This article is held near and dear to my heart, as when I picked up golfing, I felt very out of place.  My first time ever playing golf was in my 30s, and to say I was intimidated is an understatement.  I did not come from an affluent family and didn't grow up around golf, so never took much interest in the sport.  My first time swinging a club was at a golf simulator/bar called 5iron.  And I was...  horrendous!  Fast forward to my second time ever playing at a golf course, and I couldn't help, but feel I didn't belong.  Nervous and filled with adrenaline.  I have done all of the wrong things, walking in people's lines, not calling fore soon enough, and certainly frustrated players I have been paired with.  The purpose of this article is to help any new golfer not make any of the same mistakes I did, and walk onto the course confident, knowing you belong, and enjoy your round!  This guide will prepare you with comprehensive knowledge to make you focus on playing a great round, and not worry about knowledge of the game. Whether you are looking to take up a new hobby, improve your existing skills, or even journey towards becoming a professional, understanding the nuances of golf can be a rewarding and enriching experience. This guide is tailored to provide beginners with a foundational understanding of the sport, encapsulating its history, its significance, and the different avenues through which it can be enjoyed, both as a leisure activity and a professional sport.  This sport is incredible!  It gets you outside, it’s social, challenges your mental strength, and so much more to the wonderful sport of golf.   

How to Play Golf For Beginners PDF

Golf is more than just a sport; it is a community, a networking platform, and a personal development journey. As you venture into golf, you will find that it fosters connections, be it with business associates, friends, or family. Furthermore, it encourages physical activity, mental agility, and strategic thinking. It's a sport where personal progress and competition walk hand in hand, urging you to better your game with every round you play. The beauty of this sport is the fact you are competing with yourself.  While you might be a competitive person, typically everyone is rooting for one another, and you are competing with yourself.  Additionally, golf is an inclusive sport, welcoming participants across different age groups and skill levels, making it a lifelong pursuit for many.  

It’s important to note that there are various rules and etiquette that are involved in the sport of golf.  VivanTee is an American-based company, but we have experienced golf across a wide variety of countries and regions.  Rules and etiquette will vary from culture to culture, but the core premise of the game will mostly remain the same.  The goal of this "How to Play Golf for Beginners Guide" and is to offer a versatile piece of content that you can take away and feel comfortable playing the game.  Comprehensive guide for golf terms can be found here.

• Red Tees– Generally positioned as the closest tees to the hole, the red tees mark the shortest distance one has to cover to reach the hole. Predominantly utilized by women, seniors, and beginners who prefer a shorter starting point, these tees facilitate a more accessible and comfortable initiation into the game.

   

• Yellow/Gold Tees – Predominantly designated for senior players aged 65 and above, the yellow or gold tee boxes cater to those who may not have the physical strength they once possessed. These tee boxes allow for a gratifying golf experience without exerting too much effort, ensuring seniors can enjoy the game without strain.

   

• White Tees – Occupying a mid-range position on the course, the white tee boxes are the preferred choice for a significant portion of amateur golfers. Often referred to as the "middle" or "men's" tees, they accommodate players who demonstrate a fair amount of power in their strokes, albeit with a higher handicap.

   

• Blue Tees – Frequently found at a substantial distance from the hole, sometimes being the second farthest or even the furthest, the blue tee boxes cater to players seeking to heighten the level of challenge in their game. Typically extending slightly beyond the white tees, they are a popular choice among advanced golfers looking to push their limits.

   

• Black Tees – Representing the furthest starting point on any golf hole, the black tees or are synonymous with professional play. Often termed as the "tips", they are the choice of professional golfers and are a staple in many championship events, offering the most demanding starting position and catering to those seeking the utmost challenge on the course.

Many courses will have varying colors, and some will have blue tees that are played as white, and gold tees as the front, it really varies based on course design.  However, the majority of courses you will see in America are laid out as the above.  

The Course Handicap

In the "Basic Rules of Golf" section we will cover how golf handicaps work.  Here we are going to discuss course handicaps.  

Course Rating, Slope, and Individual Holes:

• Course Rating: It indicates the difficulty of a course for a scratch golfer (a really good golfer). It's kind of the "standard score" for a course.

• Slope Rating: This tells us how much more difficult the course is for a bogey golfer (someone not as skilled) compared to a scratch golfer. The higher the slope, the more difficult it is.

• Hole Rating: Hole handicaps indicate the difficulty ranking of each hole on a course; lower numbers are assigned to harder holes.  

   

*Example of course rating, par, distance, and slope.

This is an important aspect of the game because every course is different.  A scratch golfer (a golfer that typically shoots par) can shoot -2 below par on an easy course, but the next day play just as well and shoot +6 on a very difficult course.  Both rounds being considered good rounds!  

