Last week, Team FP Movement took to the course to learn the golfing fundamentals and try our hand at driving, putting, and nailing that perfect swing.
Even though the weather called for scattered showers and lower-than-expected June temperatures, our excitement was as high as our outfits were bright, and we joined Girls Inc. (our FP Movement partnership with a goal to inspire young women and foster their talents) and City Girls Golf (an incredible organization seeking to inspire a love of the game) for a day on the green.
Want to learn alongside us? Let’s get into the swing of things.
WE TRIED IT:
Golf
By: Elizabeth Rakow
Some very green golfers teed up for a day on the links.
WHERE WE WENT
Our golf outing took place at Hartefeld National, a premier Delaware Valley golf club located in Avondale, PA. Views of the countryside and perfectly manicured grounds set the scene as we enjoyed the instructive talents of Dave and RG, two skilled golf pros with over 50 years of experience between them.
Our group was also given some great insights from Sierra and Abigail, the instructors from City Girls Golf, an organization that offers a supportive environment for beginners to enhance their skills and passion for golf. “When I began taking up golf, I didn’t see a lot of women like me on the course,” Sierra said. “Finding friends and community through this sport has been life-changing.”
Our group was also given some great insights from Sierra and Abigail, the instructors from City Girls Golf, an organization that offers a supportive environment for beginners to enhance their skills and passion for golf. “When I began taking up golf, I didn’t see a lot of women like me on the course,” Sierra said. “Finding friends and community through this sport has been life-changing.”
WHAT WE DID
With about 20 golfers in our group, we split in half and each went with an instructor to learn the day’s main skills: driving and putting. Here’s how it went…
DRIVING
Our designated driving pro, Dave, gave us a full clinic on the finer details that go into perfecting a golf swing (something he says he’s still working on to this day). From finding the correct stance and positioning your hands to keeping your eyes locked on the ball and swinging in a fluid motion, what looks like a simple swing is actually composed of many micro details. Here are some key tips from the pros:
STANCE
The proper golf stance involves keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and weight evenly distributed between both feet. Another key tip from our pro: “Bending slightly forward can give you more power in your swing!”
GRIP
For many of us, finding the right grip was the most challenging part! “Grip can vary depending on preference,” our pro said, “these are just the basics for getting started.”
SWING
We learned that a great swing comes from using your whole body, not just your arms. Our pro explained that the key is in swinging the hips and turning the feet. Since most of us had never golfed before, this was a bit of a learning curve.
PUTTING
The second portion of our golf instruction was given by RG, and the first question he posed to our group was “What do you think is the key to the perfect putt?” A few answers floated around, but none of them were aligned with his perfectly succinct response: Speed.
SPEED
We were surprised to learn just how significant this pillar of putting seemed to be. Many of us assumed aim, stance, and positioning would play the starring roles, but RG made an excellent point: “You can stand perfectly and have a meticulously aligned shot, but if you send the ball flying or don’t give it enough oomph, it doesn’t matter. The perfect putt comes down to speed.”
We also learned about analyzing the area around us to properly choose what our speed should be. “You should always pay attention to the highest and lowest points surrounding the hole. The slope of the ground will impact whether or not you get a good shot.”
We also learned about analyzing the area around us to properly choose what our speed should be. “You should always pay attention to the highest and lowest points surrounding the hole. The slope of the ground will impact whether or not you get a good shot.”
WHAT WE WORE
While rainwear was not initially part of our wardrobe plan, it ended up being the star of the day! Underneath, a variety of tees, tanks, and sweatshirts gave us the perfect combo of comfort and free movement, but the Happy Camper Pullover and Singin’ In The Rain Packable Jacket kept us covered and (mostly) dry. Our friends from Girls Inc. and City Girls Golf were also outfitted in their FP Movement best, with styles like the Carpe Diem Shorts, the Pleats And Thank You Skort, and the Swing of Things Skortsie giving a prep-forward look.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
For many of us, this was our first time even picking up a club. “I feel like I would maybe do it again now that I know the basics,” one of our Girls Inc. golfers said. Some of our FP Movement team members also came away feeling like their new golfing fundamentals might come in handy, “Now I could at least keep up if I had to play for some kind of meeting or work event!” While the finer points of golf were a challenge, we came away with an appreciation for the continuous self-improvement that golf necessitates. Our pro Dave had a particularly profound sentiment:
“It’s a game that you can play forever and never truly master, and that’s what makes it great.”
HOW WE MOVED
While not a particularly strenuous exercise, golf is known to relieve stress, foster concentration, and get the body moving. Some of us swung the club a little hard and came away with some next-day aches, but overall, the true exercise of golf is that of the mind. Golf speaks to the importance of patience, movement, and overall mental wellness. A day on the golf course can get your body moving and clear your head in a way you didn’t even realize you needed.
Looking to incorporate golf into your own active lifestyle? Here are a couple of tips straight from the pros:
Looking to incorporate golf into your own active lifestyle? Here are a couple of tips straight from the pros:
- Think less about power and more about precision. Aim and form matter much more than strength when it comes to hitting the ball!
- Use the mirror to practice your stance and swing. This is the fastest way to improve and actually see if you’re using your whole body.
- Don’t get frustrated by every little thing. Like any sport, golf takes time and practice. In the words of pro RG, “It’s not a snap of the fingers. Put in the work, and you’ll see the results!”
Thanks for joining FP Movement for a day on the green! We came, we swung, we tried it!
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