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learn to golf

If you don’t perfect your golf swing technique, it is not possible to play a superb round of golf. Without this important ability, it will be an uphill battle to actually have a good game of golf. This doesn’t mean that golf cannot be played without this ability, but it definitely makes a positive difference to the overall gaming quality, as does your putting skills. It is vital before you start working to improve this area to remember the goal is not so much to improve your power, but rather to increase your distance as well as form.

If you start with a proper solid position as you swing, which includes proper posture, as well as wearing the right shoes and having the correct alignment with the ball, you are going to have a much better chance improve your golf swing. Unless you have a firm and sound posture, you would finally twist untimely and have a lot of troubles with gripping the club in the correct manner. All these working together can effectively mar your efforts to improve your back swing. Your first strategy is to always guarantee that you have the proper stance, which will allow you to instantly and easily execute the appropriate follow through for your swing.

If in doubt regarding your posture, Snap a photo of yourself or ask somebody to do this favor for you. Then take your photo and compare it with one that shows the correct posture. If this is not an alternative for you, take some golf lessons, which will allow you to work with someone to truly master your posture. When you have your fundamental skills right, you can develop on them as you progress with time. If you can get a good golf trainer, it is the smartest approach to pick up the game, as they can give you their direct and truthful analysis regarding your skill improvement – which is better than accessing it by yourself.

Once your posture is good, give a closer look at your grip. If you are over extending your grip, or even gripping the golf club the wrong fashion, you are going to have a bad backhand from the very outset. Unless your grip of the club is perfect, you can never perfect a good back swing. It is physically impossible and you will find that you are met with an infinite number frustrations from attempting it. A tiny change in your grip of the club even to the tune of a fraction of an inch can result in incredible perfection.

Before you raise the club from the ground, remember to pull it from the golf ball, and this is the final major tip, to improve your back swing. The usual mistake that golfers have is to raise the club from the ground and back from the golf ball at the same time. This not only results in hitting  the ball off center, but also hinders your movement. Foremost pull the club back in a straight direction and then raise it off the ground, and watch a dramatic improvement instantly. This is not something that should be unnatural or difficult to do. As long as you make a conscious effort to pull the club back beforehand, you should find that is sufficient to help improve your swing and therefore you game of golf.

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golfing equipment

Every single golfer on the course has a different physical capacity and a distinctive golf swing that is uniquely their own. Because of these unique differences, a custom golf club set can be a wonderful asset to an aspiring golfer who wants the experience of achieving the level that reflects his best abilities and potential. Many of the best golf clubs on the market today can be custom fit.

Creating a custom set of golf clubs involves measuring the golfer and then adjusting the clubs for shaft type and length, for the lie angle, and for the size and type of grip. Many people feel that out of all the various golfing equipment they have purchased and all of the golf aids they have tried to improve their game, the best equipment has been the custom set of clubs they invested in.

It is quite a simple and straightforward process that is followed when ordering a custom golf club set. The golfer first needs to choose the brand of clubs that he wants and then there are some physical measurements that must be taken. There is also a self-assessment questionnaire that the golfer needs to complete, which asks him to evaluate his strengths, as well as weaknesses that he hopes to improve with the clubs.

In some cases, if the golfer is taking golfing lessons from a pro, then the instructor may be asked to help with the assessment. This can often be very valuable to the process because the instructor is an impartial third party who also has the golf training and expertise to be able to identify the weaknesses that need to be addressed with the club set, and perhaps even by adding a golf training club as well.

No matter what your own level of experience with golf is, a custom set of clubs can be very beneficial. This is because the customization is done with one purpose in mind and that is to make sure that if you execute a proper swing, the club will squarely impact the golf ball in order to produce a good, clean, straight shot.

Custom clubs that has been correctly adjusted for your height, your skill level, and your golf swing speed, can improve many aspects of your game and can even help correct a chronic golf slice. When a golfer slices a ball, it is because the toe of the golf club has lead into the golf ball. This could be caused by a poorly executed swing, but it can also be caused by a club face that is too flat. The process of customizing clubs for you can help eliminate this problem, and then you simply have to maintain focus on your golf swing improvement.

