Golf is a fairly difficult game, unless you take eight strokes just to hit the green. Start on a par-3 course or an “executive” 9-hole field before tackling 18-hole tournament field. On the par-3 field, all gaps are three-par and each is less than 180 meters long.
- The “executive” has several par-3 holes, and the par-4 and par-5 holes are shorter than on the tournament field. Give yourself a chance to acclimatize in such fields before going out to full size.
- Par is the number of strokes in which a top golfer is expected to finish a game on an individual hole or the entire field.
- Green (Putting Green) – an area with the shortest grass immediately around the hole, specially prepared for putting (short, final play on gape).
- Fairway – The short-cut grass area that occupies the majority of the playing field between the tee and the green.
- Rough is the part of the course surrounding the fairways with tall, dense grass or undisturbed natural vegetation.
Play up to three holes
Playing golf requires a lot of stamina and you have to prepare yourself for 18 gapes. Consider starting three gapes on a nine-gape field on time when there are fewer golfers on the golf course so as not to delay anyone. Play as long as it’s fun. You can continue on another day.
Choose the right field for the first game
Don’t start your golfing journey on difficult courses that will get you frustrated before you even get to the first green. A golf course for beginners is a flat, short course with few obstructions or areas such as waste bunkers or bushes that need to be cleared to get to the fairway. You will still have plenty of time to test yourself on difficult fields, but first take the opportunity to get positive emotions.
Play from comfortable tees
Subdue your ego and start from shorter tees. Tee ( Tee ground) – the platform on the field from which the game begins on each gape. Playing on a field five to six kilometers long will save you time, save your nervous system and a considerable number of balls.
Stick to the pace of the game
Most golf courses will ask you to complete an 18-hole round in four and a half hours, but you can play even faster. One way to maintain a good pace of play is to limit yourself to a certain number of shots per gap. For example, a maximum of seven shots per gap. If you’re a beginner golfer, there’s nothing wrong with picking up your ball if you don’t want to hold up your partners. And be sure they will appreciate it.
You only need a few clubs.
The rules allow golfers to carry a maximum of 14 clubs in a bag, but at first you may well limit yourself to much less. Take the driver (the club with the largest head for the farthest shots), the putter (you definitely can’t do without it – this is the club that makes the rolling hit, after which the ball falls into the gap) and the sand wedge (this is the stick with the letter S engraved on the sole or a 54 or 56 degree slant), add a pair of irons to them (a flat head stick) such as a 6 and 8, a pitching wedge and a fairway wood or a hybrid with an 18-21 degree slant.
These are the most forgiving clubs and are the easiest to get the ball up in the air with. There is no need to chase after new clubs from the latest collections – you can very well buy used ones for very reasonable money.