Beginner’s Guide to Sounding Like a Golf Pro

Playing golf is one thing, but let’s start first with understanding golf and then sounding like you know a little bit about the game of golf. I was once intimidated by talking about golf because I didn’t know anything about the game. As many of us know, a lot of networking happens on the golf course so understanding how it’s played could help you in a number of ways from growing your client list to even getting a new job.

For me, living in Jacksonville, Florida adds a little bit of pressure to understand the game of golf.  The Players Championship (TPC), likely one of the biggest golfing events in the world, takes place here every May. Golf fans from around the world take part in the week-long festivities and attend the tournament. From private events to corporate and brand hosted VIP receptions, there’s something for everyone to do during TPC and a perfect occasion to have a fun girls’ day out.

Use my tips below to help you sound like a golf pro and better understand how the game is played.

 

 

Understanding The Golf Course

• A standard, full-sized course consists of playing 18 holes.
• Golf courses include areas such as teeing grounds, fairways, and putting greens, plus rough and all other areas that are within the boundaries of the golf course.

Common Golf Terms

1. Par: The standard number of strokes in which a non-handicapped player (scratch player) is  expected to complete an entire course, tournament, or hole.  For example, most 18-hole golf courses not designed for championships have a par close to 72.
2. Birdie: A basic scoring word to signify a hole in one stroke.
3. Mulligan: Something that only happens in causal golf but never in the profession, a mulligan is when a player gets a second chance to redo a shot without it counting as a stroke or getting any penalties.
4. Hook: When a shot takes a far left or right from the original direction depending on whether the player is right-handed or a lefty.
5. Fairway: The fairway is the path from the starting point of the hole to the actual hole itself.
6. Teeing Grounds: Teeing grounds is the area where the player starts to play a specific hole. Sometimes called the “Tee Box.”
7. Putting Green: Putting green is where that hole is and where you want the ball to end up.

 

Pre-Gaming Event and Fun

No good golfing tournament or event is complete without some pre-gaming activities. (Did you think only football games enjoyed some good pre-gaming?) To ensure you and your friends have a great time, follow these tips:

• Plan the drinks: Don’t forget the wine! Before heading to the golf course or attending a golfing event, make sure you and the girls enjoy a fine glass of wine.  I recommend trying the Concho y Toro wines by Gran Reserva, the perfect wine to enjoy pre-golfing activities. Refreshing, full of flavor, and colorful. If you’re lucky, the venue will also allow you to BYOB so be sure to have an extra bottle ready to go to enjoy during the tournament.
• Plan the food: Wine pairs well with cheeses, crackers, berries/grapes, and dips. No need for heavy foods which makes planning your pre-gaming a lot easier.
• Plan the friends: Good girlfriends are like wine, they get better with age! Invite your friends two weeks out, at least, so that everyone can clear schedules. Ask them to bring a side dish if they offer to bring something.

Go Golfing!

Best way to understand golf is to try it!  Enjoy a $25 credit on a round of golf at major golf courses nationwide courtesy of Concha y Toro Gran Reserva. Find a specially marked bottle necker where you buy wine. And you can also enter a great sweepstakes to win – one year of free golf. Check it out!

 

 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.