Question:
bravo well put
Response:
start playing some par 3 places then when your better go for the real deal but wait till you at least break 85 on the par 3s
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a scratch golfer is somebody who can consistently crank out 250-yard drives.
So that makes me a scratch golfer and Corey Pavin a 5 handicap. US Open here I come. Cullen
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Oh yeah, play quickly.
But don’t rush. "play quickly" in my mind really means "don’t waste any time". Nothing makes me more uneasy than a beginner that’s running around with his head chopped off trying to "play quickly". Play quickly means, when it’s your turn, be ready to shoot and do it. Be thinking about which club you will be using before you get to your ball. Don’t make the mistake of talking with one of the other players when it’s either your turn to shot or his. Keep track of the other players and where there balls are. Figure out what the shooting order will be and try to get to your ball as quickly as possible. (without distracting the people that are shooting or getting to much in front of their shot). Most the time, you will be standing at your ball with your club in had when it becomes your turn to shoot. So all you have to do is take your stance and hit it. (well, as a rank beginner playing with people much better than you, will sometimes have to hit, walk to ball, hit again, walk to ball, hit again, while eveyone waits, but lots of shots will still be done after someone else hits..). Do stuff like recording your score while you are walking if possible. Learn to pull out clubs while you are walking so you don’t waste time doing that after you put your bag down (this assumes of coruse you are walking and not in a cart). Bag placement is something that makes it easy to spot a complete newbie from someone who has played for awhile. Always be thinking about where you should or should not leave your bag so you don’t waste time running back to get it later. When you get to the green, figure out which direction you will be leaving the green to get to the next tee. You normally want to try and leave your bag on that side of the green so when you finsih putting, you don’t have to run back to the wrong side of the green to fetch your bag. Newbies waste a lot of time running back to get their bag because they put it down in the wrong place when they should have carried it with them and placed it elsewhere when they had the time…. Same issue for dealing with bunkers and looking for rakes. Figure out as you are walking to the bunker which rake you will use (if there are multiple rakes to chose from) after your shot, and figure out if it might be better to pick it up on your way to the ball instead of waiting until after you shoot to run all the way around the bunker to get the rake. (oh, and always rake your footprints in the bunkers…). These are all things you will learn for yourself if you just get out and play….. Do it. Do it now 
— Curt Welch http://CurtWelch.Com/
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My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course?
Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready.
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My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course? Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready.
Wrong. Learn how to behave on a course (safety, basic etiquette, avoid slow play, etc). The score is immaterial. — Ciao. Marcello RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/franchim.htm
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Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready. Wrong. Learn how to behave on a course (safety, basic etiquette, avoid slow play, etc). The score is immaterial
All of which fall into the basic etiquette category. Any fool can pick up that stuff. However, if a person can’t get the ball around in a reasonably proficient manner on a exec/par 3, then they shouldn’t be pissing about on a regulation course. Score may be immaterial to yourself, Marcello, i suspect that is a legacy of your having very little game. Having no game is conceivably the worst etiquette breach on a regulation golf course.
