Golf Blog: To Begin at the Beginning

If you’ve come this far the odds are you’re already a golf enthusiast...

But there is a chance you might not be. Or perhaps you know someone who wants to get started, who has always thought about playing, who has a sad set of clubs gathering dust under the stairs…

As a high handicap golfer, this is a post for those of you who are just getting started or still spend many a long, tedious rounds hacking around courses all over the country.

Having endured the ups and downs, the bunkers and the water, the woods and the woe, I have come up with some beginners tips for my work experience golf blog:

Learn to hit the darn thing: One of the most painful things about golf is how unforgiving it is to beginners, simply hitting a golf ball can be a daunting step for a new player. Find a local golf range, bring a friend who can help and get practicing.

Professional Lessons: We can’t all be like Bubba Watson with his two Masters victories in spite of never having had a lesson. For us mere mortals a bit of professional coaching is key.

Just one or two hours with a PGA professional will help you overcome problems with your swing. This frankly goes for all levels of ability, a little refresher lesson goes a long way to fixing your ‘unique’ putting technique.

Social Golf: Finding the right playing partner/s makes a huge difference. A partner who makes the game fun to play will make those moments where you plunge your drive straight into the water slightly less depressing.

If, like myself, you are a student your university golf club can offer a handy way to find new players, from beginner to semi pro.

Counting the cost: Golf can often seem an incredibly expensive way to get monumentally frustrated. There are some cost cutting measures however.

Before getting your own clubs a borrowed or second hand set can serve, most golf courses offer discounted ‘twilight’ golfing and websites such as greenfree.com can offer budget deals.

 Going clubbing: Choosing your first set of clubs is an imposing financial investment so you ought to be sure about your game before considering it. You don’t want to be the guy with ‘all the gear and no idea’. A professional club fitting is key to getting the best results and new technology can benefit players of all abilities.

Enjoying the game: There comes a point for every golfer where they lament to themselves, ‘Oh why do I even bother?’ Overcoming your shortcomings at golf ultimately stems from finding joy in the game.

An entertaining group of players and a beautiful course can distract you from that duff shot and improve your overall round. Try games such as alternate shot foursomes for fun, competitive rounds.

None of us will realistically emulate what we see at Augusta, but even us high handicappers can make the game our own. So I urge you this Summer to get the clubs out again or better still introduce a friend to this brilliant game.