Kuidas ma esimest korda golfi proovisin. Isiklik kogemus ja hoiatused algajatele

All I knew about golf before was that it was something on the rich (partly true). You bang a club on a ball and launch it as far as you can. It’s kind of fun. Yeah, as if it wasn’t. In fact, it turns out there are more nuances to golf than I could have imagined. I got to know this sport better last week at the Pestovo Golf Club. And not just for fun, but with the renowned coach Christopher Snape.

Christopher Snape

PGA qualified golf professional, director of Pestovo Golf Academy.

When you start playing golf, the most important thing is to find the right and qualified coach. Someone who can impart the appropriate instruction and knowledge in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. Golf is a game about enjoyment… enjoyment of nature, aesthetics, physical activity and, of course, socializing.
It is also recommended to familiarize yourself with its rules, peculiarities and etiquette before playing.

The first thing that impressed me was that it was only an hour from Moscow, and some incredible expanses open before you: greenery, lakes, fresh air and most importantly – silence. If I had known earlier that there are such advantages here, I would have played golf every day.

The second impression is the locker rooms with carpets, mini lounge areas, sauna and showers. “Is this like a high-end fitness club?” – is my first thought. And I’m wrong. It is definitely something more. Service, very high quality, but so cozy and homely, clubhouse, yacht club, residents’ houses right in the middle of the field, and, in fact, the fitness club is there too. It all continued to be laden with luxury, which, frankly, was even a little intimidating. “What’s my workout going to be like? Won’t I seem like a simpleton, and not even a smarty-pants?” – I remind you, it was the first time I held a stick in my hands. With these thoughts and the company of my colleagues, I made my way to the academy. There on the driving range (it’s not the usual course with holes, but a special area for practicing long shots) I saw how I was going to spend the next hour and met the coach.

Newcomers first play on the range and then they are released on the course. There, the task becomes not just to put the ball as far as possible, but to hit the hole. A golf course usually has 18 holes. The important thing is that after hitting the shot you have to play the ball from where it appeared. With few exceptions when it hits the water, for example. To hinder you, there are various obstacles on the course: sand, trees, lakes, holes, hills.

It turned out that I was worried for nothing, there were no geniuses of the game in our company. I was not the only one who “dragged the grass” instead of hitting the ball or whistled the club above it. But doesn’t that mean I just don’t have the talent?

Christopher: In golf, the “you get what you put in” rule works very well. Some people are certainly lucky enough to be born with talent, but talent alone will not help them achieve great results. Therefore, as in any other sport, training and self-discipline are important. Thanks to the vector of democratization, it is possible to learn to play golf at any age and with any physical fitness. This is why this beautiful game is gaining popularity among the older generation and juniors alike.

Fundamentals of the game

“F-fuh, so I’ll practice and hit again and again,” – at least one shot in a whole hour will work out. And you won’t believe it, I’m not hopeless. I got several hits at once, and I even got a taste for it. But the fatigue was just around the corner. After half an hour of practice, my arms started to hurt, and after Christopher showed me how to twist my body even more, my shoulders started to hurt.

You have to hold the stick correctly, swing correctly, and moreover, you have to follow the ball in the right position. By the way, the training was in English, which made the task a bit more difficult, because I didn’t even know half of the terms in Russian before. But Chris could explain on his fingers what he wanted from me.

Christopher: The most important components of a good punch are: preparation for the swing, correct trajectory of the punch and body rotation. In order for the kick to work, you also need to have the right grip. In other words, you need to place your hands on the club and take the correct stance. All this is recommended to do under the supervision of a coach. A proper stance will help not only to make a good shot, but also to prevent any sprains and injuries. The coach will also help you to choose the right clubs, depending on your gender and height.

How much does it cost to take up golf

If you think that golf is always expensive, you are only partly right. In more democratic clubs, such as Forest Hills Golf Club, an introduction to golf (which includes one lesson and a tour of the club) costs 2.5 thousand rubles, and a lesson with a coach costs from 5 thousand rubles. In more premium clubs, such as “Pestovo”, in addition to membership, you can take an individual lesson with a leading foreign coach for 12 thousand rubles, and with a coach from the Academy – for 10 thousand rubles.

And you can always practice on your own. But I would still advise beginners to take at least a couple of lessons with a professional to understand all the nuances.

Christopher: Golf as one of the most popular sports in the world does not lag behind in its development, improving and introducing modern technologies. For example, by training at our new international golf academy, you can achieve high results in the shortest possible time and reach amateur tournaments after the fourth training session. All this is possible thanks to modern technology and the approach of the coach, who evaluates the physical data, 3D movement patterns, hitting power and body positioning of the player. And, based on these parameters, selects the optimal training plan for him.

What to wear

Like almost any girl, I wondered about this question while standing at my closet in the morning. I think I saw somewhere that girls play in short skirts, like in tennis, and shoes should be special… There were no questions about the top, I had a polo shirt in my collection, which was waiting for its time. To it I chose running shorts and light sneakers. As it turned out, I was right. Although the game of golf does not prescribe the rules concerning the uniform of players, there are many requirements in clubs, including dress requirements, which are important to know.

1. Men wear pants and shirts with short or long sleeves. Sleeveless shirts are not allowed.
2. Women may wear pants and a shirt or t-shirt. Sleeveless shirts are allowed.
3. In hot weather, players wear shorts. Girls may also wear shorts, but a golf shorts skirt is preferred.
4. If you wear headgear, it can be a baseball cap or hat.
5. Shoes can have ridged soles or spikes, but not too big so as not to damage the course. They may be boots or sneakers.

It is unacceptable to appear on the course in denim clothes, pants with many pockets.

In general, golf is a separate world with its own rules, traditions and even laws. A world with helipads, five-hour (minimum) competitions and private parties afterwards. To be in it is already a great experience, what to say about the game itself. On my part, it’s an honest recommendation to at least give it a try. And, by the way, rest assured, the next day you will feel those muscles you didn’t even know existed.

By the way, golf is played not only on a classic course, but even on a glacier! Read more about this unusual game in this article.