Beginner's Handbook
Golf has a language. Here's the full translation.
14 clubs and what they actually do, yardage guides by handicap, every scoring format decoded, penalty rules, free drops, and a complete glossary of every term you'll hear on the course. This is the reference — come back to it every time something doesn't make sense.
Yardage guide · Scoring
Rules · Penalties · Glossary
The bag
The 14 clubs — what each one does and how far it goes.
The Rules of Golf allow a maximum of 14 clubs in a bag at any one time. Most beginners start with 7–9 and work up. Here is what each category is for.
Driver (1-Wood)
Max 1 clubThe longest club — used exclusively from the tee on par-4s and par-5s. Maximum distance, lowest loft (8–12°). The hardest to hit consistently. Most beginners should use it less than they think.
Fairway Woods (3W, 5W)
1–2 clubsHit off the turf or tee when you need distance without the driver. The 3-wood is the classic second shot on a par-5. More forgiving than driver, more loft than long irons.
Hybrids (2H–5H)
1–3 clubsA cross between a fairway wood and an iron. Hybrids replaced long irons for most recreational golfers because they are far easier to launch. Highly recommended for beginners over 4-irons and longer.
Mid Irons (5-iron to 7-iron)
3 clubsThe workhorses. Used for approach shots into the green from 120–170 yards. The 7-iron is the most practised club for a reason — it is where most beginners first learn to compress the ball properly.
Short Irons (8-iron, 9-iron)
2 clubsHigh-lofted irons for shots from 90–140 yards. Higher trajectory, more spin, more stopping power on the green. For most beginners, these are the first irons to control reliably.
Pitching Wedge (PW)
1 club · 44–48°The highest-lofted iron in a standard set. The most used scoring club — for full shots and chipping just off the green. Every beginner should know their PW distance cold.
Gap / Approach Wedge (GW)
1 club · 50–54°Fills the distance gap between the PW and sand wedge. Crucial for the 50–90 yard scoring zone shots. Most modern sets include one automatically.
Sand Wedge (SW)
1 club · 54–58°Designed for bunker shots — the wide bounce sole glides through sand rather than digging. Also used for short pitches. The bounce is the key feature, not the loft.
Lob Wedge (LW)
1 club · 58–64°The highest-lofted club — for high, soft shots over bunkers or to tight pins. Not recommended for beginners: easy to skull if technique is off. Add it once you are consistent with your SW.
Putter
1 clubUsed on (and just off) the green to roll the ball into the hole. Accounts for roughly 40% of all shots in a typical round. The most underpractised club by amateurs. Two putts per green is the standard target.
These are average recreational player distances — not tour pro numbers. If yours are 20–30% lower at the start, that is normal and expected.
Quick reference
Average yardages by club — men and women side by side.
Comfortable recreational distances, not maximum efforts. The women's column assumes a beginner-to-intermediate player.
| Club | Men (yards) | Women (yards) | Primary use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woods | |||
| Driver1-wood, 8–12° | 200 – 280 | 150 – 200 | Tee shots only |
| 3-Wood | 180 – 235 | 125 – 175 | Tee or fairway |
| 5-Wood | 160 – 210 | 105 – 155 | Fairway or rough |
| Hybrids | |||
| Hybrid (3H) | 165 – 205 | 105 – 155 | Replaces 3/4-iron |
| Hybrid (5H) | 145 – 185 | 90 – 135 | Replaces 5-iron |
| Irons | |||
| 5-iron | 140 – 175 | 85 – 125 | Long approach |
| 6-iron | 130 – 165 | 75 – 115 | Long approach |
| 7-iron | 120 – 155 | 65 – 105 | Mid approach |
| 8-iron | 110 – 145 | 55 – 95 | Mid approach |
| 9-iron | 95 – 130 | 45 – 85 | Short approach |
| Wedges | |||
| Pitching Wedge (PW)44–48° | 85 – 120 | 40 – 75 | Approach & chip |
| Gap Wedge (GW)50–53° | 70 – 100 | 35 – 65 | Scoring zone |
| Sand Wedge (SW)54–58° | 55 – 85 | 25 – 55 | Bunker & pitch |
| Lob Wedge (LW)58–64° | 35 – 65 | 20 – 45 | Flop & high pitch |
Keeping score
Scoring terms and formats of play.
Golf scoring is built around "par" — the number of strokes a skilled player is expected to take to complete a hole. Every other term is a variation around that number.
Stroke Play
Count every single shot across all 18 holes. Lowest total wins. The format used in most NCR competitions and on the PGA Tour.
Match Play
Win or lose each hole against one opponent. Whoever wins the most holes wins the match. The score is expressed as "3&2" or "2 up" — not a stroke total.
