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Archive for October, 2009

Golf Rules - Unplayable Golf Shots & The Rules That Dictate Them

When playing golf, there will invariably be times when the ball just doesn’t go towards the desired target. And when it happens, there are specific rules that determine what your next move will be. Below are three scenarios which involve shots that are unplayable, man-made obstructions, and loose impediments.

When The Ball Is Unplayable

Whenever you face a shot that is totally impossible to hit, it is called an “unplayable lie”. The rules of golf state that you must penalize yourself by one stroke. It is inevitable that you will occasionally get a shot where the golf ball ends up stuck under a tree root, inside a bush, etc.

These types of scenarios are classified as unplayable lie areas. In other words, it is impossible to make the shot. Since you are the one to determine whether or not the ball is playable, you do have the choice to make the shot if you wish. However, most of the time you are much better off taking the penalty and moving on.

Man-Made (Artificial Obstructions)

Not all rules involving unfortunate shots end up penalizing you. When it comes to artificial distractions, you are actually relieved from these man-made hazards without having a penalty.

What is a man-made artificial obstruction? It is simply anything that is on the golf course which gets in the way of you making your shot.

Notice that we say “artificial” or “man-made”. Such items would be, for example, a lawn mower, golf cart, a rake, basically anything that is unnatural and prohibits you from hitting the ball. You have the opportunity to either move the ball or move the object out of the way and then make your shot, all without a penalty.

Loose Impediments

loose impediments, as defined by the official golf rulebook, are naturally occurring objects which are not securely embedded in the ground, such as rocks, leaves, branches, etc.

If any of these types of objects are in your way, you may remove them so long as the ball itself is not moved. By moving the ball, you have just given yourself a one-stroke penalty.

Do not mistake items which are still growing as loose impediments. For example, a particular patch of grass or a plant that is obviously embedded in the ground cannot be just ripped out in order for you to make your shot. That would be considered cheating. Other such items which cannot be classified as loose impediments and removed are replaced divots and loose soil (on the fairway).

Golf Etiquette - Silence Is Golden On The Golf Course

Having respect for your fellow golf players is an absolute essential
part of golf etiquette. Playing golf requires very high levels of
concentration and mental focus, which means that all distractions
outside of the course itself should be completely eliminated.

The Audience Understands

Take a look at most sporting events that take place all over the world.
You will see and hear boisterous crowds cheering on their team, chanting,
and loud announcements over the intercom from sports commentators.

Regardless of all the noise, these players are expected to play at their best.

The same cannot be said for golf.

During a golf tournament, the fans and spectators are all amazingly silent
and still. Commentators who are following the game for television even talk
in a very low tone of voice, and the player’s cannot even hear them!

If you can understand just how wonderful it is to play golf, walking in
nature on a beautiful day, and all the while your friends are cheering
each other on. This my friend, is what it’s all about. There are so many
layers of enjoyment to playing golf besides getting making good shots and
beating your personal record.

Be Respectful

While golf is a quiet game that demands respect from each player, there
is one time that is especially important to be totally still and quiet,
without even a whisper - during shot preparation.

Whenever someone is preparing for a shot, all conversations should stop,
no noise, and no movement. Make sure that you are not accidentally moving
your clubs or any other distracting motions.

Imagine preparing for a big shot and out of the corner of your eye you see
someone taking a practice swing. Nothing could be more frustrating.
And if you are the one that absolutely must be on the sides tweaking
something or practicing a swing, be responsible and make sure that you are
completely out of view of the players.

However, use common sense when walking around the course and don’t wander
off in a direction where a player may have a bad swing and hit you with the ball.

Golf Rules - What Is A Lateral Water Hazard?

A lateral water hazard is an unfortunate shot in which
you must penalize yourself by one stroke.

Always marked by red stakes, a lateral water hazard is
located on the sides of the hole and is positioned between
yourself and the flagstick.

A small stream may border the hole and could be considered
a lateral hazard. Other times, a lateral hazard itself may
not be made up of water, but could be a dried up riverbed,
ditch, or swamp.

Whatever the area is made of, it will be marked by red stakes
or simply spray painted as a red line on the grass.

