How To Get Started Golfing

To learn how to swing the club and control where the ball goes, you really need to take lessons from a professional at a golf course or driving range. Although group instruction is available, private lessons are the most effective way to learn.

Once you’ve mastered the basics, the best way to learn the sport is to spend time on the practice range and the course. On the practice range, you’ll work on the mechanics of the swing. When you hit the course, you’ll be exposed to everything else, like the rules, etiquette and actual course conditions.

To avoid clogging the course or hitting other people, consider golfing in the middle of the week or on a weekend afternoon. If you don’t own your own clubs, you can usually rent them at the course.

Three beginners’ mistakes to avoid, from Paige Phillips, a golf professional at LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, Florida:

1. Don’t go it alone. “Don’t try to learn on your own, or you’ll develop bad habits,” says Phillips. A set of six half-hour lessons costs about $150.
2. Don’t use just any old clubs. “Beginners often use their spouse’s or father’s old golf clubs,” she says. But hand-me-downs that are too heavy, too big or too old make learning the sport twice as hard. “If you want to make sure you like the sport before making a large financial commitment to a set of clubs,” suggests Phillips, “sign up for a series of lessons. The instructor will provide you with the right equipment.”
3. Don’t mistake the golf ball for a piñata. “Beginners often try to hit the golf ball by swinging with their arms instead of their whole bodies,” Phillips says. “Your arms and the rest of your body should work together as a unit, similar to the way baseball players use their entire bodies to swing the bat.”