Lose your first-time jitters and play 'ready golf'

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

Now, you’ve learned to hit your ball decently; you’ve made your tee time and are getting ready to go.

Pack your golf bag so it is as light as possible. You need enough balls and tees, a towel and a coin.

There’s no need to worry about golf course dress codes. You don’t need to go out and buy expensive clothing. Collared shirts and pants are the normal dress for men. Women can wear skirts, shorts and pants. Make sure you wear sunscreen.

If you don’t have golf shoes, sneakers work just fine, as long as the course is not wet. You can buy a pair of hybrid golf shoes you can wear on and off the course.

You need to know what to do when you get to the course. Give yourself enough time to get ready for your round. You should arrive at least 40 to 50 minutes before your scheduled tee time, which is the time you should be standing on the first tee. Make sure you arrive relaxed, warmed up, happy and ready to hit a good shot.

Once you reach the golf course, let the reception desk know you are there. You need to use the time before your tee time wisely. Warm up as you hit some balls on the range. Then, go to the practice green to roll your putts.

Critically, before hitting practice balls, you need loosen up three injury-prone parts of your body ― your shoulder joints, lower back and ankles.

You’ll suffer first-tee jitters. To hit your opening tee shot successfully, you need to handle this high degree of uneasiness. Toss your ball in the air, for instance, to free you of tension. Yawn on purpose. Take several long, deep breaths, breathing out slowly. Make an extra-slow practice swing once or twice, an instant before you hit your ball. Critically, get reckless. Don’t care about your swing result. The shot does not decide your life.

Once you’ve hit your tee shot, you need to try to hit your next shot as quickly as possible. You need to play “ready golf.” Put differently, stay ready to hit your ball when it is your turn.

More important than hitting your ball well is avoiding being an annoying partner. Praise your partners’ good shots, ignoring bad shots. Don’t try to console them for their bad shots. Don’t point out obvious hazards. Avoid whining about your own bad shots. Don’t groan about the course. Leave your phone in the clubhouse. The rest of the world can surely manage without you for several hours.

After hitting your shot from a bunker, you need to leave the hazard in good shape. You need to rake the area you hit, where you stood and where you walked. Rake the sand toward you as you walk backward to leave the bunker. After raking the sand, leave the rake just outside the bunker.

When your ball comes to rest on the green, you need to mark it with a coin or small ball marker. Place the mark just behind your ball before picking it up. When it is your turn to putt, replace your ball before you pick up your mark.

When your ball lands on the green, it leaves a dent. You need to fix it immediately, using your tee. Don’t forget to tap down the turf with your putter.

You can repair ball marks on your putting line. But you cannot repair spike marks. Still, repair any pitch marks or spike marks you see before you leave the green. You need to leave the green in better condition than when you arrived.

If your ball is closest to the cup, you need to handle the flagstick. Ask your partners whether they want you to tend the flag. If they decline, put the flagstick ideally outside the green. That way you won’t damage the green.

To tend the flag, you need to stand on the high side of the hole. You need to hold the flagstick with your hand properly so the flag does not flap. Dislodge the flagstick from the cup before you hold it. Make sure the flagstick rests in the hole while your partner is putting. Don’t let your partner’s ball hit the flagstick or your partner will receive a two-stroke penalty.

Incidentally, it doesn’t matter how long you spend on the range. Go to your practice range with a specific purpose like “I want to practice this move.” Avoid just hitting your balls into nowhere. You need to practice a move. If not, you are just wasting your time and energy.