Many golfers grew up with their parents or family friends interested in golf, but lots of women haven’t had enough exposure to the sport.
Despite this, golf is still appealing to many women. Keeping fit, practicing swings, and enjoying the lush green sight of a golf course are just some of the reasons why women may want to try this game.
However, if you’re a woman and have the opportunity to start playing golf, there may be a few things that can be scary about starting to play.
Throughout history, women have been told that they need to ‘act properly’, so it can be hard getting past this perfectionism when first playing on the golf course! Lots of new players are scared of making a mistake and embarrassing ourselves as new golf players.
Many experienced golfers advise newbies to relax and have fun. Golf can be competitive, but focusing on scores and technique too much as a beginner can put you off of the sport.
If you’re a woman and are ready to begin playing on a golf course, it can be hard knowing where you should start. Luckily, our guide can help!
You’ll find our advice for aspiring female golfers below. These tips will help you become prepared for what the game involves, as well as overcome any issues that are keeping you off of the course.
Ready to start your golfing journey? Keep reading!
Women’s Golf For Newbies – Tips To Help You Start Playing
Buy Used Golf Clubs Or Borrow Them
If you’re new to golf, you probably won’t have golf clubs lying around your house. You’ll need to either purchase your own set or borrow some before you can set foot on a course.
You can find beginner golf sets that aren’t too expensive and will contain all the essential clubs you need. And don’t forget to about a good women’s golf bag.
If you don’t want to purchase your own set just yet, you can borrow these clubs from someone you know. Older clubs from parents or grandparents that like to golf should suffice, as long as they are of good quality.
Some clinics and instructors may have additional clubs to use, just check with the tutor beforehand.
The more you play and start to enjoy the game, you may feel comfortable buying your own golf set. Shopping for these can be fun, especially as golfing technology improves every year.
Your beginner set should include a hybrid/wood, driver, putter, and wedge. However, as a woman, golf clubs that are made for males aren’t the best for training. Look for lighter clubs, as this will make it easier to hit the balls.
Women’s hands also tend to be smaller than male ones, so you may want to look for clubs with a thinner grip. Remember that as females are usually shorter than males, women’s clubs can be around two inches shorter in length too.
Know How To Use Your Clubs
Learning how to swing a golf club properly and hit balls can be tricky, but that’s part of the fun of golf. It’s important to establish a great foundation, which is why golf lessons are a good idea, especially at the beginning.
Most golfers recommend taking your lessons from a golf professional. They shouldn’t just be good at golf, they should be able to teach and instruct too. However, this isn’t completely necessary if you know someone who likes to golf.
Some beginners learn the game from friends or family members who love the sport. As long as they can teach you all the right moves and rules, you don’t have to start with a professional teacher. You can even learn the basics from someone you know, then pay for lessons later on.
Group clinics and classes can also be a good idea. These are usually delivered at practice golf centers, though depending on where you live, you may be able to find women’s golf organizations too.
Golfing groups are a lot of fun as they offer a casual, relaxed environment to learn golf. You can also socialize with other people who are just beginning their golfing journey, which can help you stay motivated to keep at the sport.
Consistency Matters
Consistency is the most important thing when learning a new sport. It can be tempting to give up after one lesson if you haven’t got the hang of things yet, but stick with it!
Golf swings can be very tricky to master. The body doesn’t find these moves as natural as others, so you won’t be able to master them in an hour.
Each club will have a different swing too, so try not to feel discouraged if you aren’t progressing enough!
The best and fastest way to progress is by going to your lessons regularly and practicing in between sessions. Six weeks is usually enough for beginner golfers, but give yourself enough time to progress for your learning style.
Once you’ve had a lesson, take the time out to practice what you learned during the session, as this will help your muscles remember the movements. With enough learning and practice, you should see a visible improvement, which can help you progress to the next level.
Learn The Fundamentals
If you’re just learning how to play golf, you don’t need to know too much about the sport. Most learners don’t head straight to the golf course if they’ve never touched a club before.
After you’ve practiced more at the driving range and had a few lessons under your belt, you may then decide to play on a real course.
However, if you do choose to do this, you’ll need to learn and understand some golfing terms and etiquette.
You can do this with free resources online, or choose to purchase books and videos on the subject. There are plenty of golfing Youtubers who have videos specifically for beginner golfers.
There are plenty of things to learn in golf. Like most sports, golf has its language. Make sure you understand what some common golf terms, slang, and sayings mean, as this will help you learn the game faster.
You may have practiced some golf shots in your lessons, but try to learn what the different shots are. Understanding how to keep score when playing will also help you on the course.
