Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Golf for Newbies

By Dan Easterling

Golf has become a very popular game over the last forty or so years. Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods are all champions that have landed in the public consciousness. Courses like Pinehurst, Augusta National and the Blue Monster at Doral are all familiar to us.

The popularity of golf has increased for several reasons. It's fun to be outside, you get a good whole body workout, networking with friends or business colleagues at a leisurely pace is an option, and the challenge of the game never goes away.

Your scorecard shows your improvement over time which keeps you playing again and again.

Here is one very basic lesson in golf for the person who has no idea where to start.

Golf is played on an eighteen-hole course; each hole has its "par", which is the number of tee shots (drives), fairway shots, chips (short hits as you approach the green), and putts.

The par number is based on difficulty and length of the hole. Pars range from 3 to 6. If you get the ball in the hole in five shots on a par five hole, you "made par." If it took you six shots, it's called a bogie, if you made it in four, it's a birdie. And if you hit it first shot, its a hole in one.

Hazards exist. These include Bodies of water, sand traps, and trees. They are strategically placed to make the hole more challenging. Beginners should seek to find easier courses that have fewer hazards.

Scores are kept by each individual. The number of strokes are written down. After hole 18, each player adds up their scores. Lowest wins.

Beginning golfers should not take themselves too seriously. Many times it takes a while to get good at golf. You are building a totally different skill set. Professionals have great skills because they have talent and have practiced time and time again.

Maybe taking lessons before first playing is a good idea; it will help basic skills and assure you get off to a good start.

It's just a game. Having fun at the beginning is the main thing and continuing to play develops skills that will benefit you later.

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