SO you want to take up golf. What’s your first move?
Should you take a lesson? Get fitted for clubs? Spend hours on the driving range?
Beginning golfers face challenges that are both mental and physical. You’ll have to learn the basics regarding the golf stance and swing, but you’ll also have to overcome the fears many new golfers have when you’re on the course. It can be intimidating hitting that first tee shot, especially when you still lack confidence in your swing.
“There are a couple options to people who are just starting out,” said Eric Soderman, the head golf professional at Hoodkroft Country Club in Derry. “A lot of courses have the ‘Get Golf Ready’ program for about $99. It’s five weeks of lessons starting with the basics. What to do when you go to the course. How to do the check-in procedure. Short-game lessons, and then working your way up through the bag. You’ll start using your irons and then by the end of the five weeks, you’re hitting your full driver and long irons.
“Those are for people who have never played before,” said Soderman. “Never seen a golf club, never seen a golf course. You don’t even need to have your own golf clubs. Most courses around here that offer the Get Golf Ready program can offer some sort of rental set.”
Soderman stressed that all new golfers should start with the basics: correct posture, grip and stance.
“The most important thing to remember is most of the people out there on the golf course are just like you,” he said. “They may have more experience than you, but they’re out there to have fun. Try not to be nervous when you get out to the first tee.”
Craig McLaughlin, the director of golf at Candia Woods, recently wrote a blog post for the Candia Woods website entitled, “A Beginner’s Guide to Breaking the Golf Course Barrier.”
McLaughlin wrote that the most common reasons beginners are reluctant to play golf more often include the following:
• “I’m afraid to keep other golfers waiting.”
• “I’m too embarrassed to play golf with others.”
• “I don’t know all of the rules and etiquette.”
Soderman said new golfers should hold off on getting fitted for clubs until their swing can produce a consistent result. Until then, a standard set will get the job done.
He also said starting out by playing a par-3 course or a shorter nine-hole course can help calm the nerves when you step up to hit that first tee shot on a longer course.
“Obviously you want to play a tee box that’s relevant to your ability,” Soderman said. “Don’t be afraid to play the forward tees.
“I would also suggest starting with a wedge at the range (not driver) and then work your way through the golf bag. The biggest part of the game is the short game. The majority of your shots are always around the green. A lot of people don’t practice the short game as much as they should. They go right for the driver and try to hit it as far as they can.”
In his blog post, McLaughlin offered the following advice to help new golfers enjoy the game:
• Start small. Select a shorter teeing round or start at the 150-yard marker. This will shorten the course and decrease the length of time it takes to play the hole. Not to mention lower scores! As you become more comfortable, move back a set of tees or two.
• Pick up your ball after a set number of strokes. Unless you are playing a competitive tournament or game with friends, you can pick up your ball at any time … and it is OK.
• Bad shots happen to everyone — even tour players. Remember that your next shot could also be the best shot you ever hit. So don’t worry about being embarrassed. Everyone has their good and their bad shots from time to time.
• Play with modified rules. Why not? If you are just looking to play socially with friends, enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise, there is no reason to stress over the rule book. Can’t find your ball? That’s OK. Drop one where you think it could be. Don’t like bunker (sand) shots? That’s OK. Take the ball out and putt or chip instead. The ultimate goal is to have fun.
Rules question
Question: On the putting green, a player accidentally bumps their ball and moves it during a practice stroke. What is the correct ruling?
1. They get no penalty and must play the ball as it lies.
2. They get no penalty and must replace the ball.
3. They get one penalty stroke and must replace the ball.
4. They get the general penalty and in stroke play must play the ball as it lies.
Correct Answer: They get no penalty and must replace the ball.
Source: Exception 3 to Rule 9.4b; Rule 13.1d.
Valley Seniors
Top finishers at the Valley Seniors Golf Association tournament held at the Bretwood South course in Keene:
Ages 55-74: Jeff Richardson (77), Rick Marasa (79), Jeffery Garland (80), Jeff Miller (85), Steve Tullar (85).
Ages 75-91: David Howell (76), Bob Ashton (84), Dave Johnson (86), Hal Fogg (86), Dave Fleming (86).
