Tips for a newbie golfer?

[kandrathe]

My wife and I took lessons through community education 1 day a week for a few months when we started. I think it was well worth it, and its not that expensive compared to the gear.. They teach you the basics of grip, stance, club selection, how to address the ball for different situations, etc. Anyway, you might also meet some other golf newbs ( :D ) that you can play with. I had a little more experience than my wife when we started, as my dad used to drag me out with him and his buddies once in a while when I was young. To practice he would just give me a club, show me how to hold it, then have me hit the small plastic whiffle golf balls around the yard. The only big secret I can share into the mystery of golf is that accuracy must come before power. You need to learn how to hit the ball squarely, with a good grip, and in the right stance before you can add alot of muscle to your swings. My wife many times out drives me, just because she hit it correctly rather than harder.

You might want to start with at a driving range to get the feel of driving the ball long distances, and also start at a smaller 9 hole par 3 course. Nothing is more frustrating (for you and the people behind you) than when you need to hit 10 drives down a 550 yard par 5 fairway. Big courses can be quite pricey, and I'm not into the status thing, so I usually play on municipal courses.

What kind of ettiquette should I be aware of while playing on local courses?

Generally, the biggest problem you will have at first is playing fast enough. If groups start to stack up behind you, you need to let them "play through". It happens to me all the time as I eschew the notion of renting a golf cart and eliminating the actual exercise. Try to stay out of other peoples shots. Don't disrupt the course too much. Replace your divots. Basically, the common sense stuff to respect other peoples attempts to play the game as well.

As for the number of balls you bring... That also depends on where you play. Around here most courses have alot of water to hit around, so losing many balls during play is quite likely. You will only need as many tees as you have tee offs, and some times you will be able to retrieve them. The only other recommendation would be that you get a glove that fits to protect your hands.

Anyway, that is enough for now... You should have a blast!