Get into the game - A beginner's guide to area golf

A lot of golfers who hit the links for the first time might expect to step right up to the tee and drive the ball down the middle of the fairway.

But before that happens, a few things quickly become painfully clear.

"It's a lot more difficult than you'd think," Sally Buerck of Perryville, Mo., said.

Beginners first have to learn how to stand, how to grip the club, where to look and even what club to use. Even after learning these basics the game can still be just as puzzling.

"I still swing a couple of times sometimes," Becky Kirby of Jackson said.

So if golf is such a frustrating and difficult sport, why do more and more people pick up a club for the first time?

For Buerck, golf was a way to stay active as her kids get older.

"We can play together, and yet we can each play our own game," she said of her and her husband.

"It's relaxing and a nice social event," Kirby added.

Like in any sport, though, even beginning players want to play well. Unfortunately, many want to be the next Tiger.

With the arrival of Tiger Woods in the past decade, golf has experienced a surge in popularity. It's also led to many first-time golfers putting too much emphasis on hitting the long ball like Woods.

Mike Uhls, head of the Heartland Golf Academy based at Arena Golf in Cape Girardeau, said before a beginning player even thinks about going out and hitting balls, learning the proper swing preparation is key.

"The biggest thing for them is the grip and posture," he said. "For a beginner, it's good to have a strong foundation."

Once a golfer learns the proper swing preparation and swing mechanics, it still may take a while to get over the big-drive complex.

"One of the biggest problems most players run into initially is that they are just trying to hit the ball," Jack Connell, an instructor at Dalhousie Golf Club, said. "Most players need to learn to focus on where to hit the ball rather than just hitting the ball."

Sabrina Tate, who teaches lessons at Cape Jaycee Golf Course, said it's important to start with the basics.

"You want to start out with good fundamentals of the game," she said. "I try to keep it simple, fun and light."

Something Tate finds just as important as learning the swing is taking the time to learn the rules and etiquette of golf. She thinks proper course etiquette is so important that she teaches a course on it.

"I think it's extremely important, and in fact it's more important for new golfers," she said. "It's just as important to learn etiquette as it is to learn a golf swing."

Once a beginner starts to gain confidence in his game, golf can become even more enjoyable.

"It's a lot more fun when you have an idea what you're doing," Connell said.

Even through a bad round of golf, one good shot can bring a spark of confidence to a beginner's eye.

"You have that one good shot, and that's what keeps bringing you back," Buerck said.

After playing golf off and on for almost a year, Kirby said she can't help but become more serious about the sport.

"You get to really checking your score," she said. "The more you play, the more competitive you get."

jjoffray@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 171