Worth the Drive?
A New Golfer’s Guide to Choosing the Right Golf Course
Choosing a golf course sounds simple. Find one nearby, book a tee time and arrive with enough golf balls to survive the afternoon.
Then you begin looking online.
One course promises a “challenging championship layout.” Another boasts “dramatic elevation changes.” A third features “strategically placed water hazards.” Those descriptions may sound impressive, but to a beginning golfer, they can also translate into: We hope you brought plenty of inexpensive golf balls.
When you are new to golf, the best course is not necessarily the most famous, difficult or expensive one. It is the course that allows you to learn, relax and enjoy the day without feeling as though you have accidentally entered the final round of the U.S. Open.
Before driving an hour—or three—to play a new course, here are a few things every beginning golfer should consider.
Start with the Right Level of Difficulty
Golf courses usually provide a scorecard showing the course rating, slope rating and yardage from each set of tees. These numbers can look like an algebra problem created by someone who was angry at golfers.
Fortunately, beginners do not need to become mathematicians.
The slope rating is especially helpful. It indicates how difficult the course may be for an average recreational golfer compared with a highly skilled player. The higher the slope, the more challenging the course is likely to feel. A beginner will usually be more comfortable on a course with a lower or moderate slope rating.
Yardage matters too. A course measuring more than 7,000 yards may look beautiful in photographs, but it can make a beginning golfer feel as though every hole requires a small road trip.
Look for a course with multiple tee choices, including forward tees. Playing from a shorter tee is not “cheating.” The tees are there to make the course appropriate and enjoyable for golfers with different abilities and driving distances.
Choose the tee that gives you a reasonable chance of reaching the green without needing six heroic shots, divine intervention and a favorable wind.
Beware of the Phrase “Target Golf”
“Target golf” sounds delightful. It brings to mind accuracy, strategy and calmly placing the ball exactly where you want it.
That is not always how it works for beginners.
A target-style course may have narrow landing areas surrounded by desert, water, thick rough, trees or other places golf balls visit but rarely return from. These courses can be fun once you have better control over your shots. When you are starting out, however, they can become an expensive tour of the golf-ball section at the sporting goods store.
Look for courses described as open, forgiving, beginner-friendly or playable for all skill levels. Wide fairways provide room for the occasional slice, hook or mysterious shot that begins by heading left and then suddenly remembers it has somewhere else to be.
A forgiving course does not mean an uninteresting course. It simply gives you a chance to recover from a mistake instead of issuing an immediate punishment.
Check the Number of Water Hazards
Water makes a golf course beautiful. Lakes reflect the sky, fountains add charm and ponds attract birds.
They also attract golf balls.
Some golfers can stand beside a large lake and confidently hit across it. Beginning golfers often become so focused on avoiding the water that the water becomes the only possible destination.
One or two water holes can be exciting. Water on nearly every hole may be more excitement than you need.
Before choosing a course, look at the course map or photographs. If the layout resembles a chain of islands connected by narrow strips of grass, consider saving it for another day.
If you do play a course with a lot of water, bring golf balls you are emotionally prepared to lose. Do not use the expensive ball you received as a gift unless you are ready to give it a peaceful new home at the bottom of a pond.
Consider the Length and Pace of Play
An 18-hole round of golf generally takes about four hours, although a crowded course can take longer. For a beginning golfer, that can be a long time to concentrate, swing, walk, search and pretend not to be looking for a ball that clearly disappeared five minutes ago.
A nine-hole course can be an excellent choice when you are learning. It gives you the complete golf experience without turning the day into an endurance event.
Par-3 and executive courses are also beginner-friendly options. The holes are shorter, the atmosphere is often more relaxed and you can practice your short game—the part of golf that eventually determines your score, no matter how impressive your drive looked.
Before booking, ask about the course’s usual pace of play and whether certain times are less crowded. A quiet afternoon tee time may be much more comfortable than joining the Saturday-morning parade of golfers who all appear to own matching shirts and highly organized golf bags.
Find Out Whether You Must Use a Golf Cart
Some courses are easily walkable. Others include steep hills, long distances between holes or enough elevation changes to qualify as a hiking adventure.
If you enjoy walking, check whether the course is considered walker-friendly. Walking can be a wonderful part of golf. It gives you time to enjoy the scenery, think about your next shot and privately question your last one.
If you prefer riding, find out whether the golf-cart fee is included in the advertised price. A “great deal” can become less impressive after adding the cart, booking fee, range balls, taxes and the sandwich purchased at the turn because your granola bar disappeared somewhere around the fifth hole.
