#stableford

[just-tee-times]

Golf Books #277 (Stableford: A Life in Golf, War and Medicine)

[rideonruffian]

STABLEFORD (GB)

Smart Strike- Paris Winds, by Galileo 

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[longholidayincheshire]

英国一優雅で癒される美しいゴルフ場、Wallasey Golf Club!

イギリスと言えばゴルフ。私はゴルフは得意ではないですが、嫌いではないです。イギリスはゴルフ発祥の地だけあり、生活の中にゴルフが根付いています。イギリスには本当にたくさんゴルフ場があり、プレーフィーも安いですから、多くの人が楽しんでいます。地域の社交の場にもなっています。我が家も徒歩圏内にゴルフ場があり、10〜20ポンドでプレーできるのでお手軽です⛳️ これもイギリスで暮らす楽しみの一つですね。 今日ご紹介するゴルフ場は知る人ぞ知る名門ゴルフクラブ、Wallasey Golf Club(ワラジー・ゴルフクラブ)です。リバプールの対岸にあるリンクス・コースですね。…

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[familygolf-blog]

An Introduction to the Basics of Golf for Beginners

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An Introduction to the Basics of Golf for Beginners

Golf is a game that can be played by anyone, male or female and from an early age to late into retirement, but beginners need to learn the basics.It is a game that has the added benefits of being played in the open air at a leisurely pace which helps towards a healthy lifestyle, as well as bringing benefits of social interaction.

The popularity of golf in recent years has given birth to an abundance of new courses, a lot designed for the beginner or novice player. The days of thinking of golf as a sport for the privileged few are now long gone, however, it can be a little daunting to start with understanding some of the rules, terminology, and etiquette.

This article will hopefully get you started on being confident enough to give it a try or give you an insight into the game so you don’t feel completely out of your depth. As you read through to the end you will see colored links that take you to a particular topic which is explained in more depth. Should you have any further unanswered questions, no matter how trivial please feel free to email me in the comments section at the end of this post.

Golf Basics for Beginners

Golf can be an expensive pastime when you look around at all the equipment that is available. Lots of gleaming golf clubs from a variety of manufacturers all professing to be the best for your game and promising you will play like a top pro within weeks. It is advisable when you first start not to get sidetracked into buying a new set of clubs but start off with a half set of reasonable pre-used. Tips here on best golf balls for beginners.

Make a point of practicing the golf swing. Feel the rotation of your shoulders while keeping your balance. Don’t try to hit the ball, let the club and the golf swing do the work. Gradually your confidence will grow as you learn how far each club sends the ball, and when you know you are hooked on the game then is the time to consider a new set of clubs. Click this link to find out more about driving a golf ball.

Basic rules and Etiquette

One fundamental thing that you should know as a beginner is the basic etiquettes that are practiced by all golfers. The main etiquette is sticking to the rules even if you are the only individual aware of the infraction. Different from other games, there is no referee on the golf course and so individuals should apply the rules by themselves.

Don’t try to learn every rule to start with, as the rulebook is very thick covering every eventuality, and may deter you from playing. Here is a link for a quick guide to golf rules. Get used to the basic everyday rules to start you off. The more technical ones can be learned as you become more proficient. More here on golf terminology.

Mostly golf etiquette is basic common sense and good manners. Talking or moving around when another golfer is taking their shot or moving off before all players have driven. If you use a golf trolley, these should not be pulled onto the tee or green as the wheels may compact the surface. Being ready to play when it is your turn, or calling the group behind through if you feel your group is holding up play. These are all examples of golf etiquette.

Golf Terminology

As with any sport, golf has its own terminology concerning the various playing formats, scoring and quirky names for good and bad shots. Players can compete in a competition as a single or as a team with another player. Groups can tee off as a two, three or a maximum of four. A group of four players will obviously take longer than a two ball, so it is a courtesy to call faster players through. The exception to this is a single player who has no standing on the course, but if you feel pressure it is best to let them go so you feel comfortable. More here on Golf scoring.

