Please note: We’re currently transferring our original golf coaching videos to YouTube. The lessons listed below will become available as they’re uploaded. All coaching is free to watch, with no registration required.
Starting golf can feel a little overwhelming.
There are different clubs to understand, techniques to learn, rules to follow and plenty of unfamiliar terminology.
And that’s before you’ve even stepped onto the first tee.
In this free coaching course, PGA Professional Richard Lawless introduces the fundamentals of golf, helping beginners understand how to get started and become more comfortable with the game.
The lessons begin with the basics of holding a golf club, posture, stance and the movements involved in making a golf swing.
From there, Rich looks at progressing towards a full swing, using different clubs and playing some of the shots you’ll encounter on the course.
The course also covers putting, bunker shots, pitching and reading greens.
But learning golf isn’t just about hitting the ball.
Rich also explains how golf courses are laid out, what the different tee boxes mean, how handicaps work, how to keep score and some of the etiquette that helps everyone enjoy their round.
The coaching videos cover the different aspects of learning to play golf.
The course is primarily aimed at complete beginners and golfers who are still relatively new to the game, although some of the lessons may also be useful if you’ve been playing for years and want to revisit the fundamentals.
You can follow the lessons in order or return to individual subjects whenever there’s something you’d like to understand better.
The aim isn’t to turn you into an expert overnight.
It’s to help you become more familiar with the game, develop an understanding of the basics and feel more comfortable when you head out onto the golf course.
The Grip
Learning how to hold a golf club is one of the first steps in developing your swing.
Rich introduces the fundamentals of the golf grip and explains how your hands influence the way you control the club.
Posture & Stance
Your starting position can influence how comfortably and consistently you swing the club.
Rich looks at posture, stance and how to establish a suitable position before making a swing.
The Initial Movement
The first movement of the golf swing can influence everything that follows.
Rich introduces the initial movement and how to begin swinging the club in a controlled way.
The Takeaway
The takeaway is the early part of the backswing.
Rich explains how the club begins moving away from the ball and why this stage matters when developing your swing.
Introducing The Golf Ball Into The Swing
Having worked through the grip, posture, initial movement and takeaway without a golf ball, it’s now time to introduce one.
Rich demonstrates how to begin making contact with the ball while using the movements you’ve been practising in the earlier lessons.
The idea is to build on those fundamentals rather than immediately trying to make a full swing.
Progressing to a Full Swing
Once you’ve become familiar with the basic movements, the next step is bringing them together into a fuller swing.
Rich demonstrates how to build towards a complete golf swing.
Let The Loft Do the Work
Golf clubs are designed with different amounts of loft to help produce different ball flights.
Rich explains why you don’t need to try to lift the ball into the air yourself and how the club can do much of that work.
Progressing to Other Clubs
As you develop your swing, you’ll begin using different clubs for different situations.
Rich looks at progressing beyond your initial practice club and becoming familiar with the other clubs in your bag.
Introduction to Bunkers
Bunkers are a normal part of golf, although they can be intimidating when you’re learning.
Rich introduces bunker play and some of the basic principles involved in playing from the sand.
The Greenside Bunker Shot
Playing from a bunker close to the green requires a different approach from many other golf shots.
Rich introduces the fundamentals of playing a greenside bunker shot.
The Fairway Bunker Shot
Fairway bunkers present different challenges from greenside bunkers.
Rich looks at how to approach these shots and the considerations involved in getting the ball back into play.
Learn How to Putt
Putting is an important part of every round, and it’s something beginners can start practising straight away.
Rich introduces the fundamentals of putting, including setup and the basic movement of the putter.
Reading The Greens
Before hitting a putt, you need to consider the slope of the green and how the ball might roll.
Rich introduces the basics of reading greens and choosing a suitable putting line.
How to Hit Pitch Shots
Pitching is useful when you need to carry the ball through the air towards the green.
Rich introduces the fundamentals of playing a pitch shot and how it differs from other short-game shots.
Understanding Tee Boxes
Golf courses usually have several sets of tees, offering different playing distances.
Rich explains what tee boxes are and how they relate to the course you’re playing.
Golf Course Orientation
Understanding how a golf course is organised can make your first few rounds much easier.
Rich introduces some of the practical things beginners should know when finding their way around a golf course.
Golf Course Etiquette
Golf has traditions and expectations that help everyone enjoy the game.
Rich explains some of the basic etiquette involved in playing with others and looking after the course.
Greens Etiquette
The putting green is an area where golfers need to take particular care.
Rich looks at the etiquette involved in playing on and around the greens, including consideration for other players.
Golf Handicaps
A handicap allows golfers of different abilities to compete against one another.
Rich introduces the purpose of golf handicaps and how they’re used in the game.
Golf Scorecards
Keeping score is part of playing golf, whether you’re having a friendly round or entering a competition.
Rich explains the basics of golf scorecards and how to record your scores.
Speed of Play
Keeping up with the pace of play helps make golf more enjoyable for everyone on the course.
Rich discusses how beginners can develop good habits and avoid unnecessarily slowing down their round.
Getting Started With Golf
There’s quite a lot to learn when you first take up golf, and nobody expects you to understand everything straight away.
The important thing is to become familiar with the basics, practise what you’ve learned and gradually build your experience.
Some parts of the game will come more naturally than others.
And even after you’ve been playing for years, there will still be days when you wonder whether you’ve remembered how to swing a golf club.
That’s part of golf.
Use these lessons as a starting point and return to them whenever you want to revisit something.
Most importantly, get out and enjoy playing.