11 golf tips that all beginners must know
Golf is never easy - especially when you're a beginner - but we're here to help you learn as much as possible and face the field honorably. Below you will find some of the most useful tips that will help you get the most out of the game, even if you are new to golf, and speed up your success. We are convinced that the tips below will help you have more fun on the course and play golf better.
Even if you are just starting out in golf, I am sure that by now you have already understood that this sport is much more difficult than other sports. Not only do you have to learn to fight the terrain and the weather, but you also have to learn every shot possible. In addition, you have to learn how to keep your psyche under control, so that you don't allow your mind to put up barriers.
1. Use the right equipment
One of the things you will learn right away in golf is that it is mandatory to start playing with the proper equipment. If you don't follow this advice, you will make golf an even harder game than it is! Instead, the situation will be much improved if you choose your clubs suitable for your level of training.
Who cares if your friends stress you out for using hybrid or 7-wood clubs instead of long irons? In the end, all that matters at the end of the game is the number of points you score.
Don't forget the golf ball either. If you are a beginner, you need to make sure you are playing with the appropriate ball. Ideally, you will need a ball that puts more emphasis on distance than on spin. As you progress, you can choose a softer golf ball to help you swing it with a shorter club. Also, choosing an ideal golf ball for beginners will save you from unjustified expenses for the time being.
2. Focus on the fundamentals
Although most golfers want tips that will teach them to hit the ball harder and send it farther, don't forget the basics. So much of what constitutes success in golf happens before you even hit the ball. Below are the aspects that you need to put in place before hitting the golf ball.
The appropriate position
The way you sit in front of the ball influences how well you will be able to hit it. That's why the first thing you need is a solid position. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, bend forward from the hips, with your knees slightly bent, in an athletic position.
If you manage to do this without slouching, your arms will be stretched down, straight. For longer clubs, such as the one you probably have, open more to compensate for the length of the club.
Now grab the handle with a gloved hand and make sure you have an angle of about 45 degrees to your forearm. Once you gain control with the gloved hand, add the other hand to the club. Congratulations. You are in the perfect position.
Keep your head steady
The position of the head during the shot is also very important. To get your head position right, put two rulers on a chest of drawers or on a shelf at home: one higher than your head and one at chin level. Try to make swings without disturbing the two rulers. When you succeeded, it means that you are stable and solid.
Find the right outlet for you
Another important golf tip is to make sure your grip (the way you hold the club correctly) matches your swing (the golf swing). If you are a complete beginner, you can start with a neutral grip, and when the balance develops and you start to feel the tendencies, you can weaken or strengthen your grip, as you feel it is necessary.
Hold the stick correctly
The longer the grip stays in your hand, the harder it will be to move it and generate force. And the opposite is equally serious, when the club grip is on your fingers. Instead, hold the grip diagonally over the fingers and then close the thumb over the top. Get ready to speed up the movement.
Swing with a grip that does not allow slice
If you have a slice (the shot whose trajectory curves to the left for right-handers, or to the right for left-handers), it probably happens because you don't close the club head quickly enough on the impact zone. Practice swinging with your hands apart on the stick grip, to make better shots.
Hold the stick in its normal position, with a gloved hand, then lower your left hand to the place where the grip meets the shaft (stick shaft). Positioning your hands in this way will make you hit more correctly and easier. Take care to mow the grass aggressively.
3. Double check your alignment
One of the biggest mistakes, and which unfortunately many golfers make, is not aiming directly at the target. If you were to point the club to the right, your body would notice and try to make an effort to pull you back to the left. If you orient it to the left, your body and mind will make adjustments to orient you correctly.
It often happens that shots go in strange directions due to the wrong alignment of the face of the club (the side that hits the ball). Before trying to change your swing, check the orientation first. If you are on the field, ask a friend to film your alignment or use alignment sticks on the driving range.
Place the club just outside the golf ball, so that it creates a 90 degree angle with the target line. During the preparation, align the front edge of the club with the club, then place it in the normal position. This is a simple way to make sure the face of the club is square every time.
The better you are aligned with the target, the more likely you are to hit well.
4. Open earlier for extra speed
The speed starts from the beginning of the swing. Whether you can hit 130 km/h or 195 km/h like a professional, creating width in your approach is essential to generating speed for the ball. Many recreational golfers struggle to create a full backswing or rotation. Many of them simply take a crutch and turn their shoulders. To get the maximum speed, you have to create a maximum width.
Try to take the club back as far as you can, creating this width. Naturally, your body will tend to turn with you, which will create more speed when you descend.
Distance is priceless, but the ultimate goal is both distance and accuracy. To master both, you'll need to fully extend your arms through impact.
5. Master your tempo
Don't PGA Tour players make golf look easy? Although we certainly cannot make an article for every tip offered by professional players, I will leave here a little gem, which will help you do better on the golf course.
If you think about it, many of the good golfers have nothing in common. Except for one thing: an excellent tempo.
All good professional players have a tempo of 3:1. This means that their backswing is three times longer than their downswing. So if you want to imitate something from the guys you watch on Eurosport, focus on tempo. Regardless of whether your swing speed is high or low, the tempo must match this speed in a ratio of 3:1 for full shots.
