5 Of The Best Golf Games You May Not Have Tried
Golf isn’t going anywhere. Let the 25.95 million people who played last year tell you.
Golf stands the test of time. We’ve come a long way since 100 BC when we used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball. During the 15th century, Scotland modernized golf to be more like the game it is today.
And the rest is history.
Whether you’re a golfing novice or a regular club member, you can have fun on the green. Especially if you play some of the best golf games that have been established over time.
Make sure to have an Arnold Palmer while you’re out there!
Let’s tee off.
The 5 Best Golf Games Out There
Here’s a tip for beginners: set an early tee time. Research shows you play better in the mornings.
And if you’re an expert? Well, take it easy on ’em!
1. Bingo Bango Bongo
This game consists of three different points:
- Bingo – The first player to get the ball on the green
- Bango – Once all balls are on the green, the closest to the pin wins this round
- Bongo – The first person to get the ball in the hole
Make it more interesting by upping the ante for anyone who gets all three!
2. Sixes
Start with four players. Divide the 18 holes into three rounds of six. Rotate partners every six holes, so that you will be a partner with everyone once. Whoever does the best in 2 out of 3 rounds is your winner!
3. Rabbit
This game is played with any number of players.
The lowest par on a hole wins the Rabbit.
If somebody else gets the lowest par on the next hole, the Rabbit is set free. If the same person gets the lowest par, they keep the rabbit.
If the Rabbit is free, anyone can win him in the next round.
Whoever ends up with the Rabbit at the end is the winner!
4. Best Ball
Best Ball is best played in two-person teams.
Each person plays out their own ball. Within your two-person team, keep the lowest score for each hole and drop the highest.
In the end, whoever has maintained the lowest scores wins. This means that even if you did poorly during one round, your teammate can redeem your victory.
5. Nassau
Last but not least: one of the most timeless golfing games out there.
Nassau occurs in three stages: the first nine holes; the last nine holes; and all eighteen holes combined.
Whoever has the lowest score for all three rounds is your winner.
Go Play!
Feeling excited yet?
The greatest part about this list is that it’s not all-inclusive. And each game has modifications that can be made to suit the players’ interests and skill levels.
Wanna play for money? Go for it. Wanna make it a little harder? There are options.
Contact Blue Sky to play one of the best golf course in Jacksonville. Then go play some of the best golf games out there. Next, pretend you’re Tiger Woods.
Kidding about that last part.
You’ve picked a great time to love golf. Keep your eyes peeled this June for the US Open!
Need to practice? Let us know if we can help take a few strokes off your swing.
Your Guide To Understanding The Golf Handicap System
If you’re a golfer, you probably know about handicaps. You might even have a guess about your own handicap. But, if you’re like most golfers, you have no idea how a handicap is actually calculated.
Knowing how to calculate a golf handicap is an important skill for any serious golfer. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the golf handicap system.
What is a Golf Handicap?
A golf handicap is a number which represents a golfer’s ability based on their previous golf scores. It’s a way to compare yourself to other golfers and track your progress.
Specifically, your handicap is a number between zero and 28 if you’re a man and between zero and 36 if you’re a woman. The number represents how many strokes over par you should score on a neutral course.
How Does the Golf Handicap System Work?
The golf handicap system is somewhat complicated and strange, but it’s easy to understand with a little patience.
Because you can’t have more than one handicap, the number doesn’t depend on the individual golf course. Whether you normally play easy courses or difficult courses, you only have one handicap.
So how is your handicap calculated?
First, there are a few important numbers to remember: Course rating, slope rating, and equitable stroke control.
The course rating is dependent on the golf course you’re playing on. It’s what a hypothetical zero handicap player (a scratch player) should score on the course in 18 holes.
The slope rating is a measure of the difference in expected score between a bogey player and a scratch player.
And the equitable stroke control is your score; however, slight modifications are made so that a single bad hole doesn’t ruin it.
For a single round of golf, you calculate your “handicap differential” by taking your equitable stroke control, subtracting the course rating, then multiplying that result by 113, and finally, dividing it all by the course’s slope rating.
But that’s your handicap differential, not your handicap. Bare with me; we’re almost there.
Once you’ve calculated your handicap differential for five different rounds, your official handicap is your lowest single handicap differential. If you have more than twenty official rounds under your belt, then your handicap is the average of your lowest 10 handicap differentials.
But you don’t need to worry about all the details.
If you’re a member of a golf club, they probably offer a handicap calculation service. Or, if you’re just curious, you can use an online handicap calculator.
How Do You Use Your Handicap?
Now that you have your handicap, you can use it to calculate your net score next time you go golfing.
To do this, you need to find your course handicap, which is your handicap multiplied by the course’s slope rating then divided by 113. Then, your net score is simply your score minus your course handicap.
You can compare this net score to the course rating to get an idea of how well you played.
