1. Golfers call penalties on themselves

2. Safety

3. Wear appropriate attire

4. Arrive at least 30 minutes before your tee time

5. Check with the starter 15 minutes before your tee time

6. Turn off your cell phone

7. Check the scorecard for any local rules

8. Place an identifying mark on your ball

9. Don’t ever pick up a ball that’s not yours

10. Count your clubs

11. Offer single players to join your group

12. If playing a match, understand format and stakes

13. Lowest score on the previous hole tees off first

14. Player furthest from the hole goes first

15. Stand still and be quiet while others are hitting

16. Follow cart path rules

17. Don’t place golf bags on tee boxes or greens

18. Don’t ask for advice or give advice

19. Don’t practice on the course

20. Don’t swing your club until others are at a safe distance

21. Never swing at someone

22. Keep your distance when others are swinging

23. Don’t hit the ball until the group ahead is out of range

24. Don’t distract your playing partners

25. Don’t stand in the line of playing partners

26. Don’t walk while a playing partner is hitting

27. Don’t make noise

28. Always take care of the course

29. Fix ball marks

30. Enter bunkers from the low side and rake them

31. Learn the meaning of golf terms:

a. “Ace” is a hole-in-one

b. “Albatross” is three under

c. “Eagle” is two under

d. “Birdie” is one under

e. “Par” is the scorecard target

f. “Bogey” is one over

g. “Double Bogey” is two over

h. “Triple Bogey” is three over

i. “Short Side” is a missed approach with very little green to the hole

j. “Mulligan” is a second chance

k. “Chunk or Fat” is hitting behind the ball

l. “Thin” is hitting up high on the ball

m. “Gimme” is a short put that’s voluntarily conceded

n. “Flop Shot” is a high, soft shot

o. “Shank” is what no one talks about

p. “Slice” is when sidespin curves the ball to the right

q. “Fade” is a small slice

r. “Hook” is when sidespin curves the ball to the left

s. “Draw” is a small hook

t. “Waggle” is club movement before a shot

u. “Loose Impediments” are unattached natural objects

v. “Ground Under Repair” is a marked area where a player gets a free drop

w. “Scramble” is getting a pitch shot on the green and then in the hole with one putt

x. “Scramble” is also a team format where everyone goes to where the best shot lands and hits from there

32. Avoid Slow Play

a. Walk at a reasonable speed

b. Begin planning your next shot as you approach your ball

c. From club selection to hitting, 30 to 45 seconds

d. If you’re new to the game, set a stroke limit of 8

e. Write down your scores on the next tee box

f. Park your cart or golf bag on the side of the green toward the next hole

g. Limit the amount of time spent at the turn

h. Limit practice swings to 2

i. If the group behind you is nearby, send the first person to putt out to the next tee box

j. It’s extremely rude to not let a group play through that is waiting

33. While on the green

a. Don't step on your partners’ putting lines

b. Don’t stand directly behind someone or directly in front

c. If your ball is on a player's line, volunteer to mark it

d. If your ball is not furthest from the cup, mark it and clean it

e. Stand still when a player is hitting

f. Don't make any noise when your fellow player is preparing to putt

g. Be certain your shadow doesn’t cover a partner’s line of putt

h. If you don't have a caddie, be aware that you may need to tend the flagstick.

i. Generally, the player closest to the hole will manage the flagstick

o Make sure you don't stand on anyone's line

o Hold the flagstick at arm's length and don’t allow the flag to flutter

o Make sure your shadow doesn't fall across the hole or putt line

o Ask playing partners if they want you to leave the flagstick in the hole, remove it or attend it

o If you lay down the flagstick, place it off the green

o After everyone has putted out, immediately walk to the next tee

34. If you suspect a shot is either lost or out-of-bounds

o Play a second provisional ball

o You have three minutes to find the ball.

o If it is not found within that three-minute period, you must play your provisional ball

