Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    Hi there, I took 4 golf lessons from Stow Acres this summer with other
    DECcies. I played my first game at Londonderry Country Club 2 weekends
    ago. It was both fun and frustrating if you can believe it. It was
    great to be outdoors, breathing fresh air. However, I had to limit
    myself to 10 strokes per hole, else people waiting behind me might get
    mad. I lost 3 golf balls in the woods. My driving really stunk that
    day. I am currently looking for a golf set, probably get one for
    Christmas. May be someone in the net can give me some tips for
    beginners. Instrutor said that my shoulder 'dances' while I swing,
    therefore, I come in contact with the golf ball at wrong angles.
    
    caroline
    

    I was a tennis jock for most of my athletic days, and couldn't see
    the sense in chasing a ball this big ---> o        over MILES and
    MILES.
    
    Something happened about 15 years ago, however, and I began to
    actually *like* golf! I was lucky enough in the early 80's to
    work near a golf course so I could run over after work and play
    2-3 days a week in the summer. I changed jobs, and played
    less and less so that I didn't play at all last year. :-(
    
    After moving to CA, however, I hope I'll make an effort to get
    the clubs out - might actually have a decent handicap if I can
    play all year!
    
    --DE
    

    Hi ladies, so gald to hear you are out there.  
    As far as tips, I don't think I am the one to give any.  I am
    just now getting good enough that my husband doesn't mind
    golfing with me on vacations, etc.  I find it very relaxing and
    the exercise is great.  
    Hope more ladies join in our conversation.
    Betty
    

    Caroline and Dee, I forgot to say thanks for jumping in.
    
    Betty
    

    Hi Betty!!
    My hubby gave me golf lessons for a wedding present over a year ago.
    (I was expecting emerald jewelry)  ;^)
    I took lessons at Stow also and have gone golfing a few times.  I enjoy
    outdoor activities and golf seems to be very relaxing.
    BTW - I recently bought Gary a t-shirt that says,
       
       GOLF - the game for people
       who don't get enough frustration 
       during the week.
    
     Nancy P.    ;^)  

    
    I'm so glad you started this!  I just took up golf this
    summer.  I took 5 lessons out at Raleigh Country Club
    and have played probably 10 times since.  I really enjoy it!
    I got my clubs (3-5-7-9-3wood-putter) for $40, (if I remember
    correctly) from the classifieds notes file.  Anyone looking
    for clubs should specifically look for womens clubs.  They're
    generally shorter and lighter.
    I'm not a great golfer.  I would say my average is probably
    double or triple bogie ball.  I have never played with women.
    (Except for being coupled up at the course.)  I usually
    play with my husband and sometimes his cousin, who's also 
    new.  I just love being outdoors walking and thinking.  Golf
    is such a great game of concentration!  I only wish my body
    would do everything that my mind wants it to!  I must say 
    however, that it's not as much fun now that the frogs are gone
    from the ponds!
    
    Rachael
    

    
    re 1 : Caroline
    
    About your swing, I'm not sure if this will help, but
    I'll tell you what I think of while I'm trying to 
    drive the ball.  (I made a list for myself after I took
    lessons.)
    	- don't move head, everything moves around your head
    	(my instructor actually held mine in place!)
    	- think of your swing.  Picture it as a complete arc
    	with your body at the apex of it, (if you turned the 
    	arc upside down).
    	- look at the club face.  Line the lines up so they lie
    	with the ground. 
    	- practice swing in slow-mo, stop in the middle and look
    	at the club face.
    	- make sure your grip is good.  That can really mess things
    	up.
    	- don't pull with left hand (if you're right handed).  Push
    	with the right hand, guide with the left.  Doing this wrong
    	causes a slice or a hook, I can't remember which.
    	- after you've swung, hold your position.  If you fall over
    	you swung off balance and the ball probably wont go right.
    	- involve your hips.  (This is the part I'm working on.)
    	My husband tells me to move my hips first, let them engage 
    	my arms.  I don't really understand this yet.  Supposidly
    	in your hips lies all the power to get distance.  Consequently,
    	my drives with a 3 wood are straight but only 125 yards.
    
    	Anybody have any tips for getting distance?
    
    Thats all I can think of!
    Hope it helps!
    Rachael
    

    Not me, but my mom.
    
    Mom started six or seven years ago.  She's done lots of other things to
    get herself active and into shape, such as nautilus workouts, but the
    one that gives her the most pleasure is golf.  During the summer she
    plays two or three times a week; she plays in a league at work, and in
    fact, officered it as secretary/treasurer one year and president the
    next year!  She and her boyfriend took their clubs to Hawaii and played
    some beautiful courses last year.
    
