How to Play Golf

Synopsis

How to Play Golf (originally released in 1944, featuring Fred Shields) is a concise instructional short designed to introduce beginners to the essentials of golf. In just under ten minutes, Shields guides viewers through every fundamental aspect of the game, beginning with an overview of the basic equipment—clubs, balls and tees—and the correct way to select and grip each club. The film then moves on to posture and stance, demonstrating ideal alignment, weight distribution and body rotation for a clean, controlled swing. Through simple on-course examples, Shields breaks down drives, approach shots, chips and putts, pointing out common mistakes and offering practical corrections. Filmed in black and white with a straightforward narration and minimal editing, the short maintains focus on Shields’s clear, step-by-step instruction. Although the production style reflects its mid-century origins, the core teaching points—grip, stance, swing mechanics and green-reading—remain valuable for novices. How to Play Golf endures both as a snapshot of 1940s sports education and as a timeless tutorial for anyone seeking to master golf’s basic techniques.

Cast

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  Fred Shields

  Narrator (voice)

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  Pinto Colvig

  Goofy (voice) (uncredited)

Reviews

Due to its status as a 1944 instructional short, How to Play Golf has not been reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic, so no direct critic quotes are available. On IMDb, however, it holds a user rating of 7.1/10, reflecting steady audience approval over decades. Viewers on IMDb often praise the film’s clarity and brevity, noting that Fred Shields’s calm, authoritative delivery makes each tip easy to grasp. Many first-time golfers appreciate the methodical breakdown of grip, stance and swing mechanics, with one commenter calling it “an unexpectedly thorough primer” despite its brief runtime. Other users point out that the single-camera presentation and measured pacing feel dated compared to today’s fast-cut tutorials, but they also acknowledge that the unembellished approach keeps the emphasis firmly on instruction rather than entertainment. Golf historians and vintage-film enthusiasts occasionally cite How to Play Golf as a valuable period artifact—a window into 1940s leisure culture and sports pedagogy. While lacking modern production values or celebrity cameos, the film’s straightforward teaching style continues to earn respect among niche audiences. Overall, its IMDb score and positive user commentary highlight its enduring appeal as a charming, informative lesson in golf fundamentals.

See also

Muzzle

Soulcatcher

Deep Fear

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