Before You Pick Up a Golf Club

Golf can be one of the most exciting and rewarding games you'll ever play. Unfortunately, it's not the easiest game and can dissuade many beginners from sticking with it long enough to master its challenges.

Golf offers a player the opportunity to compete with a great rival, yourself. Anyone who has played golf understands that your game cannot advance if you cannot admit your personal weaknesses and handicaps. But therein lays the joy that only a true golfer can understand: overcoming the obstacles and improving the golf game. Some would go as far to say conquering that course is unparalleled to any other challenge.

Apart from the mental challenge of the game picking up a golf club requires you to perform an extremely difficult act over and over again. That is, of course, to hit the ball with the club face perfectly so that the ball goes exactly where you want it to go. You must evoke the proper amount of force to ensure complete control over your swing and calculating a strategy to have your ball finally land within that hole using the least number of shots.

You must swing the club up over your shoulders then down and around in a accurate semicircle so that the area on the club face will evenly hit the golf ball waiting for you on the tee. The room for error is diminutive and accuracy is everything.

Before choosing that golf club and beginning to play well you must do two things; (a) Learn the game at a pace you can handle and (b) Stick with it. It takes a good while to become skilled at golf so patience and practice makes perfect. Don't expect to set any records when you begin to learn the game. Keep in mind, golf is multifaceted with numerous areas that require varied skills on your part. Putting demands excellent nerves and aiming skills. And your strategy will require a sharp, focused mind and the ability to spot where the biggest dangers are on each hole.

Each aspect of your golf game must be understood, practiced and perfected in order for you to excel at golf. So before you pick up a golf club remember these tips:

1. Anyone can enjoy playing golf no matter what level of their athleticism. Why do golfers focus on the other players? Your real opponent is the course and yourself and not the other players.

2. Golf is a difficult game to master because every action must be initiated by you. This means you control all possible outcomes of your shot. But practice and patience will result in strength and confidence and a better golf game.

3. Know your strengths and weaknesses and build your strategy around that. Become mentally prepared and envision your game and plan for any adjustments you may need to make.

Golf offers numerous delights that satisfy the mind, body and spirit leaving you rejuvenated and ready for another day's challenge. So pick up that golf club and practice, practice, practice.