    She's had two eagles and one hole-in-one that I've heard of.  Her
    eagles came on the same hole, two days in a row!  She claims that
    usually she isn't that good, but I've no doubt she plays much better
    than I ever did.  Mom is in her mid-fifties and getting more pleasure
    from her life and activities than she ever thought possible ten years
    ago.  I'm real happy for her and what she's doing with her life...
    including her golfing!
    
    DougO

I just took up golfing this summer.  I'm not sure if I would call what I do 
golfing, more like wiffing and sod removal.  I too have to set a 10 stroke 
limit per hole.  I did love besting Marty on the first hole the first time
we played together!  He's usually much better than me, but I had been warming
up that time and he hadn't.

re .7

>    	- don't move head, everything moves around your head
>    	(my instructor actually held mine in place!)

My instructor (Linda out at Ponemah in Amherst, NH) took a club and held the
gripping end next to my head.  If I moved my head I bumped into it.  I also
saw it out of my peripheral vision.  This trick worked great with me, I never
moved my head as long as the club was there.  The minute it was gone was 
another story...

>    	- don't pull with left hand (if you're right handed).  Push
>    	with the right hand, guide with the left.  Doing this wrong
>    	causes a slice or a hook, I can't remember which.

I was taught just the opposite, let the left hand do the directional work.
I practice swinging the club using only my left hand.  This usually straightens
out my drive.  Maybe we started out with different tendencies.

>    	- involve your hips.  (This is the part I'm working on.)
>    	My husband tells me to move my hips first, let them engage 
>    	my arms.  I don't really understand this yet.  

This part I get mostly right, thanks to years of Aikido.  When you start the
swing, the hips should be facing the ball.  When you finish they should be 
facing where the ball is going.  This helps balance and follow through.
The hip action forces your back foot to go on tippy toe as you swing through,
so you can end up in that classic pose.

Now if I could only get my knee, back and arm action straightened out...

On an environmental note : Amherst Country Club is very careful to monitor the
stream that runs through the course for chemicals.  They make sure that the 
fertilizers aren't contaminating the water.  Nice to hear someone taking
action before there is a problem!

			Bb

    Doug, I'm so happy that your mom is enjoying golf.  I took up
    the game so that my husband and I could play together when we
    retire.  Now, he says I like it more than him.  I play on the 
    average of 3 times a week.  I'm out there at 7 a.m. on the 
    weekends (so mem don't get upset with women golfers) to get
    an early start.  Have you ever golfed with your mom? and if
    so, did you enjoy it.
    This weather is beautiful for golf!!!!
    Betty
    

    De, hope you get a chance to golf more, it's such a great
    way to meet people and stay in shape.  Although a couple
    of beers taste good after 18 holes.  What was your handi-
    cap when you were golfing alot?  I broke 50 this year,
    for nine that is, and I'm real pleased with myself.  I'm
    looking for some Etonic stabilizers gortez golf shoes -
    are there any in your area?  
    Have a nice day and dust off those clubs.
    Betty
    

    Hi Nancy, nice to hear from you.  Do you still go
    to the driving range in Berlin.  I haven't been for a
    while myself.  Sounds like you have the right attitude
    for golf.  Always remember it's only a game and have
    fun.  My husband plays with this guy who gets so mad
    he throws the club and has broken a few.  Most of the
    guys don't even want to play with him.  Tell Gary
    I said "HI".
    Betty
    
    

    Caroline, De gave you some good advice.  All I can 
    add is 
    
    Keep your head down and watch the club hit the ball
    
    and
    
    If your right handed place the ball directly across from
    your left toe
    
    This has helped me  - every time I hit the ball I tell
    myself to keep my head down.
    
    Bye for now
    Betty
    

    re -1
    >If your right handed place the ball directly across from
        your left toe
    
    Does it also depend on which iron I'm using? I borrowed a set of man's
    clubs from a friend, he is about 3-4" taller than me. I had a tough
    time with the clubs. Do you know of place that I can rent clubs to try
    them out before buying?
    
    thanks for the advice
    caroline

    
    It is my understanding that ball placement has to do with which 
    iron/wood you're using.  A 1 or 3 wood or a 3 iron all require
    that you place the ball in front of your left foot.  A 9 iron is
    best used back by your right foot.  All the other clubs should
    be at comfortable places in between.  If your clubs are too long,
    you can choke up on them.  However, that gets tough if your also
    on an uphill lie.
    
