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W elcome To Golf
Golf is a great game. You can play it all
your life. With practice, you also can
develop the necessary skills to play it well.
You don’t have to be big, strong, fast or
even part of a team to enjoy golf. And, the
more you play, the more fun it is.

This booklet introduces you to the game

by giving some basic information on
equipment, the Rules, etiquette, golf terms
and learning how to swing and play.

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History
While golf ’s traditions are firmly based in Scotland, there is plenty of evi-
dence that variations of a game that involved hitting a stone with a stick to a tar-
get were played in Asia and even South America. A game similar to golf was
played in Holland as far back as the 13th century. The first reference to the game’s
impact in Scotland was in 1457 when King James banned the playing of golf
because too many people were neglecting their archery practice in favor of golf.
Golf ’s popularity in the United States is thought to have begun with the
founding of the St. Andrews Golf Club in Yonkers, N.Y., in 1888. However, a golf
club was established in the U.S. as early as 1786 in Charleston, S.C. Early newspa-
per stories tell that golf was played as far west as California prior to 1888.
The growth of the game in the U.S. was owed mainly to the arrival of many
top Scottish professionals in the late 1800s. Immigrants such as Willie Dunn Jr.,
Alex Taylor, Jock Hutchison and Laurie Auchterlonie were not only skilled players,

How the Game

but they also were clubmakers, teachers and even course designers and builders.
Since then golf has continued to grow in popularity. Today, millions of golfers
play the game on thousands of courses throughout the world.

is Played
TEE
OUT OF
The idea of golf is to swing the club and BOUNDS
hit the ball from the TEE, the starting
area, down the FAIRWAY, which is LATERAL
the path to the PUTTING WATER
HAZARD
GREEN. You hit the ball as FAIRWAY

many times as it may take you

to reach the GREEN, where you
hit the ball into the HOLE or ROUGH
REGULAR
CUP, which is the finish area. WATER
You count every swing, including HAZARD

penalty strokes and misses. A reg-

ulation round of golf consists of BUNKER
FLAGSTICK
playing 18 holes. BUNKER
GREEN HOLE
ROUGH

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Playing Green

Maintain a steady pace

Closest to
• Maintain a steady pace. Play each the Hole
Plays Last
hole without delay and you should be
ready to play when it is your turn to Plays Third
hit. Those farthest from the green or
Plays
cup usually play first. Limit yourself Second
to no more than one full practice
swing before each shot.
Farthest from
the Hole
Plays First
Safety First!
• Don’t tee off until the group in the
fairway is out of your driving dis-
tance. Always wait to play to the
green until the group ahead of you is Fairway
off the green.

Tee

• The direction a golf ball

travels depends on how the
club contacts the ball
• The direction of the club
- Push-Right
- Pull-Left
• The position of the
clubface
- Hook — closed
- Slice — Open

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What is PAR
Each hole on a golf course has a number or score listed on the score card,
which is called PAR. PAR is the number of strokes it should take to play the hole.
Our friends at the United States Golf Association allowed us to reprint this
definition of PAR.
“Par is the number of strokes an excellent player should need to play a hole
without mistakes under ordinary weather conditions over the average type of

Scoring
ground, always allowing the player two putts on the green.”

Each hole will have a number or score listed for it to be called PAR. This is
the score that golfers shoot for when they begin playing. Depending on the length
of the hole, a hole may be rated for PAR at 3, 4 or 5 strokes.

Pick up your score

card at the golf shop
before teeing off. Your
score card will have
information about the
course and any local
rules that apply.

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Equipment
Clubs
There are many places you can buy clubs that are just the right size for you.
Or you can have clubs modified to fit you. It is very important to ask your PGA
Professional to help you with getting equipment. Properly fitted equipment allows
you to develop your game properly.
Golf clubs are designed to help you make different kinds of golf shots. There
are WOODS for tee and long fairway shots. There are IRONS for approach shots
to the green. There are WEDGES of different lofts for very close approach shots
to the green or from a bunker. There are PUTTERS for rolling the ball on the
green into the hole.
Each club has a loft range, which produces flights and shots of different
heights and distances.
The lower the loft, the lower the shot.

