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HOW
TO GET STARTED Most clubs have Junior Organisers who will look after you and make you feel very welcome. If you can persuade a friend or two to go along with you and learn together, great. If not, don’t worry. You’ll be introduced to other juniors and will soon make a lot of new friends. You can also contact the Golf Foundation or the English Golf Union. Both these organisations work with clubs and driving ranges to offer lots of help to juniors who want to start playing golf. More details later in this section.
To begin with you don’t need any special equipment or clothing at all. Most clubs and driving ranges that offer special beginners lessons to juniors will provide clubs and balls for you. In fact, it’s not a good idea to go off buying equipment before you have had lessons. You could end up wasting a lot of money. After you’ve had a few lessons the pro will be able to talk to you about what equipment is right for you. You can also look at the equipment section on this site for help. There
are some schemes that are even offering free clothing for beginners,
so rookiegolf’s advice is don’t spend your money until you’ve had
your starter lessons and talked to the pro. Although you don’t need any special clothing to begin with, most clubs have a smart dress code and do not like you to wear jeans or trainers. You need shoes that will give good support. Check with the pro or Junior Organiser what it’s best to wear, before you have your lessons.
Some people think golf is an expensive game that is only for rich people. Not true! Most
clubs have very special rates for juniors. For beginners there are
low-cost lessons to get you started. Many clubs and driving ranges
are even offering free starter lessons.
FREE GOLF COACHING FOR BEGINNERS ALL YEAR ROUND - WITH THE ENGLISH GOLF UNION
The special scheme is for people of any age. To find out your nearest venue, and the dates of coaching sessions contact: Mr.
Richard Flint
GOLF FOUNDATION STARTER CENTRES The Golf Foundations have Starter Centres at clubs and driving ranges throughout the country. The Starter Centres offer lessons either free or at a reduced price to juniors. For details of your nearest Starter Centre contact: The
Golf Foundation
More and more clubs are providing very special deals to encourage juniors to take up golf. These deals are often organised by the clubs themselves, sometimes with help from golf’s organising bodies or with lottery funding. Some clubs are organising their own fund raising to make sure all juniors can afford to take up the game. Clubs
and golfing organisations are doing all they can to help juniors
get started and are particularly keen to see more girls taking up
the game. Fewer than 20% of juniors playing golf are girls. So, go along to your local club and speak to the Pro, meet the Junior Organiser and you’re ready to tee off.
You’ve taken the plunge and fixed up your first lessons. GREAT. Before you can go out on the golf course there are some things you need to know about Golf Etiquette and the Rules of Golf. In your beginner’s lessons the pro will introduce you to etiquette and the rules, but to help you out look at rookiegolf’s What You Need to Know section at the 1st Tee.
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The
English Golf Union is launching a scheme throughout the country
which offers free golf coaching to beginners. The coaching sessions,
will be given by fully qualified professional coaches and will be
on offer all year round. There will be group lessons lasting for
one hour, with five beginners per session. Golf clubs and balls
will be provided, so you won’t even need your own equipment.
