beginning golf

#1 - KEEP IT SIMPLE - No, I'm not going to add the STUPID part of this saying. This game is tough enough without someone calling you stupid. When you are beginning golf, concentrate on the basics - GRIP, ALIGNMENT, STANCE and HALF SWINGS.

GRIP - There is no more important ingredient to success in golf than how you put your hands on the club. Every good golfer spends hours making sure that his golf grip is correct. If your grip is correct, your chances of returning the clubface to square as you impact the ball is dramatically improved.

ALIGNMENT - Golf would be a lot easier if we could have a "batter's box" on each tee. But we can't! So you have to work on a method to make sure that your feet, hips and shoulders are all lined up parallel to your intended target line (i.e. an imaginary line drawn from the ball to your intended target). Remember, you are trying to hit the ball towards a target!

STANCE - No matter what sport you play, you have to assume an athletic stance. Whether it is hitting or throwing a baseball or softball, shooting foul shots in basketball or getting ready to run a dash. In all cases, knees flexed and your upper body bent over slightly from the waist is a good position to be in.

HALF SWINGS - Until you are completely comfortable with hitting golf balls, your best bet in golf is to use a half swing. Forget GRIP IT and RIP IT. That's for the pros. Using half swings will develop your eye hand coordination much faster and allow you to get the feel of hitting solid shots more quickly.

#2 - DEVELOP GOOD HABITS - You are probably saying to yourself right now "What is he talking about"? Most people when they are beginning golf start off by beating balls on a range somewhere. What usually happens is they go to the range and try out something they just read about. There only one problem with that - after they hit a couple of bad shots, they try something else.

I'm here to tell you that golf is a series of habits. It takes 20 days in a row to get in the habit of doing something. Not too many people can go to a driving range for 20 days in a row.

But everyone can practice their grip for 20 days in a row. All you need is a club. Whatever you do, DON'T be swinging the club in the house though.

You can practice STANCE and ALIGNMENT anywhere. You've probably seen the TV commercial that shows some of the tour pros practicing their STANCE in a mirror, whether it's in the elevator or the bathroom. Anywhere you can find a straight line, whether it be tile on the floor, the edge of a rug or the line in a sidewalk, you can practice your ALIGNMENT.

When you do get to the driving range, work on getting in the habit of lining up every shot. You are better off hitting fewer balls and taking the time to line each shot up than you are to start hitting balls "rapid fire" until you finally hit one good.

Harvey Penick, a renowned teacher of golf, said it best "Take Dead Aim". And remember, start out with HALF SWINGS!

And don't forget, #1 - KEEP IT SIMPLE!

#3 - ENJOY THE GAME - I had a pro tell me once that most golfers aren't good enough to get mad playing golf. And she was absolutely RIGHT!

This is truly a game for a lifetime. It can be played in some of the MOST BEAUTIFUL spots in the world. You are out in the fresh air and if you're lucky, you'll see some wildlife, some great scenery and plenty of trees. It's a game that can be played with your best friends or total strangers.

And remember, #1 KEEP IT SIMPLE and #2 DEVELOP GOOD HABITS!

If I were beginning golf again, I would definitely consider "The Simple Golf Swing" by David Nevogt. It gives the person beginning golf all the fundamentals they need to enjoy the game of golf. Master the fundamentals David outlines in this book and you will play golf well. The better you play, the more you will enjoy golf.