BY BILL FLOWER
Whether it’s learning how to knit, drive a car or hit a golf ball in order to become proficient at any task, it’s necessary to practise.
To succeed, golfers of all skill levels, from raw beginners to PGA Tour professionals, need to commit a certain number of hours per week to dedicated, structured practice. There is a combination of ingredients that are needed to produce the required result in golf and that is gained by learning the game from trained experts.
There are many ways to learn the game of golf. In this modern technological world, people are even being introduced to the game by pointers they gain from the internet. This is not to be scoffed at, but may be more valuable for someone looking for a slight correction to a swing issue than completely learning the game from scratch.
Hands-on instruction is the best way for all golfers to learn and improve. On any given television broadcast showing the driving range at a PGA or LPGA event top pros can be seen hitting balls with their teaching pro close by.
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For the amateur golfer the emphasis should be firstly on fun and recreation. Now in these challenging times of the pandemic, golf has become even more popular than ever. The combination of fresh air, exercise and social interaction from a few extra feet away is even more reason to get the right start. Learning golf has two facets. One is learning the simple and basic fundamentals that all golfers must master before moving onto the second phase which is applying these basics to learning the actual golf swing as well as putting and chipping.
The ultimate goal is to produce a repeatable, consistent swing resulting in a straight, elevated hit. This is also the same goal for shorter shots. It’s fine to say practice makes perfect, but in the case of golfing it’s perfect practice that makes perfect. If you are interested in learning to golf this winter or improve on what you already know then how about signing up for adult golf classes and clinics held indoors, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Arbutus Meadows Equestrian and Events Centre beginning Thursday, Nov. 12.
Email Bill Flower at oceansidegolfservices@gmail.com for more information on golf clinics and also on Golfercise, the golf fitness and training program available this winter. Or visit www.oceansidegolfservices.ca. Cutoff for November classes is Sunday, Nov. 8.