Starting with the right grip (the correct way to hold a club), you will be shown how to 'address' the ball so that you can putt, chip, or pitch the ball. When you address the ball, you line yourself up with the target and move toward the ball with the correct club. Posture, body position and the correct movements are all important. The movements that you learn, are put together to make 'the swing'. Golfers spend hours practising their swing as it is such an important part of the game.

Making the Shots

• holding the club
• putting
• chipping
• pitching
• the swing

Holding the club
The way you hold the club is called the grip. Your grip should be firm but not stiff. All golfers alter the way they hold a club, depending on the shot they are playing. Many hold their club in a 'Vardon grip'. Here, the small finger from one hand overlaps the other hand. For a stronger grip you can interlock your little fingers instead of overlapping them. If your hands are small, try a two handed grip, where all your fingers are touching the handle.

Putting
'Putting' takes place on the green at the end of each hole. With these shots, you are trying to get the ball into the hole, using a putter. (See Woods, Iron and Putters). Putting shots are usually short and well-controlled.

Chipping
When you are close to the green, you don't want to over hit the ball. The best way to get the ball onto the green is to 'chip' it. To make this stroke you can use an iron, a wedge or a special type of putter. Experience will help you to choose the correct club for different situations.

Pitching
Pitching the ball, is a type of shot halfway between a full shot (full swing) and a chip. A good pitch can carry the ball around 50m and it is the sort of shot used regularly on a pitch and putt course. On a large course, it the shot used when you are in sight of the green, but not close enough to chip the ball. You can make this shot with an iron or a wedge.

The Full Swing
A full swing is one of the hardest shots to make. It is made up of a series of movements including a back swing, a through swing, a forward swing and a follow through. The club head makes an arc shape as it travels through the air. Your body position, posture, stance, are equally important as you concentrate on balance, rhythm, and timing. A full swing can be fast or slow. You make this shot with an iron.

If you want to practise your swing, a golf range is ideal. Here, you can practise hitting lots of balls onto an open stretch of land. Try various positions and grips to see which are comfortable and practise different shots, rather than just hitting the ball as far as you can.

Golf Etiquette

• Stay well back when someone is taking a shot
• Stand quietly when someone is taking a shot
• Shout 'fore' loudly if you think your ball is going to hit someone
• Wait until the people in front of you are out of range before you play your shots
• If someone following you is playing a faster game, let them go ahead of you rather than hold them up
• Concentrate on your game so are ready to play and always be aware of other golfers around you
• Enjoy your game but don't fool around on a course - accidents can happen
• If you raise the turf on the course with your shot, then tread it back in so it repairs itself
• Don't take bags or trolleys onto the green
• Mark your scorecard at the start of the next hole, not on the green - so you don't keep people waiting.