Beginner's Guide

Step-by-Step Guide to Starting Golf and Taking Your First Steps into a New Hobby

1. Beginner Course
   Everything starts with a beginner course.

Anyone interested in golf aged 13 or older can join the beginner course. There is a separate beginner course for juniors aged 11-16. Younger children can start with a junior golf camp or junior golf school.

In the beginner course, participants will learn the basics of the golf swing and short game, as well as the most important rules and golf etiquette needed on the course.

For more information about the courses and our very affordable beginner package, please visit the beginner course section.

2. Green Card Exam
   At the end of the beginner course, participants will take the golf "driver's license," also known as the green card. Once you pass the green card exam, you can become a member of a golf club and begin playing, initially with a handicap of 54. Membership includes insurance and is required for playing golf. You can find the membership application for Santa Claus Golf Club here.

The green card exam emphasizes the player's understanding of the flow of the game, safety, and respect for the course and other players. You do not need to know the rules perfectly; understanding the basics is enough. There is no separate test to measure your skill level for the green card. At the end of the beginner course, a written "final test" will be held under the guidance of the golf instructor, and participants will receive their green cards after passing.

3. Handicap 54 and Club Membership
   Once you have successfully passed the green card exam, you can join a golf club as a member.

Obtaining the green card gives you a handicap of 54, which will be recorded on your membership and handicap card (eBirdie).

The handicap is a reference number that reflects a player's skill level under good conditions and a successful game. It is not a number that the player is expected to always achieve. As a player's skills develop, they will perform better on individual holes and throughout the round, which will result in a lower handicap.

4. Playing on the Course and Guided Practice Sessions
   The next goal is to gain more playing experience, develop skills, and lower your handicap. Regular practice with a coach is the most effective way to progress in the sport. Santa Claus Golf offers affordable beginner-friendly practice groups for new members.

For more information on guided practice sessions, please visit the section for beginners.

5. Find Your Own Way To Play
   Congratulations! You now have your green card, experience on the course, and your skills are improving. Perhaps your handicap has already started to drop.

In Finland, there are nearly 160,000 ways to play golf – as many as there are players in golf clubs across the country. Golf is for everyone, and everyone can play it their own way. The versatile sport adapts to different life stages. For some, it’s filled with laughter and moments with friends and family; for others, it’s a way to enjoy nature and get some exercise early in the morning. For a third person, golf is serious competitive sport, and for someone else, it’s something entirely different. If time is limited, you can play a shorter round than the full 18 holes. Golf skills can be maintained on the practice areas of the golf course during long summer evenings, whenever it suits you best. The possibilities are endless.

For more information on the Finnish Golf Association's #muntapapelata campaign and other golf-related topics, please visit the "Koko Suomi Golfaa" website.