Stableford
Points per hole: Eagle = 4, Birdie = 3, Par = 2, Bogey = 1, Double = 0. Highest points wins. Great for beginners because a bad hole does not ruin your entire round.
Scramble / Texas Scramble
All four players hit, the best shot is chosen, and everyone plays from that spot. Common in corporate and charity events. Great for beginners since the pressure is shared across the team.
Pace of play
Play fast. Don't be the group people dread playing behind.
A round of 18 holes should take roughly four hours. Slow play is the single biggest complaint of golfers at every level — and almost all of it is preventable.
Be ready when it's your turn
While others are hitting, identify your yardage, pick your club, and plan your shot. When it is your turn, you should already know what you are hitting and where you are aiming.
The 3-minute lost ball rule
You have 3 minutes to search for a lost ball (reduced from 5 in 2019). If you cannot find it, drop another ball with a one-stroke penalty and keep moving. Do not search for 10 minutes while the group behind waits on the fairway.
Walk to your ball while others are hitting
As soon as someone else hits, start walking. You do not need to stand at the cart path watching every shot. Move toward your ball so you are ready when your turn comes.
Putt out rather than marking for no reason
In casual play, unless you are directly in someone else's line, finish your putt rather than marking and waiting. Especially on short putts: tap them in, move on.
Carry extra clubs to your ball
Take two or three clubs with you when you leave the cart or bag — the one you planned and one longer and one shorter. You may change your mind at the ball, and walking back wastes everyone's time.
Write your scorecard on the next tee, not on the green
The green is where everyone else is waiting to putt. Leave the green, then mark your scores while the next person in your group is hitting their tee shot.
Wave faster groups through
If there is a clear gap in front and a group behind waiting, pull aside and let them play through. It takes two minutes and earns genuine goodwill on the course.
The Rules of Golf
Penalty shots — the four situations you will face most often.
Golf penalties seem complicated at first but most situations fall into one of four categories. When in doubt, always play a provisional ball — it keeps the game moving.
Out of Bounds (OB)
Stroke and Distance
Your ball has crossed the white stakes or white boundary line — it is out of the course.
- Add 1 penalty stroke to your score.
- Go back to where you hit the original shot from.
- Hit again from there — you are now playing your third shot.
- Always hit a provisional ball before searching, to save time.
Penalty Area — Yellow Stakes
1-stroke penalty, two options
Your ball is in a water hazard or penalty area marked with yellow stakes.
- Option 1: Stroke and distance — go back where you hit from, add 1 stroke.
- Option 2: Drop behind the hazard on a straight line from the hole through where the ball crossed the margin. Add 1 stroke.
Penalty Area — Red Stakes
1-stroke penalty, three options
Your ball is in a penalty area marked with red stakes (often lateral hazards).
- Options 1 and 2: All the same options as yellow stakes above.
- Option 3 (extra): Drop within two club-lengths of where the ball crossed the hazard margin, no closer to the hole. Add 1 stroke.
Unplayable Lie
You declare it — always your call
Your ball is playable by the rules but you cannot or do not want to hit it — deep in a bush, under a tree, etc. You can declare any ball unplayable anywhere except a penalty area.
- Option 1: Stroke and distance — go back, add 1 stroke.
- Option 2: Drop within two club-lengths, no closer to hole. Add 1 stroke.
- Option 3: Drop back on a line behind the ball, as far back as you want. Add 1 stroke.
Free relief
Free drops — no penalty, no score affected.
When an abnormal course condition affects your ball or stance, you get free relief. Here are the four most common situations, followed by exactly how to take the drop.
Ground Under Repair (GUR / GUD)
Areas marked with white paint or "GUR" signs. Bare soil, new turf, or damaged areas being restored. If GUR interferes with your ball, stance, or intended swing, you get free relief — drop outside the marked area, no closer to the hole.
Immovable Obstruction (Cart Path, Road)
Artificial objects you cannot move — a concrete cart path, paved road, sprinkler head, ball-washer stand. If your ball or your stance is on one, free drop at the nearest point of complete relief — the closest spot where neither ball nor feet are on the obstruction.
Casual Water / Temporary Water
Puddles or standing water not part of a penalty area — from rain, irrigation, or seepage. If your ball is in it, or it collects around your feet when you take your stance, you get free relief. Not applicable inside penalty areas with stakes.
Embedded Ball (Plugged Lie)
Your ball is plugged in its own pitch mark in soft turf. Since the 2019 Rules update, free relief applies anywhere in the "general area" — everywhere on the course except penalty areas, bunkers, and the putting green itself.
The drop procedure changed in 2019 — it is now from knee height, not shoulder height. The ball must come to rest and stay within the relief area.
