If you want to learn how to play golf, follow these tips and you will be off to a great start. Most beginners start by playing a game, rather than practicing first. If you want to learn how to play golf and develop good habits, do not start by playing a round of golf. Learn the fundamentals first and this will enable you to become a good player.

1. Learn how to putt. Try a few different putters on the practice green at a golf course, it's free and you can buy the putter you like the best. You can learn how to putt by copying the style of a television professional. Pay special attention to the way the professional grips the clubs, aims for the hole, and the stroke he or she uses. Start on the putting green by hitting a lot of short putts. This will help you get the feel for the club and judge the speed necessary to hit the ball in the hole. Many repetitions of short putts will help you learn how to hit the other golf shots.

2. After getting comfortable with short putts, you are ready to move farther away from the hole. Try some longer putts and notice how the ball curves in response to slopes on the green. Learn to anticipate the curves. You might think it would be obvious that a ball must be hit harder uphill than downhill, but noticing which situation you have is not as easy as it sounds. Keep practicing until you feel comfortable and able to get the long putts close to the hole or in the hole.

3. Your next step is to learn how to play golf is learning how to chip. Chipping is what you do when you are near, but not on, the green. As with the putter, borrow some wedges. A wedges is a short club that will hit the ball high in the air. Most golf courses have a practice area that will allow you, once again, to practice for free. Lee Trevino, a professional golfer, often talked about practicing in the back yard. If you have a big enough backyard, consider learning how to chip in your yard. Be careful to choose a location that will not cause damage should your chip go beyond your intended target. You can use a laundry basket or a garden hose to make a circle for your target.

Technique is super important. This is an area where your weight must go to the left leg (for right handed people) and the left hand needs to work at least as hard as the right. Here again, it is a good idea to watch the television professionals play chip shots. Notice their weight is on their left leg. You will also notice the grip is different from the putting grip. Most beginners tend to flip the club with the right hand overtaking the left. A wedge is lofted, meaning that you do not have to flip your club to make it go in the air.

Chipping is one of the hardest shots when you are learning how to play golf. Do not get discouraged. Keep practicing and you will learn how to chip and gain confidence when you take your game to the course.

4. Your next step to learn how to play golf is to go to the driving range and learn to hit the long shots. Your local course will offer you a bucket of golf balls for a very reasonable price. When copying a golf professional, you will notice their feet, knees, hips, and shoulders start parallel to the target.

Put your ball on a tee. Start your practice with a pitching wedge first and work your way up to the driver. Generally, you will want to tee the ball lower with the pitching wedge, teeing it higher as you use the other clubs in your bag. Stand behind the ball and line up the ball with a flag or a target. Mentally draw a line from the target to the ball. Find a spot right in front of the ball that is aligned with your target. It could be a dark spot on the grass, a leaf, or you can put a coin down or a tee. Relax. One of the best thoughts for players of all caliber is to remember to get your back to the target. Having this thought will help you make a good back swing, one of the most important elements in a swing.

Let the club do the work. In the beginning, you do not have to hit the ball as hard as you can to get distance. If you hit the ball correctly, use your body, transfer your weight, you will be able to hit the ball a long way.

If you follow this advice, you will learn how to play golf, the right way. Be patient. Golf rewards honest effort. Remember, have fun!