Types of Golf Games

Like in basketball the are different types of games you can play like horse, the same applies for golf. In golf there are different ways and styles you can play. Each of these has its own specific rules that differ from traditional golf. You may find some of these to be more enjoyable than regular golf so I suggest you try them all.

• Match Play. This is the most common second to stroke play the original style of golf. In match play two players or teams play each hole as its own and by the end of the round whoever has won the most holes is the champion.
• Foursome. In this style of play, players team up and alternate who hits every shot. The first player its the tee then the next person on the team hits the second shot and so on. Foursome can be played with match or stroke rules (Marien).
• Four-ball. This is played similarly to foursome but instead of the players alternating they hit there own ball and keep the best score (Marien). This game can be used with match or stroke rules.
• Scramble. This game is played with teams. each player on the team hits a ball and then they collectively choose which spot is the best. From their they all hit again and continue the same process until the whole is done. The team with the best score at the end of the round wins. This can be used with match or stroke rules.

Marien, C. (n.d.). Types of Golf Competitions and Golf Scoring Systems. Golf Information. Retrieved April 29, 2013, from http://www.golf-information.info/types-of-competition.html

Golf Etiquette

In the game of golf it is important to make sure you are being kind and courteous to the golfers with you and others on the course. There is nothing more annoying than a golfer who is slow, mean, or ignorant. If you aren't mindful of what you are doing or how you are acting the people you are playing with probably wont invite you back to play. Its very important to make sure you are practicing good etiquette on the golf course. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Make sure you are playing at a good pace. It is important to keep a steady pace on the golf course. One of the worst things that can happen when playing golf is having impatient people behind you. If you play at a steady pace this wont happen. If you do end up with people behind you the courteous thing to do is let them play through and wait.
2. Watch out for the people around you. Make sure that there isn't anyone close enough to hit when you are swinging. Another good thing to do is yell fore if your ball is heading towards a group of people and make sure you shout loud enough to hear (weinman).
3. Wait your turn and know where to stand. This one will save you from getting hit and save you from being yelled at for messing up a shot. Be sure to not stand too close to someone about to swing the ball and make sure to be as quiet as possible so you don't ruin the player's concentration. 
4. Make sure to take care of the course. The sign of a good golfers is someone who takes care of the course whether they caused it or not. Making a golf course look good takes lots of hard work. So if you hit the ball in the sand be sure to rake up your foot prints and if you make a divot be sure to fill it with sand (Weinman).

Weinman, S. (n.d.). How To Play Golf: A Beginner's Guide From Golf Digest: Golf Digest.Golf Digest. Retrieved from http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/golf-beginners-tips

Interview #2

The next person I interviewed is another family member that is part of the business world. I asked him the same questions as the last interviewee so that you as the reader could compare and contrast the two and there preferences.

Q.How long have you been playing golf?
A.25 years or so.


Q.Which aspect of golf do you like the most?
A.The fact that it is primarily a “solo sport” and also the opportunity to hang out with good friends for 5 hours.

Q.Do you have a pre-swing routine? If so what is it?
A.Yes. I try to make sure that I align myself correctly and then do a partial takeaway (not a full practice swing). 

Q.What advice would you give to a beginner golfer?
A.Seek lessons or watch videos to develop good fundamentals.

Q.What part of the course is your favorite?
A.I like par 5s the best.

Q.Have you ever used golf to conduct business?
A.Yes, not as much lately though.

Q.How often do you play golf?
A.Unfortunately, not often enough. Maybe once every 3 or 4 months. I used to play twice a week. I was much better back then.

Q. What is one thing you cannot forget to bring golfing?
A.Your clubs. You can always buy balls or play in your running shoes. Hard to come up with extra cash to buy or rent clubs if you forget them.

Q.What is your strongest aspect of golf?
A.I don’t have many strong areas anymore. But I guess putting is pretty decent.

