Golf Fundamentals

Golf: The Basics

Golf is one of the few sports you can play your whole life, and Utah is one of the best places to do it — the state has over 100 golf courses, including several affordable public courses along the Wasatch Front like Wingpointe, Glendale, and Rose Park Golf Course in Salt Lake City. Before you touch a club, understand the game: the object is to get a small ball into a series of holes in as few strokes as possible. Start with the YouTube channel "Rick Shiels Golf" — he breaks down the game clearly without being condescending. Browse r/golf for real beginner stories and honest advice. Learn the basic terms: par, birdie, bogey, handicap, fairway, rough, green. Watch a full round on YouTube just to see how the game flows. You're ready for the next step when you can explain how scoring works and name the basic parts of a golf course.

Equipment and Etiquette

You do not need expensive clubs to start — a used beginner set from a thrift store or Facebook Marketplace is completely fine for learning. You need 7–10 clubs max as a beginner (a driver, a couple of irons, a wedge, and a putter covers almost everything). Watch "What Clubs Does a Beginner Actually Need?" by Golf Sidekick on YouTube. Equally important: golf has a strong etiquette culture. Learn it now. Repair ball marks on the green, rake bunkers after you use them, keep pace with the group ahead, and stay quiet when others are hitting. The USGA (usga.org) has a free beginner's rules guide. Utah Golf Association (utgolf.org) lists local public courses and beginner-friendly resources. You're ready for the next step when you can name 10 basic golf terms and explain three core etiquette rules.

Grip and Stance

Grip and stance are the foundation of every shot — get these wrong and nothing else works right. Start with your grip: use the "neutral grip" where both hands feel connected to the club face. Watch "The Perfect Golf Grip" by Me and My Golf on YouTube — they use clear visuals that are easy to replicate. Your stance width should be about shoulder-width for irons, slightly wider for driver. The ball position moves forward in your stance as clubs get longer. Practice grip and stance at home with no ball — stand in front of a mirror and check your setup. Most public driving ranges in Salt Lake County, like Wingpointe Golf Course's range, charge $5–8 for a bucket of balls. You're ready for the next step when you can set up your grip and stance correctly from memory, without needing to check a reference.

The Full Swing

The golf swing is one athletic motion — backswing, downswing, impact, follow-through — but it helps to learn it in pieces. Watch "How to Swing a Golf Club" by Me and My Golf on YouTube, which breaks the swing into stages you can actually practice. The most important thing beginners get wrong: trying to kill the ball. Smooth tempo and solid contact beats raw power every time. Spend at least three sessions at a driving range before worrying about distance. Hit 7-irons first — they're forgiving and teach you what a proper strike feels like. Record your swing on your phone and compare it to the tutorial. The r/golf "beginner" flair has hundreds of swing analysis posts from real learners at every level. You're ready for the next step when you can make consistent contact with a 7-iron at least 6 out of 10 swings during a range session.

Short Game: Putting and Chipping

Here's the secret most beginners skip: about 60–65% of golf strokes happen within 50 yards of the hole. Your short game matters more than your driver. Putting is mostly about reading the green (the slope determines which way the ball curves) and controlling distance. Practice putting at home on carpet — find the "sweet spot" on your putter face and train yourself to roll the ball with smooth, pendulum strokes. Chipping is a mini-swing with a short follow-through: use your 9-iron or pitching wedge and focus on landing the ball on the green and letting it roll to the hole. Dave Pelz's "Short Game Bible" is the bible for this stuff — find it used for a few dollars. The putting green at most Utah public courses is free or very cheap to use. You're ready for the next step when you can two-putt consistently from 20 feet and chip onto a green from 20 yards with reasonable accuracy at least half the time.

Play a Real Round

Book a tee time at a beginner-friendly public course — Rose Park, Glendale, or Bonneville Golf Course in Salt Lake City are all excellent and affordable. Go early morning on a weekday for the shortest wait and least pressure. Play "ready golf" — whoever is ready hits next, no waiting on ceremony. Pick up your ball if you're taking more than double par on a hole — it keeps pace and saves frustration. Keep your own scorecard and be honest. After your round, post your experience on r/golf, watch one "course management" video to learn smarter shot selection, and book your next round. Golf is a lifelong pursuit and your first round is just the beginning. You're ready for the next step when you've completed a full 9-hole or 18-hole round, kept an honest scorecard, and identified one specific area of your game to improve next.