 The Game of Golf
Tips for Rookies
Golf was invented centuries ago in Scotland or England. As far back as 1245 AD, King George of England complained that his subjects were spending too much time on the golf course.
In recent years, television has made golf a popular sport and introduced us to famous golf stars like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Annika Sorenstam and teenager Michelle Wie.
Golf is the unofficial sport of the business world, and is practically a required skill to succeed in a corporation.
The object of the golf game is simple, to get the ball in the hole with as few shots as possible.
 Golf Equipment
The basic piece of equipment is the golf club, with a rubber grip, a long shaft of steel or graphite to flex and provide the kick that makes the ball fly. The clubface is the point of impact for the shot; the grooves on the clubface help put spin on the ball. Spin makes the ball fly farther and stops the ball when it lands.
Golf clubs differ in the length of their shaft and in their loft. The longer the shaft is, the more powerful the shot. Loft is the angle of the clubface when it sits on the ground, and it varies from 10 degrees of loft on the driver to 56 degrees of loft on the sand wedge. The more loft on the clubface, the higher the ball will travel.
Golf Clubs
The basic set of golf clubs includes three woods, nine irons, a pitching wedge and a sand wedge, plus the putter.
The woods have the longest shafts of all the clubs in your bag and they are used for your longest shots. They are numbered 1, which is the driver, through 11. The higher the number on the club, the higher it will carry the ball. Despite their name, these days the “woods” are made out of steel or titanium.
The irons, made out of steel, help you get the ball onto the green. Just like the woods, the irons with the lower numbers hit the ball longer and lower, but with some loss of accuracy. The lowest number has the longest shaft. The three shortest clubs, the 9-iron, the pitching wedge and the sand wedge, are designed to get the ball in the air, and are used for accuracy, rather than distance. Professional players call these three clubs the “money” clubs, because they can save you shots.
Last and most important is the putter, which the pro uses for about 40% of all shots. It has only 2-3 degrees of loft and brings accuracy for your greens shots.
Playing the Course
When you play each hole, you’ll take your first shot from the flat grassy area called the tee box. You’ll perch your ball on a small peg called a tee, which gives you an easier target. The rest of the time you’ll play the ball where it lands. The object is to keep the ball on the smooth fairway grass and out of the overgrown rough, and work your way toward the green, the groomed lawn around the hole and the flag. You’ll want to keep your ball within the white stakes that mark out of bounds. You’ll want to avoid the sand pits called bunkers because it’s hard to hit the ball in sand. Avoid the water and other hazards marked with red stakes. You’re penalized one shot for out of bounds and hazards and must replay the shot.
What is Par?
Every hole on the golf course is rated for difficulty as par three, par four or par five. On a par-three hole, an expert golfer would expect to make the hole in three shots. Keep score by counting the number of swings you take on each hole, even if you miss the ball. If your score is one under par, you’ve made a birdie. A score two under par is called an eagle. A score one stroke more than par is called a bogey, two over par is a double-bogey and three over par is a triple-bogey. And a hole-in-one is the experience of a lifetime.
The Length of a Hole
To make the game more interesting and to keep the greens fresh, the location of each hole is moved every day. The distance of each hole is measured from the standard tee to the center of the green, no matter where the hole is located on the green.
Nicknames
Not every shot you hit will be perfect. If your ball curves out to the right, it’s a slice. To the left, it’s a hook. A straight shot which lands to the right of the target is a push, and to the left of the target, a pull. Your club might hit deep into the ground, a fat shot. Or your club might hit high on the ball, topping the ball. What you really want to do is to knock the ball stiff, a perfect shot.
Your Handicap
Your handicap is the measure of your skill level. The higher the handicap is, the weaker the player. Your handicap is simply the average of your best 10 scores, out of your last 20 games, minus 72. If your handicap is 15, you usually shoot 72 + 15, or 87. A pro might have a handicap of 0, which means he/she usually shoots 72 for an 18-hold round. The club will keep track of your scores and compute your handicap. If you, with your 15 handicap, play against someone with a 5 handicap, you have a 10 stroke advantage (15 handicap-5 handicap = 10 strokes). You are allowed to subtract one stroke from your score on each of the ten most difficult holes. This makes for a more competitive game.
The Stance
Getting off a good stroke depends on three things, your grip, your stance and your swing. In proper stance, you’ll have your feet about should-width apart, and knees gently bent. You’ll bend at the waist and keep your back straight. The ball rests midway between your feet. Imagine a line between the tips of your right and left feet, and its direction will tell you where you are aiming the ball.
The Swing
The swing is the heart of your game and you will practice it often. On the backswing, the club is moved, slow and low, back from the ball in an arc. The arc is extended while the shoulders and hips rotate with the club and you shift your weight to the back foot. At the top of the swing, cock your wrists back for extra power
For your downswing, bring the club down in the same path you brought it up. Unwind your body, hips first, then shoulders, and pull the club toward the ball with your left (non-dominant) hand. Let your weight shift to your forward foot. Your wrists will open up and the club will contact the ball with a strong snap.
The third part of your swing is the follow-through. The club continues in full speed in an arc until it comes to rest up over your lead shoulder. Your body twists with it while your weight moves to your front foot. When the stroke is finished, your belt buckle will be facing the target, and your club will be perpendicular to your shoulders.
With practice, you will launch your drives with the speed and accuracy of a laser-targeted missile. You’ll be delivering effortless power and huge drives that will win games for you.
I hope this advice brings you much success. I wish you a very happy day.
----- Surfer Sam
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