Just like any standard water hazard, you are entitled to attempt
to hit the ball out of a lateral water hazard area if you think
you can make it. However, if a shot is looking totally unplayable,
you have four choices:

1. You may drop the golf ball behind the water area.
Your choice here is to drop the ball at any place behind the
lateral water hazard onto a virtual line. This virtual line
should be running from the hole to the exact area where the
ball entered the water.

2. You may replay your shot. Simply stated, you have the
opportunity to just go back to the same area in which you
originally shot the ball from and play it over.

3. You may drop the ball within the same length, or less,
of two clubs where the ball crossed over the line of the
lateral hazard. This is called a “2-club drop”.

4. Lastly, similar to the 2-club drop, you may choose an
area on the opposite side of your lateral water hazard
and then place the ball within the lengths of two clubs
from that point. Basically, you’re utilizing the 2-club
drop on the opposite side of the water area.

A Beginner’s Guide To The 3 Basic Club Grips

Let’s talk a little bit about your basic golf club grip
descriptions.

There are essentially three common types:

Overlapping, Interlocking, and the Baseball Grip.

And of course, each are simply variations of one another other.
Whichever you choose will depend on the size of your hands,
finger thickness, and hand strength.

Overlapping Grip

Made popular by an old-time famous golf instructor,
Harry Vardon, the overlapping grip is when you grip the club
with your left hand, which will be the top. The club tip will
rest near the area where the edge of your palm meets with the
base of your pinky finger. The shaft will cross close to where
your ring and middle fingers connect, and then across the middle
of your index finger.

Now curl the fingers from your left hand around the club.
Your right pinky finger should be snugly placed into the groove
between the index finger and the middle finger of your left hand.
The shaft should be resting naturally inside the channel that you
created by curling the fingers from your right hand around the grip.

Your right-hand thumb should be practically on top of the shaft,
and pointing straight down towards the club head. The left thumb
should be resting right next to the right thumb, which is also pointing
down towards the shaft.

Interlocking Grip

The interlocking grip is another version of the overlapping grip.

Basically, you utilize the same steps as you would for the overlapping
grip, except that with this grip you will rest the right pinky in the
groove between your left index finger and middle finger.

Next you interlock the right pinky in the left index finger.
The interlocking grip seems to suit people who have smaller hands
and short fingers. Young players and many women tend to find this grip
perfect when starting out.

Baseball Grip

The baseball group is less conventional than the overlapping or
interlocking grip. Another name for it is the “10 fingered grip”
because all 10 fingers should be holding the club.

Simply grab the club with the left hand close to the body,
then insert the right-hand to the grip. The hands will be touching
and all eight knuckles will be lined up on the under portion of the shaft.

The baseball grip is excellent for those men and women who do not
have strong hands. It is a little easier to hold the club with and makes
it less troublesome to move your wrists around when making a shot.

Hook Shot

A Crash Course In Golf Terminology

Like all sports, golf has its own terminology in reference
to many aspects of the game.

For example, when you make a shot from the tee box of a
par-4 or par-5 hole, it is called the drive or tee shot.

On a par-3, it is called just the tee shot.

If your next move is to hit the ball onto the green and you
are at a distance of at least 100 yards away, the shot you
are about to take his called an “approach shot”.

A pitch describes the same shot, but from a distance of
only 40 to 90 yards.

When a player hits the ball, there are several descriptions
which reflect each of those shots within a few seconds after
the ball is in the air.

Below is a brief description of each type of shot a
golf player can make:

The Slice: The slice is often referred to the type of shot
a beginner may make. Most new golfers tend to put a sidespin
on the ball Instead of hitting square from the face of the club.

Typically, this hit comes from the “outside-in”, which describes
the way a club approaches the ball from the right side to its left.
This causes the ball to spend the opposite way, hence the name slice.
Of course, left-handed shooters would reverse that description.

The Fade: The fade is basically like a slice, but with a lesser
curve shot. The fade is often intentional by more experienced players.

The Hook: Considered to be the opposite of the slice, a hook is
when the ball is hit from the “inside-out” and causes a spin from
right to left. Like the slice, this is not a desirable shot.

The Draw: The draw is a positive shot, one that is desirable.
The ball floats in a gradual right to left spin, and is more
stable and under control than the above mentioned shots.

