It's your first time playing 18 holes. But what do you do? Where do you go? How do you fit in?

Let's dive-in, step-by-step on what happens once you pull in the parking lot until you finish at the 18th green.

What you need to know when you show up to play your first round ⛳

Ok. You did it. You signed up! You said yes to playing 9 or 18 holes.

Maybe someone invited you, maybe you finally just decided to go for it, whatever the reason, you’re doing it, and I’m super proud of you.

But before you even get dressed or put your clubs in the car, you might be feeling nervous or anxious, and absolutely regretting your whole life right at that moment, but hang tight. I’m gonna tell you what nobody told me.

First things first...ask your friend before you even leave the house what to expect when you pull up.

Every golf course does things a little differently. Some have caddies. Some have cart girls. Some want you to check in at the pro shop first, and some want you to go straight to the bag drop.

Your friend has (hopefully) played there before, text them the night before and ask, “Okay, what actually happens when I get here?” It will save you approximately 15 minutes of wandering around looking confident while being completely lost. We’ve all done it.

What to pack, because 18 holes is not a quick errand.

A full round of golf is about 4 hours of actual playing time, and you need to get there 30 to 45 minutes early to warm up and get sorted before your tee time.

So you’re looking at a solid chunk of your day, which means you need to treat this like the event it is.

Sunscreen. A hat. A water bottle (non-negotiable). And snacks...real snacks, not just a granola bar. We’re talking something that’s going to carry you through the back nine when you’re on hole 14, and your blood sugar decides to crap out.

I bring those meat sticks, Chomps, my trusty Reeses Cups (if you’ve played with me, it’s a thing), trail mix, a sandwich sometimes, whatever keeps me human. Some courses have a snack cart that comes around, which is genuinely one of golf’s best features, but don’t count on it. Come prepared.

The nerves are real and you are not alone.

Honestly, even people who have been playing for years get first-tee nerves. Especially teeing off in front of people they don’t know. Your girl is like that usually for the first three holes.

Not sure why, but there’s just something about standing on that tee box for the first time with people around that makes your brain completely forget how to do anything. You’re going to feel it. That’s normal.

Some golfers have full pre-shot routines just to calm themselves down...a deep breath, a little waggle of the club, a specific phrase they repeat to themselves. Me personally? It’s more like, “I swear to gawd if I top this ball…” so, I don’t think I’m really helpful here but if you’ve got a mantra that can help, now’s the time to use it.

I will say, honestly, if you do actually top the ball and it rolls twelve feet, just laugh. Seriously...laughing is the fastest way to reset, and it also makes everyone around you more comfortable.

Messing up is not just allowed on a golf course; it’s basically the whole experience.

You’ll learn that the more you play that most people who golf aren’t that great. It oddly helps you build confidence.

You’re also most likely going to lose a ball (or four). You’re going to take more shots than expected on a hole, and that’s completely fine. You might not know whose turn it is so, just ask. Golf people LOVE to explain golf, so use that energy to your advantage.

But the BEST PART???? You’re also going to have a moment somewhere on that course where a shot comes off exactly right, and you look at your friend like, “Hold up...did you SEE that??” And THAT my friend, is what will keep you coming back.

Remember the good shots. Learn from the ones that aren’t, and you’ll finish your round, walk off that last green, and feel like you did something real.

Because you did. Showing up was the whole battle. The rest is just golf. ⛳