Beginner's phony tee shot (8)
I believe the answer is:
neophyte
'beginner's' is the definition.
(neophyte is a kind of beginner)
'phony tee shot' is the wordplay.
'shot' indicates an anagram.
'phony'+'tee'='phonytee'
'phonytee' anagrammed gives 'NEOPHYTE'.
(Other definitions for neophyte that I've seen before include "Novice of religious order, or new convert" , "They open for a new convert" , "Initiate" , "Beginner, novice" , "One's just taken orders" .)