35. Anytime you hit a shot that you think has a remote chance of hitting someone, yell "Fore"

36. Brief displays of frustration are one thing, but outbursts of temper are quite another

37. At the end of the round, shake hands with your fellow players

a. There’s No Single Way to Swing

b. The Goal is to Try Out Options With 10 Balls on the Range or Nine Holes on the Course to Fit Your Body Type and Tendencies

c. Your Swing May Become Orthodox or Unorthodox

d. Learning Swing Theories Will Help You Manage Your Swing Coach

e. Your Natural Swing Motion Will Give You a Good Feeling Inside

f. Swing Video and Pressure Plate Feedback Help

g. You Have a Good Golf Swing in You

h. Once You Understand the Angle of the Club, Your Mind Will Automatically Develop a Swing

i. Rhythm and Tempo are Too Often Forgotten Parts of the Golf Swing

j. Big Muscles are Easier to Use, More Powerful, and More Consistent

k. Gravity Plays a Significant Role in the Swing

l. Centrifugal Force can Help

m. Ground Forces Generate Power

n. Tight, Tense Muscles are Slow Wobbly Ones

o. If Your Backswing is Smooth, There’s a Good Chance Your Downswing Will be the Same

p. Don’t Become Confused by Inconsistency in Golf Instruction

q. Four Swing Planes: On-Plane, Over Plane, Under Plane, and Mixture

r. Use an On-Plane Swing as a Baseline

a. Use an On-Plane Swing as a Baseline

b. Types of Grip

c. Takeaway to Match Grip Type

d. Halfway Into Backswing

e. On-Plane Swing, Flatter Swing, and More Upright Swing

f. Top of Backswing

g. Transition to Club Delivery Position

h. Impact

i. Follow-Through

j. Low Shot

k. High Shot

l. Release Patterns

Topics covered:

1. Get Fit for a Driver

2. Tee Height Influences Distance

3. Reference Swing Theory Videos

4. Linear Putters are Also Linear Drivers

5. Tee The Ball Strategically

6. Focus on a Small Target

7. Double Check Alignment

Topics Covered:

1. Introduction

a. Most amateurs curve the ball too much and too often

2. Nine Rules of Face-to-Path

a. Straight

b. Pull Draw

c. Pull Slice

d. Pull Straight

e. Push Draw

f. Push Slice

g. Push Straight

h. Straight Draw

i. Straight Slice

3. Face and Path

4. Ball Spin is Important

5. Creativity is Learned Through Observation

6. Visualize Shot Shapes

7. Four Performance Rules on Shot Shaping

8. You’re Never In-Between Clubs

9. Identify Where You Want to Go

1. Know the rules

2. Understand the 9 different shots that can be hit

3. Go on the course late in the day alone

4. Learn to play shots on side slopes as well as uphill and downhill lies

a. Ball Above Feet

b. Ball Below Feet

c. Uphill Lie

d. Downhill Lie

5. Fairway Bunker Shots

a. Fundamentals in Setup

i. Arms Hang Loosely

ii. See the Line in Your Unique Posture

iii. Putter and Forearms on Same Plane

iv. Be Athletic

b. Fundamentals of Stroke

i. The Putter Face is King

ii. Path of Stroke

iii. Tempo

c. Three Skills: Start Ball on Line, Control Speed, and Read Greens

d. Drills to Improve Putter Path

i. Alignment Rod Drill

ii. Loop-Correction Drill

iii. Pause Drill

e. Putting Styles – Short Putter

i. Conventional Style

ii. Lead-Hand Low

iii. Prayer Grip

iv. Claw or Saw Grip

f. Putting Styles – Longer Putter

i. Arm Lock

ii. Broomstick

g. Putting Styles – Counterbalance

h. Green Reading

i. Science vs. Feel

ii. Linear vs. Non-Linear

iii. Start Reading Greens Before Getting There

i. Aim Point Express

i. Feel Different Slopes with Feet

ii. Stand a Foot Behind The Ball

iii. Use Dominant Eye with Two Fingers Up

iv. When Greens are Fast, The Ball Breaks More

Topics Covered:

