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The best-selling guide to Includes a run-down of top UK and European golf courses is now even better UK Edition

Master grip, stance, Golf Golf and swing

An entertaining Fix common faults and informative guide to the game of golf Improve your putting Whether you’re new to golf or a long-time novice, this best-selling UK guide Know the score on rules is guaranteed to get you into the swing of things. Now updated with new and etiquette step-by-step photos, new coverage of exercise and equipment, new tips Shape up with golf- for women, seniors, and lefties, and fun facts about golf history, it’s all you specific exercises need to take strokes off your game. Play the best UK and Gary McCord is a PGA Senior Tour champion and commentator for CBS Sports. European Golf courses Alicia Harney is travel and lifestyle editor for IPC UK’s Golf Monthly magazine.

Explanations in plain English ’ @ ‘Get in, get out information Icons and other navigational aids ߜ Find listings of all our books ߜ TM Online cheat sheet Choose from many different subject categories Top ten lists GaryGary McCordMcCord ߜ Browse our free articles A dash of humour and fun PGAPGA SeniorSenior TourTour ChampionChampion AdaptedAdapted byby £15.99 UK ISBN 0-470-01811-9 AliciaAlicia HarneyHarney $27.50 US GolfGolf MonthlyMonthlymagazinemagazine

™ McCord UK Edition Sport Harney A Reference for the Rest of Us! Get More and Do More at Dummies.com® Start with FREE Cheat Sheets Cheat Sheets include • Checklists • Charts • Common Instructions • And Other Good Stuff! To access the Cheat Sheet created specifically for this book, go to www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/golfuk

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Praise For Golf For Dummies “With his signature wit and irreverent style, Gary McCord once again proves that he’s not just a good golf analyst, but a great one!” — Peter Kostis, CBS Sports/USA Network Golf Analyst

“I can’t think of a more insightful or entertaining introduction to the game of golf. I wish I had had a book like this and a teacher like Gary when I was getting started.” — , PGA Tour Player

“Once again, leave it to Gary to tell it like it is!” — Chi Chi Rodriguez, Senior PGA Tour Player

“Gary is one of golf’s most charismatic commentators. His book proves no exception . . . a perfect blend of instruction and frequently hilarious anec- dotes that will have you doubled over with laughter even as you perfect the follow-through on your swing.” — , CBS Golf Analyst

“A must-read for anyone who cares about the game. Gary tells it like it is and then some. Filled with great tips, instructional photographs, and Gary’s famous sense of humor, Golf For Dummies is not to be missed. Stick it in your golf bag so you don’t venture out onto the green without it!” — Roger Maltbie, PGA Tour Player and NBC Sports Golf Analyst

“If you play golf, you must keep your sense of humor. Gary helps with both of the above.” — , ABC Golf Commentator and Captain of the 1998 US Team

“Like your favorite golf story, Gary just keeps getting better. This second edition continues to share the knowledge and insight, which makes Gary a masterful teacher as well as a winner on the Senior PGA Tour.” — Paul Hospenthal, PT, ATC, CSCS

“. . . should immediately be added to every golfer’s library . . . . It’s a fun reference for players of all levels, but especially beginners.” — John Marvel, The Valley Times 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page ii

“Everything you need to know from driving to putting. This is a new way to learn this old game. Very in-depth instruction. I use many of these techniques in our golf programs. Also in our golf clinics. Our members who have read this book loved it!” — Mike McLellan, South Florida PGA Golf Professional of the Year 1995 and Director of Golf, Boca Lago Country Club, Boca Raton, FL

“As a left-handed novice who hates to fail at anything, I can now view golf as something other than a four-letter word!” — Judith Orloff, President and CEO, Educational Discoveries

“Helpful, concise, and very funny. Golf For Dummies is a must-read for serious golfers and for those who are not so serious.” — Wm. Neal McCain, PGA Teaching Professional, Chicago, IL

“At last, a golf book for everyone – or, at least, those of us happy hackers who fancy ourselves as a cross between and Bill Murray in Caddy Shack.” — Bill Stedman, Sports Editor, Walpole, MA

“A breath of fresh air compared to the usual self-important, overly techni- cal golf instructional book. Charming, irreverent, goofy, informative and practical . . . uniquely McCord.” — Michael Dougherty, President of Gymboree Play Program

“Gary McCord is to be highly commended for putting together a very help- ful, easy to read, and instructional guide to golf without getting into the technical “mumbo jumbo” often found in traditional texts. I look forward to improving my team’s game (and my own game) with Golf For Dummies.” — Julio C. Diaz, Jr., Associate Athletic Director/Varsity Golf Coach, Fordham University

“I found Golf For Dummies to be an easy read with great instructions. I only wish it had been written over 50 years ago. Kudos to Wiley for making my retirement real fun again!” — Jack Berkowitz, Retired, Boca Raton, FL 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page iii

