GOLF ACTIVITY CARD

Just what does it take to play golf?

Gear UpDon't worry about buying an entireset of golf clubs right away. Ifyou're just starting out, all youreally need are the 5, 6, or 7 irons,a driver, and a putter. You'll use adriver off of the tee for longdistance shots, followed up by yourirons, which give more control forshorter shots. And don't forgetyour putter—the putter is used onthe green.

Next on your list should be golfballs and tees. Tees look like around peg with a flat top, and areused to raise the ball off of theground so you can get your clubunder it better. Put the tee into theground and sit your golf ball on topof it. Make sure you have plenty oftees on hand—they sometimesbreak when you hit the ball. Don'tget overwhelmed by the number ofgolf balls there are to choose from!You don't have to use an expensiveball because a lot of them willprobably end up in the woods orwater anyway.

Also, don't forget that somecourses have a dress code. Thismeans that they can ask you towear certain types of clothing likeshirts with collars and shorts or

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pants without holes in them! As arule of thumb, keep your clothingsimple. Dress in comfortable, loosefitting shirts, pants, or shorts.Sneakers are fine for beginners.And don't forget a hat andsunscreen! On those hot, sunny days, it's important toprotect yourself from the sun.

Once you've got all of your gear, hit the links and havesome fun!

Play it SafeIt's important to warm-up and stretch before you steponto your local golf course. Before swinging, make surethat no one is standing too close—it's a good rule ofthumb to stand at least four club lengths away fromthe person swinging the club. Don't play until thegroup in front of you is out of the way. Stand still andstay quiet while others are in play. If your ball lands inthe rough of the course (in high grass, brush, or trees),watch out for creepy, crawly animals and poisonousplants.

Check the weather forecast before going out onto thecourse. The general rule for avoiding storms is: If youcan see lightning, flee it, if you can hear thunder, clearit. Get away from small metal vehicles like golf carts,and put your clubs away. Stay away from trees becausethey attract lightning, and avoid small on-courseshelters—they are made to protect you from rainshowers and provide shade.

Whether you're walking the course or riding in a cart,don't forget your water bottle. It's important to drinkplenty of water before, during, and after your round.

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Need a rest? Sit down in a shady area, or under a tree—put a cold towel around your neck to keep you cool.

How to PlayGolf is played on a course with either nine or 18different holes—a complete game of golf is called around. It's important to know the basics of the gameand how to use (and choose) your clubs. You may wantto take a few lessons from the pro at your local golfcourse, or rent an instructional video to learn moreabout the proper swing, grip, and stance.

Check out these tips to get you swingin' in the rightdirection.

The Clubs. If your clubs are too long or too short,you're likely to have problems. To find the right sizeclubs for you, try swinging with a few different lengths.A good rule of thumb is to choose clubs that are aboutas long as the distance from your belly button to thefloor. You don't need to decide right away—lots ofcourses and driving ranges have sample clubs that youcan practice with until you find the perfect fit!

The Grip. Need a lesson on how to grip your clubs?

The Stance. Wanna' see just how to get your perfectstance?

The Swing. The key to the swing is to keep your eyeson the ball. Focus on the ball and keep your headdown (and still) when you swing. Your eyes shouldstay on the ball through your entire swing.

Jack Nicklaus, one of the best players in golf, learnedone basic thing from his father—hit the ball hard, andnot worry about where it goes—you can always fix thatlater. By trying to hit the ball far, you'll naturally try tomake the biggest swing with your arms that you can.Swing them back as far as you can—getting your handsbehind your head, and follow through as far as youcan. You'll feel your body turn and you'll notice thatwhile swinging back, your weight will shift to yourright foot, and then to your left as you swing through

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the ball.

Tee it up. If you're a beginner, hit the ball off of a teeevery time—it's much easier to get under the ball. Putthe tee into the ground at different heights to seewhere you like it best. If you're a more experiencedplayer, only use a tee when using your drivers.Experiment with your irons once you're in the fairwayto get the ball onto the green. Just remember that theiron you choose depends on how far (and high) youneed to hit the ball. Use a 3 iron for long shots to thehole—a 9 iron can be used for those shorter shots.

OlogyDid you know that the dimples on a golf ball make ittravel farther? It has to do with air flow. As air flowsaround a ball without dimples, it breaks away from thesurface of the ball forming a pocket of swirling currentsbehind it—like the wake behind a speedboat. Thiscreates a "drag" on the ball, slowing it down. Dimpledgolf balls can easily sail two hundred yards from thetee, while a smooth one (with no dimples) would onlygo about fifty yards! Golfers discovered this about ahundred years ago, when they noticed their old golfballs, covered with scratches and nicks, sailed fartherdown the fairway than shiny new ones.

Fun FactsThere are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.

When walking on the moon, astronaut Alan Sheppardhit a golf ball that went 2,400 feet, nearly one-half amile.

In 1997, at the age of 21, Tiger Woods became theyoungest player ever to win the Masters (by the largestmargin in a major championship in this century).

Related LinksUS Kids Golf (http://www.uskidsgolf.com/)

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA

800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636 ) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC–INFO

Page last reviewed: January 22, 2013Page last updated: January 22, 2013Content source: Division of Population Health, National Center forChronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

(http://www.cdc.gov/Other/disclaimer.html)

Hook a Kid on Golf(http://nays.org/hook_a_kid_on_golf/) (http://www.cdc.gov/Other/disclaimer.html)

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