One of the most unique aspects about golf is that it is a sport that you can play alone or with other players. Sometimes it’s nice to get out and play a round by yourself to work on your game or to find peace in nature, but most times it’s much more enjoyable to play with friends and even people you don’t know. Golf was created with the intent of playing in groups, so I want to dive in with you on why golf is more fun when playing with others.
- Make New Friends
Whether you consider yourself a seasoned veteran on the course or you’re new to the area and game, golf is a great and easy way for you to meet new people. What’s awesome about this hobby is that you don’t have to be a good golfer to make a friend. There’s no doubt that one hopes to be paired up with someone who has a similar skill set, but in this instance, just being a nice person can lead to making a new friend.
At the end of the day, golfing is meant to be fun and you truly never know who you will meet at your tee time. Life is about networking, and playing golf during peak times is a perfect opportunity to do so.
- Never Ending Ways to Play
In basketball, you can play knockout or pig. With tennis, you can play doubles. For golf though, there’s endless ways to play and keep score. Of course there’s the traditional way of playing your own ball, but there’s several other types of formats that you can play to make your round more interesting.
You can play a scramble where you and your partner always pick the best shot between the two or group, alternate shot where you rotate between strokes, “Skins” is a format where the player with the lowest score on the hole wins the hole (a tie would carry over to the next hole putting two skins on the line and so on) or even by way of a point system where instead of counting strokes, you award points. Example: 3 points for a birdie, 2 points for a par, 1 point for a bogey, and 0 for anything worse. There’s several other ways to play, but when playing with others the options are limitless.
- It’s Good for the Soul
There’s no doubt that we all have those days where we just want to be left alone, but according to medical professionals, it’s healthier for us to socialize. Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a psychologist, says that “we are social animals by nature, so we tend to function better when we are in a community and being around others.”
Given the current state of our world, we are in the midst of some sad and depressing times. Even though we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, it’s very healthy for people to interact and socialize together. Of course we have to at a distance to keep everyone safe, but it’s important to keep our brains sharp and our hearts happy. If you are feeling alone and in need of some company, going to the golf course and playing a round with someone may be exactly what you need.
-Austin Ebersole, Head Golf Professional at American Classic GC
In part 1 of our starter pack blog, we covered what equipment new golfers must have to get started in golf. This beginner golf “starter pack” included clubs, balls, and tees, and we talked about how these essential items can be acquired cheaply and quickly. Now that you have a general idea of the equipment needed to get started, getting out onto the course is within reach!
While the necessary equipment needed in golf is pretty straightforward and easy to acquire, it can still be challenging for new golfers who have never played before to smoothly transition into playing on public courses. Between the extensive etiquette rules, confusing golf rules, dress codes, and other golf nuances it can seem overwhelming trying to start. This can certainly be a lot to grasp, but it is really a lot simpler than it appears!
When looking to play on public golf courses, it is always best to call ahead and book a tee time (you can book online most places too) rather than just showing up. During the golf busy season, most courses will not be able to get you out without booking a tee time in advance. Golf courses make booking tee times a very simple process, and golf courses will allot four people per tee time slot. This means that each tee time will allow for a maximum of four people per group. Here at the American Classic we book our tee times in 10 minute increments, meaning that every 10 minutes a new group will tee off. This allows for each group to get out ahead of the group behind them, which helps the course flow smoothly. If you have a 9:00 tee time, it is best to get there at least 15 minutes early to ensure you can check in and get ready to start at 9:00. The goal is to tee off at 9:00, and showing up exactly at your scheduled tee time can make that nearly impossible. Late starts can hinder the pace of play on the course, so arriving early greatly helps the course! To book your tee time, simply call the course clubhouse or book online if your course offers it.
Now that you have booked your tee time and are ready to head to the course, let’s talk about some golf course etiquette rules that can apply to all public golf courses. To start, one of the most important etiquette rules to consider is pace of play. Pace of play relates to how long it takes to play your round, and how fast each group plays affects this. Since most courses will separate their tee times in 10 minute increments, it is important to aim to finish each hole in that allotted time. For example, if you are taking 15-20 minutes to finish one hole, you will hold up the groups behind you and hinder the flow of the course. Longer holes, like par 5’s and long par 4’s, will take some more time but these holes will also take the other groups longer as well. With that being said, you do not want to rush around the course and constantly stress over how fast you are playing. After all, golf is meant to be fun and relaxing, so finding a balance between keeping pace and rushing is crucial to your experience. Here are some tips to help you keep it moving without overstressing!
