Golf is a game steeped in history and prestige. It is recognised as a thinking man’s game that frustrates, as much as it elates. But its proponents will tell you there’s no better way to relax away from the office than to play a round of golf.

The game has only recently begun to shed its image as a sport exclusively for the upper crust and pensioners. The emergence of young and ‘sexy’ superstars, like Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia, and the accessibility of driving ranges and public golf courses have brought on a wider appeal that’s made the game hard to ignore.

More young people are taking up the game every week, and even if you’re averse to the idea of spending precious recreational hours on an expansive (and expensive) garden chasing a ball with a stick, it is hard to hold out when your friends start goading you to take it up, or risk being cut off from their social circle altogether.

Getting Started

The first step to taking up the game would be to get down to a driving range. This should not be so hard given the recent proliferation of ranges in Singapore. There are more than 20 driving ranges available to the public today, some of which have sprung up in the heartlands. If you don’t have a set of golf clubs, most ranges will rent you decent clubs for a nominal sum, but you should just borrow a couple of irons from a friend.

The range is the best place to get your first whack at the ball without embarrassing yourself excessively. Once you have decided you’d like to see the ball going forward consistently, and not into the calves of the poor soul in the next bay, it’s time to shop for lessons.

Now, you ask, should I trust my local professional or go foreign? At the risk of sparking another foreign talent debate, I’d have to say that the academies established by foreign professional with impressive names, like the David Leadbetter Academy and the Gary Player Academy, have very sound teaching methods and lesson plans that should start you off on the right footing. Having said that, being comfortable with your coach’s techniques, and being able to understand his lessons are very personal matters and should be your criteria in selecting a coach, not his nationality.

Most Basic Golf courses last 10 hours (10 one-hour lessons), and group lessons are a lot cheaper than individual ones. You would probably take the Proficiency Certificate (‘PC’) Test at the end of your course. This test is a test of your knowledge of golf etiquette and basic rules, as well as to ensure that you’re not a walking excavator.

Once you have obtained the PC, you’re well on your way to being a golfer as you’ll have access to golf courses. But you’re not done yet, as the PC is only valid for a year. To keep pursuing the game, you should work towards obtaining a handicap, and eventually, a spanking new set of clubs!

For a recreational activity, there’s certainly a lot of work to be done, money to be spent and time to be expended on golf. But once you get into the swing of things and play your first game on a beautiful course, I’m certain you’d be a willing fool.

Clarence Yap