Golf Rules and Etiquette For Dummies
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Bad golf habits are hard to break. Here’s a list of the ten most common faults seen on the golf course, and how you can work on overcoming them and perfecting your golf game:

  • Take enough club to get to your target.

    Amateurs consistently come up short with their approach shots to the green. Choosing a club that will get the ball to the green is paramount, so take a club that you can swing at 80 per cent and still get to the hole. Conserve your energy; you have a long life ahead of you!

  • If you can putt the ball, do it.

    Don’t always use a lofted club around the greens. Leave this kind of shot to the players who can handle them, like Phil Mickelson. Good advice is to use a club that can hit this shot with the lowest trajectory possible. If you can putt the ball, do it.

  • Keep your head fairly steady.

    You’re going to move your head a little during the swing, especially with the longer clubs. But moving your head too much leads to all sorts of serious swing flaws that make this game very difficult to play. Have someone watch you to see whether you move your head, or watch yourself in the mirror while you take practice swings.

  • Keep your sense of humour.

    If everything else fails, you can keep your sense of humour and still survive, or at least die laughing.

  • Bet only what you can afford to lose.

    Never bet on your golf game what you can’t afford to lose. One idea is to bet everything in your pocket except for $10, and that is for the petrol home.

  • Keep the ball low in the wind.

    When the wind starts to pick up, play the ball back in your stance, put your hands ahead of the ball, and keep them ahead when you make contact. Keep the ball as low as you can, and you can manage your game much more efficiently. You probably won’t lose as many golf balls, either.

  • Take some golf lessons.

    If you really want to have fun playing this game, start off with a few lessons to get you on the right track and, of course, read Golf For Dummies, Australian and New Zealand edition in its entirety. It’s amazing what you can do with a clear concept in your mind of how to make a golf swing.

  • Do not give lessons to your spouse.

    Giving golf lessons to your spouse can be a federal offence. Don’t do it! Doing so can only lead to disaster. Invest some money in lessons. Get good instruction and reap the benefits (peace of mind).

  • Always tee it up at the tee boxes.

    Whenever it’s legal (in the teeing area), tee the ball up. This game is more fun when the ball’s in the air.

  • Never blame yourself for a bad shot.

    Give yourself a break. This game is hard enough without blaming everything on yourself. Find creative ways to blame something else, like the magnetic force field from alien spacecraft. Let your mind go and see how crazy your excuses can be. Save your sanity!

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