Lower Your Golf Handicap
Now that you understand what your golf handicap is, it’s time to get out there and lower it.
There’s no better way to improve your game than by playing. Visit Blue Sky Golf Club in Jacksonville and get out there today!
8 Great Reasons Why You Should Get Your Kids Playing Golf
Think golf is a game for seniors in their retirement years?
Hand your child a golf club, and you might be surprised at what happens.
Your child might not be the next Arnold Palmer or Annika Sorenstam. But golf can make a big impact in a young life.
Kids can benefit from the sport mentally, physically, and emotionally. The sport can set them up for success as they get older. Many of the skills learned on the course translate to real life.
Keep reading to learn the top reasons to get your kids playing golf.
1. Physical Activity
Is your child hitting the recommended one hour of physical activity every day? Golf is the perfect way to get your child active.
Walking from hole to hole gives your child aerobic activity. Carrying the golf bag helps build strength and endurance. They also build muscle as they play.
Swinging the golf club and hitting the ball take coordination. Young kids may struggle with that coordination at first. Practicing golf helps improve hand-eye coordination, which can benefit them in other physical activities.
As kids get older, they may add in other physical activity to improve their golf game. Your child might start strength training to help with the golf swing. They might do core muscle work for better stability.
Starting with just one physical activity like golf at an early age creates a lifestyle of activity. Golf is something kids can do for the rest of their lives. It’s a simple habit to start now to encourage that healthy lifestyle into adulthood.
2. Low Risks
Over 2.6 million kids 19 and under visit the ER annually because of sports and recreation injuries. Compared to contact sports like football and hockey, golf is a much safer option for your kids.
Golf is a low-impact, non-contact sport. That means the likelihood of a broken bone or head injury is much lower.
Injuries that do happen in golf are generally minor. Most golf injuries happen because of an improper swing or overuse issues.
Getting your child golf lessons to learn the proper mechanics can help decrease the chances of those types of injuries. A golf pro can teach your child everything from the proper golf grip to the correct posture.
3. Suitable for Anyone
Look across any golf course, and you’ll see people of all sizes, shapes, and ages enjoying the sport.
Some sports are easier to play if you fit a certain mold. Tall basketball players find the most success. Speed is important for runners and football players.
Golf is something that any child can play, regardless of strength, speed, or physical stature. It’s a sport that lets all types of kids find success if they stick with it.
Kids who feel like they don’t stack up in other physically demanding sports may feel more comfortable on the golf course. They quickly realize that they’re not at a disadvantage just because they’re shorter or slower than other kids.
Playing golf can be better suited for kids who don’t like large groups. Team sports come with a lot of pressure to perform. Since golf is individual, kids can challenge themselves and grow as an individual player.
4. Time Spent Outdoors
Does your child prefer video games and screen time over playing outdoors? Maybe your kids just haven’t found the right activity to get them excited about heading outside.
Golf gets your kids excited about being outdoors. They get fresh air and sunshine in addition to physical activity.
Benefits of playing outside may include cognitive development, socialization, improved vision, and increased attention span.
5. Friendships and Bonding
Playing golf gives you a chance to bond and grow friendships. When you golf with kids, you spend quality family time together. You create memories you can relive throughout your life.
Getting kids involved in youth golf also helps them meet friends. They have golf as a shared interest, which can make it easier to grow friendships. If they do tournaments, they’ll see the same kids at many of those events.
Kids can also get involved in partner or group play. This helps with socialization and learning to deal with those relationships.
6. Future Opportunities
Starting your kids playing golf at a young age may set them up for later success. They learn the basics of the sport early. That gives them a head start if they play for a high school sports team or in junior competitions.
If your child shows promise in the sport, it could even lead to scholarships.
7. Life Skills
Golf is a game of rules and etiquette. Sure, lots of sports have rules. But golf has lots of unspoken rules and points of etiquette kids need to learn.
It’s a good way to teach your child discipline. They have to not only learn but also follow the many rules. Every situation in life has rules, so this is a good skill for kids to learn.
Playing golf teaches kids to be polite and calm. They can’t throw a temper tantrum when the game doesn’t go their way. They can’t taunt the other players or trash talk on the course.
This can help kids understand that it’s important to stay calm and keep emotions under control in other areas of life. It’s good practice for frustrating interactions they’ll have in the real world.
Learning golf etiquette is a bit like learning how to interact in society. You need to read the room and understand the situation to figure out how to behave.
8. Confidence and Persistence
The idea of golf is simple. But gaining the skills to be a good golfer takes time and practice.
Golf teaches kids persistence. They learn how to overcome frustration and continue working to improve. They’ll see gradual improvement the more they practice, which motivates them to continue.
As they improve at golf, they gain confidence. That confidence follows them to other areas of life.