The Fairway

This is where you want your ball to be the majority of the time.  Remember the game when you were younger “Stay away from the lava”?  You would set up a mini obstacle course and try to not touch the ground.  Think of everything around the fairway as lava, and try your best to not hit out of the fairway.  

*Etiquette note:Some fairways do not allow golf carts on them, make sure to look out for signage that states where you can and can not drive the golf cart.

The Green

The green is the smooth, well-kept area at the end of each golf hole where you try to get your ball into the hole using a club called a putter. It's a place where the game slows down a bit, and you need to make careful, gentle shots. Understanding the small hills and dips in the grass can really help you play well on the green. It's a quiet spot where you focus closely on your game, trying to finish the hole with a good score. It's where all your efforts from the tee and fairway come together, and with a bit of skill and luck, you can finish strong.  

*Etiquette note: Never drive a golf cart onto a green, and if you are using a push cart or trolley, be sure to keep it off the green as well.  When you hit a beautiful shot that leaves a divot, be sure to repair your divot afterward with a tee or divot tool.  

Hazards: Bunkers and Water Hazards

These are self-explanatory, you want to stay away from the hazards.  Try not to end up in the water as you will lose a stroke (and a ball!), and the sand is hard to hit a consistent shot out of.  The amount of hazards will vary depending on the course, and will more often be more prevalent in links style golf courses.  

*Etiquette note: After hitting a shot out of the sand, the rake is placed near the bunker for you to rake the sand where you stood and shot from in order to leave a well-maintained sand bunker for the next unfortunate player to hit into it!

Scoring

In golf, the goal is to complete each hole in the fewest number of strokes possible. The total number of strokes taken during a round (usually consisting of 18 holes) makes up your score. The main scoring terms are:

• Par: The standard number of strokes allocated to complete a hole.

• Birdie: Completing a hole one stroke under par.

• Eagle: Completing a hole two strokes under par.

• Bogey: Completing a hole one stroke over par.

• Double Bogey: Completing a hole two strokes over par.

Your score relative to par (under, at, or over) is often used to gauge your performance.

Penalties

In golf, penalties are extra strokes added to a player's score for violations of specific rules. These violations can include hitting the ball out of bounds, losing the ball, hitting the ball into a water hazard, or taking relief from an unplayable lie. Penalties help maintain the fairness and integrity of the game and encourage players to adhere to the established rules and etiquette of golf. It's essential to know and understand these rules to avoid incurring penalty strokes that can adversely affect your final score.

*Etiquette note: As a new player, you will often have a lot of missed shots.  In golf you want to be sure to keep a “pace of play” that is fair to other players. Be sure to be cognizant of the amount of shots you are taking, and pick up the ball if you can’t seem to get it moving. It is considered common practice to pick up after double par so you are able to keep the pace of play flowing.

If you want to take golf seriously, whether you are on a journey to become a bogey golfer or a plus handicap golfer.  Establishing a handicap as a beginner golfer is highly recommended.  One, you can see your improvement over time, so it makes you feel accomplished as you continue to improve.  Second, if you ever want to play in tournaments in the future, most courses in the US require that you have a USGA GHIN (Golf Handicap Index Network) established and it's nationally recognized.  This costs $100 for a year to establish and it takes into account course difficulty, etc.  

Imagine you're playing a video game where different levels have different difficulties, and players have varying skills. In golf, the "handicap" system is like a tool that helps balance this game, making matches fairer and more exciting.  Here's how it works:

Calculating Handicap Differential:

• After each round you play, you calculate your handicap differential using this formula: Handicap Differential=(Slope RatingYour Score - Course Rating)×113 - The 113 is a constant representing the slope rating of a standard difficulty course.

Finding Your Handicap Index:

• Play at least 5 rounds and use the differentials to find your handicap index. You take the lowest differentials (best rounds), find their average, and multiply by 0.96.

So, your handicap index helps to even out the playing field. When you play against someone, you adjust your scores using your handicaps. The USGA GHIN will do all of the calculations for you, if you do not want to pay the $100 a year, golf apps like SwingU will do it for free as well.

Age is an important factor, as you get older, typically your swing speed will decrease.  Prime swing speed they find is usually in your mid to late 20s.  From there, the decline is usually around 10% as you go into every decade of your life.  

Our article on beginner’s guide to golf clubs. goes in-depth on what to look for when purchasing golf clubs.  The article was written as a women's guide, but remains consistent across all genders.

