As a PGA Teaching Professional, I feel obligated to help golfers continually increase their knowledge and appreciation for The Rules of Golf. I typically start familiarizing folk brand new to the game with basic Definitions, Rules and Ettiquette starting right away. For example, I might start with a little course tour before I ever hand the person a club. “You see those two markers lined up with one another over there? Those are called tee markers. Got it?”
“Yes.” (note the lesson begins with the student being right: comfortable and succeeding)
“Good. Can you draw an imaginary line between them using your imagination.”
“Yes.”
“That’s the starting line. You have to start behind the starting line. Got it?”
“Yes.” (Big smile. Happy student beginning to get hooked on the game for the rest of their lives.)
“Okay. See down there a ways? Can you see that flag waving in the breeze.”
“Yes.”
“Can you see that it’s up on a stick?”
“Yes.”
“That’s called a Flagstick,” I tell the learner who’s quickly becoming a begining golfer and student of the game. Love that. “What’s it called?”
“Flagstick!”
“Excellent. Where did they stick it?”
“In a hole?” they say inquisitively.
“Correct!” I acknowledge.
“So, you start here” I point to the teeing ground. “And you golf your ball until it goes in the hole…Got it.?”
The comeback is usually something like “Sounds easy enough.”
“Yep. And if anybody ever comes along and makes it seem complicated , they’re wrong. Got it?
“Yep.”
They ask, “Just play golf.?
Exactly.
Is it every golfer’s duty to become a better student of the game? I think so. One aspect of this is The Rules. I feel strongly that we all have an obligation in this regard. Please do your part.
