My favorite sport to play by far has to be golf. It's great exercise and requires a lot of walking if you choose not to use a motorized cart. I started playing when I was about 25 year old and I've been playing ever since. I can't always say that I was the most patient golfer. I would get so aggravated because I'm a perfectionist and I wanted to play, Great! And then, it dawned on me, "I'm never going to get paid to play this game unless I win on a bet." From that moment on I started playing Terry Bradshaw style. This means I never hit a ball unless I've touched it or moved it first! Terry Bradshaw rules keep it fun, unless I'm playing in a tournament or in league play and then my teammates keep me honest.

Drive, Chip, Putt?

When I first started playing, I had a hard time controlling my swing. I tend to hit the ball pretty hard, so I've got a mean drive off the tee. But when I'd get up to the green, I would "chip" the ball from one end of the green to the other because I would hit the ball too hard. When you "chip" the ball, you are actually hitting the ball from somewhere around the green, onto the green. When you "putt" the ball, you are hitting the ball from somewhere on the green into the cup. At first, even my two foot putts would roll double the distance that I wanted. So, I took some lessons.

Take some lessons

Taking lessons will keep some of the aggravation and bad habits from forming. If you are thinking about trying golf, take at least 6 lessons and give yourself time to understand the game.

Golf basics

Getting a grip on golf fundamentals makes all the difference in the world. You will not only learn how to stand, swing and be patient, but you will also learn about golf etiquette and the rules of the game. It's good to know that it is not proper golf etiquette to yell and jump up and down on the green when you make a good putt. I've been there and done that!

Different courses

There are all kinds of different courses to play. While I was still in college I would leave during lunch and go to the 3-par, 9 hole course. This means there are 9 holes to play and each hole you should make in 3 shots. Sometimes you make it in 3 shots, sometimes you make it in 6 shots or more. It's quite possible. That's why there are professionals and then there are the rest of us. An 18 hole course will consist of holes that are 3-par, 4-par and 5-par. So an 18 hole golf course would definitely take longer. You might also play 9 holes of those 18 and have some 3, 4 or 5 par holes during your round. Either way, golf does not have to be an all day affair. The 3-par, 9 hole course may take 45 minutes if it's not too busy.

Driving Ranges

If you aren't sure whether you would enjoy golf or not, try going to a driving range and hitting some practice balls. You might even try taking some lessons at a driving range to learn the stance and swing. Give yourself a chance, get some exercise and have fun!

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