Want to Play Golf Like an Expert? First Master These 6 Rules Every Beginner Should Know

As a newbie to the golf game, you first need to know how to play before you can walk onto a golf course with confidence, ready to try your hand at it with your friends. At the same time, it’s undoubtedly true that golf is a complex game, and you’ll need time – and experience – to master it. 

So, what can you learn over time, and what do you have to know before you get started? To answer that question, here are the 6 rules that every beginner should master before they get started. 

1. Don’t Overstuff Your Golf Bag

It may be tempting to bring every club you own when you start a game, but you need to fight the temptation. You can carry a maximum of 14 golf clubs with you when you play. If you carry more than that, you may be penalized. 

The penalty for carrying too many clubs is a 2 stroke penalty per hole at which you carried too many clubs. So, if you don’t realize you’re over the limit until well into the game, you may find yourself in major trouble. So, to be safe, it’s always best to double-check your club count before you leave the house. 

2. Stay Within Parameters

When you’re teeing up, it’s essential to stay within the parameters. That means making sure you’re standing behind the correct marker and within two club lengths of the markers. 

Going outside these parameters carries a 2-stroke penalty, so it’s essential to be precise. If you’re still uncertain, the pros at https://theleftrough.com/best-golf-rangefinder/ point out that a golf viewfinder can help you get your distance control right. You can use your viewfinder to plan your swing right from the start, helping you get ahead of your opponents. 

3. Don’t Play the Wrong Ball

Unless you’re lucky enough to have the course all to yourself, you’re likely to encounter other players – and their balls. With so many similar-looking golf balls, it’s easy to get confused, and you may inadvertently play someone else’s ball instead. 

However, it’s essential that you don’t make this mistake. Not only is it bad etiquette, but it also comes with a 2-stroke penalty. The simplest solution is to mark your golf balls in a unique way so that you’re never confused. 

4. Don’t Move the Ball

This may sound obvious, but a ton of new players make the most basic of mistakes in golf – they try to move the ball. 

You must play the ball where it lies, and you cannot move it in any way. This includes kicking or nudging it with your foot and using your club to move it while you tee up. Additionally, you can’t use a tee on the fairway – that’s only for the tee box, so make sure to keep this in mind. 

That said, there are some exceptions – for example, if the wind moves your ball, you should play it from the new, changed position instead of the original one. 

5. Know When You Can Take a Relief

In some cases, the ball will come to lie in a place from which it cannot be played, such as in the water. In that case, you can continue playing based on the R&A’s Rule 19.2, which lays out options for how you can reposition the ball. That said, each option comes with a 1-stroke penalty, so it’s always best to ensure you don’t have to deal with such a situation in the first place. 

6. Score Correctly

You need to make sure your scorecard is completed correctly at all times. You do this by comparing scores you have noted on your playing companion’s card, which you should exchange with them at the start of the round. 

At each hole, you and your partners will be required to sign off on all scoring cards, confirming that the scores have been marked correctly.

While it’s unlikely that you’ll try to cheat, even the smallest mistakes can cost you. Having an unsigned card or making a mistake on even a single hole can lead to you being disqualified from the round. So, check and double-check that your numbers are correct and that your cards are signed after every hole you play. 

If you’ve never played golf before, the game can seem completely impossible to understand. However, with a little bit of time, you’ll soon learn just why it’s so popular. If you’re still worried, consider signing up for lessons with a pro or asking more experienced friends for suggestions on what you should know. That said, keep in mind that the best way to learn is always to play the game yourself.