Ages 55-74 (Net): Bill Gallagher (74), Bruce Sorette (75), Kevin Migliozzi (78)
Ages 75-92 (Gross): David Howell (76), Bob Ashton (84), Dave Johnson (86)
Ages 75-92 (Net): Bob Carlson (76), Bill Ennis (77), Danny Dodd (77).
Closest to the pin: Fogg.
New Hampshire golf calendar
May 21: Spring Four Ball (Keene)
May 21: Live Free Golf Event (The Shattuck)
May 23: Women’s Weekly Combined (Rochester)
May 25: President’s Cup (Maplewood)
May 27: Club/Mixed Club Team (Derryfield)
May 29: Live Free Golf Event (Stonebridge)
May 31: Women’s Weekly Combined (Indian Mound)
June 3-4: Players Invitational (Baker Hill)
June 5: Stroke Play Series (The Oaks)
June 6: Spring Fling (Windham)
June 8: Tournament Series (Lake Sunapee)
June 11: Live Free Golf Event (Breakfast Hill)
June 12: Four Ball Championship (Owl’s Nest)
June 12-14: NEGA Women’s Amateur (Manchester, Conn.)
June 12-14: Women’s Tri-States (Martindale CC/Auburn, Maine)
June 13: Women’s Weekly Combined (Hooper)
June 20: State Am Qualifier (Passaconaway)
June 22-24: New Hampshire Open (Bretwood)
June 24: State Am Qualifier (Bretwood South)
June 25: State Am Qualifier (Beaver Meadow)
June 26: State Am Qualifier (Maplewood)
June 26: Live Free Golf Event (Bretwood)
June 27: Women’s Weekly Combined (Breakfast Hill)
June 28: Women’s Weekly Combined (Blackmount/North Haverhill)
June 28: State Am Qualifier (Breakfast Hill)
June 30: State Am Qualifier (Concord)
July 6-7: Women’s Team Championship (Canterbury Woods)
July 9: Live Free Golf Event (Loudon)
July 10-15: 120th NH Amateur Championship (Manchester)
July 16: Live Free Golf Event (Candia Woods)
July 17: Parent-Child Championship (Stonebridge)
July 18-20: NEGA Amateur (The Woodlands, Falmouth, Maine)
July 19-21: Junior Championship (Beaver Meadow)
July 19: Senior Legend Classic (Lochmere)
July 21: Women’s Weekly Combined (Newport)
July 23-24: Senior Team (Mount Washington)
July 30: Live Free Golf Event (Nippo Lake)
July 31-Aug. 2: Women’s Amateur Championship (Montcalm)
Aug. 7-9: NEGA Junior Amateur (Mt. Washington Resort)
Aug. 8: Women’s Weekly Combined (Pease)
Aug. 8-10: Stroke Play Championship (Ridgewood/Atkinson Resort)
Aug. 12: Live Free Golf Event (Souhegan Woods)
Aug. 15-16: Women’s Mid-Amateur (Ridgewood)
Aug. 20-21: Mid-Amateur Team (Mount Washington)
Aug. 20: Mixed (Mount Washington)
Aug. 22: Women’s Weekly “B’ (Bretwood)
Aug. 24: Stoke Play Series (Hoodkroft)
Aug. 27: Live Free Golf Event (CC of NH)
Aug. 29: Women’s Weekly “A” (Derryfield)
Sept. 5: Women’s Weekly Combined (Den Brae)
Sept. 6-7: Senior Championship (Canterbury Woods)
Sept. 11-12: NEGA Senior Amateur (Fox Hopyard/East Haddam, Conn.)
Sept. 21: Stoke Play Series (Kingswood Gold)
Sept. 26: Fall Classic (Keene)
Oct. 2-4: Mid-Amateur Championship (Rochester)
Oct. 8: Mixed (Kingswood Golf)
Oct. 16: Tournament Series (Cochecho)
Oct. 18: Stroke Play Series (Newport)
Oct. 23: Corporate Challenge (Concord)
Oct. 30: Tournament Series (Laconia)
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