I created this blog for the complete beginner to the game of golf. So, welcome to a wonderful journey where you will learn more about yourself than you ever thought! This may be the most profound character building experience you’ve ever engaged in. You will learn patience, compassion, and how to manage your emotions in a game that reflects the microcosm of life in four and half hours on a Sunday. There you are standing on the tee box watching the sun come up. You tee up your ball, and crush the ball with your driver right down the middle of the fairway. Yes!!!!
Golf is a sport that many people try once and quickly decide that it is not for them because they can’t do what Jack Nicklaus or Tiger Woods does the first time they try. Maybe their parents played golf when they were a kid and the game never hooked them because they associate golf with their parents. Maybe they felt like a fool trying to hit the golf ball and were embarrassed at being a beginner? Perhaps the amount of time it takes to play 18 holes is too long, or the clothing styles don’t suit them. Possibly, the cost of the equipment is too costly or they don’t understand the rules of the game. The list of reasons can be many and varied.
Let’s be honest. Golf isn’t for everyone. It can take a long time to master for some, while others seem to just pick up the club and hit the ball a country mile. The one thing those of us who have played for a long time know is that golf is a journey of learning that never ends. Sure, the goal is to get the little white ball into the hole with the least amount of strokes for 18 holes. Golf can be frustrating! Robin Williams captured the insanity of the game in his comedy routine on stage. I included the rated G version below.
One thing is certain. When you are first starting to learn the game it should be about having fun. Fast forward 25 years and it should still be about having fun ! Once you lose sight of having fun, is usually about the time when the golf clubs you bought end up sitting in your garage collecting dust. Let me be clear. Golf is meant to be something you enjoy and have fun doing. When you lose the enjoyment of the game , it will end your participation in a heartbeat. That’s it….loss of fun equals death of the game. You hate the game and will never touch a golf club again. Sadly, if you are like many beginners that may happen to you several times in one round of golf! Try to be kind to yourself while learning from your mistakes. Improvement comes from consistent practice of doing the right things. Not every person who plays 1000 rounds of golf improves. They keep doing the same things incorrectly expecting a different result, which by the way is the definition of insanity!
Whatever your reason to learn the game of golf you will get a myriad of opinions about how to learn and play the game correctly. The PGA of America commonly says to see a local PGA Professional to learn it right They are correct! There is a time when you should absolutely seek the help of a golf coach. Other options exist, though. You can take a golf class at your local community college. Go with a friend you know who plays regularly. Depending on your age and physical ability the game can be learned by just mimicking good golfers. Some folks want a step by step plan that will help them learn what they need to know. Others want the latest golf gadget that will give them a shortcut.
There will be a lot to learn and we will be here with you for the ride. We will help you learn everything you need to go from complete beginner to breaking 100, then 90, and 80 if that is your desire.
Here’s to you and the fun ahead!