Of course, just having a custom golf club set made will not resolve the problems you are having in your game. It is also a good idea to take advantage of golfing lessons that can help you learn to use your new clubs correctly and identify any technique problems. Many people have reported that the combination of having a set of custom-made clubs and professional golfing lessons, combined with diligent practice and patience, can create opportunities for maximizing their true golfing potential.

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learn to play golf

Due to the nature of golfing, some incurring golf injuries along the way is pretty natural. Beginners learning golf, and their accompanying bodies, can save themselves a whole lot of pain by taking the time to learn how common golf injuries take place and avoiding those mistakes. Always try to make sure that you are in decent physical state before you play. The , the less injuries you will get.

Because of the continuos walking and swinging involved in the demands of golf, it should be of no surprise that back injuries are a major source of pain for Beginners who learn to golf. The back muscles can be properly trained, just like any other muscles in our bodies. Our backs require loads of rest following a game of demanding golf activity. If you play continuous games one after another, you may want to consider an occasional massage or even a chiropractic alignment.

Also, another frequent golf injury is the tennis elbow, which is traditionally called the golfer’s elbow. However, there are a few minor differences between the tennis and golfer’s elbow. The outer side of the upper arm is the region affected by tennis elbow, while the inward part of the upper arm is the part which is affected by golfer’s elbow. While there is no specific way to prevent these injuries from happening, they are usually caused by playing too frequently all a sudden. Tennis and golfer’s elbow is likely to happen, for instance, to the person who suddenly plays a long session when they are usually playing a single game once a month.

Novices who learn golf, unsurprisingly, experience a great amount of shoulder pain which is one other very common golf injury. As you can see, golfers put a fair amount of pressure on their shoulders each time they swing their clubs. When your body is tired and in need of rest, it is easy to injury it. This is due to the fact that shoulders muscles are going to be in use frequently in the game, the best way to prevent injury to them is through warming them up but keeping your body in good shape is also helpful.

Carpal tunnel injury is one final common form of golf injury. For instance, you could suffer this injury when you are playing continuous games of golf in a row over a few months. The injury can be rather serious, but if it found from the start, usually a brace will fix your problems. Others suffer far more severe instances of this terrible predictament, losing the ability to move their hands and these unfortunate people usually are in need of surgery. The most irritating fact about carpal tunnel is the fact that it sometimes gives no warning signals until the signs of distress reach a near ubearable level. A helpful tip is to get a wrist band whenever you begin feeling wrist discomfort.

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By Jim Nettleton

Another must play in the Tampa region is the University of South Florida Golf Course, located on Fowler Avenue in the northeast area of the city. Affectionately known as “The Claw”, a name derived from one of its holes, the USF course is a stern test for golfers of all abilities.

The course was designed in an around a swamp, which comes into play on many holes. Generally, the fairways are narrow with trouble on both sides on several holes. The Claw starts you out with a relatively benign par 4 of 439 yards, which has little trouble on either side. But things begin to close in quickly as you play the second, another par 4 that is considerably narrower. The par 5 third hole also requires extreme accuracy on both the drive and the second shot.

After playing number 4, an outstanding par 4, and number 5, an excellent par 3 that is a realistic birdie chance, you are face with the tee shot on the sixth. This is a wonderful par 5 that doglegs left around a lake. Big hitters can choose to cut off as much of the corner as they dare to be left with a short second shot to the green. It’s a hole requiring courage off the tee.

Seven, eight and nine are also fine tests, with the par 3 eighth playing a robust 220 yards.

The back nine continues to force players to be accurate off the tee. Nowhere is accuracy more necessary than on the fourteenth, the infamous ‘Claw’ par 5 that winds through swamp and forest to present a severe test.

