Welcome to Golf 101, the first of a hopefully ongoing series to get you into the game! This idea has been kicked about a bit, but this thread really sealed the deal as to it being something we should do around here.

Also, we've got two woot plus deals going on with golf items, so no time like the present.

Disclaimer: I'm not a golfer, in fact it's been years since I've been played miniature golf (which I'm pretty sure does not count).

What is golf? (Hey, wait until we get into "football"/soccer, etc., this is an important part of making sure we're all on the same sport page.) Golf is a precision sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes.

So here's a chance to show off your expertise - pick an area, educate us all, grab some spotlighted posts for yourself, and feel confident you're helping others make great choices and get into the game! Yeah, someone could just google it, but it's more fun when we learn this stuff from each other (less marketing/wikipedia, more real talk, if you know what I mean).

Let's start with two topics:
Rules and scoring

The gear - defined
Needless to say, I'm sure this will bring up community recommended brands, and that's also cool.
What is 3 wood? An Iron? Why does it matter which stick I'm using to hit the ball?

I'm sure this will lead us into all sorts of topics, and of course welcome your input here or via private message! If you're new to the game, don't hesitate to ask anything!

Bueller...Bueller...
Well I just started playing golf a couple of weeks ago, but here is what I have learned so far:

• If you rent clubs, always look in the pockets of the golf bag. I found $8 in dimes (yes 80 dimes) and about 20 golf balls in one.
  
• Bring bug spray, especially if you are playing somewhere with a name like Jo Daddy's.
  
• Bring sunscreen.
  
• Don't buy an expensive set of clubs to start out with, maybe $200-$300 should be plenty.
  
• Don't buy expensive balls. If you are like me, you will lose ~1 or 2 per hole. Craigslist is a good place to look for lots of balls cheap. I got about 200 balls for around $20 on Craigslist.
  
• Watch out for alligators and do not try to fight them with your golf clubs. Even though it can be very tempting.
  
• Cheap courses are great for beginners. They may be run down, but hey, cheap practice. Plus there's the added benefit that they usually aren't very crowded so you can take your time hitting those 15 shots off of the tee until you get a decent one.
  
• This is actually really fun. Just don't let the greenskeeper see you doing it...unless he's Bill Murray.
  

adam113089 wrote:Bueller...Bueller...

If you rent clubs, always look in the pockets of the golf bag. I found $8 in dimes (yes 80 dimes) and about 20 golf balls in one.

Perhaps that bag belonged to Slim Pickens?

Take one on one lessons to start. A bad swing is difficult to get rid of, so if you do it right from the start all the better. Don't waste your money on the endless gadgets sold to improve your horrible swing.
Learn the rules and etiqutte of golf and do not play slow and loud.

Well inkycatz responded to this post I made over in deals saying a Sports 101 might be a good idea so figure the post should find its way over to the main forum.

Buy an OK driver and go to the driving range. All the fun of hitting the hell outa a ball, none of the frustration of having to find it in the middle of the woods and get it in the tiny hole.

On clubs I would just go and buy a inexpensive set and get your feet wet. If you enjoy yourself and figure out your game you can then buy a set of clubs that more fits your game. Go out and buy a starter set that usually has 3 woods and a full set of irons, then pick out a run of the mill putter that you can hit straight with and go and play. And agree with the cheap balls...to start you want to hit the ball consistently and not hook or slice. Once you get that down and start learning how to curve the ball the high end balls can be of use...but you just want it to go straight to start and a cheap ball will do that just as well.

A tip on the driving range if you are just starting out:

Pick a target to aim at!

A lot of new players go out to the range and "think" they are hitting fairly straight, but they arent really aiming at anything. Pick a target on the range and try to put it as close to that marker as possible. This will teach you distance control as well, which will really help when you start firing at greens/pins.

Also, when you start on the range, start with the wedges first, then work your way to the driver. I know that hitting the ball a long way is a lot of fun, but if you start with the wedges, you will be thinking more about accuracy than yardage.

to be honest, ignore driving to begin with.

when learning to play get a 3 5 7 9 and maybe a wedge along with a putter that you like the feel of. learn to strike your irons clean and get the ball coming off straight. dont worry about power to start out with. use a nice and easy swing slowly increasing the speed of your downswing as you improve. always keep your backswing slow.

i cant help you with putting. i do not possess that gift.

Golf is a lot like Disney:

Bring more money than you think you'll need.

Buy expensive things you'll never use anywhere else.

Be preparred for a lot of disapointments.

Food is available, but it's mediocre and expensive.

Alcohol is provided and consumption encouraged, but that too will cost you an arm and a leg.