Are you thinking of learning golf? Great idea! It’s an enjoyable game to play with friends and family when you get the hang of it. It’s never late to start learning how to golf.
Golf can be pretty intimidating to many people who don’t know how to play. Well, it’s not their fault. Golf is a challenging game to understand, and it is also an expensive one.
The first mistake that beginner golfers make is not getting proper golf equipment. It causes them to play poorly and eventually lose interest in the game.
If you have recently started playing the game or are a beginner golfer, your priority should be golf equipment. That’s why we have a golf equipment guide to help you improve your skillsets and engage more in the game.
Golf Equipment Essentials for Beginners
Before you start playing, you need equipment. Otherwise, you are someone just standing on a golf field. Let’s look at a list of essential golf equipment to avoid this situation.
- Golf Clubs
- Golf Balls
- Golf Clothing: Golf Shoes, Tees, Gloves, Headwear
1. All About Golf Clubs
Your game is going to be poor without a proper golf club. No, you don’t need expensive golf clubs to be good at the game. You just need clubs that fit you properly.
We have six beginner tips to help you select the perfect golf club.
Tip 1: Don’t Go Overboard with Clubs
As a beginner, new trending golf club sets will appeal to you. But don’t just buy clubs because they look shiny and neat, buy them if you think they will fit you right.
Golf allows carrying about 14 clubs, but you don’t need that many just to learn golf. The only clubs you need at the beginner stage are a driver, a sand wedge, a putter, a 5, 6, 7, and 8–irons, a pitching wedge, a fairway wood, and a hybrid with a loft of 18-21 degrees. These clubs are pretty forgiving when you are learning and won’t break your bank.
Tip 2: Size Matters in the Case of Clubs
The pros can play with any driver but sometimes choose to play with a big-headed driver. As a beginner, you need to do the same.
If you are still learning to play with a small-headed driver or small profiled blade irons, you will get frustrated when you cannot hit the ball. A big-headed driver helps you hit the ball properly, even if it’s slightly off-center. It’s pretty forgiving, and you’ll enjoy the game better when you get to hit the ball.
Try out beginner golf clubs with bigger heads or profiles to best suit you.
Tip 3: Softer for the Shaft & More for the Loft
Beginners often look up to the pros to select golf clubs, but we advise you not to.
If you choose a stiff shaft, you won’t be able to square the face correctly, which will lead to lesser height and spin of the ball. You can try out clubs with senior (A), ladies (L), or lite-flex shafts. We also advise using graphite shafts as they are lighter than steel ones.
Moreover, getting a club with more loft helps you hit the ball high in the air and avoid any side-spins to have a straighter shot. Try out drivers with 10 degrees loft and fairway woods with a 17 or 18 degrees loft.
Tip 4: Try Out Different Putters
Always try out your golf clubs! This must be your number one motto before even buying a single club.
The same goes for putters. Always try out different putters when you go shopping for clubs. Don’t limit yourself to small and big blades; try out every putter in the store.
Tip 5: Take Note of the Bounce & the Grip
If you have gone shopping for clubs before, you have noticed numbers like 8, 10, 12, or 14 stamped on the golf clubs.
These digits express the bounce number of the club. Why do you need a bounce number? It helps golfers hit their intended distance and control the degree of the ball. The higher the bounce number, the better. High bounce wedges keep the club’s leading edge from digging into the ground, making it easier to hit higher around green spaces. All these things make the clubs more forgiving.
Don’t forget about the grip! If you think your club’s grip isn’t correct, it’s not for you. Avoid losing your club or hitting someone with it while swinging because of a bad grip. If you buy second-hand golf clubs, you can easily change your grips. Just remember to keep them of the exact height as the old one.
Tip 6: Get Custom Fitted
If you are avoiding club fitting due to financial issues, we advise you to save up and get fitted. Custom fitting ensures your clubs work simultaneously with your height, swing speed, posture, and technique.
You can easily get custom club fitting if you visit a major high street golf store. They have PGA professionals to help get fitted with clubs. They may also waive the fitting fees if you buy clubs from them.
2. Choice of Golf Ball
There are four different varieties of golf balls: Tour value, Tour performance, Soft distance, and Straight distance. Not all the golf balls suit every player.
A beginner who wants to improve their skills should use a two-piece golf ball made up of a solid rubber center and Surlyn cover. These balls are reasonably priced and durable and perform well in the context of controllability.
Moreover, buy golf balls which cost 20$ a dozen if you fear losing them all. This is cost-effective for you.
3. Focus on Golf Clothing
Golf maintains a strict dress code. You can’t just wear anything at a golf course. The dress code also varies from place to place. It’s better to be prepared than be embarrassed.
● Golf Shoes
Waterproof shoes with spikes are best for a firm grip. Moreover, rubber studded soles and leather shoes help avoid chafing for a more comfortable golf day.
● Tees
Avoid any heavy clothing because it will be hot. Put on some comfortable and light polo shirts of light colors. It will make you look fancy while abiding by the dress code.
● Gloves
Choose a lightweight glove for comfort. Gloves are essential for a better grip. If you are right-handed, you must wear gloves on your left hand and vice versa.
● Headwear
You’ll get a ton of sun when playing golf. That’s great news! But to play better, you need to see better, which is impossible with the sunlight on your eyes. So protect your eyes! Sunglasses won’t work as you will be playing, instead, use a cap or a visor. It will help you see better in the sun and relieve you from the heat.
In the End, Posture & Practice Matters
Investing in golf clubs and other accessories is essential, but it’s not the end of learning golf. After choosing the right clubs, your next goal is to work on your posture and understand the rules. Also, you can prefer Electric Golf Trolleys that help to manage your golf game.
Don’t worry; we have covered the most challenging part of golf in this guide, i.e., golf equipment. Now you need to find a proper trainer or someone who knows what they are doing to learn golf. After that, you are ready to go to the golf courts.