6. Don't let anger get in your way
Imagine that you hit very badly. How do you react in this situation? Do you take it personally and get mad at yourself, like you're the only golfer who happens to have an embarrassing shot? Or do you make fun of the trouble and focus further on the game and the next shot?
If you want to become a great golfer, you have to understand that bad shots are part of the game. Even the best golfers make bad shots sometimes and still get paid millions of dollars for playing this crazy sport. Give up the tension! Always remember to have fun when you're on the pitch, there are a lot worse places to be!
7. Make the driver club your best friend
If you're like most beginners, you probably have a love-hate relationship with your driver club. Because it has the smallest loft, most of the time this type of club will expose swing flaws more than other clubs. Although misses can be scary at times, try to find a swing that is perfectly adapted to the driver club.
Even if you don't hit straight every time, don't worry. As a beginner, you need to focus on distance. If you cannot hit long, you will use shorter clubs on the green (surface with short cut grass), with which you will hit more easily than with hybrid and fairway wooden clubs.
Here are some other tips related to driver clubs:
- Increase the loft. If you are a beginner golfer, make sure it is set to at least 10.5 degrees or more. In this way, it will be easier for you to hit and it will help you throw the ball in the air.
- Check your shaft. As a beginner, don't make the shot more difficult by opting for a stiff shaft. Opt instead for a flexible, regular or senior shaft, depending on age.
8. Practice the short game
Although the driver club must be your best friend, don't forget that the wedge and putter clubs must be appreciated at their fair value. One of the best things you can do to improve your score is to practice your shots on the green. Try different types of flop shots (shots with a very high trajectory played close to the green), bump and runs (shots with a low trajectory that send the ball from the fairway to the green) and bunker shots (shots made from the bunker - sand pit).
The whole secret here is simply to practice more. Of course, it's not as sexy as the bombed areas of the field, but if you can't score from 125 yards it's extremely frustrating.
9. "Tee it forward"
" Tee it forward " is a golf concept that encourages golfers to adjust the length of the course to a distance adapted to their personal level. The approach is very suitable for a beginner golfer. In this way, the field will not seem difficult, it will not have a large number of long shots that slow down the course and make the experience rather boring than pleasant.
Instead, try the "tee it forward" approach or start playing on par-three golf courses. As you progress, keep playing with different tees and on new golf courses. You will definitely have more fun!
10. Start golf lessons early
If you are just at the beginning of your golf journey, you have the advantage that you have not had the chance to form bad habits in years and decades of playing, as happens with most golfers. Instead of trying to figure out how to play on your own, hire a swing coach. Even a few lessons in which you work on the fundamental aspects will help you speed up your success a lot.
A good swing coach will help you align your legs, hips and shoulders with the target. From there, he can help you with takeaway, transition and downsing.
Create the right habits right from the start, to become a good golfer early on.
11. Create a pre-shot routine
The last golf tip is to create a pre-shot routine. This will help you stay focused during the round and maintain your coherence.
The pre-shot routine will help you choose the right stick, choose a target, line up perfectly with the target and focus on what you are doing. Practice first on the driving range for a better practice session, and it will seem easier on the field.
What is the most useful tip in golf?
Probably the one related to mastering the tempo. Extremely many players rush their shot thus jeopardizing the entire effort.
Even if you don't have a perfect swing, if you have a constant tempo of 3:1, you will be able to hit the ball in the middle, most of the time. Who does not want to have this experience on the field?
How do you always go below par 80?
Golf courses considered internationally have 18 cups. Each cup is classified according to the "par" number - the number of shots needed for a player to complete the respective cup. A par generally includes a tee shot, an approach shot and two putts.
In general, courses with 18 cups have a total par of 72, while championship courses can even have 70 or 71, some par 4 cups reducing to par 3 and thus increasing the difficulty and distance. The goal in golf is to hit the ball as few times as possible during the round.
Thus, players who frequently make a par in the 70-80 range are very different from those who get somewhere in the middle of the 80-90 range. If you want hair in the range of 70-80, you will have to work on a few aspects.
1. Practice the short game. If you want to get under 80 and play your best golf, work on the short shots twice as much as the long ones. For example, if you have 90 minutes to practice, spend 30 minutes putting, 30 with wedges and 30 minutes on the range. During the session on the range, devote a lot of time to various wedge and driver shots.
2. Control your nerves. Players who frequently have a par of 70 don't get angry too often. They learn to accept that bad shots are part of the game.
3. Plan your every shot. If you want to break 80, make sure you have a strategy for each hole. Try to do more than a swing and a hope that the ball will find its way on the fairway or on the green. Instead, create a tee box strategy, an approach shot strategy and try not to be a hero!
Conclusion
As you have probably realized, there are quite a few components that will help you play golf better. There is no tip or stick to help you get the best score every time you are on the field. Sometimes you will hit perfectly with the driver club and not play with the iron at all. Other times, you won't be able to play the fairway, but you'll still manage to score a little. It is simply the madness of golf!
In the end, it all boils down to learning along the way. Every shot is an opportunity to learn, evolve and become a better golfer.
And never forget to have fun. When you play golf, enjoy what you are doing. More than likely, you are with friends, family, or other people who are as passionate about golf as you. When you know how to have fun, you will automatically have better scores.
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