Everything you need to know about taking up golf from the editors of Golf DigestWe get it. Golf can seem terribly complicated to the uninitiated. So many rules, so many different kinds of clubs. And then there's the lingo: birdies, bogeys, bump-and-runs. At Golf Digest, this may be the language we speak every day, but we also know it's a language that can scare prospective golfers off before they ever pick up a club.That's where this online beginner's guide comes in. To those who know nothing about golf, our goal is to shepherd you through this uncertainty. What kind of clubs do you need? How do you practice? When do you know that you're ready for the golf course? The way we see it, the only dumb questions about getting started in golf are the ones you're afraid to ask, or worse, the ones for which you can't find an answer. The whole point of this guide is to make sure that last part is no longer a problem. —Sam WeinmanIf you're looking for more beginner instruction, check out our video lesson series: The Will Robins Plan: Beginner Basics.
Beginners
Golf For Beginners: So You Want To Play Golf
![Part 1: What you need to know about clubs](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad9953add713143b4379ec_instruction-2011-05-insl00_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466521621.jpeg)
Part 1: What you need to know about clubs
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Choose the right ball
⇒ Part 2: Learning To Play
![Part 2: Learning To Play](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad9956b01eefe207f7bfd4_instruction-2011-05-insl06_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466504940.jpeg)
Part 2: Learning To Play
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⇒ Part 3: Basic Shots You Should Know
![Part 3: Basic Shots You Should Know](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad9958add713143b437a20_instruction-2011-05-insl12_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466536262.jpeg)
Part 3: Basic Shots You Should Know
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⇒ Part 4: Playing On A Course
![Part 4: When you're ready for the golf course](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad995bb01eefe207f7c009_instruction-2011-05-insl18_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466561908.jpeg)
Part 4: When you're ready for the golf course
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![Part 5: Etiquette](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad995eb01eefe207f7c021_instruction-2011-05-insl24_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466575229.jpeg)
Part 5: Etiquette
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⇒ Part 6: Rules
![Part 6: Those Pesky Rules](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad9961b01eefe207f7c03f_instruction-2011-05-insl30_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466598147.jpeg)
Part 6: Those Pesky Rules
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⇒ Part 7: Fitness
![Part 7: Getting in golf shape](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad9963add713143b437aab_instruction-2011-05-insl36_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466603673.jpeg)
Part 7: Getting in golf shape
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⇒ Part 8: Style
![Part 8: What To Wear](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad9966b01eefe207f7c077_instruction-2011-05-insl42_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466638427.jpeg)
Part 8: What To Wear
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⇒ Part 9: Outings
![Part 9: Outings](https://cdn.statically.io/img/golfdigest.sports.sndimg.com/content/dam/images/golfdigest/fullset/2015/07/21/55ad9968add713143b437ade_instruction-2011-05-insl48_beginners_golf_instruction_intro.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.861.1148.suffix/1573466615993.jpeg)
Part 9: Outings
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