Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world. Millions of people play it for fun each year, while many take part in amateur and professional tournaments. In the US alone, around 6 million people tune in to watch the biggest tournaments like the PGA Tour, with the sport also benefiting from a global audience.

Like with other sports, some golf fans enjoy betting on the games. This activity has increased significantly in recent years, as online bookmakers have made it more convenient for fans to wager on their favorite competitions.

If you’re new to watching golf, you may also be looking to start playing. This can often be a daunting task, since learning to master the game can take a lot of time and practice. This means you’ll spend hours at the driving range or on a golf course developing the correct techniques.

Today, the internet can help us learn new skills, with everything from advice on how to play craps and other card games like blackjack and poker, to how to master driving a car. While there is no substitute for practicing your swing and putting in real life, here is a handy beginner's guide for golf novices.

A Few Clubs is Enough

Golf can be an expensive sport, especially if you’re paying for a pricey club membership. Many beginners to the sport think they need to splash out on a wide range of different clubs, adding to the enormous outlay.

Just because you’re allowed as many as 14 clubs on the course, it doesn’t mean you need even close to that many.

While you’re learning, save your money and just get a driver, pitching wedge, sand wedge, 8-iron, 6-iron, and putter. You also don’t need to buy the most expensive ones. A used set of clubs that’s been taken care of will work just as well.

Take Lessons

Golf is a sport where learning from a professional is almost essential. It’s easy to pick up bad habits that will be hard to get out of later down the line. That’s why it’s best to start taking lessons right after purchasing your first few irons. Now that you have purchased a few irons it is important that you hit them consistently, read this guide by The Left Rough to improve your skills. It is best to invest in golf equipment as well such golf bags at dicks as it is durable and has great quality for much better play.

While your friends may be able to help, a professional will help you move your game on much faster.

Don’t Just Focus on Long Distance

Being able to hit the furthest on the driving range is a feat worth bragging about, but it won’t help you much on the course if you can’t finish the job.

When playing a round of golf, you’ll be hitting around half of your shots from within 50 yards of the green. That means you’ll be needing to use your putter and wedges quite a lot.

Thankfully, this is something you can practice at home. Your carpet and wood floors won’t simulate a green perfectly, but they’ll be good enough. You can also try pitching balls into buckets in your garden (or large room) at various distances.

Walk Before You Can Run

You wouldn’t drive straight to a busy highway the first time you got behind the wheel, so why head straight to an 18-hole course when you’re still learning the basics? Find a par-3 course. These are usually easier on beginners as they’re much shorter holes than on a championship course. This will give you much-needed practice without piling on too much pressure in the beginning.