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to chat to any beginner on how to get started. The 2015 6 week course set up for beginners and exclusive for ladies at Berkshire’s Bearwood Lakes is another great example of just some of the opportunities out there to get stuck in and pick up your first club. Alternatively, if you fancy testing your natural flair for the sport before you take on a few lessons, many golf ranges have a second hand selection of clubs that you can use. So pick up a 7 iron and grab a bucket of 50 balls for £3 and see what you’ve got! YOUR FIRST FAIRWAY Once you’ve had 3 or 4 lessons you and the girls will most probably be itching to have a swing on a fairway or sink your first putt, so the next step is to find your nearest municipal Par 3, 9 hole course, which could be around £8 to play. You can fire around these courses in about an hour (on a good day!) as all the holes are roughly 100 yds in length and are set up to be challenging, rewarding and fun for all level of golfers. It’s the perfect way to experiment with all your newly acquired shots and see exactly what needs a 3 2 little more work! A great example is Berkshire’s Lavender Park - the course is beautifully kept and it’s a great confidence builder. Don’t be put off if your game doesn’t pan out how you had envisaged it as playing on a course for the first time is very different to having the ball teed up on the range. Remember golf is a game that requires persistence and perseverance and as long as you maintain great positivity and keep it fun then you’ll be no doubt going back for more! ALMOST THERE Once you’ve mastered the short course and are beaming with confidence with a few more lessons under your belt you’ll be ready to take on the full sized 18 hole course. Again, before joining a club there are some brilliant ‘pay as you play’ courses open to the public. This is the perfect way to improve your speed of play, learn to tackle all shots from every angle and to understand the etiquette of playing 18 holes. YOU MADE IT! The final step into fully fledged golfing world is to start playing regularly, whether thats becoming a regular face at your favourite pay and play or making the leap into a private club. The key is choosing a club that’s right for you with a friendly ladies section. It’s no secret that the formality of a golf clubhouse can be very intimidating, so before you head to the range or tee up for the first time, it’s a great idea to ask one of the lady pros to show you around so you feel comfortable and confident 4 with your surroundings. Knowing where to drop off your clubs, where the changing rooms are, how to book a tee time and where to find a golf buggy will all help you feel welcome on the course because ladies, in the words of the great golden bear Jack Nicklaus “confidence is the most important single factor in this game”. GOOD LUCK AND SEE YOU OUT THERE! ISSUE 03 | YOURCADDY 7