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Seasoned golfers already know how to count their golf scores and sometimes don’t realize that someone just starting out may have no idea what to do. What is simple for one person can be confusing for another.

For example: What is the difference between stroke play and match play?

Stroke Play: This is where you count every swing of your club. That includes your drive, fairway shots, chips shots, sand traps shots and putts. Anytime you hit the ball, you count another stroke. Once you have put the ball in the cup, you record your score on the score card. (When players are involved in real tournament play then your opponent actually records your score and you record theirs, but most casual golfers record their own.)

Match Play: When playing against an opponent you may play match play which means you don’t record every stroke. You count your strokes per hole and compare scores as you go. If  Player 1 has a 4 and Player 2 has a 6 then Player 1 is recorded as 1 up. Then on the next hole you start over.

This is a simplified ways of explaining the basics of scoring. There are also other factors which I’ll discuss at another time starting with: How do you count your stroke if you lose a ball?

If you need help keeping track of your score check out Jewelry That Counts for our unique golf stroke counter for women.

Everyone enjoys a nice game of golf on a beautiful day but a great day of golf can turn tragic if you are not careful and observe some important rules.

A golfer playing at  Serranos Country Club in Chino, CA died on October 16th due to injuries received on the golf course. He was hit with a golf ball in the head, nine days later he was dead. This brings some things to mind. One is that you should always duck your head down if you hear fore yelled on the course. The tendency of a lot of golfers is to look up when fore is called. Problem is, that puts your head at risk for a brain injury. Best to bend down and cover your head even if you are not sure if that “fore” was meant for you.

If you are the golfer who has hit the errant ball, make sure you yell “fore” very loudly. I have played with people who do yell fore but I could barely hear them myself when I was playing along side them let alone trying to alert a player over on another fairway. This is the time to scream loud and clear so as not to cause harm to another player.

And here is one of my biggest pet peeves. No golfer should ever hit a ball on a par 3 when there are golfers ahead of them on the fairway or on the green. A ball on a par 3 is meant to reach the green in 1 shot so why would any golfer hit a ball when people are on the green. Even if you don’t think you can reach the green your ball will most likely get close enough to the green to cause alarm to the players ahead of you. And if you are hitting because you think you will speed up the players ahead of you, think again. Show some respect and remember that when you are on a golf course you will encounter all levels of expertise. Relax and enjoy the chance to play in some of the most beautiful surroundings on earth.

Golf carts are a great help  for golfer’s getting around a course, but there are things you should know about when and where the cart should be driven. A golf cart should never be a distraction to other golfers or cause damage to a golf course. Here are some etiquette tips for new and seasoned golfers alike.

1. When driving up to a tee box where players are teeing off, always keep a respectable distance until they are done hitting the ball. Never drive right up to the tee box until it is your turn to hit.
2. Never drive a golf cart onto a tee box or green. That applies to hand pulled carts as well. Golf carts should be parked on the cart path while at the tee and the green. The only exception is for handicapped players who may drive up next to the tee box or green. You must have a handicapped flag on your cart to do so.
3. The 90 Degree Rule should be followed. That means you drive along the cart path to where you golf ball is and then turn 90 degrees to get to your ball. After hitting you should go back to the cart path. This should apply even if not specifically instructed to do so at a course. It helps to preserve the quality of the fairway.
4. Most Par 3 holes do not allow players to drive on the fairway.
5. When driving to your next hole, if you pass by a player on another hole who is about to hit their ball, stop your cart and wait until after the player hits their ball… then proceed. That applies to players on the fairway as well as on the green or tee box.
6. Golf carts are not toys and should be driven with caution to avoid injury or even death. Extra care should be taken when driving down hills and under slippery wet conditions.
7. Keep backing up to a minimum. Since most golf carts have a alarm that sounds when putting a cart in reverse, players should plan their route without the need to back up where ever possible so as not to disturb other players on the course.
8. If you see a wet area on the fairway avoid driving over it. You could get stuck or do damage to the course.
9. Watch out for stumps or rocks on the course. Driving over one could cause your cart to get stuck on the obstruction.
10. Watch out for other drivers when coming around corners or reaching a fork in the path. There could be a cart coming your way. Be observant.

