What You Need to Start Golfing

Thinking about starting golf can feel overwhelming, but getting out on the course is easier than you think. This guide breaks down exactly what you need to get started, covering the essential gear, the fundamentals of the swing, and where to take your first swings. You'll have a clear, simple plan to go from curious beginner to confident T-M golfer.

First Things First: Gathering Your Gear

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get started in golf. Forget the shiny, expensive full sets you see in pro shops. Your initial focus should be on acquiring just enough equipment to learn the game without breaking the bank.

The Clubs: Keep It Simple

A full set of golf clubs has 14 clubs, but you absolutely do not need that many when you are just starting. In fact, learning with fewer clubs can make the game simpler and more enjoyable. Here are your best options:

• A Beginner Box Set: This is a popular and cost-effective route. These "half sets" usually include a driver, a fairway wood or hybrid, a few irons (like a 6-iron, 8-iron, and Pitching Wedge), and a putter. This is more than enough to learn all the necessary shots.
• Used Clubs: Head to a second-hand sports store, a GOLF shop, or look online. You can often piece together a decent starter set for a great price. Look for clubs branded as "game improvement" irons, as they are designed to be more forgiving for off-center hits.
• The Bare Minimum: If you want to go super minimal, you can learn the fundamentals with just four clubs: a mid-iron (like a 7-iron), a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, and a putter. The 7-iron is perfect for learning the full swing motion, the wedges handle shots around the green, and the putter is for, well, putting!

Balls, Tees, and a Bag

Just like with clubs, don't overspend here. As a beginner, you will lose golf balls. It's a rite of passage. Buy affordable, durable balls, often sold in bulk or as "refurbished" or "recycled" balls. You are looking for value, not the high-performance ball a tour pro uses.

You’ll also need wooden or plastic tees for hitting your driver, and a bag to carry everything. A lightweight "stand bag" is ideal, as it's easy to carry and has legs that pop out to keep it propped up on the course or at the range.

Where to Take Your First Swings

With gear in hand, it's time to find a place to hit some balls. Your first instinct might be to book a tee time at the fanciest course nearby, but that’s not the best place to begin.

Start at the Driving Range

The driving range is your best friend when you're brand new. It's a low-pressure environment where the only goal is to learn the motion of the swing. You can buy a bucket of balls and hit them without worrying about finding them or holding anyone up. Spend your first few sessions here getting a feel for the clubs and building a basic, repeatable motion.

Transitioning to the Course

After you feel comfortable making contact at the range, you’re ready for the course. But don't jump to the championship 18-hole layout just yet.

• Try a Par-3 Course: These courses feature much shorter holes, so you don't need a driver. It’s an excellent way to practice your iron and wedge play in a real-game setting.
• Play 9 Holes in the Afternoon: Book a tee time for later in the day when the course is usually less crowded. This takes the pressure off and gives you more time to focus on your shots without feeling rushed.

The key is to manage your expectations. Your first few rounds are not about shooting a low score, they're about learning, having fun, and getting comfortable on the course.

The FUNdamentals: How to Swing a Golf Club

Alright, let’s talk about the swing itself. This is where many beginners get tripped up by trying to do too much. The goal isn't a "perfect" swing, it's a simple, repeatable motion that produces a solid result. We’re going to cover the three most important parts: the hold, a healthy set, and a smooth swing.

1. How to Hold the Club (The Grip)

Your grip is your only connection to the club, making it the steering wheel for your shots. While it might feel weird at first, a good grip makes everything else easier.

First, we’ll start in a neutral position. If you are a right handed student your left hand should act as your “steering wheel”. When you place your left hand on the club, you should be able to look down and see the first two knuckles. The V-shape formed by your thumb and index finger should point towards your right shoulder.

Next, bring in your right hand. Your top right-hand palm should cover your left thumb. For your bottom right fingers, many players find the interlock (where the right pinky finger links with the left index finger) or the overlap (where the right pinky rests on top of the left index finger) to be the most stable. Try both and see what feels most natural and secure. Don't squeeze the life out of the club, hold it with firm, secure pressure, but keep your arms and wrists relaxed.

