Learning to play Golf
Challenges, goals and new projects for 2020.
Learning to play golf in Malaga | Chaparral Golf Club
At the beginning of each new year, we usually make a list of goals and projects that respond to our needs and concerns. Who has never considered new goals for the new year? … New challenges, projects, healthy habits, getting fit, preparing a better nutrition, and, of course, starting a new sport.
In Chaparral Golf Club more and more people are interested in learning how to play golf in Malaga, often at an early age. They come and visit our golf course in Mijas and show interest in knowing more about the basic rules of golf. We inform them about when they can start training, what kind of the golf equipment they will need and when they can get their first handicap.
The sport of golf? Any experienced golfer, whether amateur or professional, by just hearing the word “golf” would start telling you about his or hers experiences, frustrations, achievements… he or she could even debate for hours about the new golf rules or the new Golf handicap system for 2020.
All this is great, but sometimes, it´s hard for us to go back in time when we were aspiring future golfers and we saw the sport of golf as something cold, distant and sometimes unattainable.
Technicalities such as; swing, handicaps, grip, stance, slope, stableford or the par of the course, made us feel like we were from another world.
Should I learn to play golf, is this something for me?
Fortunately, we can say that golf is gradually becoming a more common sport, but have we succeeded in transferring to the society the values of this beautiful sport?
Today, golf clubs and academies have a primary role in communicating the message of golf to the society. Together, we must adopt the commitment to make sure that golf continues being a meeting point for friends and families, where social and sporting values are superior to competitiveness or classism.
A friend came to me a couple of months ago, and asked me how he could start playing golf in Chaparral. I was happy to accompany him to the driving range the first day, to be his ambassador and see with my own eyes how he, as many golfers say “got caught by the golf bug”.
The first thing we did was to visit the facilities and meet all the club staff, then we went to the golf academy where we´d meet with the golf teacher.
This contact is crucial; the golf teacher will become your spiritual guide in your new golf journey. He did not immediately tell us about all the golf technicalities. On the contrary, he met us and told us about the history of a forgotten sport, from its beginnings in the fifteenth century, to the present day. Then he emphasized the importance of the values of friendship, loyalty and companionship of this sport.
In all sports you will find rules and regulations, but in golf you´ll find something out of the ordinary; the rules are based on principles of chivalry and honesty. Principles that, from the first contact will accompany you during your life and golf trips.
My friend now hits the ball, learns the technique and acquires more knowledge of the rules of golf every day. Next week he´ll take his golf exam and achieve his first handicap.
But do you know what the best of all is? To be able to go out and play the course together with friends and family. To share the unique experience of self-improvement and spending time together for more than four hours each time you meet, something that no other sport give us today.
Domingo Gavira
Managing Director, Chaparral Golf Club