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Answer: More than you are ever likely to engage in is required to be your best. Most golfers spend far too little money/effort.time on equipment, clothes, how-to books and videos… Most golfers spend far too little money/time/effort on lessons and practice…
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Damn. If that’s the criterion for a female bogey golfer, I’ve almost got it made. (Tho after the way I played today, from the Men’s Tips at a really tight course, you’d never know it!) I guess I need to work about 1/2 stroke / hole to get there. That would put me at the low end of the bogey spectrum. — Teresa Williamson roll call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/williamsont.htm RSG FAQ: http://ttsoft.com/thor/rsggolf.html
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Curt, According to the USGA: Bogey Golfer A male bogey golfer has a USGA Handicap Index of 17.5 to 22.4. He can hit tee shots an average of 200 yards and can reach a 370-yard hole in two shots. A female bogey golfer has a USGA Handicap Index of 21.5 to 26.4. She can hit tee shots an average of 150 yards and can reach a 280-yard hole in two shots. Kenny Kenny Stultz RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/stultzk.htm says… Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready. Here’s something I’ve been meaning to ask here. What’s bogey golf and/or a bogey golfer? I ask because in my mind, "shooting bogey" is obvious (90 or less on a standard course), but how good does a golfer have to be to become a "bogey golfer"??? Is it someone who has shot at least one round of 90 or better? Someone with an 18 or better handicap? Someone who will shoot 90 or better half the time? Any of the above depending on context??? On the 9 hole par 3 course where I spend most my time learning this game my avgerage score right now is about a 40 which is in the middle between bogey (36 and double bogey (45) golf. I’ve shoot bogey or better probably about 5 times. Am I a bogey golfer on that par 3 course? I think of myself as more of a bogey and a half golfer (on that course). Lets hear some opinions on what people think of when they see or use the term "bogey golfer"…. — Curt Welch http://CurtWelch.Com/ http://NewsReader.Com/
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Curt, According to the USGA: Bogey Golfer A male bogey golfer has a USGA Handicap Index of 17.5 to 22.4. He can hit tee shots an average of 200 yards and can reach a 370-yard hole in two shots. A female bogey golfer has a USGA Handicap Index of 21.5 to 26.4. She can hit tee shots an average of 150 yards and can reach a 280-yard hole in two shots. Kenny Kenny Stultz RSG Roll Call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/stultzk.htm says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready. Here’s something I’ve been meaning to ask here. What’s bogey golf and/or a bogey golfer? I ask because in my mind, "shooting bogey" is obvious (90 or less on a standard course), but how good does a golfer have to be to become a "bogey golfer"??? Is it someone who has shot at least one round of 90 or better? Someone with an 18 or better handicap? Someone who will shoot 90 or better half the time? Any of the above depending on context??? On the 9 hole par 3 course where I spend most my time learning this game my avgerage score right now is about a 40 which is in the middle between bogey (36 and double bogey (45) golf. I’ve shoot bogey or better probably about 5 times. Am I a bogey golfer on that par 3 course? I think of myself as more of a bogey and a half golfer (on that course). Lets hear some opinions on what people think of when they see or use the term "bogey golfer"…. — Curt Welch
http://CurtWelch.Com/
http://NewsReader.Com/
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Curt wrote; On the 9 hole par 3 course where I spend most my time learning this game my avgerage score right now is about a 40 which is in the middle between bogey (36 and double bogey (45) golf. I’ve shoot bogey or better probably about 5
times. Am I a bogey golfer on that par 3 course? Potentially, yes.
Response:
a scratch golfer is somebody who can consistently crank out 250-yard drives. So I suppose a bogey golfer is somebody who can drive 200 yards down the middle consistently.
No. The term "scratch golfer" refers to a person’s handicap. A scratch golfer is one who has a 0 handicap. A "bogey golfer" refers to a player’s scoring average, rather than actual handicap. So, a "bogey golfer" is one who shoots around an average of 1.00 strokes over par per hole.
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Bighornbill wrote; My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course? Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready. Yeah, he’d certainly be ready then. But then again, I think the majority of golfers on public golf courses can’t break 100 playing by the rules. As long as he can keep up, I don’t think he will be terribly out of place.
The endless round problem in the US appears to be largely due to hopelessly inadequate "golfers" following yet more hopelessly inadequate "golfers". I should think bogey golf on a par 3/ exec would roughly equate to double bogey golf on a regulation. So if a player can’t get it around at or about the 110 mark, then they have no business cluttering up the real golf courses. Some playing standard needs to be set on a 6000+ golf course. It’s for the betterment of the game and a basic entitlement for those of us who can reasonably expect to enjoy the experience.
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John wrote; If that were true there would be very few golfers out there.
Some would claim that there would only be golfers out there. And anyway nothing is more gauling than waiting on some guy who "has some game" who plays like he’s on television.
