Golf Tips for Women Beginners: #1 – Just Get Started

Golf is on the rise, and more women are picking up clubs these days.

You may be interested in learning to play, but not sure about where to start. It can be overwhelming – what clubs, what clothes, what rules, what etiquette do you need to know?

First things first – decide how you’ll learn. Do you have a friend or family member interested in teaching you? Do you have a course nearby? What other opportunities exist in your area?

How to Start: Strategies for Women’s Golf Beginners

You can join a clinic, or sign up for a series of private or semi-private lessons. See if you have a friend who might be interested in joining you. While it sounds obvious, doing a quick search may reveal more opportunities than you think: google your area + ‘ladies clinic’ or ‘beginner golf for women’ – you may be surprised to see what comes up..

I wanted to learn to play, and didn’t have a close friend or family member who I wanted to learn from, but I did have some friends that wanted to learn with me. We found a local ladies’ clinic geared at women golf beginners and started there. At the clinic, we met other beginner women golfers, and learned a lot from our pro. I showed up almost every week for an hour-long clinic, and saw significant progress – I started the season missing the ball as much as I hit it. By the end of the season, I was much more consistent and even got the ball to go in the direction I wanted (most of the time!) The golf pro helped us learn some basic rules and etiquette, and gave us ideas for other ways to build our game, like trying out local driving ranges and Par 3 courses.

 If you’re not able to find anything in your online search, or by asking people you know, you can also call local golf courses. Many courses have pros that can help – call or stop by their pro shop and explain you’re looking to learn. Golf courses employ staff who are there to help you – golf pros. The golf pro is a great resource to help you figure out where to start.

You may have private, semi-private or public courses nearby – any of these types of courses are likely to have options available.

Don’t worry about the equipment or attire you might need at this point – start first by making a plan. Will you attend a clinic or lessons? Will you join a friend at a driving range or on a round at a course? Start with figuring out your first step and then take it from there. Below I’ve outlined some of the most common questions I get, as beginners navigate just how they’d like to get started.

My Experience and #1 Takeaway: Start Small

Just show up. Do your research, figure out how you’d like to start, and show up to golf. I remember the first clinic I went to – I called ahead and the pro told me I just needed to wear comfortable clothes that weren’t denim, along with sneakers, and that they’d have clubs and anything else I’d need. I still felt nervous and awkward walking in – and within the first five minutes all my fears melted away. The clinic was geared toward beginners, the golf pros started with the most basic explanations and tips, and the women who were there were mostly in the same spot as me. While a clinic was a great option for me, you can also sign up for individual lessons, join a friend or family member at a driving range or course, or even begin with online resources. Figure out what sounds right for you and start there.

Beginner Women’s Golf: Q&A

There’s a lot to learn about golf – the terms, phrases, rules, etiquette, gear, and other topics can all be a lot to decode. For me, it felt like I was so out of my league, that I wouldn’t be able to start until I had figured it all out. Don’t be like me – the sooner you start actually learning and golfing, the sooner you’ll have perspective and context to understand different parts of the game. You don’t need to be an expert, and you’ll have a lot of fun learning along the way. Some common questions I hear from beginners are outlined below.

What are the rules of golf?

The rules of golf are established by the formal golf body, the USGA (United States Golf Association.) As a beginner, focus on learning golf basics, like your golf swing, learning the various types of clubs, and how to chip and putt. To show up for a lesson or clinic, you’re not expected to know the rules of golf – you’ll want to get the basics down first. If you’re dying to dive in, USGA offers a 9-part video series outlining the rules of golf where you can learn more.

What is golf etiquette?

Golf etiquette refers to practices and customs that focus on keeping golf safe and enjoyable for golfers. As a beginner golfer, it’s important to learn golf etiquette along the way, but it won’t be expected that you know much at all as you begin. Lessons and clinics should outline some of the key rules. If you learn alongside friends and families who are more experienced golfers, they should be able to help you as well. As you gain more experience, you can look at resources that provide more detail. One great resource is the LPGA (Ladies’ Professional Golf Association), which offers a great primer on golf etiquette for beginners. As a beginner, just keep in mind that you want to show consideration for fellow golfers on and off the course – be a kind human and open to learning. With that mindset, you’ll be all set.

What equipment do you need to golf?

