For those of you searching for hints and tips as you begin your journey onto the golf course, this article is for you.
Golf is broken down into various skill sets:
Full Swing
Short Game
Putting
Bunker Play
The middle two are the place to start, the shots played closest to the hole. (Greenside bunkers can also be thrown into this category, although the ned to learn the other two skills first is the reason why I have omitted it)
Starting from the hole, as close as possible is where you should start, after all you should walk before you can run.
Putting is often considered the game with in a game and being a good putter is the corner stone to enjoying a fruitful journey in golf.
The joy for those learning from the hole back is the need they have to hear the ball hit the bottom of the hole, they thrive on the sound, developing a relationship with their putter and enjoyed the challenges that putting presents on every single hole.
An art form putting can be made to look very easy, when in truth it is a skill that takes years of practice to obtain.
This is why, when I am teaching a complete beginner from scratch I always begin with putting and I start with the technique before the client has their first experience with golf, holing putts from just a few inches.
Building confidence is key, and will stay with the client for years, they will not be fearful of the dreaded 2-foot putt.
Once the student is showing the necessary understanding of the technique, we can move away from the hole a little further, and begin with the second most important shot in golf: The Chip.
Chipping is very similar to putting, in that you must build a feeling for the shot.
You have to create a connection, a partnership between your hands and the clubface, and this is much easier to do when you have no experience of the long game or full swing.
The secret to becoming a great chipper is imagination. Your ability to visualize a number of shot variations and then choosing the shot that best suits the situation.
Obviously being a great putter and having an enviable short game are just the foundation stones of creating a great golf game, but I strongly believe that the short game is the right place to start and your proficiency and confidence will only grow with time as you see the other areas of your game progress.
One of the truest sayings is golf is: “You drive for show, and putt for dough”.
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