Golf Balls

Golf balls are a pivotal component in every golfer's journey, intricately designed to influence your game's distance, accuracy, and control. For beginners, it's advisable to choose golf balls that promote durability and consistency, allowing you to improve your skills without worrying about the intricacies of ball performance. As you progress, you may wonder, which golf ball is right for me?  Focus on the performance and feel of the golf balls and make a selection that fits for your game and feel. Our guide on selecting a golf ball that is right for you, can help you determine what to focus on.  Article on choosing the right golf ball.  There are various quizzes for selecting golf balls as well, like this one here from Titlelist.

Golf Apparel and Accessories

First and foremost, know that there are dress codes on the majority of golf courses.  Although a sport in nature, cut offs, tank tops, and athletic jerseys, certainly are not allowed on most courses.  Each golf course is going to have it's own level of restrictions, so be sure to check on that.  

A few of the items you should consider:

• Hat or visor 

• Shoes with good grip if not golf shoes

• Golf glove 

• Golf Bag (complete breakdown of different golf bags)

Tops will typically consist of polo shirts, dresses, quarter zips, and golf branded hoodies (some courses).  Chino or athletic pants or shorts are acceptable, no jeans, or cargo pants.   No open toed shoes of any kind.  

Dress to impress, our article on what to wear if you don't have any "golf specific" clothing.

*Etiquette note: As a beginner golfer, the best option is to always check the website or with the pro shop of the golf course.  Just so you can feel the most comfortable and play your best having peace of mind that you are dressed appropriately.  The spectrum can be everything from no backward hats, sports jackets when in the clubhouse, and everything tucked in, to no dress code at all.  

Golf etiquette is heard about even if you don't play golf.  Always known to be an uptight sport, there are many rules to follow and it can be intimidating for many new players.  The reality is, most people will be patient and understanding that you are a beginner golfer.  There isn't a need to stress out, and the game is meant to be fun.  However, trying your best to adhere to basic rules and princples will make everyone's experience more enjoyable.  

Keep the game moving as best as possible.  Peak golf season will often have tee times booked back to back, and you don't want to hold other players up.  That being said, don't rush through your round and forget to enjoy it.  A typical golf round should be about 4.5 hours for 18 holes.  Sometimes it will be a little faster, and some rounds can go as long as 5 hours if the course is backed up.  However, that leaves about 15 minutes a hole.  Try not to spend more than 5 minutes searching for a ball, take a drop if you have to, and if you keep hitting shots and miss hitting, pick up the ball to keep the game moving.  

Always be punctual for your tee times, if not 10-15 minutes early as well.  If they have a range, would recommend being even earlier to warm up and take some shots.  

Certainly the longest component on this list, we have bulleted the main ones here to make it easy for this "How to play beginner's golf guide".

• Remember your ball, (balls come numbered for a reason) do not hit someone else's ball

• Stay quiet in people's backswing 

• Stand still on the green when someone is putting

• Shake hands at the end of the round and a thank you

• Don't talk to other people's golf balls 

• Don't stand behind someone on the tee box or while putting

• Enjoy yourself, have fun!

There are certainly other rules that are less strict, but these are the main ones that will get you by.  As you are reading this, there might be an essence of "this sounds too uptight, no thanks".  The beautiful thing about golf is everyone has the same common goal.  They are trying to beat themselves.  It is a far more welcoming sport than many people realize and if you happen to break one, or a few of these rules, the majority of people are quick to forgive and nicely remind you.  Very rarely are people rude.  You will come across those people, but that is no different than running into those same people at the grocery store or a bar.  Regionally golf traditions can be different, check out our article highlighting the differences of UK and USA golf play here.

In wrapping up this extensive journey through the verdant realms of golf, we hope that our "How to play golf for beginners" segment has empowered you to take the initial steps with confidence and enthusiasm. This beginner golf guide was meticulously crafted to provide a haven of knowledge, bridging the gap between novice enthusiasm and skilled expertise.

As we reach the 18th hole of this guide, remember that every golfer started as a beginner once. Embrace the learning curve with open arms and a willing heart. Golf is not just a game, but a celebration of patience, technique, and the beautiful outdoors.

We invite you to become an integral part of our community. To continue fostering your newfound passion, we encourage you to sign up for our newsletter. Immerse yourself in a world of insightful tips, engaging stories, exclusive updates, and the latest discounts that we have to offer.

Moreover, take a look at our collection of designer golf gloves — a perfect companion to greet the golf course with style and proficiency and comes standard with a magnetic ball marker for your first time on the green!

Thank you for allowing us to be your trusted caddy in this grand adventure. Here's to countless rounds filled with joy, improvement, and the sweet sound of a well-struck golf shot. Swing with purpose, play with spirit, and remember, the best golfer is the one having the most fun!