Take lessons and get your fundamentals right....grip, setup, stance. Find a teaching pro who you trust and mesh with. These are very important when starting out.

Great game we have, Down means up, you hit down on the ball to get it to go up. No lines cross, Feet hips & shoulders parallel to the target line. Out means in, Take away to the outside and attach from the inside...

Plenty of Beer and a good sense of humor!

Start with a 7-iron. It wouldn't hurt to listen to a few instructors on YouTube about the basic fundamentals, it would save you some money getting started. Maybe a local pro has a package deal, see him once a month, even indoors. Message me for a few recommendations, don't want to open a can of worms publicly, but there are 2 guys I listen to religiously just for the interpretation of the intended move they are trying to explain. Both very advanced players. I'm a long time + handicap, still take lessons every month. Good Luck!

Biggest tip is get yourself some lessons early on, don't learn the wrong things trying to teach yourself trying to figure out what you're doing wrong.

if you're in the US, look for the closest driving range that has a PGA pro offering lessons. If you're in SoCal, that's basically every driving range around - so that's helpful.

I'm new too, but learning the mechanics really early on is super helpful - and has made my first few games be very enjoyable.

My biggest recommendation and something you see in golf overseas is to develop your swing before playing on the golf course. Lessons and practice first, then learn the nuances of playing on a course. You will feel better about your success and players behind you will be grateful.