Slow play is slow play, whatever the standard of golfer. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready. Wrong. Learn how to behave on a course (safety, basic etiquette, avoid slow play, etc). The score is immaterial All of which fall into the basic etiquette category. Any fool can pick up that stuff. However, if a person can’t get the ball around in a reasonably proficient manner on a exec/par 3, then they shouldn’t be pissing about on a regulation course. Score may be immaterial to yourself, Marcello, i suspect that is a legacy of your having very little game. Having no game is conceivably the worst etiquette breach on a regulation golf course.
Response:
Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready.
Here’s something I’ve been meaning to ask here. What’s bogey golf and/or a bogey golfer? I ask because in my mind, "shooting bogey" is obvious (90 or less on a standard course), but how good does a golfer have to be to become a "bogey golfer"??? Is it someone who has shot at least one round of 90 or better? Someone with an 18 or better handicap? Someone who will shoot 90 or better half the time? Any of the above depending on context??? On the 9 hole par 3 course where I spend most my time learning this game my avgerage score right now is about a 40 which is in the middle between bogey (36 and double bogey (45) golf. I’ve shoot bogey or better probably about 5 times. Am I a bogey golfer on that par 3 course? I think of myself as more of a bogey and a half golfer (on that course). Lets hear some opinions on what people think of when they see or use the term "bogey golfer"…. — Curt Welch http://CurtWelch.Com/
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My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course? Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready.
Yeah, he’d certainly be ready then. But then again, I think the majority of golfers on public golf courses can’t break 100 playing by the rules. As long as he can keep up, I don’t think he will be terribly out of place. Before you buy.
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If that were true there would be very few golfers out there. And anyway nothing is more gauling than waiting on some guy who "has some game" who plays like he’s on television. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Play the executive/par 3 courses until you can play bogey golf. Then you’ll be ready. Wrong. Learn how to behave on a course (safety, basic etiquette, avoid slow play, etc). The score is immaterial All of which fall into the basic etiquette category. Any fool can pick up that stuff. However, if a person can’t get the ball around in a reasonably proficient manner on a exec/par 3, then they shouldn’t be pissing about on a regulation course. Score may be immaterial to yourself, Marcello, i suspect that is a legacy of your having very little game. Having no game is conceivably the worst etiquette breach on a regulation golf course.
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I’m slowly picking up the game after several lessons, including two wonderful days at the Jim McClean Golf School at Doral. My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course?
Go play some real rounds now. You will be surprised at how much harder it is to hit a good shot when playing a real round than when you are on the driving range. It’s even more of a chalange (but good training) to try to do it when you know your playing partner is pissed that he got linked up with you . Like others have said, you should look for 9 hole par 3 or executive courses and try them first. They tend to be filled with more beginners so you will be more accepted there and less presured. I play 95% of my rounds on a local par 3 course still (i’m about a 26 handicap). But you have to start playing full length courses as well. There’s a big difference between a 9 hole par 3 course and a "real" course. Try finding one in your area that has more beginners on it. Look at the course ratings and find the ones with the lowest numbers. That will be the easiest course and the one that will most likely have the most beginners on it. Also look for the cheapest courses, they too tend to have more beginners on them. In the meantime, should I stick to the driving range or practice greens or get out on the course?
You still need to continue spending lots of time on the driving range and practice greens, but to learn golf, you have to play the game. It’s just not the same as hitting balls at the range. And even more important, playing real rounds gives you real scores to measure your progress with (and a real handicap if you want it). How tolerant are veteran players of "newbies" out on the course?
Go out and find out for yourself. Most are very tolerant but just like in the rest of life, some people always have to be jerks. It works both ways too. You have to make the other players feel comfortable about playing with you just like they have to be tolerant and enjoy your company. If you get linked up with a good player, and spend the whole round acting like you don’t want to be playing with the guy because you are just sure you are messing up his game, then it will mess up his game. People always feel better, and play better, if there’s no underlying tension in the group. What I hate more than playing with a newbie is playing with someone that starts getting pissed off at the way they are playing. And lastly, if I’m looking for some fellow beginners to play with, how best to accomplish that? Hang around the club house and let the scheduler know I’m carrying a 40 handicap but would like to play?
