A rundown of Golf Essentials For Beginners
So you want to learn the golf essentibaals for beginners, but are unsure as to where to start.
Golf can often be an intimidating sport with a lot of necessities, making it difficult for many novices to know where to begin. [no_toc]
Luckily, we’re here to tell you that, despite what others might have you believe, golf is an easy sport to pick up once you have all the essentials down.
Whether you take golf lessons or not, when you have all the equipment you need, it’s just a matter of playing and practicing to get better over time.
Before heading to the golf course, you’re going to need the following:
- Clubs
- Clubheads or Irons Set
- Grips
- Golf Balls and Golf Tees
- Ball Markers
- Golf Bag
- Push Cart
- Proper Golf Shoes and Golf Attire
- Pencil and Notebook/Scorecard
- A Practice Plan and Some Patience.
- Sun Protection
- A Small first aid kit
- Cold Water
To give you a good idea of why these items are essential, read on below to know what makes these particular things essential for beginners in golf.
Golf Essentials for Beginners:
Let's get started on the golf essentials for beginners!
Golf Clubs
Golf Clubs are probably the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about golfing equipment, you can’t play golf without having the clubs needed to hit the golf ball.
Golf clubs come in many different shapes and sizes, each with a specific purpose it’s meant to carry out.
For example, drivers are meant to hit golf balls off the tee, and irons are typically used to hit the ball onto the green.
The 6 main types of clubs:
- Drivers
- Hybrids
- Fairway Woods
- Irons
- Putters
- Wedges (pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge)
As a beginner, you can actually get very far in your practicing by just having these specific types of clubs in your golf bag and adding more as you go along:
- Driver
- 3-wood
- 5 Iron or 5 Hybrid
- 7 Iron or 7 Hybrid
- 9 Iron or 9 Hybrid
- A Pitching Wedge
- Putter
There are many more types of clubs (as many as 14 clubs as mandated by The United States Golf Association) but for now, you should focus on getting these 7.
When starting out, you should be more concerned with improving your swing rather than having a complete set of clubs.
You can add more clubs, later on, to fill in the gaps of distance once you feel your swing has sufficiently improved.
Clubheads or Irons Set
Although technically part of the Clubs category above, the irons of your clubs deserve a mention of their own.
In actuality, a lot of your ability to actually hit the golf ball depends on the type of clubhead you have.
- Some are designed to be very forgiving, meaning that they can still launch a ball at long distances even if you didn’t manage to hit it at the center of the clubface.
- Others are made for professionals, focusing more on weight and design to give an experienced golfer the most bang for his or her buck.
As a novice, stay away from clubheads that are marketed as “players clubs” or “tour models'' (such as the Titleist T100 Irons (pictured above) as these are obviously for the more seasoned golfers.
Though if you want to start your practices in hard mode, that’s entirely up to you.
Grips
Not to be confused with how you hold your golf clubs, the grip of your clubs really depends on your personal preference and what’s most comfortable for you.
If you have large hands, it might be ideal to work with a thicker grip. The grip of the clubs might also vary depending on whether or not you decide to wear golf gloves.
At the end of the day, all that matters is that the grip allows you to easily control the golf club throughout the swing.
Golf Balls and Tees
While some courses have golf clubs and golf bags for you to rent, you absolutely have to buy your own golf balls.
As a beginner, it’s very likely that you’re going to go through a lot of them so don’t worry about getting the most expensive ones at the store.
The same also applies to the golf tees.
The cheap plastic ones will work just fine and they’ll probably last longer – seeing as you’re probably going to be hitting them more than the ball in the beginning.
Golf Markers
In the game of golf, the person who is farthest away from the hole always gets to go first. This means you need to make sure your ball does not get in the way of their putt.
This is where golf markers come in, they are used to mark the position of your ball on the green when other people are putting.
Luckily, many clubs give them away for free so be sure to have at least a couple in your pocket.w
If you decide to be an individual and get your own, be sure to get the distinctly colored ones so that it’s easy to find and collect after.
Otherwise, you might be fined for littering!
Golf Bag
Carrying 7 clubs, golf balls, golf tees, ball markers, and personal belongings around an expansive golf course might prove difficult without a golf bag.
Golf bags lets you keep most of your golfing equipment in one easy-to-access place.
What’s important is that your golf bag is made of strong durable material but not too heavy as to be impossible to move around.
If you think you’ll be riding a golf cart for most of the game, then simply get a cart bag instead.