    Rachael
    

    RE: club length
    
    The best thing I ever did for my game was buy a set of Ping irons.
    They are not exactly "custom-made", but you are measured for stuff
    like hand-height-from-the-ground, so they are "sort-of" custom. 
    They improved my short game immensely. Not that I'm that great
    a golfer, you understand....but with these irons, I'll never
    outshoot my clubs! (mucho bucks, but worth it if you play)
    
    Which makes me feel even worse about not having played in so long...
    now if I can just *find* the darn things amongst all the boxes and
    stuff from moving....
    
    --DE
    

    I've been playing since the autumn of '84, with a year off while
    pregnant.  I am totally addicted, and rarely play now because of trying
    to balance work and time with a 2 year old.
    
    I have rarely been in a foursome with another woman, and rarely with
    another lefthander (I am).
    
    I played the DEC Maynard Golf League for 2 years, and loved it. Great
    way to network and get some golf during the week.  Had my first hole in
    1 at Stow Acres.
    
    I've never known learned such humility and patience as I have with
    golf, nor have I loved a sport so much that I could play 2-3 rounds a
    day!
    

    I too am glad you started this conference.  I've been playing for the
    past 7-8 years, mostly at Maplewood, and am addicted to the sport.
    When Pam and I started playing there, we were virtually the only 
    women on the course.  We've seen an increase, but not that much.  And
    we've had many (ignorant) men make rude comments, but when I get up
    and drive the ball 150-200 yards, they shut up!  I have a good long
    game, but my short game stink!  I'm working on it tho.  My best score 
    was this year, a 42 for 9 holes, but I've yet to get a hole in one!  I'm
    still playing with a woman's starter set, and added the 4,6, & 8.
    I like to play with heavier clubs, so I'll probably buy men's clubs.
                                
    -.16
    De, the pro at Maplewood told me one of the services he provides is 
    customizing the length.  Did you get your clubs from a pro shop or 
    from a place like Nevada Bobs?  (Great place huh?)  I'm still pricing,
    but hopefully will be buying a new set next year.
    
    -.14
    Caroline, call some of the pro shops at your local clubs.  Most places
    do have a few sets of rental clubs.  I know my brother rented some at
    Maplewood in Lunenburg this past summer when he was visiting.
    
    Sometimes I think Dan regrets teaching me the game, as I am on the
    course while he is doing chores :^)
    
    I think I'd rather play golf that do just about anything else...
    
    Jane
    
    
    

    re -1, Jane, I'm also considering a starter set. I'm going to check out
    Wayland Country Club, they allow you to take out a set of clubs for
    trying out. I was at a flea market past Sat., saw a ladies starter set
    for $75 (used, but regripped). The brand was Spalding. I was so
    tempted, but really did not know enough to make a decision. What brands
    are considered good? 
    Spag's has a starter set (Dunlop) for $99, and a complete set
    (Spalding) for $159. My budget is rather tight, $150 is my ceiling. I
    would not mind a used set, but there are not many women golf clubs for
    sale. 
    
    I would like to play one more game this season, maybe sign up as
    substitute in the league next season if I'm good enough.
    
    thanks for your replies.
    caroline
    

    I have the spaulding starter that I used for about 3 years before I 
    started picking up the extra irons and woods.   I don't think brand 
    makes too much of a difference when starting out as long as you're 
    comfortable with the club length and weight.   But if you have the
    opportunity to play with a couple of different sets, you can make
    notes on each set then make a decision.   This spring I was in a 
    Nevada Bob's and saw several women's sets that were reasonably
    priced and I believe they have a net indoors so that you can try 
    out the club there.  Another suggestion for the winter months.
    
    I'm hoping to play a couple more times myself before it gets too
    cold.  And I know in previous years Mount Wachusett has given 
    golf lessons in January (I believe).  You'd have to inquire now,
    as all classes fill up fast.  If I remember correctly, it was about
    $25 a couple of years ago for 8 or 10 group lessons.
    
    You may want to go back to the flea market this week and see if the
    clubs are still there.  If they feel right, make them an offer.  If 
    you play with them for a year or two, you've gotten your money's worth... 
    
    Jane
    

    I got my Ping irons at a pro shop. I dunno if Nevada Bob's carries
    them. 
    
    --DE
    

    Jane, are the golfing lessons offered by Mount Wachusetts Country Club?
    Can't be the ski slopes that you are referring to ? :-)
    
    thanks
    caroline