Q.When is your favorite time to go golfing?
A.I love to go in the Spring time, early in the morning.

Interview #1

I did an interview with a family member of mine and I asked him ten questions about his golfing experiences. The purpose of this interview is to get a feel for what an average golfer prefers and does on a golf course. Its important to see what other golfers are doing when they play. By doing this you can get ideas and find out what works for you and what doesn't.

Q. How long have you been playing golf?

A. 50 years

Q. Which aspect of golf do you like the most?

A. Driving

Q. Do you have a pre-swing ritual?

A. I step behind the ball and visualize where I want to hit it.

Q. What advice would you give to a beginner golfer?

A. Take some lessons from a good golf source.

Q. What part of the course is your favorite?

A. The Fairways.

Q. Have you ever used golf to conduct business?

A. Well, to witness to someone.

Q. How often do you play golf?

A. Not enough! 10 times a year average.

Q.What is one thing you cannot forget to bring golfing?

A. A good attitude.

Q. What is your strongest aspect of golf?

A. Getting out of the tee box.

Q. When is your favorite time to go golfing?

A. In the early mornings.

The Golf Bag

What to Expect by David Billings

When first starting out golf it is important that you remember to above all else respect the game and the other people who are playing it. Because only one person can hit their ball on a hole at any given time, it is polite and customary if you are taking too long to finish the hole to pick up your ball or let a smaller/faster group play through. If you do find yourself taking too long or get frustrated do not take it out on the course, pick up your ball and take a break, call it a day, or practice at either the driving range or putting/pitching greens. 

Golf is a simple game to learn but one that takes years to master so do not quit if you find yourself getting a lot of bogies etc.. Also it is customary to dress in nice clothing when golfing, even mandatory at some courses; usually a collared shirt and some khaki pants or shorts will be good enough for any course. 

Once you’re looking the part and out golfing remember to always fix your divots (the hole left in the ground from swinging the club too low). It may seem silly but it’s always a good rule of thumb to always try to leave the hole better than when you found it, if you see a unfilled divot filling it for the next round of golfers is just a good thing to do. The main things to take away from this for any beginner would be to take care of the course, respect the game and its players, behave and dress appropriately, and enjoy the game as you play it.

Knowing What to Do

Like any other game or sport, golf has a set of rules. These rules cover the basics of what to do on the course to what the player can carry. Players are expected to know the rules when playing and if a rule is broken by a player there are penalties that take away from your score. So in order to keep from collecting penalties, here are some basic rules to help get through a round.

1. Don't move the ball. The ball can only be picked up when it is on the putting green and even then the ball must be marked by a small coin or ball marker. The only time the ball can ever be picked up when its not on the green is if there is an obstruction like yardage marker.(Weinman)
2. Always play your own ball. If there is a lying there don't think free ball because it may be someone else's ball.(Weinman)
3. It is okay to play from another hole's fairway. As a beginner you are going to hit crazy shots that may end up on the fairway of another hole. If this happens make sure the ball is not out of bounds and make sure there are not any players playing that hole. If your ball is considered out of bounds then take a one stroke penalty and hit again.(Weinman)
4. Take only a short time to look for a ball. If your ball goes into the deep rough, don't spend more than five minutes to look for it. If the ball is not found, take a one stroke penalty and hit from the original spot.(Weinman) 
5. Play inside the course. Make sure to stay in inside the course. Out of bounds areas are marked by white lines or stakes. If your ball lands out of bounds take a one stroke penalty and hit from the original spot.(Weinman)  

Follow these basic rules and you will survive a round of golf.

Weinman, S. (n.d.). How To Play Golf: A Beginner's Guide From Golf Digest: Golf Digest.Golf Digest. Retrieved from http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/golf-beginners-tips

The Golf Course

Getting the Ball in the Hole

One of the toughest parts of playing golf is the short game. The short game is when the golf ball is within a short range of the whole and is either on the green or just off. When the ball is in this range there are only a couple of clubs that are needed to get the ball in the hole. These clubs include:

• The 9 iron 
• The Pitching Wedge
• The Sand Wedge
• The Putter 

Each club has its specific uses. 