Push Cart
Even the lightest quality golf bags on the market might be too backbreaking to carry around.
To spare yourself the long hours of dragging a heavy golf bag around, and delaying the flow of your game, you might want to invest in a pushcart that lets you wheel your equipment around easily.
There’s a notable difference between push and pull carts though.
We recommend push carts with three wheels more because pull carts tend to tax your right shoulder and lower back too much.
Proper Golf Shoes and Golf Attire
Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, you’re gonna need some quality golf shoes.
- Golf shoes provide the right amount of traction that’s needed to traverse the sloping, uneven terrain of a golf course.
- Regular shoes might make you prone to slipping or prevent you from achieving the right posture to swing efficiently.
As for the right golfing attire, most clubs impose a strict dress code that golfers need to abide by.
Though this might vary depending on where you are, the usually approved golfing attire for men and women is as follows:
-
Woman's essentials
Men's Golf Essentials
- Long Pants With Belt Loops
- Dress Shorts
- Collared Golf Shirts
- Rain Coat/Jacket
- Men's Belt
Pencil and Notebook/Scorecard
Let’s not forget that golf is still a game and most people play it to win.
When you’re practicing, keep a pencil and notebook to keep track of your personal score and work on improving your game from there.
When playing with others, a scorecard is usually provided by the club for free.
A Practice Plan and Some Patience.
The very technical nature of golf means there’s no way around getting better at it except through good old fashion practice.
The swing is everything in golf and there are different swings for different situations.
You don’t want to be giving a swing with 100% force when the hole is only a few meters away, right?
Take some time to hit the driving range and putting green to work on your weaknesses.
With a large majority of shots by amateur and pro golfers being taken within 100 yards of the green, it’s a good idea to start your practices by hitting chip shots and putts.
Once you have that down you can start practicing your driving range and working on your full swing.
And it goes without saying that golf is a very time-consuming sport. Bring as much patience with you as you can and then some.
It can be hard enough to try to get a small ball into a small how that’s hundreds of feet away but you also have to contend with the elements like wind and rain while you’re at it.
Committing to regular practice and being patient with yourself, especially in the beginning, is really the only way to get better.
In conclusion…
And that was the list of golf essentials for beginners.
There are many brands, with competing price ranges, selling these things so finding the right one for you should not be too hard a task.
A word of advice though, golf is not about the most expensive-looking golf gear or the most fancy-looking attire.
Do not let the equipment, essential as they are, distract you from getting the one thing that’ll make you a true golfer – skill.
Once you have all the equipment gathered and ready, all that’s left is to actually play golf and work on acquiring the skills that make you better at it with every round.
If you focus more on perfecting your swing than on having a complete set of golf clubs, then you’re already miles ahead of most beginners!
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the basic clubs needed for a beginner?
As a novice, you don't need a full set of 14 clubs. A driver, a putter, an iron set (usually 6-9 irons), and a couple of wedges should suffice. - How do I choose the right golf ball?
For beginners, a two-piece golf ball with a soft cover is often recommended. These balls offer more distance and are less expensive. Check out my article on choosing the right golf ball for more info! - Is a golf glove necessary?
While not mandatory, a golf glove can provide a better grip and reduce the chance of blisters. Most players wear one glove on their non-dominant hand. - What should I wear on the golf course?
Collared shirts and slacks or golf shorts are the standard attire. Some courses also have specific dress codes, so it's best to check in advance. - How do I practice my swing?
Start by mastering the basics at a driving range before moving on to the golf course. Many beginners also find it helpful to take a few lessons from a professional. - What's the importance of golf etiquette?
Understanding and following golf etiquette, such as not talking during someone's swing and repairing divots, is crucial for a smooth game. Learn more about golf etiquette on my article here. - How do I keep score?
Each hole on a golf course has a designated number of strokes, known as "par," that serves as a standard for scoring. The aim is to complete each hole in as few strokes as possible. - What are some common golf terms I should know?
Terms like "birdie," "bogey," and "eagle" are commonly used to describe scores relative to par. Familiarize yourself with these and other golf terms to better understand the game. - Do I need a golf bag?
A golf bag is essential for carrying your clubs, balls, and other accessories. There are various types, including stand bags and cart bags, each with its own set of features. - Is it better to walk or use a golf cart?
Walking provides exercise and a better feel for the course, but a golf cart can speed up play and reduce fatigue. The choice often depends on your personal preference and the course's layout.