6 Tips for a First-Time Golfer

The biggest mistake anyone who wants to learn the game of golf can make is to avoid taking up the sport because of concerns about being a ‘first-time golfer’. Everyone on every golf course was a first-time golfer at some point.

Maybe you’re really interested in learning the game, or it would be a good career move, or you want to share yet another activity with your partner, family or friends. But whatever the reason, you owe it to yourself to learn the game properly and start to enjoy all the fun, healthy activity and companionship that golf has to offer.

To help you get into the swing of things (forgive us for that one!), here are a few tips to remember when you’re just starting out in golf.

1.Don’t Buy New Clubs Right Away

From the moment you start to golf, your game will constantly improve as long as you play regularly. Golf clubs can be a big investment. Good quality clubs are designed to help experienced golfers make better and/or more consistent shots. But their benefits will not help a first-time golfer learn to play any faster or better. And you have no way of knowing which are the best clubs for you until you learn more about the game and your style of play.

Instead, borrow a set of clubs or buy a used set to learn with. Then wait until you know more about the game and how you play it before investing in a new set of clubs.

2.Take Lessons

Hitting a golf ball properly means developing a good swing, and a good golf swing comes from developing good mechanics. If you start on your own, you can adopt bad mechanics that will be difficult to correct later on. Making the investment in lessons from professional instructors as soon as you begin to play the game will pay off in boosting your confidence, avoiding mistakes and learning the game faster and better.

3.Learn the Rules of the Game

If you think ‘hitting a birdie’ means you injured one of our fine feathered friends, well, you should brush up on the rules of the game. The more you know about the game and how it’s played, the more you will understand what you need to do and why you need to do it. And the more fun you will have.

4.Watch Golf on TV

There’s no better way to learn about the rules, how to swing and other parts of the game, like club selection, than by watching the best players in the world. They make it all look easy. But after you start to play, you will appreciate their level of skill and get a better idea of the direction you need to go with your own game.

5.Play!

Like anything you do, practice makes perfect. Take every opportunity you get to swing a club, whether it’s on the course or on the driving range. Especially if you invest in golf lessons, practicing helps you put into play everything you learn.

6.Let it Happen

Golf is a game in which you compete against yourself. Everyone learns to play at a different pace. If you feel you haven’t improved after your first few rounds, try not to be frustrated or discouraged. Regardless of what happened the last time you played, focus on having a better round next time.

If you would like to take private or semi-private lessons from the trained and certified golf instructors here at Royal Ashburn, get in touch with us today.