First Time on a Golf Course?
Before you play your first game on a big golf course, read this page entirely and take notes. It is important that you take these necessary steps before, during and after your round. If you don't then you are going to feel like a fish out of water.
Do you have the equipment?
As a first-timer, you may not have your own set of golf clubs. Most golf courses have rental sets but unfortunately, they don't come equipped with a sufficient supply of golf balls, tees and glove. If you are going to rent a set at a golf course, you may want to bring a bag of used or recycled golf balls with you, a bag of tees and a golf glove that fits. You can pickup all of these items at your local golf or sporting goods store which will be a lot cheaper than if you buy it at the golf course where you are renting a set. It is a good idea to bring more balls than normal. As long as you are not carrying your bag, try to bring at least 36 balls. This will ensure you that you will have at least 2 balls per hole in a 18-hole round of golf. A lot of golf courses expect each golfer to have his or her own golf bag. The reason is because it speeds up play. Sharing clubs or sharing the same golf bag is a big no-no.
Be ready
Before you arrive at the tee box, be ready. Put 2 golf balls in your pocket with at least 2 tees. Have a coin or ball marker in your pocket or clip it on your visor or cap. As a first timer, take advantage of the tees by playing the forward tees. Remember your worst drive? Or when you whiffed the ball on the range? That could happen on your first tee shot so save yourself from all that embarassment and stress by starting on the forward tees. (Note that the forward tees are usually far away from onlookers).
Be ready for the next shot
When you get out to the fairway where your ball lies, take a quick look at it to make sure it is your ball. Don't pick it up but try to identify it by looking all around the ball. Plan your next shot and grab the club that will get you there. The etiquette is usually based on the honor system. Whoever is further away from the hole is expected to hit first. If it is your turn, acknowledge with your playing partners that you are going to hit. Make sure no one is standing in your way or in the line of fire. When it is safe, go ahead and hit the ball.
Socialize but no long stories, please
By all means, socialize with your playing partners but don't get long winded and tell them a long story because there isn't enough time between shots to go into a long story. Try to keep conversations short but keep it positive. Try to stand still and be quiet when someone else is hitting. Only when the ball is hit should you start walking.
Don't try anything new
As a beginner, don't try anything new on the course. Stick to what worked and what you had practiced on the range. If you're having a tough time, calm down and trust yourself. Don't take new advice from your playing partners - yes they may be sympathetic but they don't realize they may be doing you more harm than good, confusing you with more swing thoughts.
Lost balls?
On occasions, you may hit an errant shot. If that's the case, try to put a 5-minute timer on your search. If your ball cannot be found, be prepared to drop a ball near the location where it got lost and play from there. Take a stroke penalty and play on. What if you found a ball in the trees or in the middle of the fairway? If it's not yours, don't pick it up. Someone will claim it. It's not a good practice to pick up someone else's golf ball.
Keep up the Pace
Golf is fun when everybody keeps up the pace. The most frustrating thing for a golfer is the wait time between shots. If the group ahead does not keep up the pace, your group will always be waiting to hit their shot. To make golf enjoyable for all, golf courses usually implement a 9-minute rule between tee times. The 9-minute interval is usually enough for each player in a group to hit their ball and move forward. It gives the group ahead enough time to hit the ball and get out of the way so the group behind them can proceed. Keeping up the pace means to be ready and prepared to hit your shot. That means, keeping up with the group ahead. Your group should be a shot behind the group ahead. In other words, your group should be one shot away from the group in front of you.
On some strict golf courses, player assistants or marshals are sent out to problematic groups that play slow. They watch your group like a hawk and if you fall behind schedule, they approach you and ask you to hurry up. I remembered playing Mt. Kidd in Kananaskis, Canada and being visited several times by the marshal. After telling us to hurry up and play faster, he told us to skip an entire hole to catch up with the group ahead. That was the last time we booked our golf tournament there because we played 17 holes that day and we could not calculate a real score.
On some strict golf courses, player assistants or marshals are sent out to problematic groups that play slow. They watch your group like a hawk and if you fall behind schedule, they approach you and ask you to hurry up. I remembered playing Mt. Kidd in Kananaskis, Canada and being visited several times by the marshal. After telling us to hurry up and play faster, he told us to skip an entire hole to catch up with the group ahead. That was the last time we booked our golf tournament there because we played 17 holes that day and we could not calculate a real score.
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