• The 9 iron is used for longer short range shots
• The Pitching Wedge is used for the shortest shots that aren't on the green.
• The Sand Wedge is the best club to get the golf ball out of a sand trap
• The Putter is used mainly on the green but can be used off the green when a wedge isn't a good option

Practicing the short game is vital to becoming a good golfer. The difference between having a decent score and a bad score is being able to get the ball in after one putt instead of two or three. Some of the most memorable moments in golf are putts that win the player the tournament. This part of the game of golf can make or break a round of golf for a player. 

In a video from Golf Monthly Top 25, Coach Gary Alliss explain, the proper way to make a chip shot.This will explain how to perform many types of chip shots with different clubs.

On the TV show The Golf fix, Michael Breed provides useful tips on how to make good consistent putts. The examples he provides will provide a good bases for your putting game.

Breed, M. (Director). (2010, April 19). The Golf Fix: Mental Putting Checklist [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp8K4lcLx7U

Tappin, N. (Director). (2012, May 30). Golf Tips: Chipping fundamentals [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLMrTskZErs

Getting on the Green

The most important part of golf is the fundamentals of the golf swing. If a player can build a solid fundamental foundation for their swing, all of the other aspects will be easier. Here are a few steps that will help in building the foundation.

• Step 1- Hand Placement on the Club. How a player places their hands on a golf club is important basis for the whole swing. The players left hand (Right hand if the player is a left handed golfer) must be placed first. Make sure the handle is placed just under the heel pad of the left hand and the runs to the index fingers (Flick). Once the left hand is in place the right hand is placed below the left.
• Step 2- Once the grip is good, the next step is to get into position. Push back your hips bend your back toward the ball and then bend your knees (Anderson).
  
• Step 3- Now to begin the swing. Your right arm should stay close to your right side. As your hands pass your right leg, weight should start shifting to the right Then when the club reaches parallel to the ground, it should also be parallel to the target line which shows that the club is swinging on the correct arc (Anderson).
  
• Step 4- At half way back your weight continues to move to the right while the momentum of the swing and the folding of your right elbow help hinge the club to a 90-degree angle with your left arm (Anderson).
• Step 5- At the top of your swing your left arm should remain straight, but not rigid, and your right elbow should point to the ground. The hands should swing back to 11 o'clock, with the hands and arms under the club, supporting its weight (Anderson).
• Step 6- As you swing back down the arc your weight should shift from the left to the right with the club following the arc you previously made with the backstroke. At impact your hands should be slightly in front of the ball (Anderson).
• Step 7- Finally the last step is follow through. Both arms are fully extended, and the right shoulder is down, not turning level with the left shoulder. Your arms should be swinging back to the inside. be sure to keep the spine angled down in the same angle you began in (Anderson).

In a video featuring golf instructor Conan Elliot, the basics of the golf swing are clearly laid out to use as another resource for learning.

Anderson, T. (2009, May). Fix Your Fundamentals. Golf Digest. Retrieved from http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2009-05/toddanderson_swingbasics

Flick, J. (2008, March). Six steps to a perfect grip. Golf Digest. Retrieved from http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/mental-game/flick_gd0803

Golf Swing Tips : Basics of a Golf Swing. Dir. Lisa Fenderson. Perf. Conan Elliot.YouTube. N.p., 28 Mar. 2010. Web. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pw9_IeOVh8>.

