Learning to play golf can be a daunting task. It's so hard to make sense of all those clubs and their funny shapes and sizes. The score cards can appear to some, as a foreign as Thai currency. On top of all this, there are age old rules and traditions that must be learned and etiquette that must be observed. With all of this in mind it's not hard to see why some are intimidated by the very thought of playing a round. So to help you on your way and make it easier to say yes to your spouse or boss the next time you're invited, here are some of the basics.
The first thing you need to know is that the rules are the same for every one regardless of race or gender. Golf has come a long way since this gentleman's sport was conceived of in bonnie old Scotland. Each player can have only 14 clubs in their bag while playing. These clubs can be any variation of the many choices out there, but there can only be 14 in your bag. At first this restriction won't matter because you'll find yourself using only 3 or 4 clubs that you feel comfortable with.
Golf courses consist off 18 holes. A hole usually consists of a tee box, fairway and any number of hazards such as water, sand, tree's, tall grass or any thing else a fiendish golf designer can create. To play a hole you step up to the tee box and pick the appropriate club. The club could be a driver for a longer distance or a smaller club depending on the distance called for. Once you've picked the right club, you take out a tee and place the ball on top of it. After a couple practice swings it's time to step up and hit the ball the best you can. This is obviously easier said then done but after some expensive lessons and a lot of practice you'll get it down. The rest of the whole consists of striking the ball the best you can until you reach the green, where the hole is.
It's important to remember that you only get one chance to hit the ball, and mulligans or second chances are not acceptable. Also, the ball must be played where it lies. This is a hard fast rule that means exactly what it says. No matter where your ball ends up it must be played from that spot, excluding in some cases water and other odd circumstances. Hitting a ball into the water generally incurs a penalty.
After hacking your way to the green it's time to take out your putter and put the golf ball in a slighter larger hole than itself. Good putting can sometimes makeup for a poor performance on the other parts of the hole. There is a saying in golf that holds true it is "drive for show, putt for dough." Putting might not be as showy as a long drive but consistent putting can really help.
After getting the ball into the cup, it's time to count your strokes on the hole. This is easy just count the number of hits it took to get the ball from the tee box to the hole. Include any water hazard penalties or drops from the rough. when you finish playing all 18 holes you'll add up the strokes of all 18 to get your final score. Don't be too demoralized by this seemingly large number when you first start golfing. If you continue to play you'll see this number shrink slowly over time.
Other things to remember. Golf is a game that relies on the honesty of it's participants. Remember to always be honest in every aspect of golf, cheating won't make you a better player. Always remember to fix and fill those large chunks of grass you'll tear out every now and then. Remember, golf takes a lot of concentration so be as quite as possible when on the course. Sometimes after a bad hit it's hard to restrain from cursing out loud, but do your best, and remember other people are around. Keep golf carts off the greens and other restricted areas. Play at a reasonable pace. Slow play can really ruin a day of golf for those behind you, you should usually be getting done with the hole as others are teeing up for that same hole. Rake all bunkers after hitting your ball out of the sand. Watch for those who might be in your line of fire. If you feel like the ball might be headed towards someone feel free to yell "four". Who hasn't wanted to yell "four" at some point in their life.
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