Sure, everyone wants to play the part of a great golfer, but that’s not always the easiest thing to accomplish — since it takes practice and lots of repetition.
But even if you’re not the best golfer, that doesn’t mean you can’t “fake it til’ you make it” out on the course.
While I certainly want you to be the best player you can be, if you’re finding it difficult to keep up with other players, here are some ways to at least look the part of a great golfer; even if you can’t play the part quite yet.
1. Get the right golf bag
Having the right golf bag will certainly help you look like a good golfer — and don’t be afraid to have one that shows off your own individual style!
Most good golfers have a carry bag with a stand, like this option from Ping, which helps it stay upright on its own when its not on your back.
2. How you carry your golf bag
How you carry your bag is another sign of a good player. The strap should be draped over your shoulder, with the bag resting above your hips on your back.
It doesn’t matter if you use a bag with one strap or two, so long as you never carry it like a suitcase or bear hug your clubs.
3. Having 14 clubs or less
The legal limit is 14 clubs in a bag, so it’s important to play by the rules. Any more clubs than this will make your bag look cluttered.
Also, you need to factor in the weight of your bag, as carrying more than 14 clubs can get very heavy.
4. Having the clubs organized in your bag
Having your golf clubs organized in your bag will allow them to stack properly, while also making them easy to see for when you need to use one.
The longer clubs, including your driver and fairway woods, should be in the tallest part of the bag. The hybrids and longer irons should be in the middle part of the bag. The short irons and wedges should be in the shortest part of the bag.
The putter can go either low or high.
Having your clubs in order will make it much easier to grab the right club when you need it.
5. Range balls with the pile in front of you
How you manage your range balls can help others identify you as a good golfer.
First, if you’re at a range that has a ball dispenser, always remember to put the bucket under the dispenser before you push the button for the balls. I’ve seen many golfers forget to do this, and it certainly identifies them as a newer golfer.
When you go to the range that may already have golf balls, always pull your ball to hit from the pile in front of you. A good golfer would not reach to the pile behind them.
Be sure to pull the ball from the pile with one hand on the club, avoiding the shoveled two-handed pull.
6. The right outfit – logos go a long way
Your attire is one of the lone places where you can really express yourself in golf — so always dress to impress!
Certain brands and logos will tend to identify you as a more serious golfer.
For example, anything related to The Masters always seems to gain attention.
So when you’re laying out your attire before a round, try to use clothes with more popular golf logos on them. They may not always help you play better, but they’re at least a good conversation starter.
7. Great head covers (and no iron covers)
Great head covers are an attention-grabber and can be a good conversation piece.
A popular trend these days is to have head covers that don’t really match, but are from great or exclusive golf clubs. These single head covers from different clubs are great ways to remember the best clubs you may have been fortunate enough to play.
As for iron covers, I think they’re a no-no — especially when you’re trying to look like a proper golfer.
8. A decent setup and swing
You can often spot a good golfer simply by their setup, and definitely by their athletic, fluid swing.
A good setup includes having proper grip and posture — which isn’t often something new players learn quickly. And learning how to have a powerful swing takes even more time, with many repetitions necessary to get the right feel.
9. Teeing behind the markers – standing in the right place
When you tee off, be sure to be even with or behind the tee markers. Not only will placing your ball in front of the markers potentially cause a rules violation, but it will make it appear that you don’t know what you’re doing.
You also want to make sure that you’re standing in the right place while others are hitting. This means being slightly behind and to the side of the golfer who is swinging, which keeps you safe and avoids interfering with their vision or concentration.
10. Knowing your clubs and their distances
No new golfer will know about their clubs until they play more frequently; which is OK. But if you really want to fit in on the course, it’s important to try and learn about them as much as possible — meaning you know what they are and how they perform.
Beyond knowing your clubs and understanding what they do, you absolutely should know how far they go with your full swing. If you don’t know this, spend a bit of time on the range to create a distance chart, which will help establish an idea of yardages while using each club.