Wear The Right Attire
Golfing dress codes can vary widely, especially for women. The rules may be strict or lax depending on the course or clinic you go to. In most cases, courses that have higher fees have stricter attire policies.
It’s important to ensure that your golf clothes follow the rules, but are still comfortable enough so you can move freely.
Lightweight clothes made from breathable materials can help you stay cool during hot weather, but golfing sweaters can prevent you from feeling cold after your game.
Women have more clothes to choose from, including shorts, skirts, and golfing dresses. It’s important to make sure that these aren’t too short.
No matter if you are standing up or bending to take a swing, you shouldn’t be able to see your bottom at all.
If you’d prefer to stay covered up, capri pants and cropped pants are permitted, but make sure that these aren’t too baggy or made from heavy materials, like denim or cargo.
Always check the rules of your club, course, or clinic before heading out, but make sure that you can still move freely in your attire.
Find Someone To Play With
Going to lessons and practicing at the driving range can be fun, but if you want to see real progress, you should find another golfer to play with.
The sport allows beginners and experienced players to play together, which is perfect if you’re trying to improve your game.
Your main concern at the start is to learn how to play the game and how to hit the ball. Once you start to progress more, you can start becoming more competitive against others.
If you don’t have friends or family that like to play, check out golf facilities and women’s groups in your area. We’ve touched on these above, but the best part of these groups is that you can practice with people of your skill level, as well as enjoy the social aspect of these after a game.
Playing On A Real Course
After you’ve started to understand the game and have had some practice swinging and hitting balls, you can decide whether you want to play on a real golf course.
As mentioned above, make sure you understand the fundamentals before heading out to one. This isn’t the place for beginners who have never swung a club before.
If there are several golf courses in your area, you may be able to choose which one to go to. We wouldn’t recommend 18-hole courses for beginners. These can be very exhausting and can take the fun out of the game.
Newbies will have a better time on an executive 9-hole or a 9-hole course. Executive courses have holes that can be played in a shorter amount of time and are usually easier to complete.
This allows professionals to get a golfing session in if they have to go back to work or travel home soon. Par 3 courses are also good for beginners, as they only consist of par 3 holes.
Remember that hitting golf balls at a driving range is much more different compared to a real course. As a beginner, it’s best to begin from the tees closer to you, or if they are available, the family tees. These are nearer the hole, making it easier to have fun while playing.
Golfing, especially for beginners, is about having fun while playing. You don’t need to worry about the score or hitting the ball every time yet.
The best thing to do is focus on learning the basics of the game, then hitting the ball as far as you can with each swing. You won’t need to focus on scoring until you progress more.
Try The Scramble Format
It can be intimidating first stepping onto a golf course, but if you are a beginner, there are better methods of playing your first couple of rounds.
Scramble format is ideal for golfing newbies. It involves every player teeing off. The players will select the better drive, then everyone will play their ball from that same place.
The group will then choose the next best shot, then the players will hit balls from that space, waiting for one to make its way to the hole. The Scramble is ideal as everyone works together, aiming to get a ball in a hole in a short amount of time.
Compared to being stuck behind trees or inside a bunker, the Scramble is a lot more fun for beginners, and even some more experienced players too.
Avoiding frustration is one of the most important things that can help to avoid quitting out of disappointment.
Have Fun And Enjoy The Process
If you’re a woman who has just begun her golfing journey, it can seem like there are too many points to remember. Try not to take the game too seriously. Focusing on your score right at the start can make the game a lot less enjoyable.
Aim to learn and understand the basic rules and golfing etiquette, but don’t stress out if you forget things once in a while.
Everyone had to start somewhere! A lot of more experienced golfers will be happy to help you with your journey, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.
More and more women are getting into golfing, but that doesn’t make it any easier entering a male-dominated sport!
If you’re feeling intimidated, finding other like-minded communities can help you get over your fear. Learning from female teachers and practicing at ladies’ golf leagues can help you progress faster, and you may make like-minded friends too.
The tips above will help you feel more confident as you take up the sport, but make sure that you have practiced enough before setting foot on a real golf course. Learning the proper etiquette and wearing the proper attire can make a big difference in your game too.
Remember that as a beginner, all that matters is having fun during your sessions. You won’t need to focus on scoring until you’re a little more experienced.
Keep up with your lessons and regular practice sessions, then soon enough, you’ll be amazed at how far you’ve come!
My name is David Shelly and golf has been my passion since early childhood. For more than three decades now, I’ve been trying to make sense of this crazy game.
Golf is the greatest game ever played. I want to help more people experience its joys. Let's hit the links!
