Get Into Golf Beginner's Guide

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GOLF

England Golf have put together everything you need to know from the basics of what to wear and include in a golf bag, setting up your swing to learning the lingo and top tips to improve your game.

What to wear

CLOTHING

Wear comfortable clothing, thin layers are ideal, you can add or remove layers depending on the weather.

FOOTWEAR

Flat soled shoes like trainers are ideal and if you decide to take up golf, consider buying a pair of golf shoes. Good shoes will breathe, repel water and give you comfort on the course.

WATERPROOFS

Golf is played in all weathers so waterproofs are also very useful to wear in the wind and cold, they can be used for other activities and not just golf – so a worthy investment!

What’s in the bag?

You don’t need to buy a full set of clubs to begin with. Here are FOUR key clubs that will get you round the golf course when you first start.

THE WOODS

These are the longest clubs in the bag and designed to hit the ball the furthest. The woods are made up of:

DRIVER – this is the longest club in the bag and used at the start of a hole such as a par 4 or par 5 to hit the golf ball a long way down the fairway.

FAIRWAY WOODS – these can be a 3 wood, 5 wood, 7 wood or rescue and are designed to hit the golf ball from the fairway to the green over longer distances.

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IRONS

These start generally from a 3 iron and go up to a 9 iron. The lower the number on the iron the longer the shaft and ability to create more speed to hit the ball further. The higher number irons have more tilt/loft and are designed to hit the ball higher in the air, but for a shorter distance.

WEDGES

These clubs are used when the golf ball hasn’t quite made it to the green. These are shorter clubs with a lot of loft and won’t go as far as the irons. These clubs are designed for shorter shots higher in the air to maybe get over a bank or bunker and to get the ball to stop quickly on the green.

PUTTER

This is a flat faced club designed to roll the golf ball along the green and into the hole.

TEE

A tee is used only on the tee box so is only used for the first shot on each hole. Use a longer tee if you are hitting a longer club (driver or wood) and a shorter tee if you are hitting a shorter club (iron).

BALL MARKER

Placed behind the golf ball when on the green. Used if your ball needs to be cleaned or if your ball is in the way of someone else’s ball obstructing their putt.

PITCH MARKER REPAIRER

Used to repair any indentations (pitch marks) that your ball makes when it lands on the green. This helps keep the greens nice and flat for everyone to putt on.

PENCIL AND SCORECARD

Used for keeping score when playing a round of golf.

GLOVE

Helps to grip better onto the club. Used on top hand when gripping onto the club.

Scan this code to watch a video about golf clubs and golfing equipment.

Pathway into golf

As a beginner golfer, it is useful to understand the pathway and options available from having an initial taster session through to becoming a club member.

Below is a proposed pathway of steps that a golf club may provide to support new golfers

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BEGINNER SESSIONS/COURSES

Learn the basics of the game.

GETTING OUT ON THE COURSE

Take beginners on to the course and introduce them to others of the same level.

START PLAYING WITH FRIENDS

Give beginners access to the course by letting them pay to play a few holes so that they get the feeling of the game and enjoy being out on the course with their friends.

FURTHER LESSONS FROM A PGA PROFESSIONAL

To help improve and enjoy the game.

JOIN THE CLUB

Introductory membership, get involved with the club, meet like minded people to play with.

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GET A HANDICAP

Encourage members to support and engage with new players so that they may obtain a handicap.

iGOLF A golfer can also obtain a Handicap Index® through iGolf. This subscription service from England Golf is open to all non-club members and provides a way to track your progress.

SCAN for more information about iGolf

ACTIVE MEMBER

Playing regularly with the golf section, through a variety of social and competitive opportunities.

Scan to search for clubs that offer beginner’s sessions in your area.

Benefits of golf

Golf is just what the doctor ordered - friendship, fresh air and exercise, golf has it all

KEEPS YOU ACTIVE

You can walk between four and five miles per round, burning up to 2,000 calories and achieve the 150 minutes of exercise a week recommended by the NHS.

GAME FOR ALL

With its winning combination of exercise and social interactiongolf is the perfect game from age 8 to 80. The unique handicap system means everybody can play together, either socially or competitively.

REDUCE STRESS LEVELS

Outdoor exercise in a green space can help reduce stress levels, enhance mood and even improve your self-esteem.

CONNECTS YOU WITH PEOPLE

Golf is a social sport and can help build strong connections. With plenty of time for conversation and fun, golf is the perfect way to make new friends or grow closer bonds with people you already know.

SETTING UP YOUR SWING

THE FOUR THINGS TO CHECK BEFORE YOU SWING

GA S P

= GRIP = AIM = STANCE = POSTURE

SETTING UP YOUR SWING

Grip

This is a term used to explain how the golfer holds a club.

