Archive for February, 2012

Another good reason to mark your ball…

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

Marking your ball

Two people were hitting their second shots from a valley to an elevated green. They both hit great shots but couldn’t see the results. They found one of the balls in the hole. Luckily it had the player’s personal identification mark on it, because it turned out they were both using the exact same ball.

I’ve heard players say that they really don’t want to deface their ball by putting an identification mark on it. Obviously they haven’t yet been in the situation in which they can’t absolutely identify their own ball and the outcome is affected.

This situation also illustrates why it’s a good idea to announce to your playing partners the type of ball you’re using before you tee off.  You might be heading off a potentially costly mistake.

 

Posted in Etiquette, Learning to Play | No Comments »

Keeping Up – as a Beginner

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

Barb Hanson

The most important skill in golf is…….keeping pace of play. I’ve been asked many times when a new golfer should play golf for the first time. And I always answer, “When (s)he can keep pace of play.”

For a beginning golfer, keeping pace is just one more thing to think about, and it can be very disconcerting to feel like you’re slowing things down.

Here are a few suggestions for keeping up – as a beginner.

1) Announce to your foursome that you are a new golfer, but that you will keep up.

2) Use one or more of these strategies to help you keep pace and announce this to the group as well:

  • Shorten up the course by teeing off at the 100-yd. or 150-yd. marker.
  • Give yourself a maximum number of fairway strokes, i.e. 5 or 6; then pick up, go to the green and join in on the putting.
  • Walk! By walking, you’re only concerned with your own ball, not that of your cart mate. Walk and hit. Walk and hit.
  • If you must use a motorized cart, walk as much as you can. Returning to the cart after every shot is very time-consuming.
  • Play “ready golf.” Hit when you’re ready (and when it’s safe) even if it isn’t technically your turn.
  • Use continuous putting; once you begin putting, continue to putt until you’ve holed out unless you’re interfering with someone else’s putt.

By utilizing one or more of these strategies, a new golfer can eliminate one of the sources of nerves when (s)he hits the links.

Posted in Etiquette, Pace of Play | No Comments »

Women are welcome!

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Barb Hanson

I just attended the 2012 PGA Show in Orlando, Florida. I have never heard so much talk about getting women into the game of golf. The PGA launched a “grow-the-game” initiative (called Golf 2.0) that has three objectives: “1) to retain and strengthen the core;(i.e. those who already play the game)  2) to engage the ‘lapsed golfer;’ and 3) to drive new players.” Maybe you see yourself in one of these three categories.

So why aren’t more women playing golf?

The PGA of America has retained Donna Orender, former WNBA President, as a consultant to lead the charge for women and girls. She says, “Women want to play the game, but they also want and need an invitation to play. They want to feel welcome.”

I would take that one step further and say that women want a golf experience that provides fun, camaraderie and some measure of personal satisfaction.

According to PGA of America President, Allan Wronowski, “We need to make golf more welcoming and more relevant to all.” Thus, the PGA of America is exploring many ways to “speak female.” Watch for upcoming events and changes at your golf course that will be offered to make women feel welcome.

Posted in Women's Golf Topics | No Comments »