Identify your Nearest Point of Complete Relief (NPCR)
The closest spot — no closer to the hole — where the condition no longer interferes with your ball, your stance, and your intended swing. Use your normal stance and a realistic swing to find it.
Mark the NPCR with a tee
Place a tee at the nearest point of complete relief. This marks the start of your relief area. For a free drop, you get one club-length from this point. For penalty drops, two club-lengths.
Measure your relief area
Use your longest club (typically your driver) to measure one club-length from the NPCR. The ball must come to rest within this area and no closer to the hole than the NPCR marker. Mark the far edge with a second tee if it helps.
Drop from knee height
Hold the ball at knee height and release it straight down. You must stand within the relief area when you drop. The ball must first hit the ground within the relief area before touching anything else.
Check where the ball comes to rest
If the ball rolls outside the relief area, into a penalty area, or back onto the original condition — redrop. If it goes outside the area a second time, place it where it first hit the ground on the second drop.
The small things
First round tips nobody mentions until you embarrass yourself.
None of these are in the official rulebook. They are the quiet knowledge that separates someone who looks like they belong on a course from someone who clearly does not.
Glove off while putting
Most golfers remove their glove before putting, hooking it through the back of their waistband or laying it on the bag. The reason is feel — a bare hand gives better tactile feedback through the putter grip. It is not a rule, but a near-universal habit among good players. If everyone at the green is removing their glove, this is why.
Mark your ball — and check it before you hit
Golf balls are visually identical. Put a distinctive mark (a dot, a line, your initials) on every ball before the round so you can identify yours quickly. On the tee, call out your ball brand and number — "Titleist 3" — so your playing partners know. Hitting the wrong ball is a two-stroke penalty in stroke play.
Never walk in anyone's putting line
The "line" is the path between someone's ball and the hole — and a few feet behind it. Walking through it compresses the turf and can affect how the ball rolls. Step over it or walk well around it. This is taken very seriously on the green.
Stand still and silent when someone is hitting
Do not fidget, swing a practice club, rattle coins, or move in another player's peripheral vision when they are addressing the ball. Stand still, say nothing, until the shot is complete. This is basic respect on the course and in the Rules of Golf.
Repair your pitch mark on the green
When your ball lands on the green and leaves an indentation, repair it with a pitch fork — push the edges inward and flatten with your putter. Always repair yours. Repairing an extra one or two is considered good form. Unrepaired pitch marks take weeks to heal; repaired ones recover in hours.
Rake the bunker when you leave
After playing from a bunker, rake the sand smooth — including your footprints entering and exiting. Enter and exit from the low side, nearest the green. Leave the rake outside the bunker. Some courses specify the exact position — check local signage.
Never give unsolicited advice
"Keep your head down" and "you are swinging too fast" are Rule of Golf violations (giving advice to a co-competitor in stroke play) and etiquette violations everywhere else. Never offer swing tips unless someone directly asks. Focus on your own game.
Honour — who hits first
On the first tee, the group usually hits in handicap order or flips a tee. After that, whoever scored lowest on the previous hole has the "honour" and hits first. On the fairway, the player furthest from the hole hits first. In casual rounds, ready golf replaces the strict honour system.
Phone on silent on the course
A ringtone mid-backswing is not acceptable. Vibrate mode is considered fine. Step away from the group if you need to take a call — and keep it brief. Golf is one of the few sports where genuine quiet and concentration are integral to the experience.
Golf language
The complete beginner's glossary — 30 terms you will actually use.
Golf has its own vocabulary. Here are the terms you will hear most on an NCR course and what they actually mean.
Reaching the green in the "regulation" number of shots — 1 shot on a par-3, 2 on a par-4, 3 on a par-5. Average PGA Tour GIR is ~65%. A beginner averages ~20–30%. The stat most strongly linked to lower scores.
An area of the course marked for repair — usually with white lines or "GUR" paint. Free drop outside the marked area, no penalty. Common after monsoon damage or maintenance work on NCR courses.
Your portable golf rating — how many shots above par you typically score. Lower = better. 0 = scratch (plays to par). 54 = maximum. Built from your best 8 of your last 20 rounds at rated courses under the WHS, administered in India through the IGU.
The global standardised handicap system, introduced in 2020. India uses WHS, administered through the Indian Golf Union. Your handicap is based on your best 8 of your last 20 scored rounds.
The governing body of golf in India. Administers handicaps, rules, and affiliated club memberships. Your official handicap can only be obtained through an IGU-affiliated club — most established NCR clubs qualify.
A player with a 0 handicap — they play to par on average. "Scratch Circle" literally means a community of golfers who play at, or are building toward, scratch level.
