Thinking about playing golf? Whilst golf is a great sport, you need to be prepared if you're thinking about playing golf frequently, whilst you can rent golf clubs at some places, if you're playing a lot you need your own stuff. Starting out with golf could be scary. It is not surprising that many people who were just learning golf have found it difficult to understand the game. . But that doesn't even mention the entire golf set.
So, what do you need to start golfing?
Drivers
Perhaps the favourite club of most golfers, the driver is the club that hits the ball the longest. Whilst professional golfers are smashing their drivers around 300 yards, the average for the everyday golfer is around 200 to 250 yards. Whilst it does send the ball the furthest, it can also highlight your flaws more. Drivers usually use the tee box of pars 4 and 5 to go down the fairway or into the rough.
Hybrids
Hybrid refers to a specific style of golf which is used if golfers are far from the holes. It looks like the smaller fairway wood but serves the exact function, but with less club. Hybrids may be an alternative to long irons because they're more forgiving which makes them incredibly popular. Although you typically won't find them in golf sets, a high-quality hybrid club can change your long game, helping improve it without even having lessons.
Irons
The iron is often packed with pitching wedges and 9-8, 7-6, and 5 are the most common, they use to include three and four irons however now with hybrid clubs becoming more popular, golf sets are including fewer irons. Generally, each club has the ball travel at different distances as well as giving the balls different heights based on how much the ball hit. Lower irons will hit the ball further and lower, higher irons will hit the ball less distance but with more height and control on the ball.
Gloves
Golf gloves are essential tools for the majority of golf players, however, they are not obligatory. Golf glove helps to grip the ball more comfortably. Golfers wear one glove. they have right-hand golfers wearing them and left-hand golfers wearing their right hand. These are the dominant hands on the golf course. If you don't put on gloves you risk your club falling while swinging and ruining your shot. When you buy gloves, the size should also be checked and the size should be checked for. When your glove is too loose it'll fail to serve its function and your club could fall out.
Golf shoes
To play on the majority of golf courses you need to have a pair of golf shoes. Golf shoes help your feet to grip the surface which is necessary when you're taking your shots to help provide stability. Golf shoes can be found from around £20 to well over £200, you don't need to be spending a lot. Traditionally, golf shoes had hard spikes which were around 1cm long, however, these damaged the grass more, now it's all about the soft spike shoes that have spikes underneath which are circular with multiple spikes on. The more times you play golf, the more often you'll need to replace your spikes, as they can wear out fairly quickly providing less grip if you're playing a lot.
Golf bags
Golf bags are essential, it's important that each golfer on the course has their own bag, this is mainly to save time, it's bad etiquette to be sharing a bag and holding people up behind you. There are different types of bags, but for kids, you don't need anything too large, a standard-sized bag or even a pencil bag can be great for kids.
Golf balls
Golf balls are also essential. Whilst there's no ideal amount of balls to carry, you need enough to get you through the round. There are so many golf balls on the market, you don't need to be spending money on the highest-priced balls, however, you might want to avoid the cheapest balls. The cheaper balls won't be made as well, whereas the most expensive golf balls will only be truly beneficial to the better golfers out there who have better control over the ball and may one want that helps promote a little extra distance or spin, Some golf balls are soft and therefore can produce more swing on the green. Usually, a ball is harder, which means it has the capability of producing more distance for longer shots. Everyone prefers different balls so there is no real way to tell which ball is right for each person so it can only be learned through practice.
Divot Tool
When a ball hits a green, the speed it hits it causes a hole or what's known in golf as a "divot". It should be considered good etiquette in golf to use a divot tool to repair the green and make sure it's perfect for the next group of golfers. Divots are a big problem in golf, what you'll find is that most golf courses offer a divot tool for free in the shop, actively encouraging people to repair their divots.
Ball Marker
Once the ball is on the green, it might have accumulated some dirt or water which can affect the path of the ball when putting. You're allowed to clean the ball by placing a ball marker behind your ball, picking up the ball, giving it a clean and then replacing it in the same position it was in. If you don't have a ball marker you can also use something like a coin as an alternative.
Golf towels
A golf towel is essential if you're often playing in the rain. Golf towels are great for removing dirt and moisture from clubs and balls during a round of golf. They can often be attached to the outside of a golf bag which makes it simple to clean on the go or when you're waiting for other players to take their shots.
Sunscreen
UV radiation is one of the biggest hazards for golfers. If you're regularly playing golf in the sun, you should always keep some sun cream handy. Remember to be protected you need to reapply it so you're protected from the sun's rays.
Collared shirt
One of the most traditional things about playing golf is wearing a polo shirt that has a collar. Most golf courses have strict dress codes which means to play on the course you must be wearing a collared shirt. You don't need to spend a lot, a plain polo shirt is fine, just remember though, the plainer it is, the better.
Golf carts
Golf carts can be useful if you've not got a carry bag or even if you do but just prefer to use a golf trolley. Using a golf trolley can save your back the stress of carrying the bag around the course. Some carts offer additional features like ball and tee holders, whilst there are many available for sale most golf courses have them to rent for the round for a couple of pounds.
Ball Retrievers
There's always a time on the golf course when your ball lands in a position where you can see it but can't actually reach it. This is most common around water or on steep slopes and can save you from a few lost balls. They are fairly cheap too, so it will probably pay for itself within a year or so with the balls you've been able to save.
Club Head Covers
A head cover is one protective piece covering golf clubs to keep them from contacting other clubs or damaging other clubs. Head covers can be bought for any club however, most golfers just use them for drivers and perhaps a putter. They do have club head covers for irons, but it's way too much effort to be removing and replacing them after every shot.
Alignment Sticks
Alignment sticks are thin rods used to make it easy for the golfer to position themselves correctly towards the hole. A golfer can place a line of alignment directly on his target for accuracy. The second alignment stick must be parallel to the second alignment stick to help golfers keep an effective toeline. They are usually cheap and will generally cost about £10 per pack.
Hats
During golfing, players typically wore caps and hats. Golfers wear a visor to protect themselves against the sun. A hat prevents sweat from leaking from the face to the eyes.
Club Scrubber
A club scrubber is a thin brush used when removing dirt, grass or soil from golf holes. A scrubber can also be found inside a golf bag. It is the easiest way to wipe the club after your rounds and is used by most golfers due to the low cost.
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