It’s wise to let the starter know you are a rank beginner because then he can warn anyone he tries to pair you up with. And he will most likely not add you to a threesome of real good players. If possible he will put you with a smaller group so your won’t be slowing the course down too much. But he’s unlikely to be of much use in finding you someone to play with at your own leavel. He’s unlikely to know the skill level of most the players. And besides, the only thing worse than a complete newbie on the course is a foursome of complete newbies … You really need to play some with better and more experienced players. If you let them know you are a complete newbie and are willing to take (or at least listen to) any advise they can give you, you will learn a lot from them about all aspects of the game and about what to do and not to do on the course. If you keep playing, you will just by chance link up with people that you like playing with (even if you are not the same skill level), and then you can start scheduling regular rounds with them. — Curt Welch http://CurtWelch.Com/
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I’m slowly picking up the game after several lessons, including two wonderful days at the Jim McClean Golf School at Doral. My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course?
Go out and play now. Regular course, short course, whatever. If you can make contact with the ball on a fairly regular basis, you’ll do fine. Sure, the first tee will seem intimidating, but once you get out and in play the pressure eases off considerably. some suggestions: Even practicing, you’ve probably found a club that you feel more comfortable hitting than the rest. Consider making that first tee shot with that club. A driver has a greater chance for disaster than a 5 iron or a 6 iron and, at this point, getting the hell off of that first tee will be your priority. Take your time, but play quickly. Nobody will get annoyed with you–no matter how bad you are–if you don’t hold up the production. If you’re hitting your sixth shot and you’re still way back in the fairway, pick up and drop somewhere near the green if you have to. If your ball slices deep into the woods, sure, take a quick look to see if you can obviously see it, but if you can’t, just drop one nearby in the fairway and play on. Don’t try to miracle shots out of the trees–just pick up and play on. Don’t worry about playing for score. Keep score if you want, but don’t obsess over it. Don’t make a big thing out of penalty strokes. Yes, the rules are important, yes they should be followed, but you’re not there yet. Play quickly. Don’t run up to your ball and shoot as fast as you possibly can, but don’t make forty practice swings before you shoot either. Very often, you’ll be able to to get in most of your preshot routine in while others are shooting so that when it comes to your turn you’re ready to step up and swing. Try to play your first round during the week. Courses are significantly less crowded then, which can allow you a bit more time and also eases the pressure a lot. If there are 2 groups backed up waiting to tee off on every hole, every hole will have pressure like the first. If things are going horribly, don’t feel the need to apologize to your partners and don’t keep explaining that you’re new. Everyone there knows, everyone has been through it. Don’t whine, don’t pout, just play. Try not to get too frustrated, and keep playing, and keep playing quickly and nobody will mind at all. If, on the other hand, you play fantastically…congratulations…but don’t make a big deal talking about that either. *After* the round is when you do that. The first time I played, I was pretty awful. I’m still pretty awful, really. I have never been the worst golfer on the course, though, and I’m fairly confident you won’t be either. Oh yeah, play quickly. Have fun. John
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You will undoubtedly run into some people who get frustrated playing with a beginner. That’s natural, if somewhat unfortunate. But the bottom line is, as long as you have a good attitude and don’t slow down the pace of the game, no one should mind. Randy My golf website: http://wwwgolfer.home.mindspring.com My real-life website: http://www.goldenbrownvo.com My RSG Roll Call profile: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/brownr.htm RSG FAQ: http://ttsoft.com/thor/rsggolf.html
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’m slowly picking up the game after several lessons, including two wonderful days at the Jim McClean Golf School at Doral. My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course? Trust me, I’m not harboring any illusions of granduer here. I have a beginner’s swing and I’m just now starting to get the ball into flight on a fairly consistent basis. I’m probably 6 months to a year away from being able to break 100. In the meantime, should I stick to the driving range or practice greens or get out on the course? How tolerant are veteran players of "newbies" out on the course? And lastly, if I’m looking for some fellow beginners to play with, how best to accomplish that? Hang around the club house and let the scheduler know I’m carrying a 40 handicap but would like to play? Thanks in advance for all your help. BC
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I’m slowly picking up the game after several lessons, including two wonderful days at the Jim McClean Golf School at Doral. My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course? Trust me, I’m not harboring any illusions of granduer here. I have a beginner’s swing and I’m just now starting to get the ball into flight on a fairly consistent basis. I’m probably 6 months to a year away from being able to break 100. In the meantime, should I stick to the driving range or practice greens or get out on the course? How tolerant are veteran players of "newbies" out on the course? And lastly, if I’m looking for some fellow beginners to play with, how best to accomplish that? Hang around the club house and let the scheduler know I’m carrying a 40 handicap but would like to play? Thanks in advance for all your help. BC
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My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course?
