Golf For Newbies

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.

Golf has become popular for several reasons. It's the opportunity to be outside, to get a good whole body workout, network with friends or business colleagues at a leisurely pace, and to play a game that you can never perfect.

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

Below is a very basic lesson in golf for the person who wonders where to start.

Most golf is played on an eighteen-hole course. Each hole has a par--that is the number of strokes it should take to get the ball in the hole. The strokes include fairway shots, chips, and putts.

Par is based on the yardage and the hazards of the hole. Range of pars can be from 3 to 6. If you hole the cup in five shots on a par five hole, you "made par." If you stroked the ball six times, it's called a bogie, if you sunk it in four, it's a birdie.

There are usually "hazards" on all the holes. Water to be player over or beside, sand traps, and vegetation from trees to briar patches are strategically placed to make the hole harder. Beginners should attempt to find easier courses to start with.

Score is kept by each player, writing down the number of total shots stroked at each hole. When play ceases, each person adds their scores. The lowest total score wins.

Taking the game seriously at first is a serious hazard. It takes a long time to acquire game skills; even though the professionals make it look so easy.

A lesson or two at the onset makes sense; it will help develop a proper swing and assure you get off to a good start.

Remember, that it's just a game. The point is to have fun. Keep your perspective--the worst day of golf is better than the best day of work!