The Game of Golf

By: Ryan Barbieri

For the past couple of years, I have been learning to play what I consider to be the most frustrating game ever - golf. That isn't such a bad thing, because there's many dynamics and elements involved when learning the game.

For starters, there are three types of clubs: woods, irons, and a putter. A standard set includes 12 clubs. The standard woods, which are used for long shots, include the driver (also referred to as the 1), 3, and 5. Eight irons are used for shots less than 200 yards away from the green. A set of irons consists of the 3 through 9 iron, and the pitching wedge. A pitching wedge, while it is an iron, is much more versatile than the rest of them. The face of the club has a higher angle, causing the ball, when struck, to have a much higher flight. This is ideal for shots close to the green because the roll is no longer as big of a factor, so it's easier to get the ball to stop near the hole. Most people who have gone miniature golfing understand what a putter is used for. However, putting isn't as easy as one would think, and I'll explain that later.

Before I had my first golf lesson, I didn't think I'd have a hard time swinging the club at all. That all changed when my instructor began to explain the right way to have my feet planted on the ground, where my grip is around the club, and how to always keep my head square on the ball. I had the opportunity to get some information during a lesson I had recently.

"The problem most golfers have when they get started in golf is being able to keep your head square on the ball. If you continue to move your head while taking a swing, your ball will go in all sorts of directions," said Pete Coffee, golf instructor at Lower State Road Driving Range in North Wales, PA.

There are three aspects of the golf swing: the backswing, the downswing, and the impact/follow-through. A player is allowed to put his golf ball on a tee only on the first shot of a hole. It is easier to strike the ball off of a tee.

Before you swing the club, you should make sure you are at a comfortable distance from the ball with both of your feet in line with the target. A "comfortable distance" will mean something different for every person. Obviously, someone who is 5'1 is going to stand closer to the ball than someone who is 6'2, but a good rule is to let your arms relax and wherever the head of the club is, that's how far away from the ball you should stand. Once you are in correct stance and have the head of club parallel with the ball, you will lift your club slowly, pointing straight to the air, this called the backswing.

"Some beginner golfers have the issue of not having the club pointed directly to the air and because of that, the ball will continue to go left or right," said Coffee.

As you begin the downswing, make sure to have your hips, thighs, and legs all moving in the same smooth motion as the club makes its' way down to the ball.

"When you swing the club, you want to swing in a relaxed fashion. Swinging too fast or "chopping at the ball" will effect how accurate the shot is," explained Coffee, as he swung the club in slow motion.

Once the head of a club comes into contact with the ball, the golfer should snap their wrist similar to the way a baseball player swings a bat.

"You shouldn't snap at the ball too hard, or else you will continue to hit line drives," said Coffee, in reference to the impact/follow-through part of swinging.

"Just like everything else, golf takes practice. If you stay calm and relaxed, and do things step by step, you will gradually improve. It just takes time," said Coffee.

Putting is the final, most critical part of golf. As I said before, we've all played miniature golf, but it's much harder on the course. Sure, there aren't any windmills or farm animals in your way, but most of the time, you're much farther away from the hole and there aren't any boards behind the hole to stop your ball from flying by. It's important to have both of your feet close together, and the club head relaxed on the green. A smooth putt is key, but the direction you hit the ball is always different.

Ian Micir of Levittown, PA, plays golf on a fairly regular basis, and I was able to talk to him for a few minutes about putting.

"Unfortunately, putting is the most important part of the game," said Micir. "That's what makes golf so damn boring boring to watch on TV. But if you think about it, a putt that goes six inches counts just as much as a 300-yard tee shot. So if you can't putt, it doesn't really matter how good you are at the rest of the shots," he added.

In this modern world of cell phones, On Demand television, and high-speed internet, we're used to everything being done in the time it takes to snap our fingers. But with golf, there's no "easy button" (to quote Staples). It's one of the few things left that has to be done the old fashion way: with hard work, dedication, and consistent practice.