Golf Tips for Beginners: 10 Things That Actually Help
By MyFoursome · Published · 7 min read
Golf comes with an avalanche of advice, most of it contradictory. When you're starting out, trying to absorb everything at once makes it harder, not easier.
These ten tips focus on what actually moves the needle fastest for new golfers — on the course and off it.
General guidance, not a guarantee of results. Course policies and competition rules vary. Joining or hosting a MyFoursome game does not itself reserve a tee time.
1. Get a lesson before you get habits
A single lesson from a PGA professional is worth months of self-taught practice. They'll fix your grip and setup before bad habits get ingrained. Even one session pays off for years.
2. Use the right equipment
Beginner sets with forgiving, cavity-back irons and a game-improvement driver make golf significantly easier. You don't need expensive clubs — just ones sized to your height and designed for higher handicaps.
3. Learn the short game first
Over half your shots will come from within 100 yards. Chipping and putting consistently will lower your score faster than hitting a long drive. Spend at least half your practice time near the green.
4. Play from the right tees
New golfers should play from the forward tees — no exceptions. It keeps the round shorter, more fun, and at the right pace. Moving up isn't a sign of weakness; it's how the game is meant to be played as you develop.
5. Manage pace of play
Keep up with the group ahead, not just ahead of the group behind you. Be ready to play when it's your turn, limit ball searches to three minutes, and pick up if you're clearly over double bogey on a hole.
6. Keep your head still through impact
The single most common beginner mistake is lifting your head to watch the ball before contact. Trust the swing — keep your eye on the ball through impact, and it'll fly the direction you intended.
7. Set realistic score expectations
Breaking 100 is a milestone worth celebrating. Most beginners shoot 100–130 in their first full season. Don't compare yourself to low-handicap players you see on TV. Score improvement in golf is slow — and that's normal.
8. Play with people better than you
The fastest way to improve is to play with golfers who are a bit ahead of you. Watch how they manage the course, handle bad shots mentally, and think through tricky situations.
9. Use a tee everywhere you can
On par-3s you're allowed to tee the ball — use it. It removes the added difficulty of hitting off grass before your ball-striking is consistent.
10. Have fun
Golf is hard. People play it for decades and never master it. Enjoy the walk, the company, and the occasional great shot. The score is almost beside the point when you're starting out.