Balls
A golf ball is a round sphere that is
at least 1.68 inches in diameter and
weighs no more than 1.62 ounces.

woods

irons

wedges
putter

golf bag

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Learning
to Play Golf
There are many ways to learn how to play golf. Watching profes-
sional tournaments on TV or watching other people play can help you
develop a sense of the game.
However, when you’re first starting to play, the best way is to sign
up for a clinic or take a series of classes for beginners. This way you
receive instruction on how to stand, how to aim the clubface and align
your body, how to grip and hold the club and how to swing. You will
also receive information on the Rules, the etiquette of the game, and
how a golf course is operated.
As your game develops and you begin to feel more confident in
your ability, it’s always a good idea to sign up for individual lessons
from a PGA Professional. Everyone tends to develop certain habits after
they start playing. Individual lessons provide you with a checkup on
how your game is developing and how to continue to improve.
To find a PGA Professional for lessons you can either check with
your closest golf facility or go to www.PGA.com and click on the “Find
a PGA Professional” icon. Fill in your state and zip code and you will
see a list of the PGA Professionals nearest to you.

Backswing to change of direction

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Skills of Golf
The skills in golf are really different length swings with different lofted clubs
to create different length shots. To make these shots, think of swinging in a clock.
Swing back and forth the same distance for each skill. A 7 to 5 or 8 to 4 would be
used for Putting and Chipping. A 9 to 3 swing would be used for Pitching.

The Stance
A proper stance helps you create
and maintain balance during the golf
swing. Stand up to the ball with your
ankle joints under your shoulder
joints and your weight evenly distrib-
uted between the heels and balls of
the feet and between your left and
right foot. Once you assume a proper
stance, push your hips back and tilt
forward from the bottom of your hips
until your chest points at the ball.
Finally, tilt your upper body until the
trail shoulder (right shoulder for
right-handed players), is lower than
the target shoulder.
Proper Stance

Balance from Hit to Finish

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The Grip
The least complicated method to grip the club properly is to stand erect with
your ankle joints under your shoulders, holding the club in front of you at a 45-
degree angle with
your trail hand
(right hand for
right-handed
golfers). Place the
club diagonally
across the base of
the fingers of
your target hand
(left hand for
right-handers).
Next, simply slide Overlapping Grip Interlocking Grip Baseball or 10 Finger Grip
your trail hand
down the shaft until the thumb of the target hand fits into the lifeline of the trail
hand. At this point, the thumb of the target hand is covered with the thumb pad of
the trail hand and the little finger of the trail hand rests on top of the first two fin-
gers of the target hand. (Overlapping grip)

Aim and Alignment

To aim properly, begin by standing
behind the ball and visualizing a line
drawn from the target to the ball. Then
pick a spot six to 12 inches on this line
in front of you from the ball as an inter-
mediate target. Once you have done
that, walk into your stance and place the
clubface behind the ball, aiming at your
intermediate target. Make sure that you
keep your eyes on the target as you walk
into position and assume your stance.
You need to aim your entire body,
including your feet, knees, hips and
shoulders, parallel to your imaginary
target line.

Intermediate

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The Swing
The golf swing is a circular motion that is made up of
two motions. One motion going away from the ball, the
backswing, and the other motion going toward the ball, the
forward swing, to a finish position. You should swing the
club back until your back is facing the target and swing in
the direction of the target until your chest is facing past the
target. The proper swing will make a WHOOSH sound
near the ball and result in a balanced finish position.

Top of Back Swing

Practice Range
Finish Position

To learn to play golf more you need to practice. Your golf practice should be
divided between working on swing mechanics and developing golf shots, and
between your short game and full swing shots.

Swing Practice
Use slow motion drills and a mirror to check the movement of your swing.
Pay particular attention to balance and posture.

Shot Practice
Create a routine that you will use on the course and practice shots under the
conditions you will find when you play. Turn your practice facility into a golf
course and measure your level of skill.
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Short Game

Putting
Putting is a special skill used on the green to roll the ball into the
hole. It is done with a putter, which is a special club that has very little
loft, using a short swing length. There are two important things to
remember about putting. The distance your putt rolls is controlled by the
backward and forward swing of the club. The direction of your putt is
controlled by where the clubface is pointing at impact. Your grip needs to
provide control and accuracy. Unlike the full swing grip, how you grip
the putter is up to you. Whatever is comfortable for you and allows your
hands to work together is the best grip for you.

