Starting out in golf can seem a little daunting but it needn't be

How to get started out in golf by Alex Nicolson, PGA Coach

Although many of our golfers are established single figure experts who sussed out the swing years ago, we meet an increasing number of people who are novices to the game. To the un-anointed, golf can seem like a fairly bewildering affair. The rules, the etiquette, the obsession with learning the game by studying photographs and the repeated claim that golf is an athletic sport. “There seem to be too many man breasts for this to be the case, surely?” I was once questioned.

Anyway, the purpose of this article is to give some advice to the easiest person to coach in golf – the beginner (or “blank canvas” as they are often referred to by coaches). If that person is you or you have a friend who was thinking about starting out, read on. Here are my top do’s and don’ts for starting out in golf:

Do

…take a lesson early on. If you are unsure, take a taster lesson first before committing to a course. You need to feel comfortable about two things. 1) Your coach is good (get a word of mouth recommendation if possible and 2) (S)he seems to have a rapport with you.  If you start the game on your own, the chances are you will ingrain bad habits and delay improvement. Go to the www.pga.info web site to find a PGA qualified coach near you.

…learn the fundamentals. If you want fast track improvement, make sure you learn a good grip and how to stand to the ball correctly.  It may seem a little contrived at first but I assure you the effort will pay off.

…learn clubhead awareness. Put simply, this means understanding what the club needs to do to the ball in order to hit a good shot. Sometimes beginners spend too much time worrying about what their swing looks like when all the ball cares about is what the club does at impact.

…ingrain good habits. As with most things in life, it is the little things we do often that yield the biggest results.  A good aim after a first group of lessons is to develop a sound, simple routine binding together what you have learnt. The sooner you have a routine, the sooner the “checklist” becomes as natural as brushing your teeth.

…have fun.  Your coach, your playing partners, your games…all of these should be fun. Balance the discipline required to be consistent with the acceptance that it is just a game. A fantastic one at that, which is social, gets you walking in the fresh air, and regularly serves up both victories and defeats.

Don’t

…rush out and buy lots of gear. It breaks my heart to see people do that and it is more often than not, money wasted.  You can borrow or hire a 7 iron for your first couple of lessons and only when you’re sure you want to carry on, get a few clubs that have been fitted to you. A 7, pitching wedge, putter and a 7 wood would be a good start. Trainers can be changed for some golf shoes after a few weeks but are rarely necessary straight away.

…think you are going to improve every time you go out.  All existing golfers will agree that golf is a game of patience. Improvement requires a lot of it because there will be some days it clicks and other days it feels very difficult. Good coaching minimises the frustration. My tip would be to try to control your state as much as you can. When it starts going wrong, stop, take a deep breath, shake out the tension and then carry on.

…take tips from well meaning friends and family. Unless they are a coach! Golfers have a habit of trying to impart multiple tips that worked for them and you end up with too much information buzzing around your head, and playing worse. Good golf requires simple, well directed thoughts.

…be frightened to muck around.   Kids that take the game up early have a wonderful advantage. They genuinely “play” at the game with no fear and play with instinct.  As an adult learning the game, whilst it is essential to ingrain good fundamentals I would highly recommend also spending some time on the range or around the green trying some silly shots. Learn to bounce a ball on your wedge. Have a go at hitting a chip with one hand or standing on one leg. Why not? It’s great for co-ordination and shows you that the technique doesn’t have to be conforming to hit a great shot. 

And what next?

This is just the start. If you learn the basics first and can get the ball moving forward in the air and have had an introduction to putting and chipping then it’s time to test it out on the course.  Feel free to email us for advice by clicking here.

Alex Nicolson, PGA Coach

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