When you first start playing golf there is a lot to take in and lots of skills that you need to develop and become confident in as quickly as possible.
Here are three top tips that will help you on your way to becoming a more proficient and confident golfer.

Gripping

Like any sport, practice and repetition really is the key to becoming better at it. The thing that new golfers tend to focus on the most – and you can see why – is their swing. However, before you can swing a golf club, you really need to know how to grip it properly.
You should hold the club in front of you and at eye level with your right hand (if you are left handed, use your left). Next, place the pad of your left hand on top of the club. Close your fingers around the club.
To test that you have mastered it, allow your arm to fall by your side and push the top of the club down. You have got your grip spot on if the bottom of the club comes up when you do this.

Putting

Your putting stroke should look and feel like a pendulum going back and forth. Regardless of the distance of the putt, you should have the same speed moving forward and backwards.
The key to having the perfect balance of a pendulum swing is making sure that your shoulders are level. Keep your shoulder square and ensure that the putter doesn’t dip below your arms. If one shoulder dips lower than the other, the putter will follow and your putt will go off in the wrong direction.

Chipping

Even the best players miss the green sometimes, so you need to be able to play a good short game. To do that, you need to be good at chipping.
The trick is to let the club – your wedge – do the work for you. To allow this to happen, make sure the ball is dead centre of your stance and move your weight a little bit forward.