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Chipping Around
the Green
A chip is a shot that
spends more time run-
ning along the ground
than it does in the air.
Your stance is different
than that for a full
swing. Stand with your
ankle joints under your
shoulders, then push
your hips back and up
and let your arms hang
down from your shoul-
ders. Since the chip is
much like the putt,
many players will use
their putting grip. You
should experiment and
use the grip that works
best for you. When you
address the ball, your
club should rest more on
the toe than it would for
a full shot. The grip end
should be pointing
toward the middle of
your body and toward
your neck. Your weight
should be evenly distrib-
uted between the balls of
your feet and the heels.

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Pitching
A pitch shot spends
more time in the air than it
does running along the
ground. Pitching involves
using a more lofted club to
get the ball in the air and a
longer swing. Use your full-
swing grip with very light
pressure. You will be hinging
your wrists on this shot and
using a slightly more open
stance. Depending on the lie
of the ball, you play it either
back in your stance or as the
lie improves, toward the mid-
dle of your stance, so you can
use the full loft of the club.

15-year-old Tiger Woods hits a

Bunker Play bunker shot at the 1990 Junior
Bunker shots are swings where PGA Championship.
the objective is to hit the sand
underneath the ball and the ball
flies out with the sand. The image
of taking a slice of sand the size of
a dollar bill seems to work for
most golfers.
First, go through your aim
and alignment drill. After you have
your target line and your interme-
diate target set, then place your
hands on the grip.

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There are three factors

that control the height
and distance of your shots.

• The more loft you add to

the clubface by moving
the shaft back at address,
the higher and shorter
the ball will carry.

• The steeper the angle of

your approach into the
ball, the higher and
shorter the shot.

• The more clubhead speed

a swing generates, the far-
ther the ball will carry.

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How to Behave
on the Course
A Code of Etiquette for golf was origi-
nally developed with the game back in
Scotland. The etiquette of golf is a series of
suggestions that has nothing to do with the
Rules of Golf, but merely points out certain
standards of behavior that makes golf more
pleasant for everybody on the course.

Consideration for other players

• Always play without delay
• Safety First — Before playing a
stroke, look around you to make
sure no one is standing too close
to you.
• Don’t play until players in front
of you are out of range.
• Allow others to play through
when searching for a lost ball.

Behavior during play

• Do not talk, move or stand directly
behind someone when they are playing.
• Player who has the honor, the best score
on the last hole, always plays first.

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Take care of the course

• Be careful when removing and
replacing the flagstick so you don’t
damage the green.
• Avoid damage to the course when
taking practice swings.
• Repair ball marks.
• Always rake before leaving a
bunker.
• Replace your divots or fill with
sand.

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Taking Care
of the Course
Now that you have decided to play golf, it is important that you understand
some things about where you are playing. When a golf course is built, various places
for animals to live and play are created, in the woods surrounding the course as well
as throughout the course itself. Depending on the area of the country where you
live, a wide variety of animals will inhabit the courses where you play.
A golf course is a little world of its own. Not only does it provide a habitat for
wild creatures but the grass, trees, bushes, shrubs and flowers attract insects that
become pests. All things that live should be respected, but some pests eat and destroy
trees, flowers, and grass. It is fine to have some of these pests as neighbors, but when
too many start to damage the golf course, it is necessary to control the number of
pests that are allowed to live on and around the golf course. Your golf course
employs professional people who are trained to watch out for pests and to control
them safely.
Look for courses with the Audubon designation and enjoy the benefits of
nature as you play.

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Philosophy
of Rules
• Play The Course As You Find It
• Maintain Pace of Play
• Play The Ball As It Lies
• Play Fairly

Golf is played by
Rules based on fair
play. In the begin-
ning there were
only 13 Rules of
Golf. You should
carry a copy of the
Rules with you in
your bag. When in
doubt, ask your
PGA Professional.

Some common rules:

• Missing the ball
- You count a stroke anytime you swing the club
at the ball with the intent of moving the ball —
even when you miss it. Practice swings are not
counted as strokes.
• Ball Out of Bounds or Lost
- If you lose the ball or it goes out of bounds, you
must add a penalty stroke and replay the shot.
You lose one stroke and distance. When in
doubt as to where your ball is, play another ball,
called a provisional ball, to save time.
• Dropping A Ball
- When you have to drop a ball, stand straight
with your arm at shoulder height and drop it.