The bottom line is always use common sense when driving any kind of machinery and a golf cart is no exception. Be safe out there!

For more golf tips visit out site at www.jewelrythatcounts.com.

Windy days don’t have to mess up your golf game. Just learning to relax can make a big difference. Here are a few tips.

1. Keep your swing smooth and relaxed. Don’t try to kill the ball just because you are hitting into the wind. A smooth swing will keep your ball from getting too much of a spin which can get caught by the wind.
2. Widen your stance. This keeps you grounded so the wind won’t affect your swing as much.
3. Go up a club size when hitting into the wind, down a club size when hitting with the wind. Be observant of the direction of the wind and choose your club accordingly.
4. Keep the ball low by having the ball slightly further back in your stance to make it more difficult for the wind to catch it. Long and low is the way to go.
5. Realize that when you play on a windy day, you will most likely need more shots to get to the green. Relax and enjoy your game.

As with any golf game you play whether windy or not, if you stay relaxed your chances of playing well are that much greater. So relax and enjoy the day!

I played a tournament (Scramble Format) the other day that had a fun idea.

Each person could buy one 5 foot piece of tape for $5.  The tape could be used in place of strokes.  For example, you chip up on the green, you are at 3 strokes and you are 10 inches from the hole. You tear off 10 inches of the tape and you do not need to record the stroke, meaning that your score for the hole is 3.  You now have 4′ 2″ remaining to be used on another hole.

The organization raised a lot of money with these and the teams had a lot of fun figuring out a strategy to use the tape to its maximum effectiveness.

I belong to a golf league that was started by some friends who had also belonged to EWGA (Executive Woman’s Golf Association).  While it is a great group, we found that some aspects of the program weren’t working for us.  For example, you pay for the entire season up front and always play the same course.

So with 5 people we started our own group  and we are now up to 25.  We nicknamed it the Sip N’ Chip Golf  League and the name stuck.  What we did was simple, each person is assigned a week and all issues relating to that week are their responsibility.  They find a course to play, make a tee time and  reserve a place for us to have dinner after the game.

This way there is no burden on any one person, we get to play a lot of different courses and try out some new restaurants.  An e-mail is sent out on Monday and players must commit by Tuesday if they are playing.  So, if you don’t play you don’t pay.  Also, we are free to cancel if the weather isn’t conducive to golf – although we usually will still do dinner.

Golfing can be a great sport but it can also be very frustrating, especially when you play with or behind players who are not abiding by the golf rules of etiquette as set forth by the USGA. The rules are simple and follow normal courtesy guidelines. Be respectful of your fellow golfers and we can all have a great day on the golf course. Here are those rules:

1. Don’t move, talk or stand close to a player making a stroke.
2. Don’t step on another player’s line of putt.
3. Always play without delay and keep up with the group in front.
4. Don’t play until the group in front is out of the way.
5. Shout a warning if your ball may hit someone.
6. Invite faster groups to play through.
7. Repair divot holes and ball-marks. Smooth footprints in bunkers.
8. Don’t drop clubs on the putting green or lean on your putter.
9. Replace the flagstick carefully in an upright position.
10. In the case of a serious breach of etiquette, the Committee has the authority to disqualify a player.
11. Leave the course in the condition in which you would like to find it.

Jewelry That Counts is a new member of New England Golf Monthly.

They are the #1 read golf publication in the New England region serving the interest of the Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine golf communities as well as the organizations in support of the game. Their mission is to supply readers, associations and advertisers with a multiple forums to share information about the game at all levels.

They are a great social network for New England golf featuring golf fan, golf industry and golf media member profile. Watch for our ad in their July issue.

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