at keeping your head straight. So, get your clubs and balls and start taking those strikes.