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• Water Hazards
There are two types of water
hazards: Regular and Lateral.
The regular hazard is usually
located so that you can only
drop behind where the ball
entered in line with the hole or
replay the shot. A lateral hazard
also allows you to drop a ball
two club-lengths from where the
ball entered the hazard or go
equidistant to the other side for
maybe a better angle to the hole.
• Abnormal Conditions
When the ball lies in an area
with conditions that are not nor-
mally present on the course, such
as casual water, ground under
repair and animal holes, you may
drop the ball away from these
areas without penalty.
• The Putting Green
When you’re on the green, you
should mark your ball by plac-
ing a small coin or marker
behind it. Also, remove the flag-
stick before putting or have
someone do this for you. When
attending the flag you are
responsible to remove it so the
ball does not strike the flag.

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Competition
One of golf ’s greatest features is there are different ways to compete.
As an individual player you challenge the course. Can you shoot par?
Can you shoot under par? Can you shoot a better score than the last time
you played.
You can play with a friend in either stroke play or match play.
In stroke play, your score for the hole is the total number of strokes
taken to play the hole. Your score for the round is the total for each of
the holes. You can play with a group of friends in stroke play competi-
tion or in a tournament. You can play as a member of a team.
In match play, you compete against another player or team and
your score is based on the number of holes you win. Each win counts
as one hole. If players shoot the same score on a hole, the hole is said
to be halved.
As you play more, you’ll discover there are all types of competi-
tions that can be arranged with your fellow players.
Most every golf course facility arranges a series of tournaments each
year. The tournaments are designed to provide their members or cus-
tomers the chance to compete in tournaments for different groups, such
as seniors, women, juniors or even low-handicappers. Many golf facili-
ties are active in junior golf and work together to sponsor local, region-
al or even national junior events in their area.
The PGA of America has 41 Section Offices that conduct golf tour-
naments for their members and for juniors. One of these events is the
section’s junior championship, which qualifies the winners to compete
in the national Junior PGA Championship. The PGA also conducts the
PGA Junior Series, a number of junior championships that are held
throughout the country during the summer from coast to coast.
There are a number of organizations that conduct junior events
throughout the U.S. The PGA of America, in conjunction with our 41
Sections, conducts and operates more junior events every year than any
junior association in the world.

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Role of the PGA

Professional
Since it was founded in 1916, The PGA of America has maintained its role as
the nation’s leading authority on golf instruction. Today’s PGA Professionals are
experienced in all aspects of golf and have developed their communication skills,
their knowledge of swing fundamentals and how people learn so they can help intro-
duce you to the game of golf.
PGA Professionals help to make sure that everyone who plays golf at their
facility has a great time, no matter what their skill level. The role of the PGA
Professional is to make sure you enjoy yourself and the game of golf.

Youth Golf Information

The PGA of America The First Tee
100 Avenue of the Champions World Golf Foundation
P.O. Box 109601 13000 Sawgrass Village
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 Professional Center
561 624 8400 Building 1, Suite 5
www.PGA.com Ponte Vedra, FL 32082
904 940 4123
United States Golf Association www.thefirsttee.org
P.O. Box 708
Far Hills, NJ 07931 PGA Publications
908 234 2300 A Summary of the
www.juniorlinks.com Rules of Golf Illustrated

For information about a career as a PGA Professional

or a career in golf log onto www.PGA.com

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Personal
Development
People who play golf, no matter what their
The First Tee, the World age, find that the game enhances their personal
Golf Foundation’s pro- development. The game requires discipline if
gram to develop golf you’re going to improve. The discipline to prac-
courses for junior players tice and to realize the importance of practicing to
and to introduce the make yourself better is an important lesson
game to more youngsters taught on the course. The social interaction you
has established nine core find on the golf course between different groups
values that represent the of people also helps you to understand how
positive aspects of golf. important that discipline is and how it can con-
They are: tribute to stronger personal relationships. Plus,
you also discover that physical and mental fitness
• Honesty are very important aspects of the game. The
physical activity may look undemanding, but
• Integrity swinging a golf club through a round of golf does
require upper body strength. The walking that
• Sportsmanship you do through a round of golf provides an aero-
bic benefit. Being physically fit can only help
• Respect improve your game. The concentration over the
length of a round will help develop focus on the
• Confidence task. The choosing of the options when playing a
shot will develop decision making skills.
• Responsibility
• Perseverance
• Courtesy
• Judgment

