very new to the sport

hello, i am a young submariner based in the south and was looking into getting into golf as there is a golf course on base. my fiance's father is an avid golfer and i would like to play with him one day without embarrassing my self. so i would like some advice on the basics and information on golf clubs, and the situation in which each club would be employed. thank you very much.

Thats alot of info to squeeze into 1 reply. As for the distances of clubs, what makes the balls travel different distances is the different lofts on the clubs. A 3 iron has a flatter face so it will hit it lower and longer than a 9 iron (which has a steeper loft so it will go higher in the air, and therefore not as far). Your going to want to spend at least $400 if you want descent clubs. You can either get a complete set or buy everything seperate. Youll need a driver, 3 wood, irons set (which include 8 or so clubs), putter, and golf bag. Either way go to a golf store and talk to them. Theyll hook you up. As for instruction, youtube and websites like golf.com are your friends. Good luck and have fun. Golf is fustrating as hell for a while, but once you get your first birdie its worth it!

you can learn a lot of info online. esp on the sand trap. when I first started playing golf, I went to local golf shops in the area and just talked to workers there and learned everything i needed to about golf clubs. I still go and ask questions about new clubs coming out.

Go to a used sporting goods store, buy some cheap used clubs, and hit the range a few times before setting foot on the course. By that time, you'll know if you want to pursue the game further and improve, or if it will just be purely the occasional excuse to get out with the father in law.

Either way, have fun.

Whatever you do when you start learn it the right way. From the hole to the tee. Learn to putt and chip before you start pouring in hours at the range with the driver.

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+100

I made the mistake 10 years ago of letting a friend "show me everything I need to know to swing a golf club" prior to heading on a 5 day trip to Myrtle Beach.  I've struggled with the game since and finally decided to get serious last year, get some lessons and dedicate time to practice.  I'm still paying for all the bad habits I picked up from not gripping and swinging right for so many years.

The most important thing is to find your balance. Start off by swinging a club (doesn't matter what it is) in your backyard, and just trying to make a balanced motion. You can do this with your eyes shut, so you are only trusting your balance. Once you can swing hard with your eyes shut, and "sticking" your balance, you can go find some clubs to play with. I would go and buy a reasonable set of clubs...( you probably wont need a full set). Then go get dynamically fit. Dynamic fitting is important for beginners so you don't start to develop bad habits because of poor equipment. The dynamic teacher will make sure you are properly balanced in your swing,show you all the basics, then take your dynamic lie angles, loft, and shaft flex. Ask them to tell you the specs to adjust the clubs that you bought. Take those specs and your clubs to a club builder and have them adjust your clubs. ( this is all fairly cheap). Then you will start off you golfing career in a balanced swing, this will allow you to develop as a player.  Of course there is a lot of info on putting, and short game on the Internet and there are some great books. Be careful on getting tips from all your buddies...everyone will tell you something, and if you listen to it all you will turn into a headcase! Golf is just making a balanced motion through air, so just trust that and you'll be on your way. Give yourself the opportunity to succeed and you will be way ahead of most of us!

There are many online sites and youtube videos where you can learn a lot.

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If your military base has a golf course, see if the course sponsors a golf clinic in the spring. In a golf clinic, beginners get together a couple of evenings a week and take group lessons. Or, you could start individual lessons. Either way, you need to follow the lessons with quality individual practice time.

Tell your teaching pro you're also interested in clubs, and they can help you out. When buying your first clubs, you want to get a very basic static fitting: This fitting makes sure the club shafts are the proper length, and have correct lie angle (bottom of club square to ground).

For early playing, par 3 courses are a good place to start - these courses emphasize scoring and short game , rather than hitting the driver a long way.

thank you all very much for the information. i just got back from a deployment and my fiances dad had a set of clubs waiting for me when i got back. i cant wait to get back on the course!

15 HCP and you dont even own a set of clubs?

Man I must be doing something wrong!!!! Either way thanks for your service, hope you enjoy the summer on the golf course!

I'd say the most important thing to remember is just have fun, if you have a bad shot dont worry about it at all just have fun. If it helps watch the people around you duffing away as well, the game isnt suppose to be stressfull its suppose to be fun.

much like a young child ,only being older gives you the physical advantage, Most common club that kids are introduced to is at most a mid iron. i usually see a 7 iron as a starter. or a pitching wedge which could help with full swung shots and shorter shots like pitches and chips. now im not giving you this information as saying your a little child. but in golf years, your at the very first stage. so dont hesitate to look around online like ebay to get 1 or 2 clubs to get the basics down and maybe even some range work to give you an idea of distances. from there you might be able to gauge your distance everywhere in between. im also a younger golfer after my first year of college and ive read millions of things online giving me an idea of clubs.

for a beginner looking for irons. id suggest a super game improvement club to get the basics down. plus there are plenty of iron sets out there that are affordable and easy to hit which over time will help you gauge that distance and understand the situations you get into which could help you decide to try out irons for a better player. im a big wilson fan and my first set were irons by wilson called "Wilson Deep Red II Distance"...really good starters and because they are "older" (in a world where a year ago something new could be considered old) finding them for less is easy. im now considering a better players iron like ci9 or fg tour. but thats just me referring to how and where i started with irons, and the direction im headed towards to improve.

im sure i wrote a little too much but i hope it helped a little bit