So, you’re over 50 and active and want to take up golf because your significant other is a golfer and comes home raving about it no matter how well he or she played that day. You’ve also heard it’s the game of a lifetime but at the same time, it seems so complicated. There are so many kinds of shots to hit with so many different clubs and each one is made to hit the ball a different distance. And how far do each of those clubs hit that tiny ball anyway?
Then there is the lingo and terminology: birdie, bogey, duck hook, lay up (I thought we were playing golf, not basketball), provisional, etc.
We understand. Golf is complicated to the uninitiated and then there are all the rules. Oh, so many rules: The Rules of Golf, local rules, winter rules (Do you really expect me to play when it’s snowing outside and what do you mean I can lift and clean my ball on the green but not anywhere else?). It’s enough to want to make you stick with nature walks, tennis, and other forms of exercise.
Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Rome wasn’t built in a day and you’re not going to be a professional golfer in your 50s if you are just starting out. You’re likely taking up the game for exercise, fresh air, camaraderie, and the challenge of the game itself.
I’ve been around a golf ball most of my life and as media director for the Great Lakes Tour, PGA Tour Canada, and contributing editor/photographer to the PGA Tour and dozens of golf publications, I’ve interviewed some of the best golfers. I’m not a golf coach but have walked many fairways and greens with the best players in the world as I picked their brain while observing their routines, form, and mental toughness. So, when Carmen at The Spunky Skipper, with her motto “Life’s adventures after 50” asked me to contribute to a series of golf articles for baby boomers who want to learn to play, I felt qualified and happily said yes. So, let’s start with the basics.
Golf clubs and bag
This will be your biggest expense. However, you don’t need the latest and greatest equipment; you don’t even need all 14 clubs that you are allowed to carry. Golf Digest suggests starting with a driver, a putter, a sand wedge or a 54-56-degree wedge, a 6-iron, an 8-iron, a pitching wedge, and a fairway wood or hybrid club with 18-21 degrees of loft. You can build from there and you don’t have to take out a second mortgage to buy these. Golf and sporting goods stores carry loads of discounted golf clubs that will do just fine when you are starting out. But do make sure you try before you buy and get a clubfitting with the help of an expert at a pro shop or golf outlet. Not only does poorly fit equipment lead you to poor swing development, but it also makes the game more frustrating, deterring you from even continuing on with the game.
I’ve got my golf clubs, my golf balls, and my golf outfits, now what?
Now it’s time to show everyone what I can do. Well, not so fast. Sure, you can go out and play because you’ve watched how the pros do it on TV but you’ll get frustrated very quickly unless you take lessons. Ask any top amateur or pro and the number one piece of advice they give is to take lessons right away. Nothing beats starting out with some positive direction. And don’t just seek instruction when you’re struggling. It’s just as important to know what you’re doing right as what you’re doing wrong. Your golf buddies might sometimes have a good tip for you, but it’s better to seek out a PGA (Professional Golfers Association) teaching professional in your country since they’re the ones trained to teach the game to someone like yourself. There are plenty of golf instruction videos on YouTube but save those for finetuning your game because it’s best to first go to a live instructor when you are starting out.
Find the right teacher with personality
Finding an instructor you trust will help you improve quickly is important but just as important is finding the right personality for you. You want to be comfortable and enjoy the experience.
Have a productive routine on the driving range and start with some stretching as part of your warmup routine
Even the best players in the world stretch before hitting balls on the range and after age 50, we know how important it is to stretch to keep those muscles limber and supple. These days, many pro golfers take up yoga and meditation, something you may want to try. (Read our yoga blog for newbies) all want to see how far we can hit the golf ball but when you go to the range to warm up before playing, do resist the temptation to immediately start hitting drivers and using up half your range balls to do so. Swinging for maximum distance will throw you out of sync very quickly. While it’s true that some professional golfers hit nothing but driver on the range before or after a round, they are just that: professional golfers working on something specific. Start with one of your wedges or short irons, loosening up the muscles you will use with half-swings. Then increase the length and speed of your swings, and move to your middle irons. Work your way up to your driver and after you have hit some balls with it, go back to a short iron or wedge. This will keep your tempo in check.
Work hard on your short game
Putting and hitting wedges isn’t as exciting as striping drives on the range but roughly half your shots come within 50 yards of the green. You can even practice in your backyard or inside your home. Place a few buckets around your yard and try to pitch balls into them from different places. Practice your putting on your indoor carpet.
Have fun
Keep your sense of humor, keep it simple, and don’t overthink things. As Nancy Lopez says, The simpler I keep things, the better I play. And as you continue playing this great game, you will quickly recognize that you will hit good, bad, and terrible shots – often on the same hole. Even the best players in the world have bad holes and bad rounds. The game is enjoyable and frustrating at the same time, but therein lies the beauty of it. Remember, it is only a game and you are out there to have fun, get fresh air and exercise, spend time with your significant other and friends – and make new ones – and not to become the next Tiger Woods or Annika Sorenstam.
In future articles, we will talk about courses to play and golf vacations.
We’d love to hear about your first adventures golfing for the first time, leave us a comment below.
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