Knowing What to Use

When beginning to play golf, the first step is to find the right equipment. This includes golf clubs, bag, and golf balls. As a beginner the most expensive equipment is unnecessary. Cheap, used equipment is best for when just beginner to learn how to play. Golfers are allowed to carry up to fourteen clubs with them on the golf course (Stachura). Beginners don't need to carry this many clubs and they can be very successful with a basic set of clubs. A basic set of clubs includes:

• A driver
• A fairway wood
• Two irons (usually a 6 iron and a 8 iron)
• A pitching wedge
• A putter

The driver, fairway wood and the 2 irons are long distance clubs used to get the ball close or on the green. The driver will hit the ball the farthest followed by the wood, 6 iron, and then the 8 iron. The pitching wedge and putter are the short distance clubs used on and around the green. Pitching wedges are used to pitch the ball onto the green from a short distance then the putter is used to roll the ball into the hole.

Not only is having the right clubs important but so is having the correct attire. Most golf courses enforce a dress code on players (Stachura). A typical golf outfit includes:

• A collared shirt
• Khakis (shorts or pants)
• A hat
• Golf shoes 

This outfit will fit most golf courses' dress code with the exception of shorts for the more strict courses. Once all of these items have been obtained the player is ready to begin working on the fundamentals of the golf swing. 


Stachura, M. (n.d.). How To Play Golf: A Beginner's Guide From Golf Digest: Golf Digest.Golf Digest. Retrieved from http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/golf-beginners-tips

Why this Blog Exists

Golf is a major sport worldwide that has been around for many years. Many people play golf around the world and the golf course is used in the business world as a place to conduct business. Golf is a game that has to be consistently played in order to become better. There are many rules and an etiquette that a player has to follow. With all this to learn having a place that explains everything, like a blog is helpful.

Information like tutorials and books exists on the internet about golf because it has been around so long. Websites like Golf.com have great videos and resources that provide tips and tricks to help make a better golfer (Manzella 2012).These websites like golf.com and golfdigest.com carry the best information from the top players in order to help someone learn how to play golf. The problem with websites like these is they are crowded with news and player stats. The internet lacks a place that explains the basics of how to play golf along with the more in depth parts like rules, etiquette and jargon involved in golf. 

What most websites forget to mention is the little details of golf that can make a time on a golf course more productive. There is a post on the Golf Digest website that does a great job with a simple introduction into golf, but it lacks the in depth information like specific rules (Weinman). This can create problems for a beginner on the golf course. For instance, if a beginner golfer, who read about just the simple basics, goes out with their boss to play golf they have a high chance of breaking fundamental rules which can cause embarrassment for the player and the boss.

The solution to this problem is simple. I created this blog that will incorporate the very basics of golf with the more advanced rules and etiquette that are required to become a consistent golfer. The blog will integrate the basic and advanced parts of golf to give a reader one place that will tell them everything they need to know in order to survive on the golf course.

To accomplish this solution I will start by explaining the very basics using tips from professionals on the PGA website (Dunton). I will provide a list of essential rules along with explanation of the rules that come straight from the United States Golf Association website. I will then explain little details that go unnoticed when talking about how to play golf. My years of playing golf, watching golf and information from professionals will allow me to formulate the content in a format that will make sense to someone who knows nothing about golf but still be beneficial for someone has been playing for a while.

The game of golf has been around for many years and yet there are still people that don't understand how the game works. There are many websites that have instructional information about golf and how to play it, but none that explain in depth rules and also the basics. This creates a problem for many beginners when they play golf for the first time. The solution is to create a blog that includes the simplest information and weaves together the most complex rules and etiquette. This blog will provide a place for beginners to learn information about golf all in one place.                                                                                                 

Dunton, K. (n.d.). Commit To Your Shot! PGA.com. Retrieved from http://www.pga.com/golf-instruction/instruction-feature/off-tee/commit-your-shot

  

Weinman, S. (n.d.). How To Play Golf: A Beginner's Guide From Golf Digest: Golf Digest.Golf Digest. Retrieved from http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/golf-beginners-tips

Manzella, B. (2012, December 13). A Better Way To Swing. Golf.com. Retrieved from http://www.golf.com/video/golf-tips-better-way-swing