Sometimes the mere thought of a game of golf can seem a bit daunting if you’re a relative newbie to the sport – even the pros make slip-ups from time to time. Golf is deemed an “old man’s game” by many and with less and less younger golfers finding their way into the sport I think it’s time we did something about it, don’t you? From etiquette education to helping you fix your game, here are some of the most common mistakes new golfers make and how to fix them.

Going for glory
Proper management of the golf course is important and if you’re a beginner you should take it easy at first. If you see two options, a respectable place on a large spot of fairway, or a ten-foot wide spot next to the green surrounded by sand bunkers – go for the fairway. Improving your game is key here and if you keep winding up in traps your confidence will be shot.

Fashion faux pas
Golfing fashion gets a somewhat bad rap – albeit slightly deserved in some instances. Dressing respectably is a prerequisite in some golf clubs, so a polo shirt and a pair of Adidas Golf Shoes are essential for looking the part. When you start trying to accentuate your outfit with a “snazzy white belt”, you’ve gone too far.

Leaving your mark
The greenery (and everything else on the course for that matter) can be liable to wear and tear so be sure to clean up after yourself if you’ve made a mess. This includes repairing the marks your ball makes when it lands on the green, raking the sand bunkers and fixing your divots. Also, be sure to take your tees every time you are finished with them – either to reuse or throw them in the bin if broken.

Monitor your stats
If you log your games over the next few months, you could be encouraged by seeing the improvements you’re making to your game over time – rather than feeling dejected when you have one bad game! Confidence is key in this game.

Not being ready
If it’s your go, you better make sure you’re ready to play. There’s nothing more frustrating than waiting behind a group of golfers who are taking their sweet time and if you get spotted lollygagging, then you’ve just made yourself an enemy for life. You can speed up this process by avoiding playing “the gentleman’s game” and skip taking turns – just hit the ball when either of you are ready.

Take a lesson
Golf is hard at first, we get that. Why not give yourself a taster session with a golfing trainer so you can get a grip of the basics? Spending a little in the beginning can go a long way to getting good habits ingrained in you at the start, rather than trying to work out your bad habits later. If you don’t want the money to spend on a few hours with a trainer, there are also plenty of golfing tutors on Youtube nowadays: Mark Crossfield (Ask Golf Guru) is a personal favourite of ours.

If you liked what you read in this article, please share with your friends. We need to get as many newbies into golf as possible!