Written by Tom Lynott, Golf Basics Coach – 619-955-0633
“Carnac the Magnificent” says “Let someone else” and then Johnny Carson opens the envelope and reads the question that Carnac has already answered… “What if I’m afraid to tee off?”
I sometimes play golf with my beautiful wife who has a shoulder injury which makes the full golf swing too risky. So, I tee off for her and she then plays the ball when it’s closer to the green, hitting short pitch shots, chipping onto the green and of course getting that pesky ball into the hole with sometimes amazing putts.
In fact, I am now also playing this way with my good friend and neighbor who broke his arm and elbow in a nasty fall last spring. He has thirteen screws and some metal plates that hold it together. Not surprisingly, he is afraid of hitting the ground when he makes that full swing at the golf ball. In talking with other folks around town, I find many would-be golfers who aren’t out on our beautiful courses due to prior injuries or just lack enough balance to make that body turn and full swing that’s needed to tee off or hit the fairway metals or long irons.
Fun golfers take heart, you also don’t have to tee off or make full body swings to play golf and get in on the fun out on our gorgeous desert courses. Choose a spouse or playing partner who does like to tee off and hit full swings, and have them do those nasty chores for you. Usually, they will gladly do it as it gives them more chances to practice that shot! And yes, if that shot goes astray, YOU are the one that
just lost a ball!
Before serious golfers tear my throat out (or take away my computer) I MUST remind our readers that we are making these choices available to FUN golfers, not competitive golfers who keep accurate scores and post their scores for maintaining their handicap index. They must record and post all their rounds played (except for par three courses) to maintain an honest handicap index. That’s required if they want to play in their clubs’ tournaments and/or men’s and women’s clubs’ various events. So don’t ask them to tee off for you, please.
I, of course, offer my ”teeing off” services to my coaching clients as part of my coaching sessions when we “hit the links.” That means my serious, competitive golfing days are over. My lowest handicap index was nine when I played a lot of golf at my Jack Nicklaus-designed home course.
But, I remember, he did give us all permission to play FUN golf, right? HAVE FUN!