2. How to Set Up to the Ball (The Stance and Posture)

Good posture puts you in an athletic position to make a powerful, balanced swing. To get into the right set up position, first try using just your irons, setting up to them with a healthy bend from your hips, as if you were about to sit in a high barstool. Your weight should be evenly balanced, and your arms should hang straight down from your shoulders naturally and relaxed.

This is where proper club width is super important, especially if you want your turns and hips rotations to make some sense. So that we are producing some effective movements we recommend you start with your feet shoulder-width apart for iron shots for a stable base.

From there we should start with a proper ball position. Let’s start with just a wedge or mid-iron and then you will progressively upgrade yourself right just up to the driver. Proper balance is one of the most critical elements in your stance so we suggest as a rule of thumb, playing the ball right to the center of your chest or to the lead side of it. For your 3-wood or even for your driver, you can start a bit off center and place your ball more in line with your lead-side heel.

3. The Swing: A Simple-Turn and a Better-Follow-Through

The essence of the golf swing is a simple turn. It’s not a violent, arm-driven thrash at the ball. The idea is for you to just rotate your body.

• The Backswing: The takeaway and first half of the backswing should be a one-piece movement. In the backswing, as your chest and hips rotate away from the target, your body-turn will lift your hands around and upwards just until the driver is just about over your right shoulder. You in turn just want your weight to just shift naturally towards your back swing-turning side - it is exactly that just simple! No more of that, let’s make it even simpler. Think about one thing here: just a one-direction backward move which is just about a simple turn.
• The Downswing: Once you hit the top of your swing, and without even thinking much about it, that a same turning motion you created earlier backward will now just reunwind forwards. Here is another simple thought for this so-longed downward move, which can get more complicated than that and really lead to a lot of confusion: as you just start your forward movement towards the target just let all of the turn’s weight shift naturally toward your down path, but without moving your body, and unwound your club-drive naturally just straight toward the ball. This same move will help to naturally deliver the club head "from your inside-path" for you so you will get more consistency in both power and accuracy. Simple!
• Impact and Finish: Keep turning through the ball. Don't stop at impact. Your body should keep rotating until your belt buckle faces the target. Because of this healthy follow-through motion, it is perfectly fine and natural if your trail foot lifts just slightly off the trail foot to allow your better hips-thru-rotation. At which point you should just finish in a nice fully balanced pose. Here is a nice "PGA" tour-pro finish to look out for. Most of that well-deserved power will have just come from this. Your driver shaft should have finished just around your next. If you see yourself standing in that classic finish pose - fully balanced with your weight supported on your front foot facing the target - it means you have in its turn made a successful swing!

Bonus: A Quick Note on Etiquette

Part of feeling comfortable on the course is knowing the unwritten rules. They're mostly about safety, speed, and respect for the course itself.

• Pace of Play: Aways keep up with the group in front of you. Be ready to hit when it's your turn. Don't spend more than a minute or two looking for a lost ball.
• Care for the Course: Rake your footprints in sand bankers, and fix any marks your bull leaves after landing on the green surface with a divot tool.
• Be Aware: Never swing when someone is standing close to you or ahead of you. Be mindful of others' tee times when looking for one so their playing ground doesn’t have to suffer just for you not coming in later instead.

Final Thoughts

Getting into golf is an exciting process, built on finding the right gear for your budget, starting in a low-pressure environment, learning a simple swing motion, and being respectful of the game and other players. Taking it one step at a time helps turn what could seem complicated into an enjoyable and rewarding pursuit.

As you move from the range to the course, you'll naturally have questions during a round, or when trying to figure out which skill to practice next. We designed Caddie AI to be the perfect on-demand coach for this journey. You can ask anything from "what's the best club for a 120-yard shot?" to "how do I play from a tough fairway bunker?" It gives you instant, a judgment-free advice to help when you are unsure, simplifying your choices on the course so you can swing with confidence and keep getting better.