The USF course features elevated greens and natural surroundings throughout. Greens fees are reasonable and this course should be placed near the top of your list for a play.

Heading southeast, to Valrico, we find one of Florida’s finest courses, in my opinion, The Bloomingdale Golfers Club. You’ll find no tennis courts, no swimming pool here – just golf in beautiful surroundings and a course that is second to none.

Many tour pros have been members here since they find it a perfect spot to work on their games. The course stretches 7,155 yards from the tips and has a rating of 74.4, which should tell you to bring your ‘A’ game when visiting. Golf Digest, in fact, described Bloomingdale as having the best collection of par 5s on one golf course that they’ve seen.

Two of my favorite par 5 holes at Bloomingdale are the fourth and the ninth. The former measures 564 yards. It begins by bending left and then turning right. Finally, it turns left again to the hole. Accurate tee shot placement is a must as is an accurate second shot. The ninth is a 546 yard dogleg left with a lake on the right that comes into play on the tee shot. It plays to a green that is almost an island.

Along with those, you’ll find a collection of some of the best-designed golf holes in the region, if not the state. Another favorite is the eighteenth, a great par 4 at 409 yards that demands a very well placed tee shot to set up an approach over a marsh up to the green.

The Bloomingdale Golfers Club is most certainly not to be missed on your golf tour of the Tampa area.

About the Author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is a lifelong golf addict and lived in Tampa for 10 years. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing – http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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By Jim Nettleton

The golf world was stunned earlier this year when perhaps the finest female player ever to play the game announced her retirement at the end of this year. That the announcement came at a time when she was at her career peak made it doubly stunning.

Annika Sorenstam has rapidly amassed titles and honors during her career, a span of time that saw her win 72 tournaments for third place on the all time list. Among those victories are 10 majors. But it must be said that those ahead of her on the all time list, Kathy Whitworth with 88 and Mickey Wright with 82, played at a time when competition was not remotely as intense as it is now. During the careers of Whitworth and Wright, there were only a small handful of players who actually had a chance to win each week. Today, dozens of players have a realistic chance to win. Given that assessment, Annika’s accomplishments become even more impressive, as do Tiger Woods’, judged by the same criteria.

Tiger called her “the greatest female golfer of all time” and said that it was sad to see her walk away. The 37 year-old Swedish superstar has said that she wants to devote more time to her business and to start a family. It’s a good bet that it will be a golfing family. Her fiancé is Mike McGee, the son of the former PGA Tour player Jerry McGee, so the genes are definitely there.

But it’s hard to imagine an athlete with her credentials going cold turkey from the game she dominated for so many years. Anyone who has achieved a lofty status in athletics, or any other endeavor for that matter, will find it difficult not to be drawn back to those circumstances around which their lives revolved for so long. According to Sorenstam, her last tournament will be the Dubai Ladies Masters, which takes place after the end of the regular LPGA Tour schedule. But will that really be the end?

Many of us who love the game hope not. Although her performance this year hasn’t been, in general, up to Sorenstam standards, although she has won three times to date, much of that is probably due to a division of concentration as she makes her final tour and thinks ahead to starting that family. She still strikes the ball as well as ever and still possesses the length to dominate any field she’s in.

The major loss to the LPGA Tour will be not only her stellar play but the manner in which she’s comported herself over the years and the example that conduct has set for younger players coming up the professional ladder. True leaders are always rare and we can ill afford to lose any of them.

Personally, I believe Annika will be back, if not on a full time basis, then playing select tournaments and perhaps the majors. After a year or two away from the competition and, yes, the glory, I believe the urge to experience some of that again will overcome other issues. Even if she does start her family promptly, that will not be a significant roadblock. There are many young mothers who are active on tour and who bring their families along with them.

Certainly we all wish her the very best with her new directions. But let’s hope that we haven’t seen the last of Annika Sorenstam, nor the last of the class and dignity she brought to the game. Is she does decide to return occasionally, she will be a welcome sight indeed.