“Everything that one would expect in a first rate golf book: intrepid, relaxed, rhythmic, straightforward, high reaching, and . . . deadly accurate.” — Michael Featherston, President, I.C.B. International, Berkeley Heights, NJ

“Golf For Dummies will help anyone become a master of the game. Among his other tips, you’ll learn that the top ten excuses for a bad shot do not include calling yourself a ‘dummy.’” — Allan H. Weitzman, Attorney, Boca Raton, FL

“I learned more about the game of golf after reading Golf For Dummies than I ever did from any instructional video or club pro. I have a greater under- standing of how to approach the game, have more fun with it, and improve my score as well. I have a number of your books and I love them. Golf For Dummies offers the same terrific advice that your other books do.” — Timothy Burke, Mortgage Banking/Assistant Vice President, Brookfield, CT

“This book is a hole-in-one! Gary and John’s sense of humor make this an informative, fun read that is sure to create an epidemic of golf fever. After reading just half of it, I went out and broke 80 for the first time!” — Joe Stephens, Controller, Summit, NJ

“From the hacker who still hasn’t found a tree he doesn’t miss, this book is a must. If not for this book, I would have given up the first 18 holes and spent all my time at the 19th hole reading Beer For Dummies. My advice to prospective Golf For Dummies readers, read this book and hit ’em hard and long!” — Matt Kilcullen Jr., Men’s Basketball Coach, Manhattan College

“Gary McCord scores a hole-in-one in Golf For Dummies, superb instruction with a sense of humor.” — Faye Bildman, former Chairperson of Woodmont Country Club Golf Group, Rockville, MD 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page iv

Praise For Author Gary McCord “Best Host/Hole Announcer: Gary McCord (CBS).” — magazine

“McCord has become one of the best-known golf announcers in the coun- try, gaining respect for his honesty and humor, not to mention his handle- bar mustache.” — Aimee Ford, The Blade, Toledo, OH

“He has a great knowledge of the game and a great way of telling it.” — F. Stillson, St. Petersburg, FL, on why he voted for Gary McCord as the “Best Host/Hole Announcer” in Golf Digest magazine

“. . . he makes golf fun instead of boring to watch.” — D. Geyser, Redondo Beach, CA, on why he voted for Gary McCord as the “Best Host/Hole Announcer” in Golf Digest 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page v

Golf FOR DUMmIES‰ 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page vi 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page vii

Golf FOR DUMmIES‰

by Gary McCord and Alicia Harney

Foreword by Alice Cooper 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page viii

Golf For Dummies® Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd The Atrium Southern Gate Chichester West Sussex PO19 8SQ England E-mail (for orders and customer service enquires): [email protected] Visit our Home Page on www.wileyeurope.com Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex, England Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Chichester, West Sussex All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmit- ted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except under the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 4LP, UK, without the permission in writing of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc, 10475 Crosspoint Blvd, Indianapolis, Indiana 46256, United States, 317-572-3447, fax 317-572-4355, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions. Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE PUBLISHER, THE AUTHOR, AND ANYONE ELSE INVOLVED IN PREPARING THIS WORK MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DIS- CLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A - TICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES OR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL, ACCOUNTING, OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. IF PROFESSIONAL ASSIS- TANCE IS REQUIRED, THE SERVICES OF A COMPETENT PROFESSIONAL PERSON SHOULD BE SOUGHT. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE ORGANIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. SOME OF THE EXERCISES AND DIETARY SUGGESTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS WORK MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS, AND READERS SHOULD CONSULT WITH A PHYSICIAN BEFORE COMMENCING ANY EXERCISE OR DIETARY PROGRAM.

For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 800-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002. For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN-13: 978-0-470-01811-8 ISBN-10: 0-470-01811-9 Printed and bound in Great Britain by Bell & Bain Ltd, Glasgow 10987654321 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page ix

About the Authors A calm sea does not make a good sailor.

This ancient proverb describes Gary McCord’s approach to his job as golf commentator for CBS Sports. Over the years, he’s been referred to as irrever- ent, witty, approachable, colorful, and delightfully different, and he’s one of the few players to successfully make the transition from the to the microphone.

Gary McCord, a 25-year Tour veteran, stumbled into broadcasting when a CBS executive asked him to do color commentary by tossing him a headset with 15 minutes to prepare. CBS liked Gary’s style under pressure, and he was on his way to a career in broadcasting. He teams up with the very polished and shares duties with such names as , Peter Kostis, David Feherty, and others to bring a fresh and professional approach to what’s going on in the world of golf.

Occasionally, McCord has the opportunity to view the game from the other side of the camera, as a player on the Senior PGA Tour. Despite being under intense pressure, Gary maintains a lighthearted philosophy. “You just try to get your ball around the course and not hurt anybody. That’s my goal,” he says.

When Gary isn’t broadcasting or playing golf, he keeps busy with myriad other projects. He portrayed himself and served as a technical director in the golf movie , starring Kevin Costner and Don Johnson. He has also teamed up with Tin Cup producers Ron Shelton and Gary Foster to write and produce an upcoming film based on the life and times of “Titanic Thompson,” a notorious golf gambler.

