Beginner Golf Essentials 

With the vast amount of information on golf and the experts who have played for years, it can be overwhelming when starting. What do you need? Is essential to have? Will it make you look like a total newbie to the veterans on the golf course? What should you wear? We are here to help with these questions and have golf gear that can be purchased from local businesses across Ireland at Getlocal.ie. That sounds like a win-win to us, the perfect way to start your game. 

Discover Golf Equipment From Online Retailers Across Ireland

Beginner Golf Clubs

You can’t golf without clubs, that is a given. It is important to note that per the rules of the game, you are allowed up to 14 clubs at one time to play. However, when you are first starting out there is no need to have that many clubs, focus on honing your skill with a small set at first. We’d recommend some Irons, a putter, and a sand wedge, these are the basic clubs you need to start working on those skills. Then as your skills grow you can develop into Drivers and Hybrids. You can choose a beginner golf club set that allows you to pick all these up in one go or you can choose for yourself. Either way, we have a great local selection to choose from. Remember to try it before you discover it so that you know what works best for your swing, here are some shops that let you do just that. 

Discover A Golf Bag

Now that you have your clubs sorted, you will need a bag to carry them in! There are many different types available, but the two main ones are carry bags and cart bags. If you plan on playing on a smaller course that you will be walking around on then carry bags are a good option for you as they are much smaller than cart bags. However, if you are going to be in a golf cart, and let’s face it they are fun to drive around so why not? then you can get a cart bag. You can also use a carry bag on a cart as they fit very well but you will not want to lug around a cart bag if you plan on being on foot. Choose the one that works best for you from our local selection. 

Choose Your Golf Balls

 Just like your clubs, golf balls are one of the basic needs to even play golf. When it comes to purchasing them you will want to base it on how many balls you think will get lost in a round, which depends on the terrain of course. If there are a lot of ponds or trees nearby, the chances are high you might overswing and lose your ball. It is also important to mark your golf balls so that you don’t get them mixed up with anyone else’s when playing or searching for them. Find the golf balls that are right for you from our local selection. 

Get Golf Clothes

Like any sport, golf has its own uniform. Let’s start with the shoes, they are important because they provide traction. When choosing golf shoes it is important to keep comfort in mind as games could be an all-day-long event. Good thing we have plenty to choose from. Now, let’s talk about the rest of the uniform, the clothes.  Most golf courses enforce a dress code, so it is important to check with the course you are going to be playing on what exactly theirs is. Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind. For men, the attire is long pants with belt loops, dress shorts, collared golf shirts, rain jackets, and belts. For women, it is golf t-shirts, dress shorts, golf skirts, capris, and rain jackets. Do not wear jumpers, jeans, sandals, runners, and regular t-shirts when going for a game. A golf glove is another consideration when considering the golf uniform, it helps you keep your grip on your swing, especially during those hotter, more sweaty days. 

Smaller Accessories

Some smaller accessories to stock up on are the following:

• Pencils – To keep notes on scoring.
• Sunscreen – To protect you from the sun. 
• Pitch Mark repairer– Sometimes when hitting a shot on a soft green a dent can be left behind. It is always good etiquette to bring a mark repairer to fix the indentation left by your ball or your swing. 
• Golf Tees– These keep your ball off the green so you can hit it. Choose the tee that you like best; however, plastic tees are more durable and last longer.
• Ballmarkers– You do not want your ball getting in the way of someone else’s putt, this is where ball markers come in. They help mark the position of your ball without keeping your ball in that spot. 

Where To Practice Your Golf?

If you can find a piece of grass surrounded by nature and not much else, then that’s a good place to learn your chip game. Be it your garden, local park or beach. Just stay away from people, pets, glass, cars and really any human or animal activity where a wayward ball will not be welcomed. You don’t need big spaces for all of your practice. For example: Learning to chip a ball from just a few metres is a skill that you will develop and practice your whole golfing life. When you’re ready for long shots it’s time to get to the golf course or driving range. There are many Driving ranges throughout Ireland. They are great places to swing & repeat. No interruptions, just shot after shot to build skill and dependability into your stroke.

Now that you’re ready to play on a real golf course your choice will range from pitch and putt courses to par 3’s or full-length golf courses. Golf Courses will be sometimes 9 holes long, but usually, they will be 18 hole courses. Some will be public courses where anyone can play, others will be private clubs and require you to be either a member or to be playing with a member of that golf club. Have a look at this golf club directory on goldenpages.ie to find one near you.