Golf is one of the most popular games in the world, especially for beginners. It’s a great way to release stress and improve hand-eye coordination and stamina.
Golf is a sport where the most fundamentals are needed. This is because you need to stand and swing your club without any help. You also need to see where your ball is going so you’ll be able to hit it correctly. Once you can master these things, you’re on your way to become a better golfer. 
Before you find an enjoyable golf course to begin your game, there are some things you need to know first. To help you out, here are some things you should know and prepare before you make a swing:
Do You Have The Proper Golf Gears?
Golf for beginners should be played with some basic etiquette. This means that you should always follow proper dress code rules. When you’re attending a golf course, you should be wearing a golf shirt and golf shoes. A golf shirt shows respect to the golf course and shows that you’re a polite and well-mannered person.
Aside from wearing proper clothes, you need to be acquainted with the appropriate golf gear that you need to use during the game. There are three essential golf gears you should have and learn more about:
Golf Clubs: Beginners should select clubs that are light, have a large lie angle, and iron clubs for their first clubs. This means that it’s advisable that beginners who want to learn to play golf shouldn’t purchase golf clubs with big heads, big weight, or high loft. Irons best serve beginners with a mild lie angle, low loft, and a grip that are as close to parallel as possible.
Golf Gloves: Golf is a sport that involves many movements, and the right grip and suitable golf gloves can help players make the most of their skills. Beginners are advised to use synthetic leather gloves as these are lightweight and durable. They’re also available in different styles and colors, so you can choose one that suits your taste.
There are two main types of leather: full-grain and top grain. Top grain is considered the best since it has an excellent grip, light, and is natural-looking. On the other hand, full-grain leather has an excellent grip but is stronger and heavier than other leather types. To learn more about the proper golf glove, you can read more golf gloves reviews online.
Golf Fitness Equipment: If you want to increase your range of shots, you should invest in some golf fitness equipment. To do this, you need to stretch and strengthen your arms and legs. One of the best exercises for the leg and arm is to hold a medicine ball as if you were about to hit it. By doing this, you'll strengthen the muscles needed to effectively swing a club.
How Many Common Golf Terms Do You Know?
Before you can understand the rules of playing golf, here are some standard golf terms you should consider learning first:
Fairway – this is the part of the golf course that leads to the green.
The Green – this is the soft part of the grounds that surround the hole.
Bunker – this is the part of the ground that’s a sand-filled ditch and usually surrounds the green.
The Rough – this is the wild area on either side of the fairway. This area is often filled with trees and long grass.
Hazard – this is the place on the grounds where you can find streams, ponds, trees, and bunkers.
Tee – this is the wooden peg where you place your golf ball on the hole's start.
Stroke – this is the movement or swing motion used to hit the ball. The score is kept track by counting strokes.
Par – this term is used as a standard unit for the number of strokes it should take to get the ball from the tee to the hole.
Once you get an idea of these terms, you can further understand the scoring system and its rules, which is stated in the next section.
What Are The Basic Golf Rules?
The United States Golf Association governs the official rules of golf. Here are some of the basics that you need to keep in mind:
Golfers must begin and place the ball behind tee markers.
All golfers are allowed a maximum of 14 clubs on their bags.
Always play where the golf ball lies unless there's a rule that allows you to move it.
If the golf ball is in a bunker or water, your golf club can't touch the ground or water before you swing. If your golf club touches the ground before you get to take a swing, you must take a penalty stroke.
If you accidentally play the wrong ball, you get a two-stroke penalty.
You may mark and lift your ball to clear it out of the way if it obstructs another golfer's course.
If your ball hits the flag, it's considered a two-stroke penalty.
These are just some basic rules you should learn before you start playing golf. As you play along, you'll learn more rules and basics.
What Basic Golf Skills Do You Need To Learn?
Knowing the rules isn't enough to begin playing golf. You also need to learn some of the necessary skills so you can hit the ball efficiently.
One of the pre-swing fundamentals you need to know is how to grip the golf club. To get your grip right, you need to hold the club in your fingers and not your palms.
The next fundamental skill is the aim. It's essential to learn to line up your ball and club by placing two clubs on the ground, 18 inches apart. Point the golf clubs towards your target and keep your swing between the two clubs. Loosen your knees before you swing, and focus on hinging forward from the hips.
When you master the fundamentals of proper body positioning, you’ll eventually learn different types of swing to increase the ball's momentum or speed to reach the hole.
Summary
There are several things you need to consider before you can start playing golf. Whether you want to play for fun or planning a path of winning in professional tournaments, you need to know some of the necessary gears and skills to begin your golf playing journey.
Other than having the right gears and fundamental skills, you also need to learn some standard terms and the game's basic rules. Without this knowledge, you’ll never know how to play the game properly and how it's scored to win.