Remember: FLAG HAND

HIGH

for a great grip.

Pictures based on a right-handed player. Scan the QR code to take you to the video.

2 3 Place

1

SETTING UP YOUR SWING

Aim

Aim refers to the correct positioning to aim your ball at the target.

Remember:

PERFECT THE PARALLEL

Create two parallel lines like a railway track.

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1

Aim your clubface towards the target.

2

Take your stance ensuring your feet are aiming parallel to the target line. This creates two parallel lines like a railway track between your clubface and your feet.

SETTING UP YOUR SWING

Stance

Stance describes how far apart or close together the feet are.

Remember:

DO THE TWO STEP

In sport footwork is key. In golf we like to do the two step.

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Place your feet opposite the ball with the ball in the middle of your feet.

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Take a medium step towards the target with your front foot. Take a medium step away from the target with your back foot.

With your feet shoulder width apart and the ball in the middle of your feet you can draw a triangle between your feet and the ball.

SETTING UP YOUR SWING

Posture

Posture describes how to position and tilt your body in the right way.

Remember:

BELT BUCKLE TO THE BALL

for a powerful posture.

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Stand nice and tall with the club at waist height.

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Tilt forward from your hips as if you are peering over a balcony ensuring your belt buckle points down towards the ball.

Soften your knees to allow the clubhead to rest on the ground behind the ball.

Top tips to improve your golf

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced golf club member, there is always room to improve your game and shave a few shots from your handicap.

We’ve spoken to our England Golf performance coaches and PGA Professionals across England to ask them for the best tips for improving your golf.

GOLF TIPS FOR DRIVING

Find out how to hit better and longer drives by making small changes to your tee height, body position and swing.

GOLF TIPS FOR STRIKING THE BALL

Find out how focusing on your body position and your weight transfer can help you strike the ball cleaner off the fairway.

GOLF TIPS FOR CHIPPING

Find out more about how changes to body position, ball position and swing movement can impact your chipping accuracy.

GOLF TIPS FOR FIXING A SLICE

Find out how small changes to your grip, swing path and alignment can help you hit more fairways.

Learn the lingo

Many sports have their own vocabulary and golf is no exception. We have put together the most commonly used golf phrases, so you can be completely prepared the next time you hit the green.

HOLE SCORING

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AREAS ON THE COURSE

TEE BOX

The starting point for a hole.

PENALTY AREA

ROUGH

Taller grass that lines the fairway.

Any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other marked area on the course (doesn’t have to contain water) – defined by yellow or red stakes or lines.

PAR The allocated number of strokes (shots) given to each hole and to the full round. Holes on the golf course consist of a mixture of Par 3’s, Par 4’s and Par 5’s. This indicates the number of shots it should take to complete the hole.

BIRDIE Scoring one under par on a hole.

EAGLE Scoring two under par on a hole.

ALBATROSS Scoring three under par on a hole.

BOGEY Scoring one over par on a hole.

FAIRWAY

The well mown grass from tee to green.

OUT OF BOUNDS

ONE

HOLE IN When the player gets their ball in the hole from the tee shot.

‘The lower the score the bigger the bird!’

When your ball goes over a boundary of the course. These are often defined by white stakes or lines.

GREEN

The putting surface on a hole.

Learn the lingo

TYPES OF SHOTS

AIR SHOT When you try to hit the ball and miss.

DRAW A shot which curves gently from right to left and finishes at the intended target when played by a right-handed player. It’s the opposite for left-handers.

FADE A shot which curves gently from left to right and finishes on the intended target, when played by a right-handed player. It’s the opposite for left-handers.

HOOK A shot which curves sharply right to left and finishes to the left of the intended target, when played by a right-handed player. It’s the opposite for left-handers.

SLICE A shot which curves sharply left to right and finishes right of the intended target when played by a right-handed player. It’s the opposite for left-handers.

OTHER TERMS

FORE If you think your ball is about to hit someone you shout “Fore”. Shouting “Fore left” or “Fore right” is a way of saying “watch out!”

SCORE

GROSS Total number of strokes, including penalty strokes, that a player takes during a round or on a hole.

HANDICAP

An allowance of shots allocated to each player based on their ability.

The value that is calculated from scores submitted. This is how a player tracks their progress and is consistent with how all golfers will be measured around the world.

Score acceptable for Handicap purposesmust be played over a measured and rated tee set following the rules of golf in an acceptable format of play, with the score being witnessed and attested.

LOST BALL When you can’t find your ball within three minutes of starting to look for it.

