Three Signs That You're Ready To Move From The Range To The First Tee

Posted on: 18 July 2018

For those who are learning to play golf, the driving range should be the first place that you start. While you might be eager to head to your local course, doing so prematurely is apt to yield an experience that is frustrating to you and to the players behind you. Many golf instructors advocate spending plenty of hours at the driving range before you step foot on an actual golf course. Although your instructor may give you an indicator that you're ready to play your first round, here are some signs that can let you know you're ready.

You Can Hit Your Ball In The Air

New golfers often have trouble getting the ball in the air, regardless of the club that they use. A par-5 hole that stretches more than 500 yards is going to be miserable to play for anyone whose shots only travel along the ground, so it's important for you to be able to hit your ball in the air at the driving range before you tee it up for a real round of play. The key here is consistency. You should be able to hit your ball in the air on a regular basis before you book your tee time.

You Get Different Results With Each Club

A good swing coach will help you to work with each of the clubs in your bag so that you get different results from them. Golf can be frustrating if you can't get distance on tee and approach shots or get loft on chips. You want to see signs that you can use each of your clubs in their desired manner. For example, your driver should help you hit the ball the farthest, followed by your fairway woods, long irons, and short irons.

You're A Capable Putter

You don't need to be able to sink putts from across the green like the professionals that you watch on TV, but it's generally advisable to be a capable putter before you start to play rounds of golf. Your local golf course has a practice green, and there's no harm in visiting it with a handful of balls and your putter, perhaps after you've spent some time at the nearby driving range. There are a few ways to assess your putting. You want your weight, that is, the amount that you hit the ball, to be pretty accurate, and you also want to be able to read the greens so that you'll know whether to aim straight at the hole or to either side to account for undulations. Once you've checked these items off your list, you're ready to play.

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