- Start Small, Be Patient
- Develop Low Point Control
- Develop Clubface Control
- Help Maximize Speed
- Create Success Situations
- Watch Quality Golf Swings
- Pick A Method
- Practice The Short Game
- Have Fun
Learning the game of golf for a beginner can seem rather overwhelming at times.
There is a lot to learn and the swing can be complicated.
The good news is that everyone was once a beginner and understands the difficulties that the game can present. A beginner should never shy away from the game out of fear of looking bad or feeling inadequate.
One of the keys when starting any sport is to have a realistic mindset and expectations of what the first several sessions are going to be like. Two things that really stick out as difficult in my mind that I have taken on are golf and snowboarding.
With golf I was fortunate enough to learn at the age of 10. With snowboarding I didn’t start until the age 22. Talk about challenging! So how do you help someone new to this great game of golf?
How To Teach Golf To A Beginner (9 Tips)
Update: The three most basic fundamentals include: 1) being able to control low point (quality of contact), 2) being able to control start line and curve of the golf ball (impacts accuracy) and 3) having enough speed to play the course (impacts distance and approach shots). When the basic golf movements are utilized to build skill in these 3 areas, the golfer can improve quickly and start to experience success!
Let’s dive into the 9 tips above and provide some insights and guidance. There are drills found in several of the tips below that can be used as a foundation.
Tip #1: Start Small, Be Patient
The number one key with a beginner golfer is to remain patient. They are going to be nervous and excited at the same time. Their expectations might be a bit out of line. The sooner we can get beginners hitting the ball in the air and getting the feeling of a decent shot, the better chance we have of them returning and continuing on with their journey in golf.
The younger the beginner, the more fun that needs to be instilled into the first session. Be patient, understanding and keep encouraging them to stick with and persist with the the game of golf.
Tip #2: Develop Low Point Control
The best golfers around are able to control their low point. The weakest golfers around m;ight only control their low point 50% of the time. By low point, we are referring to where the club interacts with the ground or bottoms out. We have a great drill to work on low point control.
The Low Point Control Dril
- Take some yard paint and paint a 1-2 yard long line.
- Setup with 55% of your weight on your front side.
- Try to hit the target side of the line and see how many times out of 10 you can do this successfully!
- Repeat this drill every day for a month, tracking your progress and your ability to to this successfully in trials of ten.
- You may need to start with half swing and progress to full swings.
If you are struggling, put more weight forward and work on keeping your head still to help control the low point in the swing.
Tip #3: Develop Clubface Control
Once the golfer has started to control the low point, the next step is to develop some clubface control. The low point helps the golfer hit the ball solidly and the clubface control helps the golfer hit the ball in the direction they want. We have a great drill called the Stock Shot Drill.
The Stock Shot Drill
- At the driving range, set up an alignment stick about 6-8 yards in front of you, straight down your target line.
- If you have a second alignment stick, set the stick 3-4 feet right of the first stick (for a draw) or left of the first stick (for a fade).
- Complete your initial assessment see how many times out of 10 you can start the ball to the right or left of your target. Pick one side and measure your game at this point.
- The goal is to eventually get 7 out of 10 shots to start to the correct side and draw back towards the target.
Tip #4: Help Maximize Speed
For years, beginner golfers were just told to try to control everything and we can worry about speed and distance later. For the junior golfer starting the game, hitting a ball a further distance is exciting. The shot that flies higher and further than the last one is the shot that keeps the golfer hooked and coming back for the next fun session.
I would highly recommend the overspeed system created by SuperSpeed System as a great way to increase overall swing speed.
Check the current price on SuperSpeed Golf System, here!
Swing speed is not a concrete thing and can be increased.
| Original Swing Speed | After 4-6 Weeks | New Carry Distance | Total Distance |
| 95 | 102 | 245 | 265 |
| 100 | 108 | 259 | 279 |
| 105 | 113 | 271 | 291 |
| 110 | 118 | 283 | 303 |
Tip #5: Create Success Situations
Create situations where the golfer can experience success and joy from accomplishing their task. This might include hitting the ball 100 yards in the air and at a target. Or hitting a successful chip shot that lands on the green.
Whatever it might be, start small and celebrate those accomplishments. Too often, we can stand at a stall at the driving range teaching the grip, setup, posture, head alignment, and on and on and never actually chase the joy of hitting a quality shot.
Tip #6: Watch Quality Golf Swings
Use your smartphone or a laptop and show the golfer what a quality golf swing actually looks like. Pick one that is fluid, smooth and looks easy to replicate. I always prefer to use a swing like Tom Watson, Ernie Els or Payne Steward because of the tempo and ease that it appears they swing with.
The goal isn’t to replicate positions, but rather to see the full motion, see the tempo and swing with a quality tempo and allow the body to move with fluidity.
Tip #7: Pick A Method
The great news about living in the golf era we are currently in is the access to top notch insulation. There are some amazing teachers out there with impressive content to help the beginner golfer. We have review and highly recommend the following golf instructors for a beginner golfer:
These are the top two for the beginner golfer. Shawn Clement spends time on making connections with some of the more natural movements we make in other sports and in life. Mike Malaska is great for the person who played baseball or softball and makes many connections between the two swings.
Tip #8: Practice The Short Game
The quickest way to lower a score for a beginner golf includes the following:
- Improving the short game
- Improving the quality of the strike (tip #2)
- Increasing distance (tip #4)
The short game is great for every golfer to work on. Regardless of current athletic ability, size or speed the golfer can become a quality short game player. Some simple technique and plenty of practice will get the golfer headed in the right direction and experiencing positive outcomes on the golf course.
Tip #9: Have Fun
Don’t forget that golf is supposed to be fun. So make it fun and enjoy the moments and celebrate the success! Make sure the beginner golfer wants to come back and if you are working with a younger kid, keep it fun and stop when they are ready to stop. Don’t over do the session.
Find something fun or successful that makes them ask when they can go back to the golf course or the practice range.
My Secret To Golf Improvement
Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About four years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.
This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.
It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.
Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:
Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:
2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
4 – Practice Frequently
Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
- Don’t Forget to Check out our 15 best golf swings of all time.