Do you love to hit the ball with a club, but you are afraid of the dark? Yes, at first sight, golf grabs eyeballs as it did mine. However, attempting to put the ball in the green is not as easy as it seems.
There are several aspects to consider while hitting a shot, as unlike other sports, golf also has its particular dictionary. Again and again, hitting won’t put the ball into the carpet, rendering all your efforts futile.
It lowers your motivation, turning it into a frustrating activity, and golf may appear as a peculiar challenge requiring difficult skills. Here’s where we have eased up the process of how to play golf for you.
So, what are you waiting for? Get set and unleash the full journey of golf!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Essential equipment is required to play golf, like clubs, balls, tees, gloves, and a bag.
- Specific clubs are used to carefully aim and putt the ball into the hole, taking the fewest strokes possible.
- Golf is played on courses with 18 holes, although there are courses with 9 holes where it is played twice.
- Golf has specific rules to follow, including carrying only 14 clubs, playing where the ball lies, counting scores based on par for each hole, and much more.
Equipment Required To Play Golf
There is specific equipment that you need to play golf. Let’s check it out!
- Clubs: First, you need a minimum number of clubs to play golf. At once, you can carry 14 clubs in your bag. Also, as a beginner, you need a driver, putter, sand wedge, 6-iron, 8-iron, pitching wedge, and a hybrid. If you find it expensive to buy golf clubs, you can either buy a used one or rent them on the golf course. You can try out different clubs before spending money on your own set.
- Tees: Brightly coloured wooden or plastic nails that elevate your ball before hitting your first shot.
- Balls: You can choose from different kinds and qualities of golf balls to play golf. Golf balls can be purchased at sporting goods stores, or you can rent them out.
- Golf gloves: As a beginner, you can get blisters on your hand after playing some strokes with the club. So, gloves can help to keep your hands safe and get a firm grip on your club even if you’re sweating.
- Bag: A golf bag is vital for carrying clubs, balls, rain gear, water, and snacks.
These seem like a lot of equipment to manage; therefore, you must learn how to organize a golf bag properly.
How To Play Golf
In golf, you have to use a particular golf club to aim and put the ball into a hole. The hole is at a specific distance, and the player has to take the most negligible chances to put the ball inside it.
The starting point where the ball is placed is known as the ‘tee,’ whereas a small flag marks the hole.
In competitive tournaments, there are four rounds. Each round has eighteen holes, so the player has to take the most negligible chances to play a winning shot.
So, this competitive format is known as stroke play. Here’s where the number of strokes determines the winner.
After the first two rounds, a cut is made, and the players above that mark on the scoreboard get to play the final rounds. As an exciting face, golf was a part of the Olympics in 1900 and 1904. But, it was later dropped and was again added in 2016.
Just like in other sports, there are tie rankings in golf. However, when it comes to the top position, a playoff match decides the winner.
After understanding golf basics, let us know your ideal position while playing a shot.
What Should Be Your Ideal Position While Playing A Shot
There are specific positions and styles to play the game of golf that are as follows:
Body Position
Instead of positioning everything around your feet, focus on establishing around the ball to avoid inconsistencies.
The first thing is to put the clubhead behind the ball. The club should face in the direction in which you want to hit the shot. Next, stand near the ball, not in a legitimate stance, which you require, but keep your feet relatively close.
After aiming at the golf club, take your grip shoulder-width apart. Roughly lean your shoulders toward the ball. Further, look farther from the golf ball so that your feet are together and get a width of your stance.
The stance should be like your feet are shoulder width apart, shoulder leaning slightly towards the ball. Also, the ball position should be just away from the centre to create a symmetrical position.
You have then to measure your distance away from the golf ball correctly. For that, hang your arms down naturally and not too static. This will create a little gap between your legs and the club. Thus, you would maintain a tilt from the hips.
Now, stick your bottom out and feel like your knees are slightly flexible, but keep a roughly straight back.
When everything is apt, you can proceed and aim toward your shot. But golf lessons for beginners are incomplete without knowing how to hit the ball. Let’s check it out!
Hitting The Ball
Aim towards your target, and ensure it’s in the driving range. If you are on a golf course, then your target would be straight in front of you.
