Five Steps to Get Started Golfing as a Beginner
Are you interested in learning how to golf? Great! Now that you want to learn, the next
question usually is… how do you start?
The hardest part of golf is the beginning, when you are working to try to figure out how to
hold the club, develop a good golf swing, as well as learning the rules and etiquette for the
sport. When looking at it all, it’s often overwhelming for beginners and seems exhausting to try
to figure out.
At River Oaks Golf Course, we welcome anyone who is new to golf and interested in
starting. We’ve put together 5 big picture steps to help you along the way to help break down
the process of learning golf from getting your first clubs to getting out on the course.
Step 1: Borrow clubs or purchase a beginner golf set
The first step to starting to golf? Getting some clubs.
There are a few routes you can take with this step. Golf clubs can be expensive, so you can either borrow clubs from a friend or family member to start, you can find a beginner golf set, or you can use someone’s old clubs that they may have laying around.
Before going out to purchase a set of clubs, it’s a good idea to make sure that you’re ready to make the commitment to golfing. For beginners, you will really only need a few clubs to start with. You’ll want to have a driver, a wood or hybrid, a 7-iron, a 8-iron, a 9-iron, and a putter. Whether you purchase a beginners set, have hand-me-down clubs, or found a few clubs on
Facebook Marketplace, you should be able to work with what you have.
Another good thing to keep in mind is when you’re starting out even if you don’t have a complete set of clubs, if you go to a teaching or instruction clinic the instructor will oftentimes have extra clubs to use if you need them.
Step 2: Learn the basics of golf
Learning the basics of golf, from the mechanics of your swing to the rules and etiquette on the course is tough, but it’s also a lot of fun.
As a beginner, you will want to start out by learning how to grip and swing your clubs. If you have a friend or family member who is willing to walk you through it, that’s always a good way to begin. An easy way to do this is just working on your swing in your backyard or going to the driving range at River Oaks.
One of the best ways to learn how to golf is to start out with lessons. Lessons from a golf pro will give you the opportunity to learn the fundamentals and the proper mechanics of a golf swing, giving you a great base to build off of. Starting out with bad habits means you’ll have to spend time trying to break them in the future, so it’s always recommended to develop good ones
from the get go.
Lessons at River Oaks Golf Course are with our resident golf pro, Barrett Boe. He works with individuals of all levels, and focuses on teaching the basics of the golf swing. If you’re wondering why you should take lessons at River Oaks, we have a great post to look at here.
To sign up for lessons with Boe, click here to be taken to the page!
When starting out, you will also want to familiarize yourself with the terminology, rules, and etiquette that comes with the sport. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the different types of clubs you’ll find in your bag, the types of holes that you’ll come across on the course, areas you’ll find out on the course, and how score is kept in the sport.
A lot of times these things come from spending time on the course, but it’s always a good idea to learn some of these things ahead of time.
Step 3: Consistent practice and persistence
As a beginner, it’s important to not just attend one lesson or clinic and be on your way. Learning to golf is a process, and it takes a few lessons to be able to develop the solid base you’ll need to continue to grow with good habits. River Oaks has many opportunities for you to practice your golf game before you even touch the course.
After a lesson, it’s a great time to practice your swing and things you’ve learned at the driving range. River Oaks Golf Course has a Toptracer Driving Range that gives you real time information about your shot. It connects to an app on your phone and allows you to practice by playing games while on the range that will help you improve. Are you looking for more information about what our Toptracer Driving Range does for you? Check out our post about it here!
River Oaks also has a practice green to work on your putting skills, just to the left of the club house. While it’s a lot of fun to hit a few balls at the driving range, it becomes more of a mental game when you get closer to the hole. By practicing your putting skills, you’ll be able to develop more confidence in yourself which will transition with you onto the course.
Once you feel confident in your swing, that’s when it’s time to take your game to the course.
Step 4: Find a group or person to golf with
Before signing up for a tee time on the River Oaks website, you’ll need to find a partner
or group to golf with. Golf is the type of sport that anyone can play together regardless of their
skill level. If you have some friends or family who golf, it’s a great idea to start out on the course
with them!
Most golfers are willing to join in on a round of golf if you ask, or are willing to make
plans to go out in the future. If you attend a golf clinic, it’s always a good idea to ask the others
in your group if they want to join you, as you’ll all be at a similar level and learn together.
River Oaks Golf Course allows you to set up tee times on our website. When booking a
tee time, you can schedule 2 to 4 golfers at the times available. Check out our tee times here to
get yourself scheduled to play the course!
Step 5: Start golfing on the course
Are you ready to get out on the golf course? Great!
When you start golfing on the course, sometimes golfing 18 holes can be overwhelming for a beginner. River Oaks Golf Course gives you the option to only do 9 holes instead of the 18. Just make sure when you register your tee time on our website that you select the 9-hole option instead of 18.
When starting the course, make sure to show up on time for your tee time, and then start by hitting off the tee! Another thing to do is to make sure that you’re keeping pace with the course. There will be groups teeing off after you, so you and your partners will want to make sure you’re maintaining a good pace throughout the course.
For beginners, one of the most important things to keep in mind is that your score doesn’t matter– you’re golfing to improve yourself and get better and to learn more about what golf is all about. Keep your score to have a reference, but don’t worry about how you do. We all start somewhere, the majority of people you’ll be playing with will be happy to help you along.
Don’t worry too much, and take it one step at a time. If you end up needing any guidance along the way, reach out to any of the staff at River Oaks. We’ll be happy to help!
