I sincerely hope that the information that I will be providing will make your experience with golf an even more enjoyable and rewarding experience than it was for me. Enjoy!
In my opinion there are three things necessary to get started playing golf properly. Beside a desire to learn, the first and most obvious of the three is you need golf equipment, secondly, you have to have some basic knowledge of how to swing a golf club and the basic rules of the game, and last but certainly not least is learning "Golf Etiquette". As you will note I will keep emphasizing the "Etiquette" part of golf and as you become a more experienced player you it will become clear to you why.
Since the first item I noted as a requirement to play was Equipment, some recommendations I would make to acquire equipment are as follows: Golf equipment can be very pricey so it is important to know the type of equipment that is right for you before you make any substantial investments. Golf Clubs can range from as little as $150 per set to as much as $2,000 or more for the new, most advanced Hi- Tech equipment.
My recommendation for someone starting out is to buy a used set of clubs, either at a golf store or garage sale, borrow a set from a relative or friend, or purchase a starter set form your local golf or sporting goods store ie; Dick's Sporting Goods, Golfsmith, Modells, Walmart, etc.. If you decide to purchase a new starter set or a used set of clubs you should ask to speak to the resident golf professional ( Dick's or Golfsmith would offer this service). He should be able to recommend equipment that will allow you to get started without spending an exhorbitant amount of money. It will also give you a chance to experience the game and determine whether it is right for you.
As much as I love golf there are people who have no interest or desire to play. In conversation with them I usually find that either they have tried it, found it too difficult and gave up, or they were into other hobbies such as fishing, boating and did not think golf was an athletic enough sport for them. I'm assuming that if you're reading this that you want to learn to play golf. One of the topics of a subsequent writing will be how to LEARN TO PLAY the right way. It you want to give yourself a fair chance to see if you really enjoy the game you have to learn properly. Golf is not as easy as it looks and since we can't all be Tiger Woods, us mere mortals have to work a little harder at it if we want to learn to play well. Forgive my digression, but I will do that from time to time to emphasize a point. The next writing will be about learning how to play, so back to equipment.
The beginning golfer does not need to carry 14 clubs ( the approved amount of clubs allowed to be carried under USGA - United States Golf Association rules). When I first started playing I had a golf bag I borrowed, A driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 5 iron, 7 iron, 9 iron, sand wedge and a putter and it was more than enough clubs to play. The different numbered clubs are used for different distances. For example, the Driver is the least lofted club, which means you can achieve the most distance utilizing this club.The subsequent clubs noted, 3 wood, 5 wood, 5, 7 & 9 irons and sand wedge all have increasing angles of loft respectively, so as the number increases on the club the resulting distance will decrease accordingly. Each number will progressively represents about a 10 to 20 yard variance depending on one's ability and if you are using a wood or an iron. As you begin to play you will learn more about when and why you use the different clubs but the important thing is to get started. Grab your clubs and get ready to learn to play"The Right Way".
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