The principal aim in scoring in golf is to be the player who has taken the least amount of shots. This is the basic format in stroke play which is used by professionals in all the major and ranking tournaments. Most new golfers are allocated a handicap by submitting three cards. Generally, the maximum for a male is twenty-eight and a female thirty-six. This handicap is adjusted as the player improves, and allows players of differing abilities to compete.

A scoring format that has become very popular over recent years is Stableford scoring, invented by a doctor of the same name that formulates on a points system. Unlike stroke play points can be accumulated from each hole, still adjusting for handicap, but it is the player with the highest score that wins. Explaining how stableford works.

Whichever scoring format is used everything is based above or below the par for the hole. A Birdie is good as it is one under par. An Eagle is a terminology for two under par and an Albatross or double Eagle which is very rare indeed is three under par. The opposite of this is termed a Bogey for one over par or a double or triple Bogey for two or three over. More here on defining what a bogey in golf is.

Course layout

A standard golf course is made up of eighteen holes, but due in part to the time it takes to play there have been more and more nine-hole venues opening. Each hole is allocated a par depending on the length and the difficulty. In addition to this and can be seen on the scorecard each hole has a stroke index which signifies difficulty. A stroke index of one indicates the most difficult hole ranging through to eighteen which is considered the easiest.

A par three is the shortest and a scratch player, or a player with no handicap adjustment is expected to complete the hole in three strokes. Similarly, a par four completed in four shots and par five in five strokes. The tees are divided to red at the front for ladies, yellow as the tee of the day and white are the medal tees at the back. This layout can vary between some courses, which have introduced a blue tee for juniors & seniors which is in front of the red tees.

Golf Driving Range

A golf driving range or practice area is the first place to experiment with building a golf swing that suits your particular stature. A common misconception is that we should all try to develop a standard swing like the top professionals. This is great if you have the athletic physique and inbuilt talent, but most of us have not. So it is more important for a beginner to practice a simple swing that works automatically without thinking.

A golf swing needs to be ingrained in the psyche so that it can be performed naturally for every shot without clouding the brain. Worrying about the grip, the stance, and how far you are turning your body while performing the swing will just lead to mis-hits. The aim is to get the swing to perform without thinking similar to as you are when driving a car. Read this article to find out more about using a simple golf swing.

How to choose the correct club for a shot

Once you have perfected a golf swing that suits you and you feel comfortable with, you will then be able to differentiate between the clubs and practice increasing the distance and accuracy. A set of clubs is made up of Woods and Irons. The woods are the driving tools for hitting long-distance shots, the irons have individual loft degree faces which allow you, after time, to establish which club depending on the distance from the green. The putter is used when reaching the green. More tips here on rangefinders to establish distance.

Conclusion

Golf is one of those sports that is never really mastered. Even by the top tour professionals who can win a major tournament but then for some unexplained reason quickly drop down the rankings to obscurity. A lot of it boils down to mind control. So if you take your time and practice getting a comfortable golf swing, gradually your confidence will grow. Hopefully, you will make new friends and playing partners which will lead to a healthy lifestyle with this wonderful sport.

[familygolf-blog]

How a 28 handicap player scores with Stableford

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How a 28 handicap player scores with Stableford

Up until the late 1920’s golf was always played and scored on a stroke play basis, where every shot is recorded based on the rules of golf laid down by the R & A. Professional tournaments around the world still use this format for competition. This is why when you watch a ranking event the scoring is based on the par for the course. So a player will be trying to go round the course in as few shots as possible.

This is a great way of playing golf if you are a proficient player, but can be soul destroying if a beginner or novice. Losing a ball on the first or second hole can leave you in despair for the rest of the round and even create further turmoil as you push your shots to try to make up the deficit. For more tips on driving straight click here.

Helping to speed up play.

In 1931 an avid golfer by the name of Frank Stableford who was a doctor in Liverpool recognised this problem and devised a new form of scoring which is widely used and accepted at club level today. The system is based on points scored, which relieves the pressure on a player as they can pick their ball up if there is no chance of scoring on that particular hole.

