Beginner's Guide To Golf: Equipment + Accessories

Hi Friends! Welcome to week three of our Beginner's Guide to Golf blog series! This week we will be talking about beginner golf accessories: what’s necessary for a beginner. Follow along to learn more.

Clubs 

Don't fall into this trap - when it comes to a beginner’s must-have golf accessories for 2022, you don't need the nicest clubs to start golfing! A reliable set of clubs shouldn't cost you more than $500. Professional Golfer Marisa Messana says, "Once you find your rhythm hitting balls, consider treating yourself to a club fitting to verify your equipment is optimizing your performance.”

For beginner golf accessories, we think the most important clubs to have in your bag are a driver, 3 wood, 9 iron, 7 iron, 3 iron, wedge, and putter. WLDA and Symmetra Tour Pro Alex Phillips says of the best golf accessories for women, "Make sure you like your putter! You can save a lot of strokes and heartbreak by having a putter you like, even if you are struggling everywhere else.”

This wouldn’t be a very good golf accessories buying guide if we didn’t answer this question: What do the numbers on the irons mean? The number on the irons is referring to the angle of the clubface, which will determine the loft of the ball.

The lower the golf club number...

• the lower the loft
• the less intense the angle on the golf clubface
• the farther the golf ball with travel at a lower height

The higher the golf club number...

• the higher the loft 
• the more intense the angle on the golf clubface
• the golf ball will travel higher but for a shorter distance 

PRO TIP FOR BEGINNER GOLF ACCESSORIES:

SwingDish founder, Tricia Covel, admits "Wedges are so hard to use". She suggests using an 8 or 9 iron to do a 'bump and run' shot instead of using a wedge. Watch the video below from Breaking Par to learn how to master a 'bump and run' shot. 

Balls

Again, don't be fooled! When it comes to beginner golf accessories, you don't need the best or most expensive balls to start playing golf. You will most likely lose a few (hundred) balls while learning! Even advanced players still lose balls from time to time. Don't worry about the balls with fancy stats or performance-enhancing features. Shop for golf equipment to improve your game after you’ve mastered the basics.For now, we will leave the best golf accessories, like Pro V1's, to the actual professionals! Instead, find some affordable balls that you don't mind losing. We suggest the 24-pack of TaylorMade Noodle Long & Soft Golf Balls for $21.99.

Tees 

Another golf accessories buying guide hot tip! Golf tees come in many different heights. You should determine what height suits you best before buying tees in bulk. You will often find tees come in packs of 50 or more.

Once you are more comfortable with your tee height, you can find a pack of tees that will last you a while! You can even purchase some fun golf tees, like these Martini Tees. 

Gloves 

Gloves are one of many essential beginner golf accessories– we’d even say they’re a must-have golf accessory for 2022! Gloves help you grip the club better, but even more importantly, they can prevent blisters. We might be a bit biased, but we think the SwingDish Grip It Glove is the best on the market. These gloves make shopping simple thanks to our unique stretch and customizable Velcro strap, which ensures that one size fits most hands. Our gloves even come with a jewel removable ball marker to use on the course!

Now, if you’re reading this golf accessories buying guide and aren’t entirely sure of the protocol on course, you are probably asking.. which hand is the glove supposed to go on? Right-handed golfers wear gloves on their left hand. Left-handed golfers wear gloves on their right hand.

Shoes  

Although some courses allow tennis shoes on the course, we think golf shoes are a must-have golf accessory when you’re learning how to play. The spikes on the bottom of the shoe, whether metal or plastic, create traction and grip. This traction will be helpful when you’re hitting shots out of the bunker or playing on rough terrain. Golf shoes can be pricey, so stick with an affordable pair when shopping for beginner golf accessories until you are confident in your playing style and are ready to upgrade. We suggest FootJoy shoes because they tend to be less than $100 per pair.

Comment below or email us at info@swingdish.com if you have any questions!