A second ball hit from the same spot when you think the original may be OB or lost. If the original is found and playable, pick up the provisional. If it is lost, continue with the provisional and take the penalty. Always announce "hitting a provisional" before playing it.
Add 1 penalty stroke and go back to the spot you originally hit from, then hit again. Effectively costs you 2 shots. The rule for OB, lost ball, and one option for penalty areas.
The closest spot (no closer to the hole) where the condition — GUR, cart path, casual water — no longer affects your ball, stance, or intended swing. The starting reference point for taking any free drop.
Playing out of strict honour order — whoever is ready to hit, goes first. Encouraged by the R&A and USGA to improve pace of play. Perfectly fine in casual rounds as long as no-one is in danger and no-one is distracted.
An unofficial do-over on the first tee — hit the first tee shot again without counting it. Common in casual rounds and charity events. Not permitted in any official competition.
A very short putt that playing partners agree you do not need to sink — it is conceded. Not allowed in official stroke play but common in friendly rounds for putts inside a foot or two. You still count it as one shot.
The warning shout when a ball is heading toward other golfers. Shout it loudly, without hesitation, the moment any ball may be heading at people. Everyone hearing it should duck immediately without looking up.
The chunk of turf displaced when you hit a shot. Replace your divot (or fill it with the sand-and-seed mix provided in fairway bottles). On a driving range mat, divot pattern should be a straight line — not scattered randomly.
The indentation left when a ball lands on the green. Always repair yours with a pitch fork — push surrounding turf inward, then flatten with the putter. Unrepaired pitch marks take weeks to heal; repaired ones recover in hours.
The right to tee off first, given to the player who scored lowest on the previous hole. On the first tee it is decided by handicap or coin flip. In ready golf, the formal honour system is replaced by whoever is ready.
Intentional ball flight curves. A draw curves right-to-left (for right-handed players) — adds distance. A fade curves left-to-right — more controlled, slightly shorter. An uncontrolled draw is a hook; an uncontrolled fade is a slice.
The angle of the clubface. Higher loft gets the ball higher and shorter — a driver has 8–12°, a lob wedge 58–64°. Lower loft produces longer, flatter shots. Club selection is largely about choosing the right loft for the distance and situation.
The angle of the sole of a wedge that prevents the leading edge from digging in. High bounce (12–16°) is for soft turf and sand. Low bounce (4–6°) for tight, firm conditions. Most beginners benefit from higher bounce on their sand wedge.
Measures the speed of a putting green. "Stimp 10" means a ball rolls 10 feet from the ramp. PGA Tour greens average 11–13. Most NCR club greens run 8–10. Faster greens require a gentler putting stroke — which is why you need to practice lag putting before visiting a premium club for the first time.
Saving par from off the green — a chip or pitch followed by one putt. "Made the up and down" means you saved par despite missing the green in regulation. The ability to get up and down consistently is what separates single-figure from double-figure handicappers.
A popular betting format — three separate bets on one round: front nine, back nine, and full 18. Often played in match play format. A "₹100 Nassau" means ₹100 on each of the three bets. Very common in NCR club and society games.
Eagle = 4 points, Birdie = 3, Par = 2, Bogey = 1, Double bogey = 0. Highest total points across 18 holes wins. Widely used in Indian club competitions. A score of 36 points is exactly par across the round.
Two meanings: (1) Where your ball rests and conditions around it — "a good lie" (sitting up on grass) vs "a bad lie" (buried in rough or a divot). (2) The angle of the clubhead sole relative to the shaft — a fitting term that affects shot direction for irons.
A person who carries your bag and advises on club selection, yardages, and green reading. Standard at most NCR clubs. Tipping beyond the set caddie fee is customary and expected — typically ₹200–500 per round paid directly in cash at the end.
Your gross score (total actual shots) minus your handicap index. A 20-handicap shooting 92 has a net score of 72. Net scoring allows golfers of different abilities to compete fairly. Most informal club competitions use net scoring.
Holding the putter vertically in front of your face like a plumb line to gauge slope direction when reading a putt. Used by many experienced golfers. Controversial about how accurate it really is — but you will see it used on the green regularly.
A team format where all players hit, the best shot is selected, all players then play from that spot, and so on to the hole. Common in corporate and charity golf events in India. Great for beginners since the pressure is distributed across the group.
The imaginary path between a player's ball and the hole on the green, plus a few feet behind the ball. Never walk on anyone else's putting line — you compress the turf and potentially alter how the ball rolls. Step over it or walk well around it.
A membership certificate from an IGU-affiliated club that allows you to post official scores and obtain a formal handicap index. Required for most competitive play in India. Your handicap exists officially only once it is registered through an affiliated club.