About The Author

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is an avid golfer and golf historian. His lowest handicap was 2. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing – http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at

http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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golf fitness program

There is certainly no doubt that the game of golf is one of the most popular sports that people get involved with these days, and it is something that many people, regardless of age, can participate in. And, with the help of golf carts, even those who are rather elderly and those who have some minor handicaps are able to play. But, if you are interested in pushing your limits and becoming a real winner in the game, then a golf fitness program can help you maximize your potential.

A fitness program for golf is considered to be a must-have for those who are serious about the game, whether they are amateurs or professionals. The demands of the game of golf are rather minimal if you are just playing for fun and for the enjoyment of being out of doors on a regular basis; yet, if you are at all interested in being competitive, then your golf improvement will depend to a large degree on your physical level of fitness.

There are a lot of golfers who get kind of sore and aching after they play a round of golf, even though they might have been playing the game for years. The main reason this happens is due to the motion of a proper golf swing, as it has the potential to put a lot of stress on the golfer’s back. However, a golf fitness program is designed to help make the muscles of the back stronger and that will help improve your golf swing and reduce the aches and pains.

Regular exercise is important for staying in shape and for playing golf to your best abilities, especially if it is a competitive game with a group of golf buddies who like to take bets on the round. A good fitness program designed for golfers will help protect your muscles and joints simply by making them stronger and better able to handle the rigors of a vigorous round of golf.

The best thing about these golf improvement programs is that they help you to maintain the necessary physical mechanics that support the swing, which is the most important aspect of the game. By doing golf stretching movements and exercises that are part of golf training videos for fitness, you will be able to create and build the correct muscles and also increase joint resistance and flexibility. Combined, this helps to keep you strong and limber at the same time, which will help you to execute the needed moves.

As golfers age, they also need to stay in the best shape possible if they want to feel that their game is always improving rather than diminishing. However, it is easy to spot those older golfers who obviously follow a golf fitness guide because you can see them walking the fairways with a spring in their step. Age does not have to interfere with playing a great round of golf that you can brag about all week, but it does require the effort of doing golf exercises on a regular basis.

For the most part it does not require a massive time commitment in order to follow a good golf fitness program. Most people even combine a golf fitness routine with other everyday activities, such as walking. Often, people will first take a brief, brisk walk and then go through the golf stretching routine. You will discover that doing this on a regular basis will deliver amazing results that will make you feel better overall and will improve your game as well.

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By Jim Nettleton

Recently the LPGA and its Commissioner, Carolyn Bivens, has been at the center of a storm of controversy concerning the organization’s intent to suspend players who did not speak English. This proposed action was quickly deemed discriminatory by some lawmakers and a few corporate sponsors.

Let’s try to examine this issue rationally and logically. As we all know, each tournament features a Pro-Am event preceding the major competition. Amateurs fork over large amounts of entry monies to participate in these Pro-Am events, principally for a chance to play with the professionals, of course. Would any of us be happy if we turned over a considerable chunk of change only to find that we couldn’t even communicate with the pro in our group?

I’ve played in several PGA Tour Pro-Am events over the years and once in an LPGA event some years back and in all cases one of the highlights was the interaction with the professional. The players in whose groups I participated made all the amateurs feel at ease, dispensing tips and telling stories that made the events delightful.

Communication with amateur players is a necessary skill for pros both male and female. Naturally, some are better at making amateurs feel at home than others, but all need to have the skill sets to at least make a good try at creating a cordial, fun atmosphere during the Pro-Am event. If the pro simply can’t communicate, the participating amateur golfers are being cheated of a large part of the reason that they spent money to be there.

One of the time-honored traditions in Pro-Ams is that of the pro golfer imparting tips to his amateur flock. This would not be possible if the pro spoke no English. It further complicates rulings, as well. A tour official can’t explain a rules situation to someone that doesn’t understand him or her. The added expense and inconvenience of having interpreters all over the golf course becomes burdensome, as well.