The first competition to incorporate the new Stableford rules was played at Wallasey & Liverpool golf club in May of 1932. Such was the success of the new format that word spread quickly and the new way of playing has been universally recognized. I would point out that this system should not be treated as a cop out of the main stroke play method but a format of play to build confidence, increase the speed of play, and raise enjoyment of the game for all standards of player. A rangefinder will give you accurate distance.

As the title of this article suggests I will explain the Stableford scoring based on a player with a handicap of 24, so other handicap levels can adjust accordingly. The principle of scoring is opposite to stroke play; in as far as the player who has accumulated the most points at the end of the round is the winner, rather than stroke play which is based on the lowest score.

When looking at the scorecard of the course you are playing, you will note beside each hole is the stroke index which is numbered by perceived degree of difficulty, with stroke 1 being the hardest up to 18 being the easiest. A 24 handicap player would receive a shot on every hole plus a further shot on stroke index 1 to 6. Making a total of 24.

Stableford Scoring System

Points are scored on the basis of 2 points for a par, so consequently, a player would score 3 points for a birdie, which would be 1 under par, and 2 under par would be rewarded with 4 points for an eagle. The alternative of this is 1 point for a bogey or 1 over par and no score if 2 or more over par.

Here are some examples in the case of the 24 handicap player for clarity:-

Hole 1, is a par 4 with a stroke index of 9, our player gets a bogey 5 but claims a shot and scores 2 points. Hole 2 is a par 5 stroke index 6, our player pars the hole but with their 2 shot handicap allowance is equal to an eagle 3 which earns them 4 points.

The round continues with the benefit of any player being unable to score on a hole can pick their ball up and after their playing partners have putted out continue onto the next hole. This not only makes the game more enjoyable by relieving some of the stress but also helps to speed up play and so avoid frustration for all.

[familygolf-blog]

Five Golf Etiquette Rules to Solve Slow Play

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Five Golf Etiquette Rules to Solve Slow Play

With ever-increasing numbers of people realizing the multiple benefits of playing golf as a competitive sport, as well as the healthy open-air lifestyle it brings, the problem of slow play is getting to be the biggest drawback of the game.

The golf governing bodies have been trying for some time to introduce measures into main televised competitions of ways to speed up play by professionals. After all, when people watch the television coverage of the sport these top golfers are role models; viewers may think that the time they take is the norm for standard club play.

Slow play in Golf tournaments.

Not all professionals are slow players, but some seem to take an inordinate amount of time in discussing shots and club selection with their caddies, and walking around the green several times surveying the putt from every angle. I appreciate that golf is their livelihood and there are huge amounts of prize money at stake but what effect is this having on their fellow competitors and the game in general.

New Rules to help combat slow play

It seems at last that the USGA has agreed with other golf governing factions that action needs to be taken, and proposals are to be trialed that each group of professional players in a tournament will be accompanied with a referee. With such a major change will also come experimentation to reach a fair conclusion, but the initial rule will be a 40 second time period for a player to take their shot.

Hopefully, club and casual golfers will watch tournaments and see play speed up and encourage them to be more aware of the damage slow play is doing to everyone’s overall enjoyment of this wonderful sport.

Slow play is not caused by conscious effort, but by getting so engrossed in one’s own game that they forget that other players are on the course. Players need to keep in mind that the following tips are not meant to rush your shots but to use common sense when moving around the course and be ready to play when it is your turn.

Here are some of the main causes of slow play that players can easily rectify, and by being aware hopefully bring more pleasure to their game as well as others. Even a slow player can be held up by inexperienced players in front of them. This will cause frustration which can lead to the shedding of shots, so it is in every body’s interest to keep in mind the following tips.

Check you have the required equipment

Allow yourself time when arriving at the course, to make sure you have all the equipment you need and you are dressed ready for the weather. Do you have enough balls, tee pegs, ball marker for the green, pitch repairer, pen or pencil and a golf glove if you wear one?

When obtaining your tee time from the pro shop, get confirmation of the color of tee you will be playing from as well as any local rules in place. It is good to know in advance if any area is under repair or if winter rules are in force for instance.