- Plan your next shot as you are moving towards your ball, not when you reach it
- Don’t be afraid to drop further along in the fairway or elsewhere if you lose a ball out of bounds
- Consider playing alternate game formats like a scramble
- Play “ready golf”- whoever is ready to go should hit no matter what
- Make sure to watch your ball all the way to the ground. This helps you find your ball quicker and can avoid unnecessary looking time
Continuing on with course etiquette, many superintendents and course grounds crew workers would be upset if golf course care was not mentioned. When playing on public golf courses, taking care of the course is very important. This mainly relates to fixing divots and the ground in which you play on. A divot is a piece of turf that is dug out of the course when playing a shot. If you have torn up some turf on a shot (this is normal and will happen) replacing the chunk that flew out can speed up the recovery process and also fill in the hole left in the turf. Many courses will also provide you with seeding/sand and ask you to fill the areas tore up to help the turf recover. 
The greens are the most delicate part of a golf course, so always be cautious and try not to damage them. Do not drive your golf cart on the greens! That may seem obvious, but I have seen some crazy things on the golf course. Fixing your ball marks/divots on the greens is also a crucial aspect of taking care of the course.
A final thing to consider regarding etiquette is the course dress code. Many courses will not allow clothing items like jeans or non-collared shirts, so make sure to ask before you head over. Here at the American Classic we are laid back about this and do not have a dress code, so feel free to wear whatever you are comfortable with when playing here!
Booking tee times, showing up early, keeping pace, and taking care of the course while playing will ensure a smooth and fun transition into golf! In the beginning, I would not stress over every little golf rule, and focus mainly on these etiquette basics while having fun with your friends on the course. Golf is a great game, and following these basics will make getting out onto the course stress-free!
-Sam Cresta, Assistant Golf Professional at American Classic Golf Club
Book A Tee Time For American Classic Here!
Have you often wondered about how you can make your lawn at home look like a golf course? Multiple times throughout the year, we are asked “What do you guys do to keep your grass looking so alive and green?” People see the beautiful bluish green colors and are amazed at how well the grass looks. With some proper care and grass knowledge, we are excited to share with you how to make your lawn look like the golf course.
The first step in having a beautiful lawn is to understand your soil and the climate you live in. Here in the Mid-Atlantic region, we have one of the toughest climates as it can get as hot as the south in the summertime, and as cold as the north in the winter. You can always pick different grasses that blend together and bloom when one goes dormant, but it’s important to choose when you want your grass looking the best.
For most people, summer is when you want your lawn looking the prettiest as it is when you are able to enjoy it the most. Because of this, you should pick a grass that does well in warmer weather. Fescue, Rye, and Bermuda grasses are a few types that we have on the golf course, and they do well in different ways. The Fescue and Rye can sustain the summer months when properly watered and not cut too short, while the Bermuda doesn’t require much water at all, but only keeps it’s green colors in the hot summer months. If we were to suggest which grass to choose, we recommend going with a fescue and cutting it no shorter than 3 inches, and allowing it to grow a little longer in those scorching hot summer months of July and August.
After you understand your soil and climate, and choose the right grass type, it’s also important to have irrigation. When it’s not raining on a consistent basis, your grass needs to be watered to stay alive. The important thing to know when watering is that you don’t want to over water because the sitting water can cook the grass in the middle of the day, and that you should try to avoid watering overnight as that becomes the time when fungus and other diseases thrive. We suggest watering early in the morning for the sun to help dry up the excess water, and occasionally watering throughout the day to help keep the grass cool. When you see us watering on the course in the middle of the day, it’s not to grow the grass, but to keep it cool and prevent it from burning up.
If you want to have a beautiful lawn, not as much work and effort is required as you would think. Understand your soil and get it aerated every now and then to allow oxygen to get to the roots, and choose your desired grass type and water it correctly. If you do this process in the Fall and overseed again in the Spring, you will be very happy with the results.
Knowing this information will help turn your yard around in no time, and you’ll be able to take those practice swings you’ve always wanted. . . at least until you take that first divot and cry a little inside after all your hard work and money gets chopped up. We can tell you that in this moment, you will finally know how it feels to work on the grounds crew at the golf course. Enjoy your grass though, and let your neighbors be jealous of how beautiful it is.
-Austin Ebersole, Head Golf Professional at American Classic Golf Club