Embrace the Benefits of Kids Playing Golf
Kids playing golf may not be as popular as basketball, football, softball, or soccer, but the sport has many advantages. Starting your child at a young age helps develop the game skills and mental, emotional, and physical skills that come with it. Visit Blue Sky Golf Club to find out about our Junior Golf Lessons or learn more about the Golf Academy of North Florida.
7 Tips For Playing Golf With Your Coworkers
Getting ready to play a game of golf with your coworkers?
Wondering how you can make the most of it?
Preparing to play a game of golf with your coworkers or your boss can be very stressful. While you may feel comfortable being around your coworkers at the office, the dynamics of your relationships can be different when you’re out on the golf course. It can be hard knowing how you should behave.
Luckily, we’re here to help. Below we’ll give you a few of the top tips for making the most of playing golf with your coworkers or boss.
1. Make Sure You Look Good
Even if you’ve never played a game of golf in your life, the truth is that you can still look great out on the course if you know how to dress the part. Playing golf is about the whole experience and not just about winning and losing.
When at the golf course, you’ll want to wear a golfing outfit that will make you look good and will also help you feel more comfortable. Golf clothes with sweat-wicking fabric are ideal for keeping you feeling comfortable and cool. You’ll also want to get a hold on some golf shoes as well.
Remember that if you project a look of comfort when you’re playing golf your coworkers or your boss will probably take notice.
2. Demonstrate Your Confidence
Playing golf with your coworkers or your boss is a great opportunity to show them how confident you are. The way a person plays golf can be indicative of how they overcome challenges in the professional world as well.
If you get frustrated easily over poor swings or missed putts and you show that to your coworkers or boss it may not look so good. Having a calm and controlled demeanor that projects confidence is essential when out on the golf course.
Don’t let yourself get too worked up over small things. Look at the game as a challenge to overcome and give it your best with the same type of finesse, confidence, and ability that you would with your job.
You don’t have to be overly serious and you don’t even have to win, but keeping a cool demeanor during the game can say a lot about you to those you’re playing with.
3. Know the Game
If you’ve never played golf before your outing with your co-workers, you’ll want to learn everything you can about it before you start playing.
Taking some golf lessons before playing with your coworkers can be a great idea. However, at the very least make sure you know everything you can about the rules and playing tactics. Learn what you can about golf tricks and make sure that you find out how to focus on your grip.
Knowing the basic rules of the game is essential but if you do a little bit of research beforehand you’ll probably look much better when you’re out on the course. You’ll avoid slowing everyone down or needing to get things explained to you throughout the day.
4. Learn the Language
As part of learning as much as you can about the game of golf, it’s also a great idea to study up on common golf lingo and etiquette as well. There’s plenty of golf jargon that players use while on the course and if you understand some of it you’ll have a much easier time interacting with co-workers and bosses who are more experienced than you.
Learn the basic terms such as par, birdies, drives, putts, as well as other expressions that are used to express what is happening in the game. “Hitting it fat” for example means that you’re accidentally hitting the ground before you’re hitting the ball.
Knowing these types of expressions can be a big help when you’re playing and using them correctly can make you look good when playing.
5. Find Out About the Course
In addition to finding out about the game of golf itself, it’s also a great idea to find out about the specifics of the game of golf you’ll be playing with your coworkers. If you can find out what course you’ll be playing beforehand, it can be a big help in allowing you to be more ready for the big day.
Find out about the course itself and do some research online about what you can expect from it. If there are any particularly tricky spots or special tips you’ll probably be able to read about it online.
With this extra knowledge behind you, you’ll be more prepared for the game and will feel more comfortable when playing.
6. Have Fun
Staying relaxed is essential when you’re playing with your coworkers. You’re getting a chance to be away from the office when playing, so you should enjoy your time the best that you and use it to get to know your coworkers a little bit better.
Don’t take the game too seriously and worry about every little thing you do. While you will want to behave in a professional demeanor with your boss it’s okay to be a bit more relaxed with your coworkers when out on the course.
Even if you’re not a great player, bring whatever positivity that you can to the game. If you do, you’ll ensure that your coworkers have enjoyed spending time with you during the game even if you’re not the best golfer around.
7. Try to Win
While you should be trying to have fun when golfing with your coworkers, don’t forget to actually do your best either.
Many people mistakenly believe that they should let their boss win or are worried that beating their co-workers too badly will make them mad. However, the truth is that golf is a game of skill and many players who take the game seriously will simply be impressed if you do a great job.
While you shouldn’t gloat about winning, actually trying and doing your best is almost always a good thing.
Getting Ready For Playing Golf With Your Coworkers
Playing golf with coworkers or with a boss can be a stressful experience if you’re not prepared for it. Luckily, by using the above tips you’ll have the best time when out on the golf course. You’ll ensure that you and your coworkers have a positive experience while being out of the office for a change.
Need a bit of extra practice before playing golf with your coworkers? Click here to check out our golf club and to find a tee time now.