Gary is also an accomplished author, writing the best-selling instructional book Golf For Dummies as well as a collection of essays and stories from his life on the Tour, Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists.

Gary possesses tremendous teaching ability and instructs and consults with more than 20 Tour players. With his friend and fellow CBS commentator Peter Kostis, he cofounded the Kostis/McCord Learning Center at Grayhawk in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In all his activities, Gary brings a sense of fun, never taking himself too seri- ously. He says, “I want to be known as a broadcaster who was a little differ- ent, started a new trend, made people look at golf a little differently. I’m not going to compromise myself. I’ll continue to push the envelope.” 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page x

Alicia Harney has been Travel and Lifestyle Editor for Golf Monthly and Women & Golf since 1999. She has hauled her golf clubs on and off planes, trains and ships throughout the globe in a ceaseless quest to discover the undiscovered and to write great things about the world’s greatest courses. Memorable trips include freezing at the top of a backswing in the Canadian Rockies whilst trying to avoid the attention of a bear in the woods, losing every ball in the bag plus every one of her partner’s at the Blue Monster course at Doral in Florida and almost taking out a window of a renaissance villa in Italy from a thinned bunker shot. She did manage to shoot a score below her at Carnoustie and Turnberry, two of the world’s hardest courses but you may want to stand well back when she’s teeing off.

Alicia may have one of the world’s most enviable jobs playing golf courses in hot, exotic places like Mauritius and St Lucia but her favourite place for a few holes is the home of golf – Scotland.

Author’s Acknowledgments I had some valuable assistance along this ink-highway and called upon a few well placed friends to enrich this epistle. Dr. Craig Farnsworth, author of the book See It and Sink It and the performance specialist for the Jim McClean Golf School at PGA West and at Sports Eye Enhancements in Denver, for his unique look into the eyes and how they guide the golfer to his or her goals. Tim Rosaforte, a true journalist who needs to read Golf For Dummies before we play again! Donna Orendar, who was my teacher and inspiration to get into this business of televised golf. She runs PGA Tour Productions and has a hand in every televised golf event you see on the air, so blame her. Paul Calloway, who has helped my broken and bent body to stand upright through bogies and birdies for the last 15 years. He was a valuable asset in this latest endeavor. Listen to his advice and enjoy your golf more. Dave Shedloski, for his solid writing and wonderful demeanor. Dave is a guy I can call in a moment’s notice for 3,000 words and get it back with no excuse. Come to think of it, if he is that good a writer, why does he have all that spare time? Jon Winokur, who is the King of the Lists, thanks for simplifying my life. Keep writing those books, Jon; the royalties will allow you to join a better country club!

My wife, Diane, is simply the best. My life takes on the appearance of a travel- ing salesman with a bad sense of direction. Her patience with my work and understanding with my schedule I am unable to comprehend. She is my life’s , and a better one I could not have. To my parents, Don and Ruth, my daughter, Krista, and my four granddaughters, Breanne, Kayla, Jenae, and Terra: You will all get free books. Thanks for thinking about me when I’ve been away my whole life. 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page xi

Alan “Mad Dog” Skuba, you got paid this time for editing so I’m not to going say anything nice about you this time. Stay literate.

Many thanks to Stacy Collins for chasing me all over the map and keeping my nose in the book. It must have been quite a burden traveling to Scottsdale, Arizona, during the winter.

I’d also like to thank the Indianapolis team: Pam Mourouzis, Stacey Mickelbart, Tom Missler, Maridee Ennis, Tyler Connor, Linda Boyer, Shelley Lea, Angie Hunckler, Brent Savage, Michael Sullivan, Janet Withers, and Melissa Buddendeck. Thanks for making and unmaking and remaking the changes to get this book just right! 01_018119 ffirs.qxd 10/26/05 6:32 PM Page xii

Publisher’s Acknowledgments We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Composition Services Media Development Project Coordinator: Maridee Ennis Project Editor: Simon Bell Layout and Graphics: Stephanie D. Jumper, Commissioning Editor: Jason Dunne Barbara Moore, Barry Offringa Development Editor: Daniel Mersey Proofreaders: Susan Moritz, Brian H. Walls Copy Editor: Martin Key Indexer: TECHBOOKS Production Services Proofreader: Kate O’Leary Special Help: Technical Editors: Dr Martin Toms and Rev Mengle Dr Matt Bridge, University of Birmingham Executive Editor: Jason Dunne Executive Project Editor: Amie Jackowski Tibble Cover Photo: Leland Bobbé/CORBIS Cartoons: Ed McLachlan

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies Kristin A. Cocks, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies Michael Spring, Vice President and Publisher, Travel Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel Publishing for Technology Dummies Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User Composition Services Gerry Fahey, Vice President of Production Services Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xiii