A requirement that players speak English isn’t discriminatory, it’s logical. It’s not as if the golfers only play in this country occasionally. Most are regulars on the LPGA Tour. In fact, the LPGA currently has some 121 players that hail from 26 different countries, which includes 45 from South Korea. That would certainly be quite a Tower Of Babel if all 121 spoke no English.

Carolyn Bivens rightly points out that speaking English is advantageous for the players from a monetary standpoint as well. Many endorsements, speaking engagements and the like would be far easier to come by if the players spoke English.

In my opinion, requiring the players to be at least minimally proficient in English is certainly not beyond the pale. It is for everyone’s benefit as well as their own. All involved with the LPGA Tour, the amateurs who pay to play, the officials and even the spectators benefit, since players could communicate with them during the tournament.

Given the huge amounts of money they are privileged to play for on a regular basis, it seems a small price to pay. Speaking English will pay them dividends on many levels in the years to come. At the time of this writing, the LPGA has softened its stand and is rethinking its proposed policy. Hopefully, the right final decision will be made so that all involved will be winners.

About The Author

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is an avid golfer and golf historian. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing – http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux

for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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By Jim Nettleton

As we continue to examine some of the fine courses in the Tampa Bay region of Florida, we’ll concentrate on two more fine examples, one relatively new and the other a venerable course that’s been around for many years.

The relatively new layout is Westchase Golf Club, located just about ten minutes from Tampa International Airport in western Tampa. This 6,710 yard track was designed by Lloyd Clifton and features a beautiful golfing trip through local fauna and flora that you’ll truly enjoy.

Westchase starts you out with a fairly benign hole that measures only 347 from the back. But it’s benign only if you hit it straight. Water lines the first all the way down the right side and guards the green partially from the front and totally from the right and back. An iron off the tee might be a good choice.

Number 2 is a lovely par 5 of 549 yards with water coming into play on the left. The third is one of the most dramatic par 3’s in the region, if not anywhere. It plays 212 from the back down through a chute of trees to a green guarded by water in front. An outstanding and difficult hole.

Moving ahead to number 5 and 6, you’ll get all the par 4 you can handle from this pair. #5 is 426 and #6 is 440. Although water is present on each, it is not, or shouldn’t be, in play. But if you’re playing into the wind, 4 is a very good score, indeed.

The 8th is a superb par 5 that bends right all the way. The second shot must be well placed to get at the green, which is tucked near a stand of woods.

The front 9 finishes with a solid 404 yard par 4 with water on the right. The second shot must carry a waste area.

The back 9 begins with a short par 5 at 505 yards, but those able to try for the green in two must be very accurate. Water guards the green very closely.

The 11th is a crackerjack of a par 3, 190 yards over water. The 12th is, to my mind, the most difficult driving hole on the course, requiring a long carry off the tee and an accurate second shot to a difficult green.

At 13 we come to another par 5 of 507 yards with water in play all along the left side. 14 is a straightaway par 4 and 15 a very nice par 3 of 160 yards.

The 16th is a very interesting hole requiring an accurately placed tee shot. Big hitters can reach a waste area that juts out into the fairway from the right, making the second shot semi-blind.

Number 17 is a solid par 4 of 402 yards requiring an accurate second shot over water to a tricky green. The finishing hole, which parallels #9, measures 388 yards and requires a second shot over the same waste area that borders the 9th green.

Westchase is, all in all, a tremendously enjoyable golfing experience.

The second course we’ll look at today is Pebble Creek Golf Club, located in the northeast area of Tampa, one of the oldest courses in the area. They recently underwent extensive renovations (2006) and have improved the facility greatly. It’s a sporty course featuring a very solid layout that plays 6,436 yards to a par of 71.

The scenic layout begins with a 370 yard par 4 with the second shot over a creek. #2 is a strong 193 yard par 3 that forces you to contend with a big tree on the left.