Whenever you have confidence in your ability to make contact with the ball with several clubs in your bag. In the meantime, should I stick to the driving range or practice greens or get out on the course?
I’d recommend lessons and practice. But, you’ll also want to get out on the par-3 courses and even some executive courses (generally 2 par-4s and 7 par-3s per 9 holes). How tolerant are veteran players of "newbies" out on the course?
I would prefer that players who can’t break 100 do not play regulation courses. It slows down play and is, frankly, hard to watch. For these players, par-3 courses and executive-courses are the way to go to improve and have fun at your own pace. It should be noted, however, that it is more desirable to have a player in your foursome who shoots 100, but has impeccable course etiquette, rather than a good player who chooses not to observe good etiquette.
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I’m slowly picking up the game after several lessons, including two wonderful days at the Jim McClean Golf School at Doral. My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course?
Come on out. The courses are full of guys of your ability. At least you have taken SOME lessons, which is more than most golfers do. You may want to test the waters at a par 3 course, or a short "executive" 9 hole course first. Before you buy.
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<snip My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course?
Ask the pro that you are working with. They can give you an honest answer based on your ability. If you get ansy, go out in the morning during the week and ask to go out as a single, if you don’t want to show off your skills in front of others. <snip In the meantime, should I stick to the driving range or practice greens or get out on the course?
Keep working on that short game. It’ll save you many a stroke out on the course. How tolerant are veteran players of "newbies" out on the course?
Depends on how much money they have riding on their bets. Seriously, if you have a place to play, ask they guy behind the counter who the best guy to play golf with is, and who is the most tolerant of a newbie. They should know at least one or two people who would keep you on pace and keep you within etiquette. And lastly, if I’m looking for some fellow beginners to play with, how best to accomplish that? Hang around the club house and let the scheduler know I’m carrying a 40 handicap but would like to play?
It worked for me. I went to a beginner’s course, paid my money, and played my first round of golf with a really sweet (*and patient*) couple in a cart, while I walked. It was a plesant afternoon. I had the pleasure of playing yesterday with an older gentleman at my home course. Retired Methodist minister, and a joy to play golf with. Great demeanor, sets up every shot with his clubhead 6-8* closed and hits the ball a country mile. Never got too high, nor too low. Even had a birdie on the #1 handicap hole on the course. Find someone like them and play and enjoy yourself. You’ll wonder why you waited so long to take up the sport. — Teresa Williamson roll call: http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/williamsont.htm RSG FAQ: http://ttsoft.com/thor/rsggolf.html – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Thanks in advance for all your help. BC
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I’m slowly picking up the game after several lessons, including two wonderful days at the Jim McClean Golf School at Doral. My question, how long should I wait before moving from the driving range and the practice green to the golf course?
The time to head out to the course is whenever you feel you’re ready for it, Barry. The fact that you’ve taken lessons and visited the driving range probably puts you up on at least half the golfers on public courses. I’d second the recommendation that you start off on a par-3 or executive course first. It will let you get a feel for being out on the course without the intimidation of having to face a lot of 400-yard par 4 holes. Once you start playing reasonably well on the shorter layouts you can then "graduate" to a regulation course. — Don Porter Newspaper Reporter & Webmaster Web Page: http://www.datacruz.com/~dporter