The Push: A push describes a shot in which the ball travels on
a straight path to the right of your target area.

The Pull: The pull is essentially just like the push, but the
ball moves in the opposite direction, pulling to the left.

The Fat: Nobody likes to have a shot described as “fat”.
When this happens, you have basically hit more ground than you
did the ball. The ball may pop up in the air, and fall short.

The Top: A top shot is when you hit the ball on its topside and
it typically does not become airborne, instead it just glides down
the path and becomes a “worm burner”, as they say.

The Shank: A shank shot is when the ball is hit from the club’s
side instead of the face, causing the ball to shoot sharply to the right.

The Chili Dip: A chili dip is typically done on purpose and
describes a shot that is made “fat” in order to get the ball
onto the green from a relatively short distance.

The Stiff: The stiff has only one meaning: A perfect shot!

Lost Balls & Common Courtesy On The Golf Course

What happens if you lose your ball from a bad shot?

Specific golf regulations state that when a ball is
lost from a shot that you made, you have to start over
again at the exact location in which you hit the ball from,
and make the shot again.

In addition to this rule, you must also add a penalty
stroke to your score card.

Beginners typically have a very tough time with this
rule because, as most newbie golfers play, many of their
shots have a tendency to veer far left or far right of
their intended target. When this happens, golf balls may
get lost in ravines, deep bushes, high grass, or any other
area that seems to enjoy eating golf balls.

Unfortunately, you’re only next move is to start over
again and penalize yourself.

Avoid Searching For The Ball If You Think It Is Lost

Etiquette on the golf course in this type of situation
calls for some common sense in the ability to avoid
wasting both your time and the other players’ time by
looking for the ball.

Most often you can tell after making a shot whether or
not the golf ball is lost, or at least if it will take
a long time to find.

The best course of action is to stop, let your partners
know that you think the ball is lost, and then make the
shot over again from the same area (called a provisional ball).

The advantage here is that you avoid wasting time with
looking for the ball in the first place.

Sometimes, searching for those tiny little golf balls can
be the equivalent to looking for a needle in a haystack.

Trust me, your friends will appreciate proper etiquette.

You May Choose To Look For The Lost Ball After Your Provisional Shot

Of course you can still go looking for the lost ball, only after hitting your provisional shot, so long the new shot lands on the fairway somewhere near where the other ball went out of bounds.

The regulations state that you have just five minutes to take a look and recruit your friends to help you. If you do not find the ball, you must continue with the provisional ball. However, if you do find the ball then you must play the ball as your next shot, even if the provisional ball is in a much better position.

Golf Etiquette - Learn To Pick Up The Pace (Part 2)

There is nothing more annoying than having your golf game slowed down to a snail’s pace because of inconsiderate players or beginner golfers who just don’t know any better.

In addition to learning how to speed up the pace by reducing practice swings, preparing early for your next shot, and moving through a hole that has obviously defeated you, there are a few more tips that can help the game move along at a decent pace.

Choose To Use The Provisional Ball If Necessary

Creating an all-out manhunt for a potentially lost ball can waste an enormous amount of time, as well as delay the entire game for the players behind you. Most of the time you will be able to know whether or not the ball is going to be tough to locate. The best choice in such a situation is to just choose to make the provisional ball shot as soon as possible.

If you decide not to hit the provisional shot and are unsuccessful in finding the lost ball, you now have to travel all the way back to the original location where you took the shot in the first place, just to hit the ball again. Save all of this time by making the right choice in the beginning.

Make The Turn

When playing on an 18 hole course, most players tend to take a break in between the front nine holes and the back nine holes, heading off to the restroom or to buy something to eat or drink. Of course taking a few minutes to get comfortable and grab a drink is totally acceptable, however, far too many people end up resting for 30 minutes or more, causing major delays. So when coming to your halfway point, “make the turn” as soon as you can.

Stop Lingering

Once you and your group of players have all finished a hole and have made your shots, try not to linger on the green for too long. In fact, it’s best to leave the green immediately. Standing around and discussing your putt shots, or anything else for that matter, is a bit inconsiderate for those people playing behind you. Just move to the next tee and adjust your scorecard, discussed the plays, etc. all when you arrive.