To play #3 well, you’ll need to work the ball left to right off the tee. This 400 par 4 is a solid test. #4 is a 368 yard par 4 which is best played by favoring the left side of the fairway, but water lines the left side, so caution is necessary. A tee shot to the right will block your approach to the green because of woods lining the fairway on that side.

Number 5 requires a tee shot over water and an approach shot over water as well. Number 6 provides respite in the form of a 160 yard par 3. Number 7 is a straightaway par 4 of 372 yards with water on the left. The 8th hole is the first par 5 on the course at 504 yards. There is water on the left, but it shouldn’t come into play. The third shot carries a creek.

The front 9 finishes with a strong, 434 yard par 4 that requires a tee shot down the right to right center to avoid being blocked by trees on the left as the hole bends left.

The back 9 gets going with a neat little par 4 of 367 yards. It’s a good birdie opportunity, but you must place your tee shot down the right side to avoid being blocked on your second shot.

On #11 you don’t want to pull your tee shot or it will meet a watery grave. It’s a straightaway par 4 of 385 yards. Number 12 offers a nice par 3 of 168 yards with a tricky green. The 13th hole is a lovely par 5 that sports water protecting the green, making reaching it in 2 difficult.

Number 14 is only 346 yards at par 4, but placing your tee shot is imperative. Number 15 plays 181 yards at par 3 and you must be below the hole on your tee shot. Number 16 is a good birdie chance at 360 yards at par 4.

The penultimate hole, #17, is a wonderful par 5, requiring an accurate tee shot. There is water along the left and the driving area is tight.

Number 18 is a fine finishing hole at 394 yards. Pebble Creek runs in front of the green, making an accurate approach a must.

Pebble Creek is a fine test and a must play when you’re in the Tampa area. The club has lovely amenities, good dining and a terrific atmosphere.

About The Author

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is an avid golfer and golf historian. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing – http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux

for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com/

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By Jim Nettleton

This time around we’ll look at two wonderful Tampa Bay area courses in our continuing examination of golf in the Sunshine State.

A long time favorite of mine has been a municipal course owned by the city of St. Petersburg, Mangrove Bay Golf Course, located just off Interstate 275 in the northern area of the city.

Mangrove Bay is set in a lovely natural area bordering the bay and possesses sweeping vistas of both land and sea. It plays at just a tad over 6,600 yards and is laid out, in my opinion, beautifully. Water comes into play on 12 of the 18 holes, although in some of those instances, it is only really in play for a player who is fatally wild off the tee.

Your round begins with a relatively mild first hole, which is always a good idea, in my estimation. It’s a 349 yard affair that bends very slightly to the right and is very much a birdie possibility.

The second is a 579 yard par five with water down the left side, but that shouldn’t come into play. After a dry par three and par four, we come to the fifth hole, playing at 380 with water on the right. The sixth is a short par 5 at 506 yards, presenting a good birdie opportunity.

The seventh is a short par four, at which you’d be wise to use an iron or hybrid off the tee, since water lines the left side and position for your second shot is everything here.

Skipping ahead to the back nine, you’ll see that it starts quite benevolently, with a short par four and par three. Number twelve, however, will definitely get your attention at 400 yards, bending left. Thirteen is a neat little par four with water well left and fourteen is a straightaway par five that is a good birdie opportunity. Fifteen is the longest par three on the course.

Sixteen is probably my favorite hole at Mangrove Bay. It’s a par four of 400 yards that plays uphill for the second half, with a second shot over a creek. But you need to take a moment to look to your left as you walk or ride the hill and observe a lagoon in which mullet leap almost constantly. It’s a beautiful sight, indeed..

Mangrove Bay ends on a very strong note, with two excellent holes, the par five seventeenth at 565 yards and the par four eighteenth at 438 yards with water on the left.

The course, at least in my experience, was always in very nice shape and the environment is unbeatable.