Contents at a Glance

Foreword...... xxiii Introduction ...... 1 Part I: Getting Started – No, You Can’t Hit the Ball Yet ...... 7 Chapter 1: What Is Golf? ...... 9 Chapter 2: The Fore! Fathers of Golf ...... 15 Chapter 3: The Gear of Golf ...... 29 Chapter 4: Getting and Staying in Golf Shape ...... 45 Chapter 5: Should I Get a Formal Education? ...... 71 Chapter 6: Where to Play and Who to Play With ...... 85 Part II: You Ain’t Got a Thing If You Ain’t Got That Swing ...... 93 Chapter 7: Getting into the Swing of Things ...... 95 Chapter 8: Developing Your Own Swing ...... 127 Chapter 9: Putting: The Art of Rolling the Ball ...... 137 Chapter 10: Chipping and Pitching ...... 171 Chapter 11: It’s Your Sandbox: Sand Play ...... 183 Part III: Special Shots, Conditions, and Considerations ...... 193 Chapter 12: How Tough It Is: The Weird and Wonderful Shots ...... 195 Chapter 13: Common Faults and How to Fix Them ...... 213 Part IV: Taking Your Game Public ...... 233 Chapter 14: Ready, Set, Play! ...... 235 Chapter 15: Rules, Etiquette, and Scoring ...... 253 Chapter 16: Gamesmanship or Good Tactics? ...... 275 Part V: The Part of Tens ...... 285 Chapter 17: Ten Timeless Golf Tips ...... 287 Chapter 18: Alicia’s Ten Excellent Courses for Beginners ...... 291 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xiv

Chapter 19: Alicia’s Ten Favourite European Courses ...... 299 Chapter 20: Gary’s Top Ten Favourite Male Players ...... 305 Chapter 21: Gary and Alicia’s Top Ten Favourite Female Players ...... 309 Chapter 22: The (More Than) Ten Most Horrendous Golf Disasters ...... 313 Part VI: Appendixes ...... 323 Appendix A: Golfspeak ...... 325 Appendix B: Golf Organisations ...... 343 Index ...... 349 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xv

Table of Contents

Foreword...... xxiii

Introduction...... 1 About This Book ...... 1 Why You Need This Book ...... 2 How to Use This Book ...... 3 How This Book Is Organised ...... 4 Part I: Getting Started – No, You Can’t Hit the Ball Yet ...... 4 Part II: You Ain’t Got a Thing If You Ain’t Got That Swing ...... 4 Part III: Special Shots, Conditions, and Considerations ...... 4 Part IV: Taking Your Game Public ...... 5 Part V: The Part of Tens ...... 5 Part VI: Appendixes ...... 5 Icons Used in This Book ...... 5

Part I: Getting Started – No, You Can’t Hit the Ball Yet ...... 7

Chapter 1: What Is Golf? ...... 9 Why Golf Is the Hardest Game in the World ...... 9 Goals of the Game ...... 10 A Typical Golf Course ...... 12 Chapter 2: The Fore! Fathers of Golf ...... 15 Where and How the Game Began ...... 15 Searching for Better Equipment ...... 17 The balls ...... 17 The weapons ...... 18 Putting for Dough: The Early British Tournaments and Champions ...... 20 Twentieth Century Boys ...... 21 , , and ...... 22 American legends ...... 23 The Brit pack ...... 25 Chapter 3: The Gear of Golf ...... 29 Golf Balls – What to Choose? ...... 30 How to Choose the Clubs in Your Bag ...... 32 Find an interim set of clubs ...... 32 Try this club on for size ...... 33 Made to measure ...... 35 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xvi

xvi Golf For Dummies

When You Know Your Game ...... 35 When to Use Each Club ...... 36 Tradition versus Technology: Keep Tinkering with Success ...... 38 Clothing ...... 41 Accessories ...... 42 Chapter 4: Getting and Staying in Golf Shape ...... 45 Understanding Why New Golfers Often Give Up ...... 46 Figuring Out the Five Essential Ingredients ...... 47 Considering the Three Key Concepts ...... 47 Structure governs function ...... 48 Physical training improves structure ...... 49 Exercise programmes must be golf-specific and, ideally, customised ...... 50 Sample Physical Tests and Corrective Exercises ...... 51 Test 1: The club behind the spine test ...... 51 Test 2: The standing balance sway test ...... 60 Test 3: The seated trunk rotation test ...... 62 Test 4: The seated hip rotation test ...... 66 Chapter 5: Should I Get a Formal Education? ...... 71 Finding Out What You Need to Work On ...... 72 Getting the Most from Your Lessons ...... 74 Be honest ...... 74 Listen to feedback ...... 74 Overcome your doubts ...... 75 Ask questions ...... 76 Stay calm ...... 76 Where to Go for Lessons ...... 76 Golf schools ...... 77 Driving ranges ...... 77 Local clubs ...... 78 Playing lessons ...... 79 Other Sources of Information ...... 79 Bookin’ it ...... 79 Monthly magazine fixes ...... 81 Golf online ...... 81 Golf on the box ...... 82 DVDs: Feel the rhythm ...... 83 Instructional gizmos ...... 83 Chapter 6: Where to Play and Who to Play With ...... 85 Driving Ranges ...... 85 Public Courses ...... 86 -time policies ...... 86 I’m here! Now what? ...... 86 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xvii