Introduction

Pitching

Tricks of the Trade

Chipping

Distance Wedges

Bunker Play

Flop Shot

1. Visualize your optimal swing

a. Find an option for eliminating a slice that’s comfortable

b. Improve clubface alignment

c. Improve path

2. Posture and alignment are key

a. Train your swing to be more on plane or under it with a square clubface

b. Check the alignment of the clubface at address

c. Aim right

d. Drop your trail shoulder down a bit and tuck it back a little

e. Strengthen your grip

f. Move the ball up in your stance

g. Eliminate wrist extension at the top of the swing by generating a flat wrist position

h. Let the club drop or shallow toward your backside in transition

i. Roll the hands over through impact

j. Flare your trail foot

k. When the club is parallel to the ground and waist high, be certain the face is a little closed

l. Let the clubface square up at impact

m. Tuck the trail elbow and keep it tucked throughout the swing

n. Keep the upper body tilted back toward your trail side as you near impact

3. Drills

a. Swing with one arm

b. Swing with the club traveling outside going back and inside coming down

c. Place a towel under one arm or even both arms to stay connected

d. Place a headcover on the ground outside of the ball

e. The driver will curve more than irons

f. The same options to fix a slice apply to driver and irons

4. Setting your driver to a closed-face position

1. A hook is caused by the club moving from the inside to the outside with a closed clubface.

2. Righthanders swing out to rightfield:

a. Improve clubface alignment

b. Improve path

3. Frequently visualize the new move:

a. Check posture and alignment

i. Legs and shoulders aren’t closed

ii. Ball position isn’t too far backward

iii. Grip

iv. Be certain you’re not regripping on the backswing

4. Options:

a. Check clubface alignment at address

b. Open your stance

c. Open the clubface a bit at waist-high on the backswing

d. Feel the lead arm pulling the club down

e. Rotate the body more aggressively during transition

f. Feel more arm extension and less wrist rotation

g. Raise your trail shoulder a little higher

5. Drills:

a. Place a headcover inside the golf ball

b. Swing with one arm

c. Swing with the club traveling a bit inside going back and outside coming down

d. Drivers will always curve more than irons, but the same options apply to both

PUTTING

1. Start-Line Drill

2. Short-Range Drill

3. Tornado Drill

4. Drawback Competitive Game

SHORT GAME

1. Ladder Drill

2. Scatter Bunker Drill

3. Up-and-Down Game

DISTANCE WEDGES

1. Cone Drill

2. Closest to the Pin

FULL SWING

1. Single Target, 9 Different Shots

2. Single Target, Multiple Club

Getting the Most from Your Swing Coach

Learn Swing Theories

Manage Your Coach Effectively

Each Coach Teaches Something Different

Lessons are a Two-Way Street

Look for a Good Fit

Develop a Plan for Your Lesson

Communicate with Your Swing Coach

What to do on Lesson Day

Ask Questions

Talk About Swing Theories

Pay Attention to Mindset

Be Diligent in Trying Out Options

Ask for Feedback

Ask for Drills

After Lesson Take Notes and Practice on the Range

Practice at Home

5 Stages to Swing Adjustment

1. Options to build a swing motion around physical limitations

2. What someone should do who has very little mobility

a. Lock in my body and just move my shoulders, arms and wrist slightly.

b. You can play good golf even if you have serious mobility issues.

c. The legs and body of seniors and players with restrictions often move slower than their arms

d. Options

i. Start with a little more weight on your lead foot

ii. Aim a little to the right for right handers

iii. Bend your left arm a little on the backswing

iv. Narrow your stance

v. Allow the trail leg to straighten just a little on the backswing

vi. In the downswing, turn your trail hip aggressively

vii. Your knees touch in the follow-through

viii. Flare your trail foot

ix. Pick the heel of your lead foot off the ground during the backswing

x. Release your head after impact

xi. Drop back your trail foot and put 75% of your weight on your lead foot

3. Other options that don’t relate to the swing

a. Play the proper tees

b. Experiment with a longer putter

c. Replace longer irons with hybrids

d. Stretch every day

1. Putting

2. Mirror Work

3. Short Game

4. Full Swing

5. Watch the Pros Compete on TV

6. Become more flexible and improve fitness.