Guide for Beginning Golfers

More than half the strokes of a persons golf score is made on the putting green. So for better scores it pays  to dedicate a fair amount of practice time working on your putting skills. In the past I have been a streaky putter. Some days I can’t drop one for nothing and others I sink every putt I hit into the cup. The latter is naturally the preference and since I made some adjustments in my set up and putting technique they have made me more consistent on the green.

Direction and speed are the two key components to the putt. It may take some time to be able to read the slope of the green to determine direction. This ability will come from practice and experience as you play. Some techniques I now utilize to aid with consistency in putting are the following:

1) Line up the writing on the golf balls and place your ball on using this line in conjunction with the read you determined after viewing the slope of the green.

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I’ve always been a practitioner of golf etiquette from my initial introduction  to the game and my first time playing golf. It seems at times that new golfers beginning to play and sometimes even experienced golfers are devoid of the etiquette associated with this challenging sport. One of the many courtesies I observe frequently being overlooked is allowing a single or solo player to play through or asking them to join you if there are only two or three players in your group.

This breach of golf etiquette became more blatantly apparent this past weekend when I was the single and two groups in front of me were ingnoring the common courtesies associated with the game. I played the first six holes alone and finally caught up to a twosome and played behind them for a number of holes. I approached the tee and even thought they were still on the teebox they never asked if I would like to join them or play through until about four holes later. I finally played through and was behind a foursome who was more discourteous than the twosome as they never even acknowledged that I was waiting indefinitely on each hole as they proceeded to hit golf balls, one shot worse than the other. I finally left the course around the 17th hole because I was waiting at least 20 minutes on each hole for them to clear the hitting area. This amount of time was well above the average total of  about 15 minutes normally allotted to play an entire golf hole. If it were a beautiful sunny day like the previous weekend I may have hung in there but the cold blustery conditions made it tough to wait so long for each shot.

Golf Tip for the day {Fore: Observe Golf Etiquette and allow a single to join you if you have three or less golfers in your group. Also let a single player or  twosome play through if you notice them behind your group and waiting on every shot.}

Scotland Run in Williamstown New Jersey is one of my favorite golf venues in the northeast on which to play. It is a links layout, well designed and exquisitely maintained. It is a semi-private club whose rates are very reasonable for access to play golf there. I have a few good friends who are members so I usually meet them there at least a half dozen times a year.

If I lived a bit closer in distance to this golf course I would definitely become a member but the 90 mile trip each way, especially on the return trip is a bit too far to play every weekend. It is however well worth the trip once in a while because the golf course and the ambiance and food at the restaurant is excellent. They also have a range where we usually stop and hit golf balls to warm up before our round. If you are ever in the vicinity of this golf course stop and play a round for its is well worth the price of the green fees. Happy Golfing to All!

Less than two weeks ago it looked like Tiger Woods and Elin were trying to work out their problems and hopefully salvage their marriage. He had completed the first part of his sex addiction treatment and seemed to be making a concerted effort to get back together with Elin. It is now rumored that Elin will be returning home to her parents in Europe with their children and Tiger Woods will be competing in The Masters without his wife and family by his side cheering him on. This is a good indication that the reconcilliation is not going well and the relationship may be beyond repair.  

The big question on the minds of his peers, his golf fans and the media is will his personal problems and the lay off from golf competition affect his performance in The Masters? This is a very tough venue for Tiger to make a first appearance after such a layoff and it will be a true test of how his leave of absence from the PGA Tour and personal problems have affected his golf game. It should be quite apparent by how he is hitting golf balls in the first two rounds if he will be around on Sunday to make a run at a fifth Green Jacket. What are your thoughts? Fell free to send in your opinion and comments. Happy Golfing to All!

This past weekend was great for golf and outdoor activities. Golf Fever will quickly catch on as spring is in the air. The plants are budding and the grass is turning green which is a hopeful sign that spring has arrived on time for once. It was a good feeling to see the sun shining again after the harsh winter months and the near hurricane conditions we experienced just last weekend. Cathi and I enjoyed golf at Morgan Hill Country Club in Easton, PA on Saturday. This golf course is tough for the first time out but the warm sunny weather and beautiful mountain backdrop made it well worth the trip and the effort. The only downside to this golf course is that walking is near impossible as the elevation changes are dramatic and tough to traverse even while riding in a golf cart.

Many of the tee boxes are elevated and afford spectacular panaromic views of Easton, the Delaware River and the other areas of the golf course. It felt good to hit golf balls again and shake some of the winter rust off. After golf we enjoyed lunch at the 19th hole in the clubhouse which offers excellent dining and ambiance. We sat outside at a table overlooking the 18th hole and watched the other golfers finish their golf round as we dined and enjoyed some refreshing libations. We are looking forward to playing golf again very soon especially since I need to prepare for my Myrtle Beach trip at the beginning of April during Masters week. I played well this past weekend but I still need to fine tune my game and get the rust off before the trip. My comrades are as competitive as I am so I need to bring my A- Game or I will be paying the tab at the 19th hole which I certainly do not enjoy. Happy Golfing to All!