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Private Clubs ...... 87 Resort Courses ...... 89 Introducing Yourself to the First Tee ...... 89 When You’re the Worst ...... 90 Pick up the ball ...... 90 Look for balls by yourself ...... 91 Don’t moan ...... 91 Don’t analyse your swing ...... 91 When You’re Not the Worst ...... 91 Who Not to Play With ...... 92

Part II: You Ain’t Got a Thing If You Ain’t Got That Swing ...... 93

Chapter 7: Getting into the Swing of Things ...... 95 The Importance of Maintaining Balance ...... 95 Different Strokes for Different Folks ...... 97 Factors of Flight ...... 98 Hitting the ball ...... 98 Getting the ball airborne ...... 98 Creating the power ...... 100 Building Your Swing ...... 101 The grip ...... 101 Completing your grip ...... 107 Aiming ...... 107 The stance ...... 108 Knee flex ...... 109 Ball position ...... 111 The bottom of the swing ...... 111 The eyes have it ...... 113 One hand away ...... 115 Getting into the Swing of Things ...... 116 Miniswings: Hands and arms ...... 116 The body ...... 117 Unwinding ...... 118 Finishing: Looking the part ...... 119 Putting everything together ...... 120 Waggle/swing trigger ...... 121 Visualising shots ...... 123 Roll the film – take 83 – action! ...... 124 Chapter 8: Developing Your Own Swing ...... 127 What Type of Golfer Are You? ...... 128 Establishing Your Swing Plane ...... 129 Mastering the checkpoints ...... 130 At the top ...... 132 Going Where Others Have Gone Before ...... 133 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xviii

xviii Golf For Dummies

Chapter 9: Putting: The Art of Rolling the Ball ...... 137 Putting Yourself About ...... 137 Building Your Stroke ...... 139 The putting grip ...... 139 Putting posture ...... 143 Putting: Stand and deliver ...... 143 Letting the shape of your stroke dictate which putter you use ...... 146 Getting up to speed ...... 148 Reading the break ...... 149 Going against the grain ...... 150 Bobbing for plumbs ...... 151 Short Putts ...... 153 Long Putts ...... 155 The Yips ...... 157 The Art of Aiming the Ball ...... 159 Optics and alignment ...... 160 The eyes like lines ...... 162 Instant ‘preplay’ ...... 163 Speed kills ...... 165 Distance optics ...... 165 Optics and reading greens ...... 167 Points of the roll ...... 170 Chapter 10: Chipping and Pitching ...... 171 Golf Has Its Ups and Downs ...... 172 A Chip Off the Old Block ...... 174 Points of reference ...... 174 Which club to use ...... 176 The problem of lie ...... 177 How to hit a chip ...... 177 Make Your Pitch ...... 180 Chapter 11: It’s Your Sandbox: Sand Play ...... 183 Bunkers: Don’t Call ’Em Sand Traps ...... 183 The Problem with Sand Play ...... 185 To Be – or Not to Be – Handy from Sand ...... 186 The Splash ...... 187 Buried Alive! ...... 191

Part III: Special Shots, Conditions, and Considerations ...... 193

Chapter 12: How Tough It Is: The Weird and Wonderful Shots . . . .195 Remember to Eat Your Roughage! ...... 196 Dancing with the Trees ...... 197 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xix

Table of Contents xix

Special Shots ...... 197 Adjusting your heights ...... 199 Rollercoaster fairways: Sloping lies ...... 201 Small graves and divots ...... 202 Toupee Alert: Strong Winds Reported ...... 204 Waterworld: Days When You Can’t Find Dry Land ...... 206 The right equipment: Smooth sailing or choppy seas ...... 206 Rainy golf course conditions ...... 207 Four-season Golf: Weathering the Elements ...... 208 Northern exposure: Tips for wintertime golf ...... 208 Spring cleaning: Time to thaw out and get to work ...... 210 Summer fun: Making the most of sunny weather ...... 211 Autumn perfection: That’s you and the weather! ...... 212 Chapter 13: Common Faults and How to Fix Them ...... 213 Skying Your Tee Shots (Fountain Ball) ...... 214 Slicing and Hooking ...... 215 Topping Shots ...... 218 Duffing and Thinning Chip Shots ...... 220 Can’t Make a Putt? ...... 222 Shanking ...... 223 The Push ...... 225 The Pull ...... 225 Not Enough Distance ...... 226 Too Low ...... 227 Poor Direction ...... 227 Hitting from the Top ...... 227 Reverse Pivots ...... 229 Sway Off the Ball ...... 230 Belly Button Twist ...... 231 Your Swing Is Too Long ...... 231 Your Swing Is Too Short ...... 232 You Want More Backspin ...... 232

