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How to

Get Started Playing Golf

  Golf. A game of stamina and wits? Or a game for people with funny clothes? No matter how you feel about golf, it really is great fun to play. Here are some tips to get you started.

Club Selection

The first thing you must do is choose the correct club for the shot. The clubs are numbered from No.1 to No.9. The lower the club number, the further the ball should go when hit. Here is a table that lists the average distances for male players under normal conditions. You must practice to determine YOUR actual distances.

Club Used Average Distance
1 Wood 220 Yards
3 Wood 200 "
4 Wood 190 "
5 Wood 185 "
2 Iron 180 "
3 Iron 170 "
4 Iron 160 "
5 Iron 150 "
6 Iron 140 "
7 Iron 130 "
8 Iron 120 "
9 Iron 110 "
Pitching Wedge 100 "
Sand Wedge 80 "

Grip and Stance

Everyone has some advice on how to grip the clubs and the proper stance when addressing the ball. But quite frankly, just do what feels comfortable, unless you want to join the PGA tour. However, it is important to remain consistent. Once you find a comfortable feel, remember what you are doing. The way you hit the ball depends on the mechanics of your swing. By being consistent in your set-up, you will have more consistent shots.

Skulling

Skulling is when you hit a fast running shot with the leading edge of an iron. In the South they are called worm burners.

1. The first thing to correct this problem is to stand closer to the ball. You need to have the iron get under the ball, lifting it from the grass. Keep your head still and eye on the ball. It's good to make a divot.

2. Swing smoothly, concentrate on not looking up until after you hit the ball.

3. During the backswing, shift your weight to your back leg. Do not stiffen or lock the back knee.

4. During the downswing, shift your weight to your front leg.

Skying

Skying is when the ball is hit very high into the air. Not a good thing if you want some distance to your shots.

1. Do not tee the ball any further than your front foot instep. This way the impact is made just after the bottom of the swing arc and the start of the upswing.

2. Do not lift the clubhead sharply on the backswing. Keep the club low to the ground during the first couple of feet of the backswing.

Slicing

Slicing is a shot the veers from left to right. It is used by professionals to play doglegs in that direction, but most novice golfers who slice the ball just end up losing them in the woods.

1. Use a square or slightly closed stance.

2. Start the backswing low and slow.

3. Keep the right elbow close to the body.

4. Keep the right elbow close to the body. Yeah, we repeated this because it's IMPORTANT.

5. Keep a firm grip on the club's handle. Firm, not painful.

6. On the downswing, do not reach for the ball. Swing from the inside out.

Hooking

Hooking is the opposite of slicing. This is where the ball travels from right to left.

1. Grip the club with both hands more to the left than usual.

2. Do not roll the wrists too much.

3. At the top of the backswing, make sure the right wrist is under the club's handle.

4. On the downswing, do not let the right hand dominate.

 

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Resources
Golf For Dummies - Written by golf guru Gary McCord, CSB Sports golf commentator, along with John Huggan, Senior Writer for Golf Digest, this book takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the game of golf, taking the fear factor out of the game and breaking it down into easy-to-understand sections that make sense.
Be a Successful Leader - All good leaders have this in common, find out what THIS is.
 
 

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