Breaking news: my wife’s officially getting into golf this year! She soaked it all in watching me play over the past few years and then, out of nowhere, suddenly felt the urge to jump in and explore the game herself. By her own admission, she’s just as excited about getting really, really good as she is about finding the sharpest fits by all the cool new brands—the ones golfers on TV haven’t caught onto yet.
HOWEVER,
being terrible at something is a fantastically humbling experience as an adult. PLUS, golf is good at discouraging beginners. It felt like a mindset reset was in order to help her stay confident and keep her expectations in check. Because in golf as in life, disappointment is unavoidable, but panic is entirely optional.
With that I mind, I asked three seasoned golfers about what matters most when you’re just starting out. What makes the beginner experience richer, more beautiful, more meaningful? Their answers will probably hit home for a lot of golfers of all levels, so I figured I’d pass them along.
Guillaume Adan (golfing buddy)
“I’d say that when starting out in golf, you first have to like hanging out with yourself and develop a healthy relationship with humility. It’s an intimidating game, and you may be so-so at it for a while. Take your time and don’t force the pace.”
Ji Hi Shin (golf pro and coach)
“I’ve got two big pieces of advice!
One, be nice to yourself.
When you’re learning something new or trying to level up, it’s important to give yourself room for error. In golf, mistakes are part of the process, even after thousands of hours of practice. Even pros mess up all the time, and they do it in front of audiences with major money on the line.
And that brings me to my next piece of advice. Two, move on!
Every once in a while, you’ll hit a perfect shot. The ball goes exactly where you wanted it to. Those are the moments we live for. They remind us we’re great at golf. But the challenge and beauty of golf is doing it again on a different course, or after a rough night or when your shoulders are tight or in the howling wind. You need to always be in the moment. Same thing when you miss a shot. Don’t dwell, just keep going. The round isn’t over until the ball drops into the 18th hole. When you get that, you know your love of the game is really real.”
Gabriel Voyer (golf coach)
“Beginners need to watch out for tips and info overload online. Sad to say, but there’s no magic fix on YouTube! Also, it’s important to set realistic goals by focusing on the process and not just the outcome. It’s totally normal to hit plateaus. You’ll probably see a lot of progress when you start out and then less over time. Above all, remember that it’s a game. It’s supposed to be fun, so have fun with it!”
