Some truths of golf that beginners should know about

1 - The ball does not like being hit. It will react against this by doing it's best to lose itself in hedges, ditches and deep rough, and may even go out of bounds to defend itself.

2 - Whatever you do, do NOT not hit a green in regulation, as this always causes a three putt.

3 - You hit the ball on the range six times better than on the course.

4 - If you find your approach shots consistently missing the green to the right, the first shot you aim to the left to compensate for this will hit the blade of grass you are aiming at.

5 - Lay up shots are always your most perfectly struck shots of any round because you are not trying for distance, therefore they go too far and reach the hazard you are trying to lay up short of.

6 - It is not possible to incorporate the obvious lesson from rule number 5 into your general golf game

7 - Be happy when you are on the course - during any round of golf you will hit at least one shot that Tiger Woods couldn't have improved on - I don't think there is any other sport where this is possible.

I like!

Point 7 is great, that may get in my Venus Williams style notebook for study during play when it's about to go to hell in a handcart!

See also here (The Real Rules of Golf)!

It's rule 7 why it's tough to quit.

Rule #1 should be: Golf is a very hard game. Very hard. Remember that and use it as perspective while you play.

This one always brings a smile to my face.

24. If you want to hit a 7-iron as far as Tiger Woods does, simply try to lay up just short of a water hazard.

Number three really rings true. I no longer tell people how good I was hitting at the range. When you finally play with these people they will think you are a liar.

You might add:

Any swing thought that works, has a shelf life of three holes only, can not be reused during the current round with any success.

There should maybe be a sub-rule/thought in there somewhere:

"I got it. I got it! I GOT IT!..................................I don't got it......"

In my golfing experience, point 7 is called "The Come Back Next Week" shot...

Fo me it is usually my second shot to the last hole when I am already thinking about how good the first cold frothy will be once this hell round I've completely ruined is over..

Funnily enough, I once tried to think about this standing over my opening tee shot and guess what, it didn't work.

Strange....


Cheers