Take your hand closest to the target, wrap your fingers around the grip, and your glove hand should be on the top. Thus, the thumb should go straight down the front.
The best practice is to keep your hand touching the grip’s end. Now, take another hand that should be similar to the earlier one.
Wrap this hand’s finger underneath the extra grip, and a squishy bit of your thumb should be roughly over another thumb. By doing so, the latter thumb is straight down the golf club.
Your bottom of the club should be brushing the ground when you are in the correct stance. Here’s where you should hold your club symmetrically in a straight vertical line.
For the first time, practice hitting without a ball, and your shoulders and whole body should turn like a torso. Practice with a ball after you try your hands over no ball shots.
What Is A Golf Course Like
Stadiums are meant for cricket, football, and many other sports, so where do you play golf?
If you are wondering about this question, golf requires a particular golf course for professional gameplay. Usual grounds don’t have holes otherwise, but there are 18 holes in a golf course.
On the other hand, some smaller golf courses have only nine holes. On that golf course, the entire game is repeated to play in 18 holes.
Earlier, the golf course was made on sand and dunes because there was a lack of proper green cover. But now, there are special golf courses with appropriate green cover and topography that are private, public, or municipally owned.
Some wealthy people own private golf courses at country clubs. These golf courses have a unique landscape, and each is designed with a different structure, tee, and final hole. So, players often carry a golf course map when renting a golf course.
What Are The Basic Rules For Playing Golf
Like every sport, golf has a particular set of rules and procedures. Some of the important basic rules for beginners in golf are as follows:
- Stand behind the tee to putt the ball from it into the hole.
- You can carry only 14 golf clubs to the game.
- Play Where It Lies.
- Don’t hit the ball out of bounds.
- Losing a ball will be liable to a penalty.
- Advice from players is bound to a penalty.
- Play with the same Ball for the entire hole.
- Sign Your Scorecards twice to make it official.
- Missing to hit the golf ball is liable to a penalty.
- Follow the Order of Play
To dive deeper into the Basic Rules of Golf, feel free to explore this comprehensive guide.
How Are Scores Counted In Golf
There is a specific system for calculating the scores of golf. For every hole, a score is kept. Every hole has an ideal number of strokes a player takes to send the ball in the hole, known as ‘Par.’
Whenever the ball is hit, it is counted as ‘1’. There are parts ranging from 3-5. So, every hole on a golf course is called “Par 3,” “Par 4,” or “Par 5.”
When you score on each hole, it has a nickname related to its part. For example, shooting 2 under par, or getting the ball in the hole in 3 shots on a 5-par hole, is called an “Eagle.” Shooting 1 over par is a “Bogey,” etc.
When your group reaches the last hole, the person with the lowest overall score wins. The track of scores can be kept by comparing your score and the pars for each hole.
Your performance is considered good in golf when you continuously score at par or below par. For a beginner, you may score over par; that is normal. It will improve when you play and practice more.
Apart from playing and counting scores, let us tell you more about the essential equipment to play golf.
Summing Up
Golf is a simple and popular game played by golfers from every age group. In the game, you aim to put the ball from the tee to the final hole using a golf club.
Also, you need to take minimum chances to put the ball in the hole that will determine your score. Using golf to make a shot, you need to position your body in a specific way and move the club in a particular direction.
At the same time, there is a proper set of rules to play the game. The game of golf is played on a golf course, and you require golf clubs, golf balls, gloves, a golf bag, and tees.
Stay tuned to learn more about golf, and you can place your doubts and questions about golf in the comments section below. We will be delighted to answer them.
I hope you will learn to play golf the correct way.
Happy-Playing!
Frequently Asked Questions?
How should a beginner learn golf?
To learn golf, a beginner should seek guidance from a certified instructor to grasp the fundamentals and practice regularly to enhance their skills.
What clubs do I need as a beginner?
As a beginner, you can start with a basic set of clubs, such as a driver, a fairway wood, a few irons (5-9), a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, and a putter.
How many players are in golf?
Typically, a group of 1-4 people plays the round. However, the game can be played by any number of people.
What is a golf score called?
When a player scores in a golf, it is called Par. The par for each hole is displayed on the scorecard.
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