Part IV: Taking Your Game Public ...... 233

Chapter 14: Ready, Set, Play! ...... 235 Creating a Positive Attitude ...... 236 Warming Up Your Body ...... 236 Warming Up for Success ...... 239 Planning Your Game ...... 240 Strategy 1: Don’t be a sucker ...... 241 Strategy 2: Know that your driver isn’t always best ...... 243 Strategy 3: Play three easy shots ...... 243 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xx

xx Golf For Dummies

Take advantage of your strengths and weaknesses ...... 246 Overcoming the first-tee nerves ...... 248 Playing Other Games ...... 249 Keeping Score ...... 250 Practising ...... 250 Chapter 15: Rules, Etiquette, and Scoring ...... 253 The in 1744 ...... 253 The Rules Today ...... 254 Marking a scorecard ...... 256 Finding a lost ball ...... 258 Dropping the ball ...... 259 Teeing up ...... 261 Taking advice ...... 261 Etiquette: What You Need to Know ...... 262 The Handicap System ...... 265 Getting your handicap ...... 265 Calculating your handicap ...... 266 What your handicap means ...... 267 How to Keep Score ...... 267 Shots ...... 270 Out-of-bounds ...... 270 Airball or missing the point ...... 271 Unplayable lie ...... 272 Water ...... 272 Lateral water hazard ...... 273 Chapter 16: Gamesmanship or Good Tactics? ...... 275 Wanna Bet? ...... 275 The first tee ...... 276 Giving putts ...... 276 Picking Partners ...... 277 Tactics ...... 278 Never Give Up ...... 278 Playing with Your Boss ...... 279 Surviving a Pro-Am ...... 280 Get a caddie ...... 281 Be ready to hit ...... 281 Lose the mobile phone ...... 281 Get a yardage book ...... 282 Pick it up if you’re out of the hole ...... 282 Forget about your score ...... 282 Watch your feet ...... 282 Keep the advice to yourself ...... 283 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xxi

Table of Contents xxi

Part V: The Part of Tens ...... 285

Chapter 17: Ten Timeless Golf Tips ...... 287 Take Enough Club to Get to Your Target ...... 287 If You Can Putt the Ball, Do It ...... 288 Keep Your Head Fairly Steady ...... 288 Keep Your Sense of Humour ...... 288 Bet Only What You Can Afford to Lose ...... 288 Keep the Ball Low in the Wind ...... 288 Take Some Golf Lessons ...... 289 Do Not Give Lessons to Your Spouse ...... 289 Always Tee It Up at the Tee Boxes ...... 289 Never Blame Yourself for a Bad Shot ...... 289 Chapter 18: Alicia’s Ten Excellent Courses for Beginners ...... 291 Vaul Bay – Isle of Tiree, Argyll and Bute, Scotland ...... 292 Sherfield Oaks, Sherfield on Loddon, Hampshire ...... 292 Hilden Park, Tonbridge, Kent ...... 293 Richmond Park, Richmond, London ...... 294 Surrey Downs, Kingswood, Surrey ...... 294 Little Hay, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire ...... 295 Highbullen, Umberleigh, Devon ...... 295 Chesterfield Municipal, Chesterfield, Derbyshire ...... 296 Hereford Municipal, Hereford, Herefordshire ...... 297 Magdalene Fields, Berwick-on-Tweed, Northumberland ...... 297 Chapter 19: Alicia’s Ten Favourite European Courses ...... 299 Barseback, Sweden ...... 300 Le Touquet, North France ...... 300 Poniente, Mallorca, Spain ...... 301 Boavista, Lagos, Portugal ...... 301 San Roque, Cadiz, Spain ...... 302 Aphrodite Hills, Cyprus ...... 302 Caesar Park Penha Longa, Lisbon, Portugal ...... 303 Le Fonti, Bologna, Italy ...... 303 Crete Golf Club, Crete, Greece ...... 304 , Antalya, Turkey ...... 304 Chapter 20: Gary’s Top Ten Favourite Male Players ...... 305 ...... 305 Walter Hagen ...... 306 ...... 306 Fairway Louie ...... 306 ...... 307 Mac O’Grady ...... 307 Arnold Palmer ...... 307 ...... 308 02_018119 ftoc.qxd 10/26/05 6:30 PM Page xxii

