What you wear on a golf course matters for two reasons: most clubs have a dress code, and comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing helps you play better over four hours outdoors. Typical dress codes Rules vary widely. Public courses are often relaxed; private clubs can be strict. The usual expectations: Check the website or call before your … Read more
A rangefinder tells you the exact distance to a target, which removes much of the guesswork from club selection. The device is easy to use once you know a few tricks. How it works A laser rangefinder sends a beam to the target and measures how long it takes to come back. Most models are … Read more
Hitting a large bucket of balls with the driver feels productive but often changes very little. Effective practice is shorter, has a goal, and looks more like the course. Give each session a goal Decide before you arrive what you are working on: contact, start line, distance control with wedges, or putting speed. One goal … Read more
Golf is more fun, and you improve faster, when you play regularly with the same people. A league or a few reliable partners also gives you a reason to keep playing through busy weeks. Start at your local course The pro shop knows which leagues run at the course, which groups need players and which … Read more
Golf books will not hit balls for you, but the best ones change how you think about practice, strategy and pressure. A few have stayed in print for decades for a reason. Technique and fundamentals Short game The mental game Both pair well with the ideas in our guide to golf psychology. Statistics and strategy … Read more
Golf is unusual among sports because the playing field changes completely from one venue to the next. Knowing the main types of course helps you prepare and choose the right shots. Links Links courses are the original form of golf, built on sandy coastal land in Scotland, Ireland and England. They have few trees, firm … Read more
Golf is often seen as gentle, but the swing puts high rotational loads on the body, repeated hundreds of times a week for regular players. Most golf injuries are overuse problems, which means they are largely preventable. The most frequent problems Warm up properly A cold body is more easily strained. A few minutes of … Read more
“Golf cart” can mean two quite different things: the motorized vehicle you ride in, and the push cart (or trolley) that carries your bag while you walk. Both come in several types. Electric golf carts Most course fleets are electric. They are quiet, produce no exhaust and are cheap to run. Older models use lead-acid … Read more
For most golfers, more than half the strokes in a round are played within 100 yards of the hole. Chipping is the fastest place to save shots because the motion is small and easy to practice, even in a backyard. A basic chipping setup Swing with the shoulders, like a putting stroke with a little … Read more
Many golfers arrive at the course, tie their shoes and hit their first drive cold. The first few holes then serve as the warm-up, and stiff muscles are more easily strained. A few minutes of preparation fixes both problems. Why dynamic, not static Long, held stretches before playing can temporarily reduce power. Before a round, … Read more