MARKER/ Someone appointed to record your score.

NET SCORE Is a calculation of the gross score minus the handicap strokes of the golfer.

PROVISIONAL Another ball that is played when you think your ball might have gone out of bounds or might be lost. This needs to be played from the same spot you last played the ball from.

READY GOLF Is a commonly used term which indicates that players should play when they are ready and it is safe to do so.

Competition formats

You can play golf in so many different types of formats, the most common include:

FOURSOMES* Golfers play in pairs and take alternate shots to complete the hole. One player will commence play from odd numbered holes and the other will commence from even numbered holes.

GREENSOMES* Similar to foursomes except both players tee off at each hole before choosing which ball to play. For the rest of the hole they take alternate shots.

MATCH PLAY* Head-to-head golf. Each hole is treated as a separate competition and players can either win, halve or lose a hole. The winner is determined by the number of holes won.

MEDAL OR

STROKE PLAY

Each shot is counted and added up at the end of the round. If it’s a handicap competition the golfer plays using their playing handicap.

STABLEFORD

A point-scoring system depending on the shots taken on each hole. This is a very popular format because one or two bad holes do not rule out a good overall score.

TEXAS

SCRAMBLE*

Texas Scramble is a popular team format in golf. Each player in a group tees off. The best of these shots is then chosen to be used for the next shot. Each member of the team hits their shot from that spot. This continues until you finish the hole.

*Formats of play indicated are not acceptable for handicap purposes.

Etiquette, Rules and Handicapping

Etiquette is a mixture of common sense, courtesy and means showing consideration to other golfers and the course.

As a beginner, you can expect to make mistakes –that’s how we learn! An example of good etiquette as a beginner golfer would be, letting the group in front of you be out of sight and no longer in range to be hit by a shot before taking your shot.

Remember that other beginners will make mistakes too – so treat them with the same understanding you would hope to receive yourself.

REMEMBER

There are many rules of the game but the basic principle is simple: play the ball as it lies and play the course as you find it.

BASIC RULES VIDEOS

Test your knowledge on the rules of golf by watching these four short videos with different scenarios on the course.

THE R&A RULES SKOOL

Have a look at the R&A Rules Skool videos aimed at junior golfers wanting to learn more about the Rules of Golf.

HANDICAPPING

A handicap is a system used in golf to allow golfers of all abilities to compete on a fair and equal basis. In 2020 England Golf adopted the World Handicap System™ (WHS).

There are two ways a golfer can obtain a Handicap Index® under the WHS™. Either as a member of a golf club affiliated to England Golf or by joining iGolf, a subscription service open to non-club members.

Scan for Handicapping and/or Course Rating™ info.

Scan for iGolf info.

The Rules of Golf have developed over more than 250 years and are written and revised by the game’s governing bodies, The R&A and the United States Golf Association.

Scan this QR code to download the FREE R&A APP:

RULES OF GOLF APP FOR APPLE DEVICES

Everyone welcome

We want everyone to love the game of golf. Beginner activities are accessible and open to all.

To hear from existing golfers with a disability, check out the videos on our YouTube channel. Scan the code for further information.

Scan this QR code to download the FREE R&A APP:

RULES OF GOLF APP FOR ANDROID DEVICES

R&A GUIDE TO THE RULES OF GOLF

The R&A has released a new ‘Quick Guide to the Rules of Golf’ video to help beginner golfers become familiar with the basics of the rules.

Who to speak to at the club

As a new golfer, making the transition from the driving range to the golf course can be difficult but generally clubs offer support by providing mentors or ‘buddies’ to help you get settled. This person may be an existing member who may also volunteer at the club to support and assist with new golfers and/or members.

Go along to sessions that the club has arranged for ‘new members’, these are usually fun, social occasions to make new members feel at ease and can link you with a ‘point of contact’ in the club. This person can help you with any queries as you’re getting started.

It is also worth noting other key points of contact at the club you may come across when you first start learning. Details of these roles can be found on the next page.

Club contacts

The Secretary/ Club Manager

The Secretary/Club Manager is normally a paid member of staff who is responsible for the day to day running of the golf club. If you have any general queries then this person is always a good starting point.

The PGA Professional usually runs the golf shop and delivers coaching. They may also represent the club in competitions and offer golfing advice to members on rules and competitions etc.

We’re so happy you’ve started your get into golf journey. Why not share it with us on our social channels and don’t forget to visit our webpage.

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Club Welfare Officer

First point of contact for any welfare issues or safeguarding concerns – these could be about yourself or anyone else at the club. The Club Welfare Officer has an enhanced DBS (police records) check and is trained to deliver their role.

PGA Professional