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Titanic Thompson ...... 308 ...... 308 Chapter 21: Gary and Alicia’s Top Ten Favourite Female Players ...... 309 ...... 310 JoAnne Carner ...... 310 ...... 310 ...... 310 ...... 310 ...... 311 Annika Sorenstam ...... 311 ...... 311 Michelle Wie ...... 311 Babe Zaharias ...... 312 Chapter 22: The (More Than) Ten Most Horrendous Golf Disasters ...... 313 , 1996 Masters ...... 314 Gil Morgan, 1992 US Open at Pebble Beach ...... 314 Mark Calcavecchia, 1991 at Kiawah Island ...... 315 , 1990 US Women’s Open at Atlanta Athletic Club ...... 315 Scott Hoch, 1989 Masters ...... 315 Jeff Sluman, 1987 Tournament Players Championship at Sawgrass .....316 T. C. Chen, 1985 US Open at Oakland Hills ...... 316 , 1983 British Open at Royal Birkdale ...... 317 Jerry Pate, 1982 World Series of Golf at Firestone ...... 317 Tommy Nakajima, 1978 Masters ...... 317 , 1968 Bob Hope Desert Classic ...... 318 Roberto DeVicenzo, 1968 Masters ...... 318 Marty Fleckman, 1967 US Open at Baltusrol ...... 318 Arnold Palmer, 1966 US Open at the Olympic Club ...... 319 Arnold Palmer, 1961 at Rancho Park ...... 319 Billy Joe Patton, 1954 Masters ...... 319 , 1946 US Open at Canterbury ...... 320 Sam Snead, 1939 US Open at Spring Mill ...... 320 Ray Ainsley, 1938 US Open at Cherry Hills ...... 320 Roland Hancock, 1928 US Open at Olympia Fields ...... 321

Part VI: Appendixes ...... 323

Appendix A: Golfspeak ...... 325

Appendix B: Golf Organisations ...... 343

Index...... 349 03_018119 flast.qxd 10/26/05 6:41 PM Page xxiii

Foreword

olf is not a dumb game, but it can bring out the stupidity in the best of G us. Just the fact that the end of Tin Cup has Kevin Costner knocking 12 successive balls in the water couldn’t really happen . . . right? Wrong! That ending was based on a true life story starring none other than Gary McCord himself.

So don’t ever let Mr McCord refer to any of you as dumb. He has had some legendary moments of idiocy himself, and his were on TV.

Now the reality of this whole foreword. Gary is one of the most knowledge- able teachers to grace this game. Not only is he one of the best putters ever, he’s also one of the great strikers of the ball and actually one of the smartest. Behind that moustache, there’s something going on. We just are never certain what.

Your Pal and His Unworthy Student,

Alice Cooper

P.S. I don’t suppose we will ever hear the end of the great American saga – McCord’s first win on the Senior Tour. Every time he tells it, the winning putt gets longer and longer and longer. 03_018119 flast.qxd 10/26/05 6:41 PM Page xxiv

xxiv Golf For Dummies 04_018119 intro.qxd 10/26/05 6:33 PM Page 1

Introduction

elcome to Golf For Dummies. If this is the first golf book you’ve ever Wread, don’t worry. I’ve read more of them than I can count. My first thoughts about writing this book were no doubt similar to your pres- ent feelings about golf. I knew that I wanted to do it, but I also knew that it wouldn’t be easy and would take a lot of my time and attention. Did I want to devote most of my spare time to an endeavour of this magnitude? Why not? I haven’t given anything back to society in a while!

Besides, the whole thing sounded like fun. So is golf.

About This Book I want this book to appeal to players at every level. Although my buddies on the PGA Tour will probably read it just to see if I can construct a sentence, I like to think that I have something to offer even the best golfers. The guys I grew up with at San Luis Rey golf course in southern California will check out Golf For Dummies to see whether I’ve used any of their funniest lines. And I hope that the title will pique the interest of many people who have never played the game.

As you may already have spotted, I’m based in the US, so those thoughtful For Dummies people have teamed me up with Alicia on this book, who pro- vides the expert insights into British golf. Most of the time, you’re reading my take on the world of golf, but from time to time you’ll spot Alicia chipping in with some specifically British information.

In any case, you have in your hands an instruction-packed, wide-eyed look at a game full of fascination that will serve you for the rest of your days on the .

This, then, is no ordinary book. Most of the volumes you can find in your local bookstore are written by professional players or teachers. As such, these books focus solely on the . Golf For Dummies covers a lot more than the swing. This book ought to be the only book you need before you develop a golf dependency. 04_018119 intro.qxd 10/26/05 6:33 PM Page 2

2 Golf For Dummies

Having said all that, I’m assuming that you have dabbled with golf, have found that you like it, and would like to get better. In my experience, most people give golf a try before they pick up the instructions. It must be an ego thing, kind of like those people who don’t like to ask for directions when they get lost because they feel that it’s an admission of failure. Most people want to see what they can achieve on their own before they call in the cavalry. Then, if they still can’t find their way, they’ll admit defeat or become frustrated.

My aim is to get you beyond whatever stage your golf game is at without your having to resort to other texts. Golf For Dummies will build for you the solid foundation needed to become not just someone who can hit a , but a real golfer. There’s a big difference between the two, as you’ll soon discover.

Why You Need This Book If you don’t get help with the basics of the golf swing, you’ll be like the old me. When I started on the Tour in 1974, I was full of fight and enthusiasm but lacked a basic knowledge of golf swing mechanics. That was understandable to an extent. At the time, there wasn’t a lot of golf instruction around. Now most pros on the Tour have their own swing gurus travel with them. With all the money available in professional golf, you don’t want to stay in the middle of a slump for too long!

