Golf’s popularity has soared over the last forty or so years. Names like Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods are all part of the public lexicon. Pinehurst, Augusta National and the Blue Monster at Doral are all courses everyone recognizes.

The popularity of golf has increased for several reasons. It’s fun to be outside, you get a good whole body workout, networking with friends or business colleagues at a leisurely pace is an option, and the challenge of the game never goes away.

You should keep up with your score over time. That way you can track improvements. This provides incentive to come back to the game.

Here is a very basic lesson in golf for the person who has no clue about the game.

Golf is played on an eighteen-hole course; each hole has its “par”, which is the number of tee shots (drives), fairway shots, chips (short hits as you approach the green), and putts.

The par number is based on difficulty and length of the hole. Pars range from 3 to 6. If you get the ball in the hole in five shots on a par five hole, you “made par.” If it took you six shots, it’s called a bogie, if you made it in four, it’s a birdie. And if you hit it first shot, its a hole in one.

Hazards exist. These include Bodies of water, sand traps, and trees. They are strategically placed to make the hole more challenging. Beginners should seek to find easier courses that have fewer hazards.

Players keep their own score, writing down the number of total number of shots for each hole. After the last hole,each person adds their scores-he who has the fewest shots wins.

Beginning golfers should not take themselves too seriously. Many times it takes a while to get good at golf. You are building a totally different skill set. Professionals have great skills because they have talent and have practiced time and time again.

Lesson taking at the beginning is a good idea. It will help you create a proper swing and a good start.

Golf is a game much revered and much hated. In the beginning, the point is to have fun and enjoy learning while realizing that getting that score down to where you want it may be a lifetime goal.

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