Posts tagged "Fool"

Any tips for a first-timer on a golf course?

Tomorrow I’m going to a 9-hole public golf course for the first time with one of my buddies. I’m kind of nervous. He has played on golf courses a couple of times, but basically we are both beginners. He basically knows what it’s like on a golf course but I don’t.

I’ve been to the driving range many, many times, just never out on a course. My friend keeps telling me that we should go and I finally agreed. I can drive the ball pretty far, but I often have trouble and slice the ball far to the left. I can’t really drive it consistently. I have done a little bit of work with irons but I’m not very good at it. I’ve also never putted before in my life (mini golf doesn’t count!).

So are there any tips or things I should know about before I tee off tomorrow? I just don’t want to make a complete fool of myself. Also, how am I to determine which iron to use in which situation? I have a full set (I think). I have so many questions, but can’t think of them all to put here!
Please help.
What does raking the bunker mean?
How do I know when it’s my turn on the fairway/green?
How do I know if it’s my job to pull the flag when someone is putting?
etc. etc. Give me any details you can!

Etiquette, etiquette, etiquette.

Raking bunker: if you step in the bunker (because your ball is there) when you leave, rake it to even out the sand surface, so the next player’s ball will not be in your sand divot, or footprint

It’s your turn if your ball is furthest away from pin.

When someone’s is putting on the green it’s your job to pull the flag out if you’re closest to it. Leaving the flag in is against USGA rule.

Play ready golf, i.e. when someone else is getting ready to hit their ball, be ready to hit your ball, that includes thinking which club you should hit, taking practice swing, walking to your ball, etc, so there is not considerable delay hitting your ball. However, do not do anything which may distract other players from hitting their shot, especially in his pre-shot routine.

Teeing off: the player who scored the lowest in the previous hole has the honor to hit first. If there was a tie, the person who teed off the previous hole will keep his honor. But most players play ready golf, i.e. whoever’s ready. But make sure that they did say it, some golfers can be a stickler when it comes to this. But on a 9 hole course, it’d be ready golf.

For 9 hole you should go through it in around 2 hours. Anything longer than 2:30 hours is playing slow, and golfers hate slow players.