Why Golf Can Be Intimidating for Beginners
Letting you in on the facts of what can be expected as a beginner to golf
BLOGWOMEN'S GOLFMEN'S GOLF
10/16/20269 min read
Opening - The First Tee:
How can we expect people to fall in love with golf if we're making them worry about whether they belong first?
Golf is intimidating for beginners not simply because learning to play is difficult, but because they must navigate an unfamiliar culture, language, etiquette, and social environment at the same time.
Before people even get to a golf club, they think about whether they are dressed appropriately, whether there are rules about where you can and can’t go, and whether you need your own equipment or can borrow it.
This article will break down all the questions you might have about the process. Although most golf clubs have different setups, the basics are the same for all of them. If you're unsure, the best way to start is to phone or email the club so they can walk you through their procedure.
The Golf Club Can Feel Like a Different World:
A golf club doesn’t have to be outwardly unwelcoming for you to feel like you don’t belong there. You may feel intimidated because everyone else seems to know what to do and where to go. But that’s just it. It’s not that you don’t belong. You just haven’t been taught the do’s and don’ts of a golf club yet.
The first thing to establish here is that there are different types of golf clubs. Private golf clubs are likely to have more specific rules and etiquette than a public golf course in the UK.
Private golf clubs are based around a membership rather than a pay-and-play style. Because of this, they are generally more “traditional” with their etiquette, dress code, and restrictions on who can play. Having said that, these clubs have had to adapt to survive in the current climate and are much more welcoming than they may have previously been, and it’s rare that there are restrictions on who can have lessons so they can be just as welcoming as a public club.
Public golf clubs are usually either proprietary-owned or classed as municipal courses (owned by the council). While these courses partly exist to earn money, they are also usually beginner-friendly and more casual in their rules and regulations. While the general public is more likely to be welcome at these, most private clubs offer a social membership you can join so you can experience facilities such as the bar/restaurant.
Most golf clubs will have a dress code for the course, and private clubs are likely to have one for the clubhouse. These might differ as the game modernises. Until 15-20 years ago, men might not have been allowed into a private clubhouse in the evening without a jacket and tie. These clubs are few and far between now, and jeans are accepted at most private clubs for the clubhouse. As for women, that situation will have its own articles on this site as golf moves into the 21st Century, but, like much of society, golf really hasn’t done well on equality. Thankfully, things are changing.
Regardless of the type of club, when you arrive, it may feel like everyone knows each other and it’s an exclusive club, but as soon as you step into the Pro Shop or Reception area, you will be made to feel welcome.
Learning to Play:
The first thing to remember is that everyone started somewhere, and almost nobody took to it easily. It’s a skill that uses your body in ways that normal life just doesn’t agree with. So don’t worry if you feel like you aren’t going to be very good to start with.
Learning to play golf isn’t just about learning to hit a golf ball. While this is obviously an important factor, there are unwritten rules and etiquette you can learn that will make life on a golf course much easier. These can feel very strange when you are first starting out.
The best way to learn both sides of the game is to take lessons with your local pro, who can walk you through them, but here are a few simple ones to remember at the club.
On the Course:
First and foremost, most golfers worry more about whether they are doing things right, or how their own game is going, than about how you are doing on the course. But there are certain things you can do that help.
Pace of play is the major thing that most golfers are worried about. The idea with golf is that you keep up with the group in front of you on the course. There will be more on this over the next couple of sections.
The next issue to think about is noise. It is seen as poor etiquette to make any noise once another player is about to hit a golf shot. The one time where it’s important to make some noise is if a golf ball is flying offline and towards where someone else might be. Regardless of whether you can see if someone is there or not, it is best to shout “Fore”.
Knowing where to walk and where to stand can be quite important. The main rules for this are that you shouldn’t take any trolleys onto Tees or Greens, or into Bunkers. If you don’t know what these are, a glossary of terms is coming up. It is also a good idea to leave your trolley/bag so that you can walk from the current hole to the next hole on the shortest route.
It is considered poor etiquette to stand directly behind a player who is hitting their shot, or directly in someone’s eyeline if they are putting. You must also not walk on the line to the hole that someone is about to putt along. This can create indentations in the ground that make the ball roll unevenly.
The Fear of Being Bad:
Being bad at golf is completely normal! You miss the ball. You hit it 10 yards in front of you. You slice it off into the trees. You hit it in the water. You lose golf balls. This is all perfectly normal for the standard golfer, but even more so for a beginner.
Yes, it can be embarrassing, but think about anything that you are learning. Maybe you’re learning French. You may know some words to start with, but you’re not going to go and have a conversation with a Parisian about French politics after a couple of lessons. Allow yourself to hit bad shots. As you improve, the bad shots will get better, and that is the sign that you are improving.
What if I Hold Everyone Up?
This is probably the biggest psychological barrier to people playing for the first time. Having taught many Ladies Beginner Academy groups, I've found it's much more prevalent with women than men. The first thing I hear every time we do an on-course lesson is that they worry about everyone behind them waiting, or even that the people in their group will have to wait for them, rather than focusing on how many shots they are hitting.
First, there are small things you can do to minimise the time it takes. Make sure that you walk at a reasonable speed between shots. Obviously you don’t need to run, but getting to your golf ball without dawdling is helpful.
