What I Wish I Knew Before I Started Playing Golf

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When I started playing golf, I knew there would be a learning curve. What I didn’t realize was just how many little things there were to learn that had absolutely nothing to do with actually swinging a golf club.

Clubs. Lessons. What to wear. Where to stand. When to talk. Which club to use. Why everyone else seemed to know exactly what they were doing while I was quietly trying to figure out what was happening. 😂

Some of it I learned through lessons. Some from playing with people who knew a lot more than I did. And plenty of it I learned the old-fashioned way: by doing it wrong first.

So, if you’re thinking about taking up golf or you’ve just started playing, these are a few things I wish someone had told me in the beginning.

And trust me, I’m still learning.

1. You Don’t Have to Know Everything Before You Start

When I first started playing, it felt like everyone else knew things I somehow missed. Where to park the cart. Who hits first. Where you’re supposed to stand. When to pick up your ball. Even some of the golf vocabulary sounded like another language.

The good news is that you learn most of it by playing.

Take some lessons, ask questions and play with people who are patient and fun. I’ve found that most golfers are happy to help when they know you’re learning.

And you will make mistakes. I still do. Sometimes I don’t even realize I’ve made one until someone tells me. 😂

You don’t need to know everything about golf before you start playing golf. You just need to start.

2. Lessons Help, But You Still Have to Play

I’m a big believer in taking lessons. A good instructor can spot things you would probably never figure out on your own and give you something specific to work on.

But one thing I wish I understood earlier is that a lesson doesn’t automatically follow you onto the golf course.

I can work on something during a lesson or on the range and think, I’ve got it! Then I get on the course and suddenly my golf swing has apparently forgotten everything we discussed.

That’s where actually playing comes in. The more I play, the more comfortable I become with different lies, different clubs, awkward shots and all the little decisions you have to make during a round.

Lessons give me things to work on. Playing teaches me how to use them.

And sometimes progress shows up in very small ways. One better drive. A clean iron shot. A putt I wouldn’t have made a few months ago.

Golf improvement doesn’t always happen all at once. Sometimes it happens one good shot at a time.

3. You Don’t Need Every Club in the Bag

When I first started playing, I assumed that if a club came in the bag, I was supposed to learn how to hit it.

Apparently, my 3-wood and I had other plans.

For the longest time, I kept trying to make certain clubs work simply because I thought I should be able to hit them. What I’m learning is that there’s no prize for carrying a club that consistently makes you miserable.

Hybrids have been a completely different story for me. I find them easier to hit and much more forgiving, so they’ve gradually become some of my favorite clubs.

I’m also learning that what works for another golfer may not work for me. Club length, shaft flex, the makeup of your bag and simply how a club feels in your hands can make a difference.

And your bag can change as your game changes. Mine certainly has.

You don’t have to master every club. Find the ones that give you confidence and help you enjoy the game.

And yes, somewhere my 3-wood is probably very happy with its new family. 😂⛳️💚

4. Nobody Cares About Your Bad Shots as Much as You Do

One of the things that made me nervous as a beginner was playing with golfers who were much better than I was. I worried about hitting a terrible shot, slowing everyone down or simply looking like I didn’t know what I was doing.

And sometimes, I didn’t (and sometimes I still don’t). 😂

What I’ve learned is that most golfers are paying a lot more attention to their own game than they are to mine.

They’re thinking about the putt they just missed, the ball they hit into the water or why their driver suddenly decided to stop cooperating.

That doesn’t mean pace of play and golf etiquette aren’t important. They are. I’ve learned to be ready when it’s my turn, keep things moving and pick up when I need to. You can be a beginner without holding up the entire golf course.

But I’ve also learned not to apologize for every bad shot. I’m learning. Bad shots are part of it, and apparently they don’t disappear just because you’ve been playing longer.

The people I enjoy playing with don’t care what I shoot. They encourage a good shot, laugh with me about the ugly ones and make the round fun.

Be considerate. Keep up. Learn the etiquette. But don’t spend your round worrying about whether everyone is judging your golf game. They probably aren’t. ⛳️💚

5. What You Wear Actually Matters

Before I started playing golf, I thought golf clothes were mostly about looking the part.

And while I definitely enjoy that part, I’ve learned that what you wear can actually make a difference when you’re spending several hours on a golf course.

Comfort matters. Stretch matters. Pockets definitely matter. And playing in Florida has taught me very quickly that lightweight, breathable clothing matters.

I’ve also learned that the little things can make a difference. A comfortable pair of shoes, a hat or visor for the sun and a good golf glove can make the round much more enjoyable.

I wear wosofe golf gloves, and on especially hot days I’ve even been known to wear one on each hand. My sons dubbed me “Mommy Two Gloves” (Google Tommy Two Gloves). It may not be traditional, but neither is losing your grip on a golf club because your hands are sweaty. I know my limitations. Sort of. 😂

The same goes for golf clothes. I’m learning what fits well, what moves with me and what I can comfortably wear for an entire round. And yes, if it happens to be cute too, I consider that a bonus.

You don’t need an entirely new wardrobe to start playing golf. But being comfortable on the course makes it a whole lot easier to concentrate on actually playing.⛳️💚

6. One Bad Shot Doesn’t Have to Ruin the Next One

One thing I’m still learning is how quickly golf can get into your head.

You can be having a perfectly good round, hit one terrible shot and suddenly start wondering what happened to the golf swing you had five minutes ago.

I’m pretty competitive, so letting go of a bad shot doesn’t always come naturally to me. I want to know what I did wrong, why I did it and how to make sure I never do it again.

Preferably before my next shot.

But I’m learning that carrying the last bad shot with me usually doesn’t help the next one.

Sometimes the best thing I can do is accept that it happened, laugh about it if necessary and move on. There will be another shot, another hole and another chance to get it right.

And every once in a while, the shot immediately following the awful one is the one that reminds me why I love this game.

You can’t change the shot you just hit. Give the next one a chance to be better.

7. You Don’t Have to Keep Score Right Away

When I first started playing, I didn’t really keep score. I had enough going on just trying to hit the ball, remember what I was supposed to be doing and make my way around the course.

Adding up every stroke was not exactly at the top of my priority list.

For a while, I wondered if I was supposed to be keeping score. After all, that’s how golf works, right?

But looking back, I’m glad I didn’t worry too much about it in the beginning.

Not keeping score gave me the freedom to learn without turning every hole into a number. I could concentrate on making better contact, learning which club to use and getting more comfortable on the course.

I started keeping score regularly earlier this year, and now I actually enjoy seeing whether I’m improving. Of course, the competitive side of me would prefer those numbers to come down a little faster.

But I’m glad I gave myself some time to learn the game first.

If keeping score motivates you, keep score. If it makes learning golf less enjoyable, give yourself permission to wait.

There’s plenty of time to count every stroke. First, learn to love playing the game.

Still Figuring It Out

If there’s one thing I wish I had known before I started playing golf, it’s that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin.

You don’t need the perfect clubs, the perfect swing, the perfect outfit or a scorecard you’re proud to show anyone. You just need to be willing to learn, laugh at yourself occasionally (or a lot) and keep coming back.

I’m still learning every time I play. That’s actually become one of my favorite things about golf.

And because I want to keep playing for a very long time, I’ve also started paying more attention to strength, mobility and taking care of my body off the course.

If you’d like to work on that too, I created a free 7-Day Stronger Golf Body Guide with simple exercises you can do at home.