Anyway, before I learned how to really play the game, I recall warming up for play and trying to find a swing that would work that day. A warm panic would start to rise in me about ten minutes before I was due to tee off. Doubt and dread would surface and accompany me to the first tee. My brain would be racing, trying to figure out what swing thought (that one aspect of the swing that you meditate on to keep focused) I’d been working on so desperately. I rarely remembered. Most of the time, I’d be left with a thought like, ‘Keep the left elbow toward magnetic north on the downswing.’ Usually, that action resulted in a silly-looking slice into a small tractor parked 40 yards right of the fairway.

I swung the club that way for most of my gutter-like career. So I know what it’s like to play without knowledge or a solid foundation. Believe me, I’m a lot happier – and have a lot more fun – now that I know what I’m doing.

Don’t make the mistake I made. Here’s what will happen: You’ll be up at the end of the practice range swinging away. Sometimes you’ll hit the ball, and sometimes you won’t. If you have a fleck of athletic talent and good eye/hand co-ordination, you’ll start to improve. Those whiffs (swings where you miss the ball) will become less frequent, and you’ll begin to hit the ball higher and farther. Then, however, you’ll ‘hit a wall.’ Your improvement will slow to a trickle and then dry up altogether. You’ll be stuck at whatever level your inborn talent has taken you to. And you’ll be that golfer for the rest of your life. 04_018119 intro.qxd 10/26/05 6:33 PM Page 3

Introduction 3

Why? Because your technique – or rather, lack of it – won’t let you get any better. You’ll either be good in spite of your technique, or bad because of it. It doesn’t matter. You’ll be swimming at the deep end of a pool filled with gravy.

The reason I’m qualified to help you now is that I have made a serious effort to become a student of the game. When I started working on television, I didn’t know much about the inner workings of the golf swing. But my new job encouraged me to learn. My odyssey led me to seek advice from some of the world’s greatest teachers. If I was to be an authority on the game in front of millions of viewers, I had to know a little more about how to put the club on the ball.

My search led me to someone I grew up with in southern California. He has developed a knowledge of the golf swing that, in my opinion, is unequalled. His name is Mac O’Grady. He has researched his method since 1983 with a passion that is admirable. The result is a swing model that has been tested and not been found wanting, neither by himself nor by the many Tour players who follow his preachings. As such, O’Grady is sought by the masses. I have been lucky to study under him. I can’t thank him enough for his patience and friendship while guiding me through this maze of wisdom. I do not cover any of Mac’s models in this book; his knowledge is for a more advanced golfer. No one has ever called me advanced, so I’m gonna get down to basics.

How to Use This Book As far as reading the book goes, pick your spots. It isn’t designed to be read like a novel from cover to cover. If you’re a complete novice, read the glossary first. Learn the language. If you’re a little more advanced and need help with some specific aspect of your game or swing, you can find that information in Chapters 7 through 13. The rest of the book helps you make that jump from ‘golf novice’ to ‘real golfer’.

One curiosity of golf that you’ll spot me using throughout this book is dis- tances on golf courses described in yards. This isn’t just a dogged resistance to change or a strange fascination with all things Imperial – yards are the ‘industry standard’ measurements in golf. If I’m giving other measurements, such as how far apart to hold your hands on a club, I’ll stick to metric mea- surements, but for distances on the course, it’s yards all the way.

As my former boss at CBS, Frank Chirkinian, said, ‘Golf is not a game; it’s a way of life. If it was a game, someone would have figured it out by now.’

I hope this book helps you ‘figure it out.’ 04_018119 intro.qxd 10/26/05 6:33 PM Page 4

4 Golf For Dummies How This Book Is Organised This book is organised so that you can walk through the learning process of becoming a golfer. Beginners need many questions answered as they take on the game. I have arranged this book so that you take those steps one at a time and can return anytime for a quick reference. May this walk be a pleas- ant one!

Part I: Getting Started – No, You Can’t Hit the Ball Yet Where do I play, and what’s the course record? Wait a minute! You need to know what this game is about. You need clubs. You need to know how to swing the clubs. You may even want to take a lesson to see whether you like the game and then find golf clubs that fit you. In this part, I show you where to shop for clubs and give you some tips on the questions to ask when you make your purchase. Then I give you some ideas about what kind of golf courses you ought to play. Picking up golf is a never-ending learning process, and you can start right here.

Part II: You Ain’t Got a Thing If You Ain’t Got That Swing This part gets right to the point. I give you a close look at the workings of the golf swing and help with your mental preparation. You also get a good look at the short game, where most scoring takes place. I show you how to make those 4-footers and blast your way out of bunkers.

Part III: Special Shots, Conditions, and Considerations In this part, I tackle the tough shots and help you deal with the weather when it gets ugly. You will develop many faults during your golfing life, and this part addresses the majority of them. (You bought this book, so I won’t fault you for that.)