Many people would like to 'have a go' at playing Golf but don't know
where to begin. For many of us the only golf we have ever tried is
'crazy golf' at a fun fare or holiday camp. You know the type - where
you try to get the ball passed the weather vanes on the front of the
Windmill, through the front door and the ball appears out the back
rolling toward the hole.
Perhaps the easiest way to learn is to ask a friend who already plays
to take you along and introduce you to the sport. Unfortunately, many
of us don't have the luxury of knowing someone who can help. So what
do you do if you don't have a friend who can help. I have tried to
answer a few of the more obvious questions.
Find Golf Courses
Click here for Comprehensive details of ALL UK Golf Courses
Driving Ranges - A good place to start for players of all standards
whether young or old is the driving range. This is also a popular place
for many experienced players as it allows you to practice away from
the course and gain a little bit of 
valuable experience. Basically, a driving range is where you purchase
a bucket of balls and hit the balls as far as you can. Equipment is
usually supplied. Many driving ranges have targets to aim for like huge
baskets to catch the balls. This will give you the opportunity to learn
how to hold the club, how to swing properly, how hard you need to hit
and enable you to practice keeping your shots as straight as possible.
Find
your nearest Driving range
Pitch and Putt - The next step up from the driving range is the
Pitch and Putt. Essentially these are scaled down versions of golf courses.
Frequently, the Pitch and Putt only comprises 9 holes instead of 18.
The size of the course is usually much smaller and therefore the distance
from the Tee (start point) to Hole (finish) is much shorter. A few Pitch
and Putt locations can be found on www.yell.com - Pitch
and Putt Courses
Golf Courses - There are golf courses throughout the UK. Some
golf courses are termed municipal courses and these are run by the local
council. However, most golf courses are privately owned. Fees for a
round of golf vary greatly but most tend to be between £25 - £75 during
week days, slightly more expensive at weekends. Find
your nearest Golf Course
Find Golfing partners
If you have been invited along by a friend then you don't have a problem. If you are away from home, on holiday or don't have a friend who plays then you need to find alternative arrangements.
Phone the Golf Club - The first way to find a partner is to phone
the golf club. Golf is highly organised and golf is usually scheduled
at 10 minute intervals throughout the day. Members book a round of golf
and it is usually for 2-4 players. Very often a party may be short of
a player or happy to accommodate an extra player in their round. Players
are usually given a personal handicap so that players of different standards
can compete against each other and still have a competitive game.
Enter a competition - Clubs all over the country have competitions. Obviously some competitions are restricted but the majority are just a bit of fun. Very often the competition can have a dozen trophies that can be won - Winner, runner-up, nearest the pin, bandit, longest drive, wooden spoon, Captain slice, Out of the rough, etc.
- Trophies and Medals
Golf Partners - There are many websites that help you to find a golf partner. Most websites require you to register and in most cases pay a subscription. In many cases you don't know how many others players have registered until after you have joined. However, some websites have lots of members worldwide. I have added 3 links to websites as EXAMPLES not recommendations. Before joining please do your research first.
- www.Golf-Finder.net
- www.igolf.to
- www.Golfpartners.com
Golf Tuition - Most golf courses have resident golf coaches who can provide lessons for players of all standards. There are also professional coaches throughout the UK.
Golf Tuition
Golfing Equipment
What do I need? - In simple terms you need a ball, tee, clubs (minimum of 1 Wood, 1 Wedge and 1 putter), and a bag or cart to carry them in. Most players tend to have a few extra clubs to provide additional options and it is not uncommon for players to have 2 or 3 Woods and Wedges. Other items that are helpful but not essential include a large umbrella and golfing shoes.
Where to get equipment? -
There are a number of options available when it comes to golf equipment:
- Buy new equipment
- Hire from the Golf Club
- Borrow from a friend
- Buy used equipment
As with most things there are hundreds of options and prices can range from a few pence to thousands of pounds.
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