Give yourself time

Make your way to your first tee arriving a few minutes early so you can swap scorecards and agree with handicap and the format of play with your competitors. Remember that if you are playing stroke play every shot needs to be recorded, but friendly games are more enjoyable under the Stableford rules, where a player can pick up their ball if they are unable to score a point on any particular hole. Click this link for more information on the Stableford scoring system.

Once your group has teed off make your way to where you think your ball has finished. It is always advisable to use a marker pen on your ball so that it can be identified as yours. If you are in rough or long grass it is all too easy to play the wrong ball which will cost you a penalty.

Time looking for a lost ball

Now you have found your ball you are free to help you’re playing partners if they are struggling to find theirs. So many times a game can be slowed down by the whole group looking for each ball in turn. It is also worth remembering that the official time limit to look for a lost ball is five minutes from when you first reach the area where you think the ball landed.

Always be aware of the provisional ball rule. If a player has hit a ball into an area where it may be lost, it is wise to play another ball from the tee declaring it to be provisional. If the first ball is found then play continues as normal but if the first ball is lost the provisional is played as a third shot or three off the tee, which then saves the time of walking back to hit a new ball.

As you approach your ball, put your glove on and look out for yardage markers so you are aware in advance of which club to take. Or if you use a rangefinder or GPS watch for the distance which in some models will also indicate the club to take do so in advance of your turn to play. Click this link for more information on distance finders to help you save shots and reduce your handicap.

Over time, and with plenty of visits to the practice ground, you will become proficient and more confident in the club you hit for each distance. Try to contain your pre-shot routine to one or two swings, by doing more than this increases doubt in the mind as well as slowing play.

Calling the group behind through

Being aware of other players on the course is important; your group needs to keep up with the group in front, not just in front of the players behind. Four players in a group are referred to as a four-ball, and similarly three or two are referred to as three-ball and two-ball. A four-ball group is accepted to take more time so if they are in front of a three or two who are playing faster it is etiquette to call them through.

This call through procedure should be adopted at any time, to not only speed up play but also to take pressure off of your own game. There is nothing worse than feeling intimidated by looking back at the following group knowing they are playing faster than you and you are holding them up. Unless you are called through by the group in front, the accepted rule of play is on a par 3 wait for the green to clear, and a par 4 or 5 wait for players in front to take their second shots before playing from the tee.

If one of your competitors loses a ball the best policy is to inform your playing partners that you would like to call the group behind through to give more time to look and stand aside and use the time to collect your thoughts for the next shot. It is surprising sometimes how much time can be saved by offering to repair a divot or rake a bunker if a playing companion is struggling.

Tips to speed up play on the putting green

When reaching the green always walk around to the side which is nearest to the next tee before parking your trolley or laying down your golf bag. So many golfers walk up to the mouth of the green leaving their golf bag on the front fringe. After they have putted out they then have to walk back towards the following group who are waiting to play, which again adds more time to the overall round and keeps the group behind waiting which causes them unnecessary frustration.

When marking your ball on the green which should always be behind the ball, check out the line and make a mental note of the contours of the surface of the green. The player with their ball that comes to rest nearest the hole usually tends the flag, giving players furthest away more time to view their putts. More tips on becoming an expert putter can be found here.

As your opponents putt out keep check of how their golf ball roll towards the hole which will give you an indication of the speed of the green when your turn comes. When the last of your group has putted out, replace the flag and then make your way to the next tee before discussing the scores which can be entered before driving off from the next tee.

Etiquette on the golf course is basically good manners and being aware of others. It is all too easy to get caught up in your own game, by being excited about a good shot and distracted and despondent when hitting a poor shot. If everyone took note of the above tips and put them into practice, the popularity of golf will continue to grow for everyone’s benefit.

[coco-manus-blog]

Stableford scoring makes Barracuda Championship unique ... - http://wp.me/p8JR1U-3YO - #Barracuda, #Championship, #Football, #Scoring, #Stableford, #Unique