Make sure that your bag is as close to the ball as you feel comfortable for it to be when taking your shot. The number of golfers who leave their bag 10-20 yards behind where their ball is is incredible. Say you hit the ball 8 times on a hole; that’s at least an extra 160 yards you have to walk back and forth on each hole. As lovely as it is to get in the extra steps, you’re adding an extra 30 minutes to your round of golf by the time you’ve finished.
Another option is to pick up your ball and move on. Knowing when to do this can be tricky, but when you’re just getting going, scoring isn’t the most important part of playing. Yes, it’s nice to see if your score is improving, but I suggest that if you get to 10 shots, it’s probably best to just pick it up. As you improve, the parameters for this change will change, and you'll probably pick the ball up earlier than that.
The Language of Golf:
There is a whole separate article available on the full glossary of terms available here*, but a few terms that are good to learn initially are:
· Par – The score it is supposed to take to play a hole. Good.
· Birdie – One less than the Par score. Yay!
· Eagle – Two less than the Par score. Woohooooo!
· Albatross – Three less than the Par score. The rarest of birds!
· Bogey – One more than the Par score. Oh no!
· Double Bogey – Two more than the Par score. Arghhh!
· Hole in One – Hitting the ball in the hole with your first shot on that hole. Time to buy everyone a drink in the clubhouse!
· Handicap – The number of shots over or under the Par of the course you are supposed to take for your ability. The lower the handicap, the better you are…in theory!
· Strokeplay – A form of golf that adds up every shot you take on the course. Every. Single. Shot!
· Stableford – A points-scoring version of Strokeplay that allows you to pick up the ball if you aren’t going to score points. Much kinder than Strokeplay!
· Fourball – A team of 2, each playing their own ball all the way round, with the best score counting for the team on each hole.
· Foursomes – A team of 2, playing alternate shots, with one person teeing off on the odd-numbered holes and the other on the even-numbered holes. Americans are bad at this according to the last few years of team golf!
You Apparently Need Quite a Lot of Stuff:
You want to start playing golf, and then you read that you need clubs, balls, shoes, gloves, appropriate clothing, bag, tees, a trolley…and then someone starts talking about shaft flexes and lofts and your brain completely frazzles.
Honestly, when you are starting out, you don’t need much at all. For your first lessons or first trip to the driving range, all you need is yourself, comfortable clothing (something that lets you move freely), and comfortable footwear that won’t slip all over the place (trainers will do). Teaching Pro’s and Driving Ranges will have clubs that you can borrow, particularly for lessons or range sessions.
To gain consistency, it would then be good to invest in your own clubs after a couple of lessons. For this, I suggest talking to your local Pro to see what they recommend, especially if they are teaching you to play. Most golf clubs require appropriate clothing to play, but there are beginner-friendly courses with no dress code to start with. I would suggest a decent pair of golf shoes being one of your first purchases though. You are on your feet for quite a long time, so it’s important these are comfortable for you.
The Handicap Problem:
If you’ve reached the point where you’re having conversations with golfers about their game, they will inevitably start talking about their usual score or their handicap. Basically, golf gives players a number to measure themselves against. This “handicap” is the number of shots over par on the golf course that the player is expected to take. This can intimidate anyone who thinks their handicap makes them look rubbish at golf.
If you get to the point where you can get yourself a handicap, then you are doing well. Figures are difficult to ascertain, but it is estimated that only about 10-14% of golfers ever have an official handicap. Not only that, but according to Scoring Zone, only 55% of handicapped golfers will break 100 (play a golf course in under 100 shots). That drops to 40% when it comes to all golfers who keep a score. So if you think that all golfers are out there scoring really well, it’s simply not true.
But Is Golf Actually Unwelcoming?
Obviously, there are still issues, like in every part of society, but most golf clubs are incredibly welcoming and are working to make things even more inviting for people. The perception still remains the opposite for most people who don’t play golf though.
So how are golf clubs making themselves more welcoming to the outside world?
Beginners Group Programmes – Speaking from experience at the golf clubs I have worked at, my previous club was a driving range, and we constantly ran new sessions for beginners. The group sessions allowed people to meet others who were just starting out on their golfing journey.
Women-only Sessions – I currently run a Ladies Academy. These sessions are aimed at women who have never played before or who have very limited experience. From this, we have been able to integrate people into full membership at the club as they learned it was a welcoming place for them to be and that the Ladies section was a thriving environment.
Families – Having a strong junior section at a club is huge for families in the local area. It’s a safe place for the children to be and allows families to potentially learn together and provide them with the opportunity to spend time together outdoors.
Golf Formats – While the full 18-hole format is still preferred, if courses can do it, shorter 6/9-hole competitions and fun social games have been promoted.
Relaxed dress codes – On-course changes have included the allowance of hoodies, and (thanks to Tiger) golf-specific collarless shirts over the last few years, but it’s in the clubhouse where the real changes have occurred. I am not sure any private golf club in the country would have allowed jeans or trainers in its clubhouse in the 1990s. They are commonplace in most clubs now. And the outliers are the exclusive clubs that you would expect to have stricter rules.
Conclusion:
You don’t need to know everything before you start. You certainly don’t need to know how to play, or to have expensive equipment, or an encyclopaedic knowledge of everything to do with the sport. But it’s nice to know the basics of what you are getting yourself into, so hopefully this has given you some context for what it’s like at a golf club, and it’s something that you may consider.
You are allowed to be a beginner.