Guide for Beginning Golfers

To all my Readers and Subscribers – I am pleased to announce that I have completed writing Golf “Fore Ever” – A Guide for Beginning Golfers, a book for golfers beginning to learn the game and its rules and Golf Etiquette. Blog readers and subscribers may purchase the e-book via the BUY NOW button on the right sidebar.

Taken from the Back Cover of Golf “Fore Ever”

Golf “Fore Ever” provides some helpful information to the novice or newcomer to the sport. The information provided in the following book will make golf an even more enjoyable and rewarding experience for you and help you avoid the pitfalls encountered when first learning to play.
Golf “Fore Ever” is a guide for beginning golfers taken from the experiences of Mike Deagle from over 30 plus years of experimenting and playing golf. This guide will provide you with enough information to help you start to play golf “The Right Way”. Along your journey you will discover the delights and frustrations associated with the game of golf. Golf can be a roller coaster ride of emotions, from euphoria when you hit a career shot to a tight pin placement, to complete dismay when your ball finds the water or goes out of bounds on the very next hole. It is up to you to determine whether you will enjoy the ride and not let the game get the better of you. This guide will truly help you on your journey into the Wonderful World of Golf for it is well worth the price of the ticket! Read more…

In parts one thru five of “Scheduling and Playing your First Golf Round” we discussed scheduling your tee time, the first tee, hitting the ball in the fairway, some rules of etiquette, and approaching the green. The green, which as noted earlier is the tightly mowed area of grass that surrounds the flagstick and cup, is a most important area of the golf course because almost half of your golf score will be determined by how well you do with your chipping, putting and bunker or sand play on or around the green.

You have now hit your approach shot and you are on or near the green. The strategies utilized here will greatly effect how well you will score. If you are near the green and have a clear opening to the flag then you have a few options in your approach. You can either use a more lofted club such as a pitching, lob or sand wedge or you can utilize what is called the bump and run technique with a less lofted club such as the 7, 8, or 9 iron. The more lofted clubs are harder to hit and achieve consistent results with accuracy and nearness to the cup after the shot. The professional golfer will use this method and these clubs proficiently because of the hours of practice that he has put in to perfect the feel with each individual club. When you have reached a certain level of expertise then you will know which club will work the best for you under any given shot requirement. In my opinion the bump and run, especially for the beginning golfer, will give you the best odds for getting closer to the pin if you are on the fringe or have a clear approach to the flagstick. The key to a consistently successful shot here is practice as is the key with most any part of the game. The method I would recommend for the beginner is to set up your body and alignment as if you were going to putt, maybe a bit open to the hole ( which means your right shoulder will be slightly forward of alignment to your left – for right handed golfers and opposite for left handers ) and lean your weight toward your left side ( for right handed golfers – the right side for left handed golfers ), and set the ball slightly right of center toward your right foot ( again for right handed golfers ), close the clubface a bit and hit the ball as if you were hitting a putt but with a slightly more descending blow and be sure to follow thru about as far as you took the club back. Whether you use a 7, 8, or 9 iron will depend on distance and elevation of the green to the flag. If the green is sloping uphill you will want to use a less lofted club such as the 7 iron to ensure additional roll after the ball lands to get up the incline of the green nearer to the flag as the ball comes to a stop. If you have less green to work with or the green is sloping downhill you will want to use a more lofted club such as the 9 iron or pitching wedge so the ball will stop faster after it lands on the green. As stated earlier the proper club selection for you will only come with practice and playing time. One other tip I will offer that I found works well for me is to keep your head down until well after the ball is struck and allow minimal body movement as it is not required for this type of shot. The hips may rotate slightly open toward the target but that is about it. Practice, Practice, Practice will make perfect. Have fun and Happy Golfing to All ! Part 7 – Other greenside shots and The Putt.

For more golf tips and info visit http://guideforbeginninggolfers.com

It’s “Tee Time” – Your first time teeing up and preparing to play can be a bit unnerving if you let it. It is human nature to be a little nervous when you are trying something new for the first time and people are around watching you. I have to admit when I first started playing I felt the same way. After a while you realize that many players are also beginners and not much more experienced than you and they are also nervous when it is their turn to hit in front of their fellow golfers. After a short time you will overcome your fear of the first tee. If you are having trouble at the first tee you have some options. When my significant other started playing golf she was petrified to hit in front of anyone. I explained my dilemma to the starter on the course and he was able to schedule us on the back nine or 10th tee where there were fewer players, if any around. This was very helpful in easing her into the game and it allowed her, and I for that matter, to enjoy a more leisurely round and first golf experience. Soon she was an old pro and the first tee jitters were gone. Another tip is to schedule your tee time when the course is less crowded, normally late morning or early afternoon, depending on the golf course. If you choose this option then it is a good idea to speak with your local golf professional or starter so they may suggest the optimal time for you to play.

If no other options are available and you’re out there on the first tee ready to go try to remember a few things. Everyone has to start somewhere and I can guarantee that most beginners were no better than you when they started. If you miss the ball try once more and then pick up and drop your ball in the approximate area of the other players in your group, an unwritten rule of golf etiquette. Another tip when on the tee is to ”Relax”. I don’t mean to fall asleep over the ball, just take a deep breath and exhale slowly before you swing the club. Try to clear your mind of everything but the task at hand, hitting the golf ball and your swing.  Also, if you have taken lessons and practiced sufficiently you will feel more confident on the tee and have a better chance for a successful swing result. No matter how you do the first few times out you should not be discouraged. If you really want to play golf then you have to give yourself some time to get the knack. If you are sports oriented the game of golf usually, and let me emphasize usually, comes much easier than for those who have not played any sport before.

After teeing up your ball, pick an object a short distance in front of you that will align your ball with the intended target line of your landing area. Then set up your shoulders and chest parallel to that object and target line. This should increase your odds for a successful swing more so than just swinging the club at the ball without a target or goal in mind. Remember you are just beginning and as much as I love the game of golf it is not an easy game to master for most. It is a game however, that can be played and enjoyed by players of any skill level. So give golf a chance – “It is the game of a lifetime”. Happy Golfing !

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