Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for (Casual) Golf

So you’ve been going to the driving range for a bit and you’re thinking it’s time to step off the range for the first time and schedule a tee time with your local pro shop.

Here are some things to expect as a new golfer:

Pro Shop

If you haven’t stepped inside one yet; the pro shop is where you’ll schedule a tee time for a golf course so that you can play 18 holes. They usually sell merchandise and other golf gear as well. If you’re short on golf balls or tees, you can buy those here too. You’ll want to make sure you have enough, especially if there is water, trees, etc. on the course.

Most courses let you schedule a time online and use the same few scheduling systems. Calling may be necessary if you’re golfing by yourself - this is because solo golfers take potential spots for groups of 4 golfers, which can lead to less revenue for the course. Many golfers already have a group of 4 friends, colleagues, etc. that they have planned a time for. So as a single, you’ll need to fit in a timeslot somewhere.

Tee Time

Plan on getting to the 1st tee 10 mins ahead of your tee time. So keep track of time as you use the practice green, driving range, etc before your round to make sure you aren’t late.

There may be a “starter” there who will typically ask for your tee time, last name, cart number, and sometimes the receipt. This is to make sure that you aren’t just walking onto the golf course without paying.

My Thoughts

• I typically look for a tee time online first, then will call if I don’t see one available for the time I prefer. I will look online at all the courses in my area to see what is available and go from there. I’m not someone who likes to warmup too much so I only spend a few minutes at the putting green, then make my way to the first tee.
• When I get to the tee box, I put a tee, divot repair tool, ball marker, and a ball in my pocket.

On the Course

General Rules for the Casual Golfer

• Turn order is based on whoever is furthest from the hole. Players off the green always shoot before players on the green regardless of distance to the hole.
• You can only put your ball on a tee on the tee box (your first shot). All other areas of the course require the ball is hit off the ground.
• If your ball goes into a hazard where you can’t play it or retrieve it (like water), you drop a ball 2 club lengths away from where it went into the hazard and take a one stroke penalty. Out of Bounds is marked by white stakes and you are technically supposed to re-hit from your last shot location if your ball finds these areas. But, this is generally frowned upon when golfing casually since it can greatly slow down the pace of play. Treat these areas the same as hazards (red stakes) and take a drop, with the exception that you are supposed to drop a ball regardless if your ball finds OB.
• You’re not supposed to “ground” your club when in a bunker, so try your best not to touch the sand with the club before you hit your shot.
• You can only pick your ball up or touch it in general once it is on the green and it is marked with a ball-marker, which can be any man-made object. Place you marker directly behind the ball and pick your ball up. When it’s your turn, place the ball in front of the marker and put the marker back in your pocket.

My Thoughts

• Marking my ball and picking it up to clean it is part of my putting routine. It gets my ball out of the way of the other player’s and when I’m ready to place it back down, I can align the lines on the ball to where I want to put it.
• Know which ball you are hitting each time you hit. The most awkward situations on the course come from a player mistakenly hitting another player’s ball. Technically this is a penalty but casual golfers just treat it as a bad look.

Pace of Play

Most golfers that I’ve played with prefer to play quick. Playing quick keeps the game moving, keeps your body loose, etc. But most importantly, it ensures that all of the golfers on the course finish their round in (generally) the time they planned to play golf for that day. With a group of 4 players, most courses can be played comfortably (without rushing) in 4 hours and 15 mins. I am not saying to rush through your round or your shot routine. I am saying be mindful of the others - your shot routine shouldn’t be longer than 1 min.

Since you are a new golfer, there may be times you hit a few shots that don’t go very well, or very far. In these times it’s important to be courteous of the other golfers in your group and pick your ball up if you haven’t reached the green by double par (ex: 8th stroke on a par 4). This doesn’t mean that you can’t chip or putt, but taking a long time getting to the green is what slows your group and the rest of the course down. Use common sense in these scenarios - if you feel like you’re moving too slow; pick up your ball, drop it near the green, and finish the hole. Your playing partners will greatly appreciate it, no matter their skill level.

Ready-Golf

This is a term you will hear frequently when playing casually with others. It generally means:

• When you are ready, you can feel free to hit your ball.
• When someone else is hitting, you are getting ready to hit, and you are ready by the time they have hit.

There are some exceptions to this unwritten style of play:

• Don’t hit when someone else is hitting, this can be distracting.
• Don’t hit if someone else is already prepared to hit and is behind you or further away from the hole.
• If someone gets the low score on a hole, give them the opportunity to tee off first on the next hole. This is called having “honors” and is a part of the rules of golf that we try and stick to when we can, rewarding the player who played well on the previous hole.

