PHED 140

PREPARING FOR THE ON-COURSE EXPERIENCE

-Making the tee time:

If you want to play the same day that you wish to reserve a tee time, you can phone the Starter at the course at which you want to play. At Oak Marr you would call 703-255-5391, ext 1. However, if you want to play at Oak Marr or any other Fairfax County Park Authority public golf course on a day other than the day you want to play, please click on this link: .

- Checking in with the Starter:

The Starter (called by other names, such as the “play coordinator” at some courses) is the person who coordinates tee times on the course on the day of play. All courses reserve the right to start golfers earlier than the appointed tee off time, so they require golfers to check in with the Starter upon arrival at the course. Check-in times vary by course; Fairfax County Park Authority courses, such as Oak Marr, require check-in with the Starter at least 30 minutes prior to tee time. “Check-in” means just tell the Starter what time you have reserved a tee time and that you are present. Golfers are expected to check-in with the Starter before paying green fees. For a round at Oak Marr find the Starter by the back door of the clubhouse.

-Paying miscellaneous fees:

At Oak Marr you can pay for your round with cash, check, or credit card. If you donot have your own or borrowed clubs, you will need to rent clubs. If you play at a course other than Oak Marr, call ahead to make sure they have clubs to rent. Remember from your syllabus that loaner clubs from the golf school are not available for play on the course anywhere, not even Oak Marr. Nor may you share clubs from one bag; each player must have a bag of clubs, although there’s no minimum number of clubs you must have. You’ll need at least four clubs—a wood (probably not a 1-wood), a medium iron, such as a 5 or 7 iron, a pitching or sand wedge, and a putter. Also pay to rent a pull cart, if needed; carrying a full bag of clubs is not good for your back! At Oak Marr you will find the carts behind the clubhouse, just to the right of the back door leading to the course. You will also need five or six balls; you can buy them at Oak Marr for @ one dollar each. You will also need a green repair tool, a ball marker such as a coin, and some tees. If you do not have these things, you can purchase them at any golf course.

-Reviewing swing principles and previewing the golf course:

Good idea to review PHED 140 web notes by following the “Resources” link from our class home page, Even if you choose play at a course other than Oak Marr those notes from our on-course walk class will be useful.

- Getting your swing ready:

If you have time, you should putt some on the practice putting green, mostly to prepare for distance control by noting the speed of the green that day. Since the practice green is supposed to be maintained on the same schedule as the ones on the course, you should have a good idea forthe distance your putts will roll on the first hole of the actual course by putting on the practice green. Then, if you still have time, go to the driving range to hit balls with full swings, warming up at the range with short clubs first. You will only need a few balls to get your swing ready, however, so feel free to share balls with other players. If none shares with you, you can choose to leave any unused balls with the starter at Oak Marr, and hit them on the range after the round. At Oak Marr your last practice shot should be with a club from a tee that will go the distance needed for your first tee shot--@127 yards (blue tees)/95 yards (red tees)--less, if you plan to land short of the sand bunkers.

-Avoiding pain and embarrassment:

Go to the rest room just before tee time. There's only one porta-potty on the course at Oak Marr. I probably didnot need to mention this….

-Teeing off on schedule:

By tee time you should be at the first teeing ground. Leave your golf bag in the rough. Have a tee, ball, and club in your hands. At Oak Marr, if the previous golfers have departed the teeing ground of the second hole, you should be standing on the first teeing ground, ready to hit.

-Keeping up with the golfers in front:

You must be careful not to delay any golfers behind you. When the group moves out of range in front, your group should be ready to hit. Some courses, such as Oak Marr, have local rules designed to speed up play; be sure to read them on the scorecard or wherever you might see them posted. You will recall from our On-Course Walk class that at Oak Marr rules are posted on a sign between the clubhouse and the first teeing ground. I hope that you can play quickly enough by observing all the scoring rules and the suggestions that you read in the suggested readings and on your written exam. However, if you start slowing the players behind you, I want you to violate the scoring rules (but not the etiquette!), if that’s the only way to keep up the pace of play (designated 12-13 minutes per hole at Oak Marr). Examples would be moving the ball to a better lie to be able to hit it better and dropping a ball near the woods where your ball went in, if you did not hit a provisional ball. However, be sure to explain to your fellow players that you know better! Also, please observe the local Oak Marr rule—“If you are not on the green within four strokes, pick up your ball, place it on the green, and putt!”

-Don’t be discouraged, if you donot play well:

If you have never played golf before, you may be shocked to discover how difficult it is to play “well.” That is, you have to be great at the driving range to be good on the golf course. While most courses are easier than the ones the professionals play on in the TV tournaments, the holes and balls are the same size. Just have a good time, and don’t get down on yourself, if you are scoring poorly. Remember that those folks on TV who make it look so easy are the best players in the world! You have a lifetime to learn to play well. Start your improvement process by practicing the skills you learned in class and by playing frequently. Take PHED 144 next semester or sign up for private or group classes.

- Prove you did it!

When you finish your round, email a paragraph to me at to let me know that you have played at least nine holes on a golf course, and tell me how it went. Be candid, for your grade is not determined by how well you played or any standard other than whether you completed the round, following the rules and etiquette of golf. If you do not get an acknowledgment back from me within a couple days contact me. This is important, for I must know that you fulfilled this class requirement before submitting grades.

Seeya in PHED 144, “Intermediate Golf” or on the Oak Marr course or practice facility someday soon!

Joe