Many golfers, including myself, have been patiently waiting for the weather to break so we can get back onto the course and into the swing of the 2021 golf season. The weather has been pretty terrible this month, and the cold temperatures, rain, and snow we have seen here in Delaware have not been optimal for golf. Wednesday’s 55-degree day proved to be a bright spot on a pretty horrible month weather-wise and provided us with optimism and hope that the golf season is not too far away. I certainly saw the enthusiasm from our golfers here at the American Classic Golf Club that Wednesday as the tee sheet quickly filled up with golfers excited to finally get out and play again.
While many beginner and experienced golfers are starting to get ready for the 2021 season, many others have interest in playing but do not know how to start or what they need to get into the game. Understanding the basic golf essentials needed to get into the game can seem overwhelming for those who have never played, but it is a lot easier to get started than it seems. Hopefully this blog will help get you one step closer to hitting the course!
If you are sure you want to get into golf, having a set of golf clubs is definitely needed. A few weeks ago, I wrote an in-depth blog on all things golf clubs, so I will just cover the important details here. The main golf clubs include irons, woods, hybrids, and wedges. While club manufacturers sell these clubs individually, I recommend purchasing a full set to start out. There are many affordable full sets available for men and women that will have all the clubs you need to get started. There is absolutely no need to spend a ton of money on your first set of clubs and purchasing a full set can be an affordable way to get started. I would also like to mention that many golf courses have clubs available to rent, so if you wanted to play a few rounds before investing in your own set it could be worth it to rent first.
The next things you will need are golf balls and tees. Golf balls are not included with your round, so you will have to purchase your own. Brands like Top Flite, Spalding, and Wilson are inexpensive golf balls that are perfect to start out with. You can get 15 of these golf balls for 10-15 dollars, while other balls like Titleist Pro V1s and TaylorMade Tp5s can be up to 56 dollars per dozen. In my opinion, there is no reason to spend a lot on golf balls when you are starting out, as you are unlikely to notice any difference between a 5-dollar Titleist ball and a 1-dollar Top Flite ball in the beginning of your golf journey. In the beginning, you will also lose more balls in water hazards and other out of bounds areas on the course, so it makes sense to start with a cheaper ball. When I play a Titleist or another expensive golf ball and lose it in the water or elsewhere, I always think “welp, there goes 5 dollars.” As you begin to improve and start playing more often, upgrading to a premium golf ball can certainly have its advantages and is worth it, but I would recommend starting with cheaper balls.
Golf tees are also essential items when starting out and are inexpensive. You can purchase a package of 50-100 tees for 5-10 dollars, and they are also easy to come by on the course. Tees come in sizes ranging from 1-4 inches and starting with a 2-3.5-inch tee is totally fine. Any package of tees you can find at your courses pro shop or online will be fine and work well for you on the course.
Once you have clubs, balls, and tees, you have just about all of the essential items needed to hit the course! One thing I recommend before taking on the course for the first time is considering hitting a few buckets at a driving range or hitting net. It is best to avoid hitting your first ever golf ball on the 1st tee of a golf course, so hitting at the range or net can be beneficial.
These are the basic and general items needed to get started, and in another blog going forward (Part 2), we will cover the basic etiquette rules and other items that will help you get out onto the course.
Hope to see you all out on the course soon!
-Sam Cresta, Assistant Golf Professional at American Classic Golf Club
Have you ever heard the phrase “you can’t outwork a poor diet”? Well, it’s true! Your body needs healthy fuel in order to perform at its best. Eating healthier foods and staying properly hydrated can help increase your energy, mood, and golf performance. Check out 3 of my golf nutrition tips below!
1. Proper Hydration
In order to perform at your best you need to be properly hydrated. How do you figure out how much water you should be drinking during a day? Calculate half of your bodyweight in ounces and that is how much water you should be drinking each day. The Titleist Performance Institute suggests to drink 25% of your daily water intake when you wake up in the morning, 50% of your daily intake while you are playing your golf round and the last 25% of your daily intake post-golf round and throughout the rest of the day. This only accounts for water; so soda, coffee, and other drinks do not count towards your daily hydration intake.
2. Breakfast IS The Most Important Meal Of The Day
Whether you have an early tee time or a later tee time, you need to make sure you eat breakfast! Eating a nutritious breakfast can actually set the tone for controlling your blood sugar for the day. When you wake up you are in a “fasted” state and your blood sugar is low. So it is important to eat protein, healthy fats, and carbs (in that order). Proteins break down slowly and do not spike blood sugar levels, which make them a great nutrition source for breakfast.
3. Eat Whole Foods
Whole foods are foods that have been changed as little as possible. Examples: animal protein, fruits and veggies, nuts, beans and legumes, and grains. Eating whole foods will give you almost all the nutrients your body needs. So for more energy & more nutrients before, during, and after your golf rounds, choose snacks/meals that are made of whole foods. Example: Instead of getting crackers or cookies to snack on during a round, choose jerky or a piece of fruit or even a handful of nuts.
As a golfer, it is important to have good nutrition, hopefully after reading this blog you have some tools to change your nutrition to improve your swing in the process! Golf fitness training will be available at American Classic GC starting March 1st. For more golf fitness education and training, email me at brittmmorrison@gmail.com to set up a fitness assessment!
-Britt Morrison, TPI Level 2 Fitness Trainer
One of the hardest things to do from time to time is to find something that you and your significant other can do in your spare time together. We all love to sit on the couch and binge watch our favorite tv shows and movies together, but have you thought about ways to get outside and be active? Of course there’s taking long walks, going on a hike, taking a bike ride, and other types of great ways to enjoy the outdoors, but have you thought about playing golf together? Believe it or not, but golf can be one of the best ways for you to spend your time together!
For those of us who consider ourselves to be golfers, we know that golf is a lot like everyday life. You have your good days and your bad days, as well as your remarkable shots and the strokes that got away. This can be seen exactly like life though, and be a great way for you and your partner to grow together. You’ll be there to support each other when the ball doesn’t fly as you wanted, but also be there to celebrate those shots that keep you coming back. It’s a great way to bond through the ups and downs of a round, but also to have someone to lean on through every round played together.
As mentioned before, golf is a great way for you both to get exercise and vitamin D. If the Doc is recommending that we all get 10,000 steps per day, then why not have some fun while getting your steps in? Walking 9 holes at the Classic can get you anywhere from 5,000 to 6,500 steps depending on where your shots are going. So the next time you miss the fairway, just remind yourself that it doesn’t hurt to get a few extra steps in. It’s always good to see the glass as half full!
Overall though, golf can be as fun as you allow it to be. When you look back on the earlier days of your relationship and think about all of the fun times you had together, playing golf with one another can bring back those same feelings again. You’ll be able to challenge each other, support one another, and laugh when the other messes up and says their favorite swear word. The fact that golf can help you reminisce on the “good old days,” as well as create new memories together, makes it a great way to spend time with your loved one.
-Austin Ebersole, Head Golf Professional at American Classic Golf Club