Important is playing fast, replacing divots, replacing pitch marks on green, safety & having consideration for others. Learning a to have golfers eye to find balls. The score over the first few times on course doesn’t really matter. Cell phones should be on silent and should show courtesy when using them on the course with others. The 19th hole is a great place to end the day of golf. Important is just having fun with yourself, friends or family.
What do you need before the round?
Well you need golf clubs, golf bag, golf shoe, golf attire, balls, tees, pitch fork, ball marker. Thats the golf related stuff. You also need a scorecard if you are going to keep score. Waterproof rain suit is very important and an umbrella. They should always be in the golf bag at all times. Bring water and same snacks with you in the golf bag. Eat a good meal before the round that you are full of energy and you can burn it.
Practice preparation
Come to the golf course about 60 min before your teatime. I hope you booked a tee time beforehand. This is can be done by an internet reservation platform or just by phoning the golf course.
Reservations are usually booked about 2 weeks in advance normally. Better to have a tee time then just chancing your luck and coming to golf course with no tee time. Sometimes there tournaments and the course is closed.
Firstly I would go to the putting green for 5-10 mins and practice putting. Then go to the pitching and chipping green for about 5-10 mins. The head to the practice range for about 15-20 mins. This should include a body warm up stretching routine.
Then hit some balls from SW to your woods. Hit mostly your favourite clubs to different targets on the practice range. Then head back to the putting green for the last 5-10 mins. Or if you have time some more chipping.
You should be at the 1st tee 10 mins before your tee time. Before heading to 1st tee check you have everything on your golf bag and head to washroom if needed. And for some people head to the bar quickly for the last one!
I will post more in-depth drills & practice sessions in due course.
Teeing off
Choose what tees you are playing. Ask the starter or there will be a list close to the 1st tee. If not you play one of the tees further up. You can tee off when the starter says and when there is no one there start your round at the designated starting time.
Start with shaking hands to your group members. And say have a good game or play well. If you are alone shake your own hand and tell your self to play well. Normally the lowest handicap start first. Sometimes it could be done by the starters sheet.
Where is my ball?
Having a golfers eye to find balls in the rough to trees takes a bit of time. Most beginners look where the ball goes but then take their eyes off it. You have to really concentrate and watch the ball until it settles where it has gone. It take time to train this.
Its also hard to see where your partners ball went too. So when you ball goes towards high rough watch the ball until it stops moving. Then find a point behind where it went so you have a line and you walk towards that point you picked out. Remember the point and don’t lose it.
So now when you have the point you just have to walk in that direction and hopefully you will find your ball on that line. The next challenge is to know how far in on that line did it go. Having a feel for the distance will take time. Experienced ball finders are amazing as they find all your balls! They will save you lots of money.
Divots and ball marks
Please replace divots and please repair ball marks! You will see this two lines at every golf course.
1. A divot is the piece of turf that comes from the ground when taking a shot from a fairway or the rough. A divot might fly a few yards and you need to find it and put back where it came from. This is very important as it grows back quicker and everyone is happy. A lot of courses may have a divot mix bottle where they just pour the mix in the divot.
2. When the flies on the green and hits the green it will most likely leave a pitch mark or a ball mark on the green. We need to prepare these. This is when you take your divot repair tool or pitch fork out. If you are good at gardening then this will be easy!
Put your pitch fork into the green behind your pitch mark. Slowly go around the pitch mark lifting the handle of pitch fork towards the centre of the mark. Do not twist or move it around too much as this will damaged the grass roots.
Then at the end tap down the area with the bottom of your putter head to finish it off. This will smooth it off and when done correctly you wouldn’t notice there was a ball mark there before. Now you are an expert golf gardener!
Where do I stand on the course?
You can stand anywhere! No its easy! But if you stand anywhere Im sure it will get bit by a golf ball or club. Or you will get a telling off from another golf. There are a few rules to follow by. Common sense should be also used if available!
1. On the tee box you should stand opposite and a bit back from the person that is teeing off. Never behind the golfer as that can be dangerous and the golfer is always wondering what you are doing.
2. On fairways/rough/sand stand away and in line with the golfer. Normally you are far away from the others persons.
3. On the green stand where you don’t have your shadow on someones ball line to the hole. The shadow should not be near someone. On the green you will not really be hit with the ball or the club. More importantly is that you stand still and don’t move when someone it putting.
4. The main lesson is never stand where a golf club or golf ball will contact you. It hurts! I have been hit by a few balls over the years. Just on my leg or arm and nothing too major. But yes it hurts. Please be careful and extra careful when children are around.
For all of above please always stand still and moving or talking when another golfer is playing.
Where is my bag on the course?
Your golf bag should be always with you when you play and close by. When on the tee box the golf bag/trolley should on the side of of the tee box. On the fairway and rough the bag should placed just opposite where you are playing. On the green the bag should be placed towards the next tee. You will see a sign behind the green. It will point to where the next tee is.
Placing the bag towards the direction to where you will exit the green. The golf bag placement makes your pace of play quicker when playing the round. Poorly placed bags adds to slower round and sometimes bag looks and yells from the group behind.
Talking and cell phones
There should not talking or chatting when people are preparing and hitting shots. Thats golf etiquette The only time you can talk when you are trash talking with your buddy! You can trash talk as much as you like!
Cell phones are allowed unless stated at the golf course. The cell phones should be on silent and better when they are not used on the course. They are loud when you talk and they slow up your pace of play.
Last hole
The golfer should shake hands and say nice game or something like nice to play with you. This is normally done on the last hole just after the last person has holed out. When the group behind is waiting anxiously then leave the green ASAP and do your hand shakes away from the green so the group behind can play on.
The 19th hole
Here is the best hole! The 19th hole is the restaurant/ bar! This where your betting losses are paid in full or you receive your winnings. A lot of golfers play for a beer or a dinner or something. Some may play for money also. Its fun and add to the competitive edge to always play for something. Makes the round more meaningful and you try really on every shot.
If you are into playing for a beer or something then I would suggest to continue it. You will only get stronger and more streetwise. It doesn’t have to be a large amount. Enjoy your beer!
I will add some photos to further the understanding of this post.