The pandemic has made outdoor sports grow and golf is conquering more and more practitioners and at the same time moving away from the stigmas and prejudices that stubbornly persisted in Portugal. A modality that is practiced by more than 100 million people around the world and that in our country finds ideal conditions, with mild temperatures and many sunny days throughout the year.
The more than 90 golf courses designed by specialized architects make Portugal a perfect country to play golf. The proof that we are telling the truth is that our country was chosen on several occasions by the “World Golf Awards” as the Best Golf Destination in Europe and is among those nominated for the same award in 2022. Courses that are already known by foreigners to visit us and that more Portuguese players are waiting.
over 600 years ago
It is not known for sure when golf was first played, but it is accepted that the game originated in Scotland, around the year 1400. There are also written records that the game was banned by King James II for interfering with skill. of the archers. of the kingdom that fought against the English. Perhaps that is why there are also scholars who attribute the creation of golf to English, which is also somewhat confusing because the word golf derives from the German kolbe, or club. Be that as it may, who one day thought of inventing a way to make it possible to hit a ball hundreds of meters with a single blow, must have been far from imagining that, in 2022, more and more people are playing this game that was an Olympic sport. in 1900 and in 1904 being withdrawn from this event until returning in 2016, remaining until today.
A field of grass, sand, holes and socks.
In golf, the objective is to place a ball in a hole that may be hundreds of meters from the point where the tee shot is made. This point -exit- is called Tee and the place where the hole to place the ball is called Green. The Area from Tee to Green is called a Hole and a golf course can have 9 or 18 of these Holes, with different lengths and equally different difficulties.
The entire course is on grass, but along the way there are sand bunkers. If in one of the shots the ball lands there, the difficulty to get it increases, but this serves to give the game more emotion and demand more talent from the players.
The game requires concentration and is much more challenging than you think. It seems easy to hit a dead ball, but the first difficulty is that. Let Rui Unas say that he started doing the 9 1/2 Week teaching program of the Portuguese Golf Federation and now he is completely dedicated to this sport. A fast-paced educational program that wants to make golf more accessible to everyone.
For as little as €190 (refundable) a player can take enough lessons to start playing. The clubs that participate in this project, created jointly by the Federation, are available from north to south of the country. Just go to the page and choose the most convenient location and the best date.
It’s time to gather your friends and go for a swing. But first, watch the 9 Weeks & 1/2 web series episodes here, to start learning and start choosing the right socks to play with. Yes, because the quirkier they are, the more fun learning becomes.
Woods, irons… What kit is this?
The so-called golf set consists of a set of clubs and the corresponding bag. A trolley can also be added, a car to transport the player’s bag, which can even have an electric motor. After all, a golf course can be more than 12 km long and carrying weights over those distances is not that easy. There are also caddies, professionals hired to carry the player’s bag, and buggies, for those who don’t want to walk so much. But one of the pleasures of this sport is, without a doubt, the walks it offers through very well-kept meadows and, even if it is close to the cities, with all the peace and beauty of Nature. But back to the tacos.
There are several types:
- Long sticks, called “woods” with a large head, initially made of wood, but currently made of carbon and titanium;
- Medium and short sticks, called “ferros”, the flat head is made of steel;
- Putter Putter, specially designed to roll the ball on the green.
His specificity is admirable. Each one has its role in the projection of the ball, influencing from the distance to the precision of the shot. Jokingly, one could say that it takes a course to know everything that a club can do for a golfer, but this discovery is part of the challenge and gives more pleasure to the player who realizes that he has made the right choice for the golfer. perfect golfer. Shooting. As for the perfect putt, when the ball is on the green and, to put it in the hole, it is necessary to have a correct reading of the terrain to be covered and sensitivity for the execution of the respective stroke.
Disadvantage
It is understandable that a game with so many centuries of existence today has a level of perfection and rigor that would require many thousands of words to explain in detail. But we still want to talk to you about the Handicap. In golf, the players (amateurs) do not compete against each other but each one plays against the course or against himself. And since it is played in a group, to allow players of all levels to mix without losing interest in the start, the handicap was created. Briefly, the Handicap translates the skill level of each player, according to the shots he hits between the Tee and the hole. The higher the handicap, the worse the player is, with zero being ideal and it can go up to 36. To obtain a handicap in Portugal, the player must contact an affiliated club (with handicap authority) or the Portuguese Golf Federation itself. .
In a game between players of different levels, in the end the score is assigned taking into account the handicap of each one, making the match fair. And much more interesting. This is the only sport in the world where a bad player can beat a good player in a fair match.
A sport for everyone
Gone are the days when playing golf was only for the richest people. It is true that we need a golf kit —bag and clubs— but its price today is very similar to that of a surfboard or a paddle tennis racket and it is a one-time purchase. From there, simply choose the company and field. Whose rental rate, today, does not compare with those of the past. Today, to play golf, all you have to do is want and buy —or borrow, to begin with— a golf bag with the respective clubs and the famous golf shoes, suitable for walking on the grass with spikes (a kind of spikes ) on the sole. They also help maintain balance. And the balls, of course, the small, hard golf balls, with their honeycomb texture, traditionally white or modernly colored to make them easier to find on every shot across the turf.
How about having 5 more years to live?
If all of the above arguments still haven’t convinced you to try golf, health may be the last option.
Recent scientific studies have shown that people who play golf live 5 years longer than others. Hiking, golf, nature, fresh air, everything contributes to a healthier life. On average, you drive 10 kilometers burning 1,500 calories in an 18-hole round of golf.
Even the mental part is highly stimulated in a game of golf. Counting shots, understanding the direction of the wind, the distance to the hole, and many other decisions, are these variables that force our brain to be active and stay healthy longer.
As you can see, even for your health, golf is an unavoidable sport.
9 and 1/2 weeks to be a golfer
To start playing golf, some lessons are essential. For this reason, and because more and more people of all ages are interested in this sport, the “9 weeks and ½” program was created.
Designed by the Portuguese Golf Federation in collaboration with Clubs and Academies from all over the country, it allows beginners to play golf and challenges that, in just 9 and a half weeks, for an affordable price, each participant becomes a capable golfer. of tackling the courses, tees, greens and bunkers in this country and beyond. All for a very attractive price (and possible for most Portuguese) and with additional benefits, including discounts on the purchase of the Golf Kit. You can find out everything at this link.
Thus, in just over 2 months, with 2 group classes per week, this course focuses on learning through experience and practice, giving less weight to theoretical aspects and more emphasis on the pleasure of playing. It is also shared by celebrities such as Rui Unas, Carolina Torres, Hélder Tavares and Tiago Osório, all invited by the Portuguese Golf Federation to participate in a Webseries, whose episodes will capture/document the frustrations and successes that everyone has to live to learn. to play golf. This initiative will always have a lot of humor and the good disposition of those who are in the habit of strolling through wonderful meadows while they improve themselves practicing this sport.
We don’t want to spoil it, but we can’t resist revealing that the WebSeries will be guided by the same learning process used in the initiation program, where it will be possible to observe the practice of various aspects, both technical and practical, essential to success. Find out about everything at this link and sign up now.
In the meantime, take our quiz. We bet you’ll soon be completely at ease in the world of golf.
Source: Observadora
