GOLF TIP by Tim Peightal
Summit Golf Academy
Port Orange, Florida
(888) 563-5132
" So You Want to Learn
to Play Golf "
PART TWO
So now that you've made the commitment to play golf, here are some suggestions on what to do next.
Develop a good practice routine, and plan your time wisely. Let's say you have five hours a week to devote to practicing. You should spend at least 60% of that time on the short game (chipping, pitching, sand bunker work and putting). This is the area that will allow you to shoot lower scores, and you will have more success in hitting good shots which will build your confidence. This is the scoring area and no matter what level of skill you achieve in golf it will always be of great benefit to be efficient around the greens.
The other 40% of your time can be divided between the tee shot and the fairway shot. Golf is one of the those games that should be taught from the hole back to the tee, but most of us don't do it that way. If you go to any golf course or practice facility you will see the majority of the people whaling away with their drivers. Don't fall into this trap. Yes it is true you need to be able to drive the ball in play and with some length, but ultimately you score with the wedge and the putter.
Feel is a big part of the game and it is easier to develop feel working on the short shots. The swing is softer and slower so you get more feed back. You hit more solid shots and you can carry this feel over into the long game. During a round of golf you probably won't hit every shot perfect or hit every green in regulation, so you will have to rely on your short game for help. Learn it and practice it right from the beginning and you will never be sorry.
Even the Tour players who are the best players in the world rely on their short game to score. This is what sets them apart. They seem to have the uncanny ability to turn a 5 into a 4 instead of into a 61 although you may never reach their level of ability from tee to green, we all can certainly learn to chip, pitch, putt and score.