Be Kind Enough To Allow Faster Groups Behind You To Play Through

Another item of golf etiquette when it comes to being considerate on the course is to allow groups of players that are behind you to play through if they are obviously moving at a faster pace than you and your friends are. Simply move aside and allow them to play through so that you can continue at your own pace without causing frustration for other golfers.

Golf Etiquette - Learn To Pick Up The Pace (Part 1)

Although golf is a wonderful sport and can be extremely addicting, there is one factor that always seems to annoy many players on the course: Groups that play through at an extremely slow pace. An 18 hole course should take only three to four hours to play through. But it seems that nowadays the game takes a lot longer to play, sometimes more than five hours.

Having too many people on the course can contribute to extra time, but the truth of the matter is that a slow game is usually the result of players who cannot keep up with the pace. Some golfers (especially beginners) tend to think too much and take a long time to decide on what shot to make, and with what club to use.

Many players have the habit of taking a lot of practice swings before making their actual shot. Beginners sometimes play on a course that is a bit advanced and end up causing an enormous amount of delays.

Not that there’s anything wrong with new golfers trying to get a handle on the game, but imagine group of people in front of you taking 10 or more shots on every single hole they play. This could get annoying, and fast!

Learn To Pick Up The Pace

Learning how to speed up your game is quite easy. You just have to follow a few common sense rules.

1. Be prepared to make your swing as soon as it becomes your turn to hit the ball. Before you approach the ball, try your best to have in mind what type of club you want to use and the choice of shot you would like to make.

2. When you have decided on your next move, go ahead and take out your club and be prepared, even if it isn’t your turn yet.

3. Avoid the habit of taking too many practice swings when your turn does come around. Try making it a rule of thumb to make only 1 - 3 practice swings, then the real shot.

4. If you are new to the game of golf, avoid playing through on an advanced course. Instead, opt for a smaller sized course, such as a par-3/9-hole.

5. Also for new golfers, have the courtesy to move on to the next hole if you are taking far too many shots. As a beginner, there are times when you must accept defeat, pick up your ball, and start at the next hole. Trust me, the people playing behind you will be very appreciative.

Everything The Beginner Golfer Needs For Success On The Course

An entire book could be written on how to make the game of
golf more enjoyable for beginner players.

So many newbies to the sport of golf make the same mistakes
over and over again and they end up quitting before they have
a chance to actually enjoy the sport and make progress.

While hundreds of tips could be offered for every new player,
there really are just a few basic rules which you should follow
in order to enjoy yourself and become a better player each and
every time you head for the golf course.

Most mistakes that beginner golf players make are entirely mental.

They start the game and get way in over their head and before
you know it, that expensive set of golf clubs starts gathering
dust in the closet.

Practice A Little “Stick-to-it-iveness”

Like anything in life that takes skill, you must learn to stick
with golf despite whatever obstacles you may face when starting out.

The truth is that golf is unlike most other sports and gratification
comes later, rather than sooner. It takes quite a bit of time to
become skilled and build up the necessary motor skills which lead
to a great shot.

Hitting the ball, as simple as that sounds, it is quite difficult
when you are actually on the field and playing through a course.

And most people start playing golf when they have already reached
their adult years.

This means that we have lost some of our basic youthful skills
of learning. Our bodies and minds are not as amiable as they once
were when we were kids. In fact, young children are known to learn
the game much faster than adults. So in essence, the only way to
overcome these initial problems is to stick to it, no matter what.

Patience Is A Virtue

Never such a truer statement has been said when describing the
game of golf. If patience has not been one of your greatest attributes,
you are soon going to realize just how much of it you must learn to have.

Golf takes a few years before you will start making some serious headway.

There are numerous aspects of the game which will take time to grasp.

Without patience, frustration will set in and take over.

How Difficult Can It Be?

Golf is made up of a variety of plays.

For example, you have the long game which will require great timing
and strength. Then of course you have the short game, which will require
precise motor skills with your hands. You then have putting, which will
demand aiming ability.

And every hole you play will have specific hazard zones you need
to avoid when hitting the ball.

In other words, while you can read and practice tip, after tip,
your greatest power to become a better golf player will depend on
how much patience you have, and the ability to stick with the course
and understand that moving along at at a slow pace will keep you
involved and enjoying this wonderful game for years to come.