Golf Tips for Beginners: Tee Off with Confidence

You WILL suck at golf as a beginner. Even if you are more experienced, there will be many levels of suck that still occur periodically!

The key for any beginner is to get a decent understanding of the fundamentals and practice!

That means practice at the range, one club at a time, but if you do go out on the course don’t take it too seriously if you aren’t playing well. Just play at a good pace and don't overthink, taking notes on what you need to improve. 

There are many intricacies to learn in golf, and in this article I am giving some golf tips for beginners that are some of what I deemed worthwhile for a starting point without trying to overwhelm you.

What is Golf Course Etiquette?

Despite what social media posts today reflect, where golf carts are driven into ponds and players are damaging greens for the camera after hitting a bad shot, the importance of golf etiquette remains quite high in the golf world.

Key takeaways for golf course etiquette:

• Safety first: Always check your surroundings left and right before swinging on live shots and warm-up swings. This will ensure you don't accidentally hit someone with your club or ball.

• Pace of play: Maintaining an appropriate pace on the golf course is helpful for all of us. If there's no one ahead of you, but a group is constantly waiting behind, either play faster or let them play through. It is okay if you suck, just suck at a faster pace of play. Overthinking is bad for your game and the pace of play.

• Dress code: I know this is becoming more lenient at some places, and I don’t want to sound like an old fuddy duddy, but at least maintain some level of decency (golf pants/shorts, collared shirt) on the course. I am as big a fan of the new style clothing as anybody else, but within reason.

   

What is Golf Course Management?

Something I wish I learned earlier on, but ego tends to get in the way of golf course management. No, you probably cannot hit it through that 3 foot window of trees directly in front of you; just pitch out!

To better manage the course I mostly try to understand the course before and while playing it by knowing where all the trouble is, including fairway bunkers, greenside bunkers, and avoiding water.

Once I have a better understanding of all these factors I make better decisions on which shots to play and really try to play shots I am comfortable with. YES, ego sometimes gets the best of me like all of us and I try to be a hero but, more times than not, it doesn’t end well for me.

The importance of golf course management cannot be overstated, as we all see professional golfers miraculously get themselves out of crazy positions on the golf course.

If your ball is in this position, your first thought should not be getting it to the pin straight ahead

Amateur players would be better off just taking their medicine and not trying to do too much when in challenging positions on the course.

You will help your score in the end.

How to Swing in Golf

I know from experience it feels overwhelming at first to try and hot the golf ball. You can see evidence of this when you see all these professional athletes (like LeBron, etc), who are phenomenal in athletics and coordination, try to swing a golf club. It’s very humbling.

The main areas of focus for you as a beginner should be:

• Grip: Have a firm grip on the club without straining yourself..

• Stance: Feet should generally be shoulder-width apart, allowing for balance during the swing.

• Posture: Must be bent at the hips with a slight knee flex, keeping the back straight and maintaining a comfortable, athletic position.

• Alignment: You must ensure that your feet, shoulders, and hips stay parallel to the target line, improving accuracy and consistency.

Don’t feel overwhelmed though. 

Grip and Club Control

The grip I, and most others use, is the overlapping grip. The baby finger of my right hand (I golf right-handed) is on top of my left hand’s index.. 

There is also the interlocking grip, which I have tried by I felt less power using this style grip, where you put your right hand’s baby finger interlocked with the left’s index. Supposedly this helps those with smaller or weaker hands.

Lastly, there is the ten-finger grip, which is like holding a baseball bat. I don’t recommend using this because it just feels a lot harder to control a golf club with it. 

Ultimately you want to find the one that allows you to comfortably but securely grip the club so you can have a smooth swing plane and keep face angle consistency. 

What is the Correct Posture for a Golf Stance?

The best way that I use to make sure I am in a good golf posture before starting my swing is to stand tall while holding the golf club out in front of me with the butt end of the grip pointing straight at my belt buckle.

Then I bend forward at the waist, flexing my knees a bit (but don’t overdo it), moving the club simultaneously with this bending motion to get the club face behind the ball.

After that, I let my arms hang down naturally, ensuring they are not reaching for the golf ball and not hitting my leg on the takeaway of my swing.