Now let’s head north to the town of Palm Harbor in Pinellas County, a few miles northwest of Tampa and check on Tarpon Woods Country Club, another of my favorites in the region. Wildlife abounds in this beautiful setting located just off Route 19. Water is present on every hole on this course that sports tricky greens and a varied layout of holes. It plays at just under 6,600 yards from the tips and requires accurate tee shots and carefully thought out approaches.

Sadly, at the time of this writing, the course may be on its way to disappearing. Because of the usual short-sighted development without regard for consequences, the Tarpon Woods community is prone to flooding in the rainy season and pressure has been brought to dispense with the golf course and turn the area into a virtual water basin to relieve the condition.

Brooker Creek runs through the golf course, and is the source of the problem, only because of thoughtless development upstream. But it is also one of the sources of the charm of the course. So get there and play it while you can, because it’s worth the effort. If you get a chance, you’ll thoroughly enjoy this layout and its abundant flora and fauna. From the par four opening hole, throughout the picturesque layout, to the visually appealing eighteenth, this course is a delight.

Let’s hope it will be around a lot longer.

About the Author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and television professional who is a lifelong golf addict and lived in Tampa for 10 years. He highly recommends The Simple Golf Swing – http://tinyurl.com/2mmeux for those struggling with their game. Visit his golf blog at http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com

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By Jim Nettleton

Is anyone else as troubled as I am by some of golf’s incredibly arcane rules? Having played the game all my adult life, I’m familiar with the rules and even agree with most of them. But there are others that are frustrating, if not infuriating. Now, bear in mind that I’m talking about the professional or top-level amateur game here. For what should be obvious reasons, normal amateur events are a different animal altogether.

Chief among the above-mentioned frustrations, I think, is the scoring scenario. As we all know, if a player signs an incorrect score card he or she is disqualified from the competition. It makes no difference if half the western world knows what a player’s score is. It makes no difference if a national television audience has just watched in rapt attention as Tiger drilled a thirty-footer for a three. If he inadvertently signs for a four, that’s what he gets.

With today’s technology, there is no longer any need to rely on backward conventions to score a golf tournament. I know all the arguments. The players police themselves, it’s part of the game, it’s an integral ingredient of the integrity of the game, yada, yada, yada.

Listen, how can those arguments hold any water when we’ve allowed technological advances in golf equipment to trample the game’s foundations and fundamentally change the nature of the sport?

Today, the golf swing has become a lethal weapon. Players are hitting the ball practically into orbit and golf courses have to be about six miles long to keep today’s tournament pros from shooting twelve. Yet we still cling to outmoded, primitive methods of keeping score. It’s difficult enough to swing a golf club correctly and play the game well without having to worry about signing a paper scorecard in the age of the Blackberry.

I’ll always remember the tragic incident that cost Roberto DiVicenzo the 1968 Masters Tournament. As you know, players keep each other’s scores in a tournament. Roberto’s fellow competitor that day, Tommy Aaron, had incorrectly marked down a four at the seventeenth hole, when Roberto had actually shot three. Because Roberto signed that card, he had to accept the higher score. As a result, he missed getting into a playoff with Bob Goalby the next day and Goalby walked off with the green jacket.

It never should have happened. That kind of circumstance isn’t satisfying or rewarding to any player involved. Goalby couldn’t be justly proud of his accomplishment, having backed into it through a clerical error on the part of someone else. And DeVicenzo was understandably devastated by the loss.

Surely the golfing powers can do better. Surely, the rules for important tournaments can be brought into the twenty-first century. Tournament golf audiences know instantly which player is doing what all over the golf course. For reality to be ignored because of a glitch in scoring by hand is intolerable in today’s sporting world. We need to bring things up to date and we need to do it quickly, before another DeVincenzo type of tragedy mars the sport again.

About the author:

Jim Nettleton is a radio and TV professional who is a lifelong golf addict and golf historian. He recommends The Simple Swing for those struggling with their games:

http://www.jaynetinc.com/SimpleGolfSwing. Visit his golf blog at:

http://golf-golf-andmoregolf.blogspot.com

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