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Golf Terms
Address
Position of a player when he has taken his stance and grounded the club, or if
in a hazard, when he has taken his stance.
Approach Shot
Stroke intended to place the ball on the putting green.
Birdie
A score of 1-under-par on a hole.
Bogey
A score of 1-over-par on a hole.
Bunker
An area of bare ground, often a depression, which is usually covered with sand.
Chip
A short low shot played to the putting surface partly through the air and
partly rolling along the ground.
Course
The whole area within which play is permitted — 9 or 18 holes.
Divot
A piece of turf or sod cut loose by a player’s club when making a shot.
Dogleg Hole
A hole that does not follow a straight line from tee to green.
Double-Bogey
A score of 2-over-par on a hole.
Drive
A long shot played from the teeing ground, usually with a driver.
Eagle
A score of 2-under-par on a hole.
Etiquette
Courtesies expected of and to golfers.
Flagstick
A pole or straight indicator with a flag centered in the hole on the green to
show its position.

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Fore
A warning shouted to let a person within range know that a player is about to
hit his ball or that a ball in flight may hit or come very close to that person.
Hole
An area of the course consisting of a teeing ground, putting green and the
area in between. A round of golf is played over 18 holes.
Iron
A golf club with a steel or metal head used to hit the ball from the tee to the
fairway or the fairway to the green.
Lie
Spot where and how the ball rests.
Match Play
Play in which each hole is a separate contest, the winner being the player or
side winning the most holes.
Par
The score an accomplished player is expected to make on a hole.
Penalty Stroke
One added to the score of an individual or side under certain Rules of Golf.
Pitch Shot
A shot in which the ball is played high to the putting green and has little or
no roll.
Putt
A shot played on the green with a fairly straight-faced club with the intention
of rolling the ball in the cup or hole.
Rough
The area of long grass that adjoins tees, fairways and putting greens.
Stroke
The name for each time you swing at the ball.
Stroke Play
Play in which the total strokes for the round or the number of rounds played
determine the winner.

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Getting Out to Play

(Facility Orientation)

There is more to playing golf then learning how to swing the club and keeping
score. The game is based on long-held traditions of manners, respect for the course
and a respect for other players/ fellow competitors on the course.

Reservations - Call the Golf Course

• Tee Times policy — how many days in advance, rates, cancellation policy, walk-
on policy, single player policy, golf car use policy (age requirements - rate), walk-
ers policy (time restrictions on walking)
• Equipment policy — rental clubs availability, rate, reservations, individual player
bag/equipment policy
• Dress code — player requirement, shirts, shorts/slacks, foot wear requirements
• Amenities available — food and beverage service, golf shop, locker rooms,
caddies, practice facilities

Arrival - 40 to 45 minutes Prior to Your Starting Tee Time

• Bag drop — unload golf clubs, park vehicle
• Golf Shop — check in, pay your fees, get a scorecard and any course informa-
tion, acquire any equipment needs (clubs, balls, glove, etc.)
• Meet fellow players — locate restroom and food and beverage facilities
• Warm up — stretching routine, practice facility and practice putting green

Starter - At the First Tee

Report to starting tee 10 minutes before your tee time to review the following:
• Course rules / Course markings / information such as yardage plates
• Suggestions for tee choice or length of course to match your skill level
• Pace of play guidelines — keeping up with group in front of you

During Play of the Round

• Ranger — player assistance controls the pace of play always maintain correct
spacing with the group in front and help keep pace for everyone’s enjoyment
• On course — use continuous putting to speed up play, repair all ball marks on
the putting greens and replace or sand your divots, follow all golf car paths and
signage accordingly - mark your scorecard at the next teeing ground

Its O.K. Rules

• Your instructor may have suggested a set of rules for your level of play and the
course
• Having fun is the most important factor, especially when first learning to play
• Be patient and enjoy the experience. Scoring is not always the objective in the
beginning

Conclusion
• Post your score- follow U.S.G.A. Handicap Policy for posting
• Recap your round — enjoy the facilities with your group and plan your next
round
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