For golfers with mobility concerns, call the course and ask about accessible carts, cart-path restrictions and the distance from the parking area to the clubhouse. A little advance information can make the entire day more enjoyable.
Study the Terrain—and the Weather
A course in the mountains offers beautiful views, cool air and memorable scenery. It may also offer steep climbs, uneven lies and a golf ball that travels farther because of the elevation—occasionally in the wrong direction.
Desert courses can be spectacular, but the rough may consist of rocks, sand and vegetation that should not be approached without proper footwear and a healthy respect for wildlife.
Coastal courses may be cooler and windier. Forest courses may feature narrow fairways lined with trees that seem to lean toward your ball.
Check the forecast before committing to a long drive. Wind, extreme heat and afternoon thunderstorms can turn a pleasant round into an episode of a survival program.
Morning tee times are often best during hot weather. In colder months, a later start may allow frost to melt and temperatures to rise. Dressing in layers is always wise because golf-course weather can change faster than your opinion of your swing.
Read Reviews with a Sense of Humor
Online reviews can be helpful, but they must be interpreted carefully.
One golfer will write, “The greens were far too fast.” Another will say, “The greens were perfect.” A third will complain that the beverage cart did not appear precisely when thirst occurred.
Look for patterns instead of relying on one dramatic review. Do several golfers mention friendly staff, good course conditions and a relaxed pace? Do beginners say they felt welcome? Are there repeated complaints about extremely slow play, poor signage or fairways that resemble a construction project?
Recent reviews are especially important because course conditions change with the seasons. A review from three years ago may be interesting, but it should not be treated as a current agricultural report.
Ask About Practice Facilities
A driving range and putting green can add a great deal to the experience, especially for new golfers.
Arriving early gives you time to hit a small bucket of balls, practice a few putts and discover which version of your golf swing has arrived that day.
Some courses also have chipping areas, practice bunkers and teaching professionals. If lessons are available, consider scheduling one before your round. A short lesson can give you one or two simple ideas to focus on rather than the 47 swing tips you watched online the previous evening.
Do not exhaust yourself on the practice range. The goal is to warm up, not to solve every golf problem before reaching the first tee.
Look for a Friendly Atmosphere
Some golf courses feel formal. Others are relaxed and welcoming. Neither is necessarily better, but beginners usually have more fun where the atmosphere matches their comfort level.
Check the dress code before leaving home. Some courses require collared shirts and prohibit denim. Others are happy as long as you are dressed, wearing shoes and not carrying your clubs in a grocery cart.
You can also call the pro shop and ask whether the course is appropriate for newer golfers. The response may tell you a great deal. Friendly employees will explain the best tees, quieter playing times and any local rules you should know.
A course that genuinely welcomes beginners understands that everyone started somewhere. Even excellent golfers once missed the ball, topped a drive and accidentally putted beyond the hole with enough force to reach the next tee box.
Decide What Makes a Course “Worth the Drive”
A faraway golf course should offer something beyond distance.
Perhaps it has spectacular scenery, an unusually friendly layout, an affordable afternoon rate or a restaurant known for an excellent post-round meal. Maybe it is near a charming town, winery, lake or hiking trail that can turn the outing into a full-day getaway.
Before driving several hours, consider the complete experience:
- Is the course suitable for your present ability?
- Are the green fee and cart fee within your budget?
- Will the course conditions be good during your visit?
- Is the scenery or setting truly special?
- Is there something else nearby to enjoy?
- Most importantly, will you have fun even if your scorecard becomes a work of fiction?
The answer does not have to be entirely about golf. A memorable day may include a scenic drive, nine enjoyable holes, lunch on the patio and a good laugh about the ball that bounced off a tree and somehow landed closer to the green.
The Best Course Is the One That Brings You Back
Beginning golfers sometimes believe they must play the hardest courses to improve. In reality, improvement comes from playing courses that offer reasonable challenges while allowing you to build confidence.
Choose wide fairways, manageable distances and a welcoming atmosphere. Play the appropriate tees. Pick up your ball when a hole has become a personal crisis. Keep pace with the group ahead, repair your ball marks and celebrate the good shots.
There will always be another difficult course waiting for you.
For now, find a place where you can enjoy the scenery, learn the game and finish the round wanting to play again. That is the true test of whether a golf course is worth the drive.
And remember: Golf is one of the few activities in which people willingly travel for hours, pay to become frustrated and then discuss where they should do it again next weekend.