You don’t need anything at all to start. It’s easy to get caught up in what clubs or equipment you need even before you’ve figured out how you’re going to learn. Start simply. Figure out your first step, make a plan to learn. Decide from there if you need equipment. Headed to a course or driving range? Most have clubs you can borrow. Call ahead – you’ll find someone knowledgeable who has answered the same questions for other beginners just like you. Playing with a friend or family member? Borrow their clubs.

Still want to figure out the equipment piece? There are other ways to find free or low-cost golf equipment – check out my post on golf clubs for women beginners for some ideas you may not have thought of yet.

What is a Par 3 course?

A Par 3 course is a course composed entirely of Par 3 holes. Par 3 holes are the shortest holes in golf – an experienced golfer can reach the green from the tee box. A regular golf course has holes ranging from Par 3 to Par 5. For beginners, Par 3 courses provide an opportunity to practice your skills and get more comfortable on the course without the pressure of more expert or challenging holes.

What is a golf driving range?

Driving ranges are training facilities for golfers to practice their golf swing. Ranges can be fancy facilities or a big open field. You can find them at golf courses or as stand-alone facilities. Many experienced golfers like to spend time at the driving range before they play a round of golf, to warm up their swing. Some people like to go to the driving range when they don’t have enough time for a round, as a way to get some practice in. Many times, beginners’ golf clinics and lessons are held at driving ranges for those new to golf. I went to driving ranges for years before I walked on a course and played a round. It can be a low-key way to get some practice and get a feel for the mechanics of your swing without thinking about all the other elements of the game.

What do I need to wear to my first golf lesson or clinic?

There is a lot of beautiful women’s golf apparel out there – but you don’t need to spend a dime before your first lesson. Again, call ahead to make sure you comply with any dress code – but in my experience, beginner lessons and clinics are very low-key. You can likely show up in workout gear and sneakers. Some courses may require that you wear specific items such as collared shirts or golf shorts, skorts or pants – but that’s less and less common these days. If you do want to invest in some golf clothes, be careful – it can be easy to spend quite a bit. As a beginner, you may want to choose a few lower-cost items until you know you’re planning to stick with it. You can find great budget golf attire for women at lots of sellers like Target, Amazon, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and more. I outlined a few great options recently in this blog post. 

What if I’m not ready to show up to a course or take lessons? Where can I start?

If in-person clinics or lessons aren’t an option for you at this time, you have other options. These days, YouTube has a lot of great resources on golf basics for women. Some of my favorites include:

LPGA’s Instruction Series: short, easy to understand videos breaking down key golf concepts

Lisa Longball Golf Videos: I joined a few women’s beginner golf Facebook groups, and kept seeing Lisa Longball’s name pop up. She’s a Canadian golfer who holds the women’s record for long drives, and she also has a successful golf school (definitely on my bucket list!) It looks like she offers more comprehensive paid instructional videos, but these ‘intro to golf’ videos are a great way to get some good tips to start.

Golf With Aimee: I remember watching these videos the day I went to my first clinic! Golf professional Aimee Cho is another great resource with great videos outlining key elements of golf, specifically tailored to women beginners.

Books are another option: the options are endless, but you can start with a resource that’s been referred to me time and time again. The Women’s Guide to Golf is easy to read, doesn’t get too complicated, and I find myself referring back to it, even as I learn more. It’s a great place to start.

How can I meet other women like me who are golf beginners?

Golf is a very social sport, and there are a number of ways you can meet other women to golf with. As mentioned earlier, golf clinics and beginners’ events at courses are a great way to meet others just like you. The LPGA also has local chapters with opportunities for women golfers at all levels – you can look up your region and find websites and social media with more details on events. You can also look to groups on Facebook geared toward women golfers – Women on Course (no affiliation!) is a great example of a group where women golfers connect.

My Advice: Just Get Started

What’s the most important thing you can do if you want to learn to play golf? Show up. Commit. Learning any new sport can be at times overwhelming and frustrating. If you can decide to set aside time to learn to golf regularly, you’ll see yourself get more comfortable and increase your skill over time. You don’t need to drop everything and devote hours each day. Many golfers start with a weekly clinic or lesson – even getting out to the driving range periodically will start to add up. As you gain more experience, and if you want to grow your game, the most important thing you can do is commit and follow through on your new hobby – it will pay off over time!