I’m sure we’ve all practiced on an AstroTurf range or on those synthetic mats. But have you ever asked yourself, “can hitting off AstroTurf mats be bad for my game?” [Read more…]
The Top 20 Weirdest (But Legitimate) Golf Courses In The World
If you get a chance to play a round or two on these courses, you’ll have seen it all. Here are our top picks for the 20 weirdest golf courses around the globe. [Read more…]
Do These 4 Things When Playing A Course For The First Time
Anytime a pro golfer is going to compete on a new course, you’d better believe they go out there early and get to know the lay of the land. You may not need or want to do the same level of scouting — going to a course several times in the days leading up to your tee-time and walking the whole thing with your coach, and your finger out testing the wind. But it’s pretty rare to play your best shooting blind on a new-to-you course. [Read more…]
Should You Always Keep Score When You Play?
Whether or not to keep score is one of the game’s longest-running debates and one that seems to never have a right or wrong answer. [Read more…]
8 Ways To Fix Your Slice
You know the routine… the fear, the heart-thumping and dry throat. Despite your poor attempts to block the thought from creeping into your mind, you step up to the first tee and see the hazard to the right. You hold your breath and hope that your regular slice will miraculously give you a break and give you a shot on the short grass. Lo and behold, as soon as it leaves the driver head, you know where it’s bound. You knew as soon as you hit the ball that it was going to banana-bend out of sight to the right (or left, as the case may be). [Read more…]
How Many Strokes Is Too Many On A Hole?
We’ve all been there before. Maybe conditions were poor, there was someone staring at you and making you nervous, or it just wasn’t your day on the green. We’ve all had that “blow-up” experience, where we slice, hook and duff our way to a triple bogey. Even though meltdowns like this happen to everyone, that doesn’t make the experience any easier. Golf is certainly known as a fun and addictive sport — but an easy sport? A welcoming sport? Not always. [Read more…]
Should You Play 9 Holes Or 18?
When it comes to golf in the modern age, a lot of people feel like they don’t have the time to dedicate to going out on the golf course for hours at a time. [Read more…]
8 Things You Should Never Do On The Golf Course
Want to put your best foot forward on the golf course? Here’s a list of the eight things you should never do, no matter how tempting.
1. Never take a call from your stockbroker/plumber/hairdresser.
Mobiles are prohibited on most public and private courses for a reason. At best it’s irritating enough for others to listen to your conversation and at worst, it can put your playing partners off their game. The best you might manage is a discreet peek at your phone while others are busy teeing off. In this intense digital age, why not relish the opportunity to go off-grid, focus on your game and be “in the moment.”
2. Never take bathroom relief unless it is a medical emergency.
Urinating on the course can, at times, be tolerated. We turn a blind eye for the guy who, through old age or poor planning, needs to duck behind a tree. However, any other type of pit stop is just not acceptable, people. Check the course map or ask the pro shop about bathrooms on course.
3. Never cheat.
We’ve all been faced with that opportunity to improve our lie away from the prying eyes of playing partners. However, one of the fundamental and beautiful truths about golf is the commitment we share about honesty, so while you might think about it — don’t do it!
Once, from the corner of my eye, I saw a good friend tap down a divot in front of his ball. He assumed we were all busy with our own shots. Sadly, each time I play with him I see him miraculously locate lost balls and scramble super-human shots from what appears to be impossible lies when I could have sworn the ball was caught in deep rough. His one misdemeanor many years ago has permanently affected my playing relationship with him. He’s still a great guy but I can’t trust him on the course, and feel that I have to watch over his play.
As P.G. Wodehouse said, “Golf… is the infallible test. The man who can go into a patch of rough alone, with the knowledge that only God is watching him, and play his ball where it lies, is the man who will serve you faithfully and well.”
4. Never look for lost balls when dangerous wildlife abounds.
A sliced ball off the first tee in Western Australia many years ago reminded me of this “never.” We were like kids in a candy store… a cache of near-new golf balls had congregated in the very same spot and we squealed with delight as yet another ProV1 turned up in this patch of rough. Our delight turned to terror as the starter raced towards us shouting “snakes, snakes.” We had failed to see the small sign advising to stay out of the rough.
The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook abounds with alligators but was especially memorable for their size and desire to sunbake on the fairways. These guys might look docile and uninterested, but they can turn on a dime and pick up speed. And while strictly speaking cactus are not wildlife, beware the jumping chollas at Dove Mountain, Arizona. Any nearby movement will activate their ability to fly through the desert air and embed themselves on any part of your body that presents as fair game!
5. Never swear.
I am no prude and can launch an f-bomb when appropriate. The golf course is just not that place. Despite taking another demoralizing 3 putt or shanking it into the drink – backing up with expletives at volume does little for your game or those around you. In part, the art of golf demands a certain “zen” and your game will benefit from a cool head and an ability to roll with the punches.
6. Never walk away from a divot or pitch mark without making some attempt to repair it.
Perhaps you’re ball has never settled in front of an unrepaired divot that is sitting up like a lost hairpiece. Replace, repair, hack down and/or fill with sand, as per local expectations.
7. Never assume that everyone else is slow except you!
Be very aware of your course practices and procedures. Are you ready to play the ball when it’s your turn? Have you left your bag in the best spot to maximize time? The guy who arrives at his ball, locates his glove, puts it on, adjusts his trousers, takes out his rangefinder, tosses loose grass to test the wind and changes his club several times before his practice swing is slowing down play. Friends may be reluctant to point this out but we should all be hyper-aware of our own on-course behaviors that affect the pace of play.
8. Never arrive at the golf club ready for the nightclub or the gym.
Whether you are having a hack at the local public course or taking advantage of a generous invite to a private club – check the dress code. Every club has one. If in doubt, be conservative and don’t be DQ’d on dress! Hop online and check out what the pros wear or, better still, visit the web page of the club and read up on the dress expectations. Some novice golfer friends were recently refused play in Singapore as they were not properly attired. No amount of gentle persuasion was going to convince the staff, and some were forced to invest in expensive golf clothes on the spot in order to get on the tee.
— Nancy Incoll