I use this tip to check and see if I am in a good posture and set an optimal distance away from the ball, not too close or too far away.

With the club face aligned naturally and the club gripped firmly in my non-dominant hand (hand with my golf glove on), I use my dominant hand to make a Hawaiian style “hang loose” sign with my pinky and thumb fully extended.

Then I place the tip of my thumb touching my belt buckle area, and the end of the pinky finger should be roughly touching the butt end of the golf grip.

When they are in this position, I have found this trick to be an accurate measure of proper distance setup away from the ball.

When they are in this position, I have found this trick to be an accurate measure of proper distance setup away from the ball.

What is a Pre-Shot Routine?

A pre-shot routine helps me focus and be consistent.

My routine includes:

1. Visualize: I imagine the ideal trajectory and landing spot for the shot.

2. Practice Swings: I take a few swings to feel the rhythm and speed necessary for the shot.

3. Align: I set up my stance and ALIGN myself with the target, ensuring proper alignment.

One tip is to pick out something in the grass a few feet in front of your ball (a mark in the grass or anything clearly visible) that aligns with where you want the ball to fly over in its flight path and line up accordingly.

Execute: Finally, feeling confident and prepared, execute the swing.

Make sure you are not overly stiff when going through your swing motions, as often beginner golfers think there are so many steps to remember that they tense up while putting the swing into execution, causing a variety of issues that can hurt your ability to have a smooth tempo.

Improving Swing Speed

Increasing swing speed is one way to add distance to your shots.

To achieve this, focus on the following aspects:

• Takeaway: While initiating the swing, keep your arms extended and rotate your shoulders away from the target. This helps build up tension and energy in the backswing.

• Tempo: A smooth, rhythmic swing helps maintain consistent speed and timing, so practice swinging at a comfortable pace without rushing and feel that nice flow.

• Swing Arc: To optimize the swing arc, maintain a consistent spine angle from address to impact, generating more power during the downswing.

These are some of the basic considerations but you can find more here in this article on how to increase swing speed.

What are ways to Practice Golf?

As a beginner in golf, it's wise to work on your practice techniques to improve your skills on the course.

One technique I've adopted focuses on the basics, such as stance, setup, and posture.

Refining these continues to enhance my overall swing and help me consistently hit the ball.

During practice, I'll make sure to spend adequate time at the driving range and ensure that all my clubs generally get a fair amount of golf ball shit between them.

Repetition and consistency are key to improving my long and short games. Besides, hitting the ball with more consistent impact is certainly fun, and it is satisfying to see the incremental improvement.

Practicing on the range and using a practice facility for your short game is very helpful in building a consistent swing for the various situations that arise in golf.

That said, getting out and playing rounds on different courses is also good, forcing you to add the course management aspect to your game.

This also allows you to apply the techniques learned during practice sessions in real-game scenarios and understand what needs to be worked on further.

Just remember, the pace of play!

What are some useful putting techniques for beginners?

Beginners in golf should focus on a few fundamental putting techniques.

First, establish a consistent grip and setup that promotes a square clubface at impact.

Pay attention to the ball's position in your stance, as this can influence the direction and roll of your putt.

Lastly, practice reading greens and judging distances to improve your overall accuracy.

What are common mistakes to avoid in golf for beginners?

Common mistakes beginners should avoid include:

• Overswinging: Trying to hit the ball too hard, leading to poor control and accuracy.

• Poor club selection: Not choosing the right club for the shot.

• Inconsistent setup: Changing your stance, grip, or ball position constantly.

• Lack of course strategy: Not planning and thinking about your shots before executing them.

Should you warm-up before golfing?

You don’t want to get injured and you want to get the best out of your swing. Don’t have an ego, it’s okay to stretch before golfing and not feel bad about it. 

Some of the exercise you want to do is just some simple (or dynamic) stretching, a bit of cardio to get the heart rate going, and for sure practice swings (if you don’t have a range where you play you can still get the movement and feel of your main clubs beforehand. 

I know I spend 15-25 minutes warming up before a round, and usually hit a few balls with each of my clubs starting with the wedges and working my way up to the driver. It feels much more aligned after doing this.

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