How to get into golf.

[LancashireButterPie]

I've always fancied having a go at golf but other than pitch and put I have no other experience.
How does one start up?
I don't fancy paying for a fancy club only to find it's not for me. Also what are we talking in terms of outlay? Is it ridiculously expensive or can it be reasonable?

Quite a few clubs let you pay per game rather than membership. But I'd start with just a driving range; they're pay per play and give you chance to work out how to hit the ball before getting out on the course and constantly losing it/holding everyone up/making a complete mess of the tee.

Sign up for a course of lessons. This will help you work out whether you’ll like it or not.

Where are you? In Scotland there is a “Get into Golf” campaign run by Scottish golf to encourage women to take up the sport. My club runs group lessons for women followed by a series of sessions where volunteers take beginners on to the course to get experience and learn etiquette and rules. Quite a few of the clubs local to me participate. The beginners also get a reduced membership fee for a year. I would imagine the other national golf organisations run something similar?

If there isn’t anything like that local to you you are probably best to go to your nearest driving range and book some lessons. If you know anyone who plays I’m sure they’ll be happy to take you on a suitable course once you have the basics. I would recommend starting on a par 3 course at first. If you are having lessons with a club professional they might offer an on course playing lesson, where they go round with you, that’s very worth while.

You can pick up second hand equipment fairly cheaply, you don’t need a full set of clubs to start with. Make sure you get ladies clubs (assuming you are a women). Buy lake balls from Amazon. Any clothes that you can move freely in will be fine, but jeans are frowned upon. Golf shoes are essential once you go out on the course.

Turn into a total wanker. It seems to go with golf a disproportionate amount of the time.

My friends and I who play golf regularly think you are lovely too.

I did a similar beginner’s women’s programme like someone mentioned above - here in New Zealand it’s called “She Loves Golf”. You would probably have something similar near you. You don’t have to join the club, you just pay for a four or six week course of lessons. Clubs and balls are provided (although some people do bring their own if they have them) and there was a drink included at the end of the lesson haha. When you’ve completed the course, there’s an intermediate level that you can move up to if you’re ready.

See this would be perfect but I'm in the UK midlands and haven't found anything similar. Thanks for the comments everyone, I'll try and book lessons.

Anything of use here?:
https://getintogolf.co.uk/

Hi, a lot of clubs have group beginners classes, one club local to me had a ladies group class that I joined, really informal and great to understand the basics and all learn together, I am still friends with a couple of ladies that I met there. I love playing golf, it’s a lovely sport, all the clubs I have gone to are really friendly and not at all stuffy. X