Taking a swing
First-time golfer finds her Island rhythm on one of Canada’s top nine-hole courses
When I was growing up, the game of golf seemed inaccessible. You needed special clothing, cleated shoes, clubs, balls, and then you had to cough up a hefty course fee. For someone that grew up poor, it was far too much “money to waste,” as my parents said, “on a game.”
Walking in the undulating countryside was the closest I got to experiencing golf.
“For old and boring people,” I joked as a kid.
Now in my 30-ish year on earth, with opinions certainly changed, along with more affordable golf courses, packages, and attire, I was ready to give this game a shot.
I pulled out my clubs still wrapped in plastic, a Christmas gift from a few years ago, determined to learn golf with the help of two avid players on Red Sands Golf Course in Prince Edward Island. This nine-hole course near Kensington was ranked number five in Canada’s top 10-list in 2013, to name just one accolade.
Luckily, the three of us (my husband Terry Anstey, his father Carl Anstey, and I) are the only ones starting the game at Red Sands early on a Tuesday morning. The manicured course is perfect for beginners in length but challenging enough for the more advanced player, with strategically placed traps.
Terry is the first to tee-off. Pointing his feet in the direction of his swing, with his back foot slightly elevated on toes, and knees inward, he takes a couple of practice shots with the driver club for long-range. Then — whack — the ball skyrockets into oblivion and lands near a wooden marker.
Carl is next. He shows me the basics of golf etiquette: not to place golf bags in the tee-off area, where to stick the peg to prop the ball (between the two blue-marked posts, for the men). After, he takes a solid strike and, with G-force speeds, the ball lands near the same marker on route to a checkeredflag.
FIRST SWINGS
“You’re down there,” motions Terry to the woman’s tee-off that’s marked in red and closer to the goal.
I take a couple of practice swings, I call them. Grass and dirt go flying while the ball remains untouched. I chuckle, comparing my swings to Moby Dick riding a bicycle. It’s a rough start.
Smoothing the dents of earth with the wood, I then awkwardly take another shot. This time, the ball hurls toward the trees.
“Fore!” Terry shouts, a warning when the ball is tumbling toward people.
The ball lands between the hazard. Hazards such as trees, sand traps, bunkers, and water are scattered around the course to challenge players and make the game more enjoyable.
“Even the professionals miss sometimes,” Carl reassures me.
I scurry down and chip the ball out the rough patch of grass, another hazard on the course. It takes a couple of attempts, but on my third shot with an open five-iron and a pendulum-motion swing, the ball takes flight and lands on the green, not too far from the flag.
“That’s a great shot,” compliments Terry, while the cheesiest smile creeps across my face.
Next is the putt. Putting is like playing a game of pool and trying to pocket one of the coloured balls. You see your imaginary target line. Direction and speed come into firm focus, and with a tap from the putter, you hope for the best. It takes me three attempts to roll the ball into the cup.
Carl and Terry are far better than me by a mile. They accurately judge the curves in the green and plant the ball with one rolling sweep.
“It takes time and practice,” Terry reminds me, as we make our way around the course.
OUTDOOR APPEAL
Carl drives a golf cart, while Terry and I opt to walk for the extra workout. Hole seven is a challenge with three bunkers, but at the highest elevation, it overlooks a pastoral landscape with a patchwork quilt of colourful farmland in the distance. I can see the appeal of golf from this vantage point.
Outside, we clear our minds in the quiet of nature. The slowed-down pace — in a world where almost everything is instant and other sports are driven by speed — is strangely satisfying. Plus, there are not many sports that Carl, Terry, and I can play together in a gratifying, competitive way.
While players are expected to complete the course in a certain amount of time during the peak summer season, playing on a random weekday in September clearly has its perks. We complete the nine-hole course shortly after noon, as other golfers begin to emerge.
Before leaving, we take in the 360-degree panoramic view from the clubhouse patio, and I’ve already decided: same time next week.
DEBUNKING THE MYTH THAT GOLF IS ONLY FOR THE WEALTHY:
1. For a beginner, try renting golf clubs before buying. Many golf clubs have rental equipment for those that are testing the waters.
2. It goes without saying, but nine-hole courses are cheaper than 18-holes.
3. Always check online for deals, but generally, the twilight hours are the best for discounts.
4. Wait until winter to buy discounted clothes, shoes or equipment.
5. If physically able, walk instead of riding a cart. Part of the feelgood factor is the exercise.
6. Find forgotten balls in the course hazards, such as trees, the rough, and along the water’s edge.
7. Play during off-season to put top-rated golf courses in your price range.