Typically we help each other search for missing golf balls, but we don’t need all 4 players looking at the same time - this slows pace of play.

My Thoughts

• My shot routine is about 20 seconds - from approaching the ball to hitting it. I find the routines of most golfers I play with take a similar amount of time.
• I prefer to wait for my turn (when I am furthest from the hole) because it gives me more time to think about my shot. Times I may hit out of turn are when my playing partners are searching for their ball but I am ready to hit.
• If you’re riding in a cart, need to walk to your ball, and plan on your ball being on the green after your next shot; take your putter with you as well as whatever club you need to use to get to the green. Take multiple clubs if you have to. This makes it easier on you so that you do not have to go back to your bag for your putter. When you are putting, leave your other club(s) on the green in route to the cart. This helps avoid leaving them on the green, which unfortunately will inevitably happen to you. In these cases drive back and ask the other groups if they picked up your club. If not, the pro shop may have it in the lost & found by the end of the day.
• If it’s hot/humid out, take your glove off between shots to preserve its lifetime. The more you sweat in them, the easier they rip. When it’s really humid out I hang it on the cart to dry while I am on or near the green. Like many other golfers, I prefer to chip/putt without my glove, so I’ll dry it out during this time.

I always wait my turn to hit my shot when I am on the green. This allows me to see other players’ shots and how the break/slope of the green is affecting them. I can take this info into account when it’s my turn to hit.

Course Maintenance

When we hit shots or take practice swings, sometimes we tear up the ground a bit. Golf courses will appreciate it if we do two simple things:

• Fill divots with sand.
  • Sand is usually provided on the golf carts and there are sometimes refills on the course.
• Repair ball marks on the green. This happens when your ball hits the green and creates a small “mark”.
  • This requires a divot tool to be done well, but can be done with a tee. To repair properly, push the tool into the ground around the outside of the mark and push in towards the center, and repeat. Doing it this way keeps the roots intact and the grass from dying. Once done, flatten it down with your putter.

If you are driving a golf cart:

• Stay on the cart path when indicated. “Cart Path Only” signs may be posted during wet conditions on holes where the cart could tear up the grass. Par 3 holes implicitly fall under this rule. Most of the time these holes don’t have a fairway or the firm ground necessary to support the weight of a cart, so it’s usually discouraged to drive on them.
• Stay away from the greens, like at least 20-30 yards away. It’s a bad look when you go too close. Most courses will have “Carts –>” signs near the green in the fairway telling you to go back to the path.

My Thoughts

• Put a divot repair tool in your pocket at the beginning of the round.
• If your ball is on or near the green, drive the cart to the path and park on the path closest to the green.

Unwritten Rules

In any game/sport there are certain things players do or don’t do based on respect, tradition, not being a jerk, etc. Here are a few of those things:

• When someone else is hitting on the tee, stand behind them out of sight (and far enough away) and don’t make any sudden noises. Most players can tolerate a little chatter and music as it’s a consistent sound. But, hearing sudden sounds or seeing something out of the corner of their eye can mess with a player’s thought process mid-swing. This applies to the green as well - don’t make any sudden movements when someone is putting. Someone’s peripherals can see more than people normally assume.
• The rules of the game allow for you to putt with the pin/flag in or out. Some players will prefer that it is out. If this is the case and you are near the pin, remove it and place it on the ground near the edge of the green. Similarly if you are near the pin and you are not the last one to putt, place the pin/flag back into the cup after the last player finishes the hole.
• When on the green; Avoid stepping on another player’s “line”. “Line” being the invisible line from their ball to the hole. It’s both a combination of respect and legitimate concern that your footprint can affect the roll of the ball, which it can.
• At the end of your round when the last player finishes; remove your hat and shake your playing partners’ hands.
• Yell “FORE” if your ball is flying towards someone or another group. This gives people a heads up that there’s a ball coming their way.

Post-Round

• If you drove a cart, drive it back to the “cart drop-off” area. There will usually be signs for this. Most courses allow you to drive the cart to your car first, making it easier to unload your bag and belongings.

My Thoughts

• Make sure to take all of your belongings from the cart. ESPECIALLY those magnetic range finders that stick to the frame of the cart. I have done this, along with many others I know.
• Golf is hard - your expectations should be very low as a beginner. Don’t be too upset if you didn’t play to your liking. If you find yourself getting upset at this early in your journey, this game may not be for you.