The game of golf is a fantastic game. It is one of the few sports where you can compete against anybody regardless of whether you are a beginner, intermediate or even professional. The handicap system ensures that you can have a great game whatever level of player you are up against.
As a beginner it is very important to have some kind of tuition to learn how to play the game. I live in a resort town and am always seeing holiday makers on the golf course who clearly have not got any idea of how to play the game. As a player myself I cannot understand how they can get any enjoyment from this, most of them seem to end up extremely frustrated.
If you cannot afford to take a course of golf lessons before venturing out onto the course you should at least invest in a good golf book or golf tuition program. There are so many available on the internet and very reasonably priced. On a cautionary note, the internet is awash with information about golf and you can find yourself spending hours looking at the various websites.
You need to spend a lot of time at the driving range before even considering venturing out onto the course. At the range you can experiment with your grip and swing until you feel comfortable and are making solid contact with the ball. Once you feel confident at the range and you feel you have control over your ball striking then you can think about taking your game to the course. But be warned the golf course is a very different animal to the range.
Once you start out on the course you have a lot of other things to think about. You will not always be playing of a flat lie and course management becomes a big part of the game. You must try to keep out of trouble, and suddenly you are faced with lots of bunkers and water hazards etc. which were never part of the range. Knowing the rules of golf then becomes important, if you are in a hazard what are your options? It is very important to read up on the rules before venturing out onto the course. This is where a good golf handbook or tuition package will be invaluable to you. Also remember that apart from the rules there is Golf Etiquette to be considered. Good golf etiquette leads to an enjoyable golfing experience for everybody, remember you are not the only person on the course.
Yes there is a lot to learn when you start playing golf. But if you make sure you take the time to read up on the game, you will get endless hours of pleasure playing.