I found that I envied our golfers at the TUI BLUE Fleesensee when they’d return from the golf course. They got to spend the whole day in the fresh air and sunshine, walking through the beautiful green landscape with its shallow hills and small lakes. Whether golfing was also something for me, I’d have to find out myself at the introductory golf class!
Golf Class and Country Club Fleesensee
Every Saturday at 12:00 pm, the Golf & Country Club Fleesensee offers a free introductory golf class, so I decided to join! When I arrived, I was not surprised. More than 50 golfers were looking forward to their first lesson at the introductory golf class. We were divided into right-handed and left-handed people and then again into three smaller groups. Jessica from the Golf & Country Club Fleesensee showed us how to hold the golf club correctly, and then everyone was given a basket full of golf balls.
My First Tee-Off and… Nothing Happens
I put the little spike (called a “tee” in golf-speak) into the lawn and placed a golf ball on top of it. I then held the golf club, as Jessica had shown us, horizontally in my left hand (because I’m right-handed) and put my right hand under my left on the handle. This felt uncomfortable. I then leaned forward and bent my knees slightly. Phew – so much to be aware of and I hadn’t even taken my first stroke. “It’s not a matter of striking the ball with a lot of force,” Jessica explained, “How the ball is hit is much more important.”
So I gripped the unusual handle, leaned down, bent my knees, and took a swing. The ball sat on the tee without moving. Hm, and again. The ball was still sitting on the tee. Jessica came over to me and gave me the tip that I should imagine striking the lawn. Okay, if she says so… So I tried again, this time concentrating on knocking the grass out of the park – the ball did a short leap in the air and the tee broke. Oops. “That’s not so bad,” Jessica assured me, “That happens a lot in the intro class.” She handed me a new one.
Amazing Things about Golf
It was working better, and I was hitting the ball more often, but it wasn’t flying very far. I asked Jessica how far the ball would have to fly in order to hit the hole. She pointed to a flag on the horizon and informed me that it was 200 metres away. I didn’t need to close those 200 metres in one stroke, but it would improve my handicap to need as few strokes as possible. “What exactly is this ‘handicap’?” I wanted to know. This is the name of the game. Beginners – like those in the intro class – begin with handicap 54, meaning that they receive an additional 54 strokes. “And how many strokes are given for an 18-hole golf course?” 72 strokes are allowed. At this point, Jessica went off with all kinds of interesting facts. “An 18-hole golf course is about 6,000 metres long and requires between four to six hours of play that run ten to twelve kilometres.” Her step counter showed 14,000 steps. “And best of all, it’s independent of weather. Golfers play in the rain, in the sun, in the snow (then with orange balls), even in the wind.”
Golfing Is More Challenging than Expected
As she raved about golfing, Jessica corrected my posture and showed me how to really get swinging. I had to turn my upper body to the right, stretch my left arm, and drop the golf club into my right hand. Meanwhile, my gaze had to stay on the golf ball on the ground. “And now, concentrate on the swing and remember that you want to hit the lawn.” I took a swing and the ball flew high into the clouds until I couldn’t see it anymore. WOW! It’s all right. I was really looking forward to getting a new tee and hitting more balls to heaven.
And What Makes Golf a Sport?
Whenever I thought I had gotten the hang of it, Jessica had another tip for me: “That looks quite good. You can pull the club towards your left shoulder more after striking the tee.” Or: “Take the swing with your right leg. You don’t want to be stuck to the earth.” My right arm was slowly starting to hurt and I wondered what health benefits there were to golf. Here, too, Jessica had a lot of good thoughts:
- You’re out in the open air, which strengthens your immunity
- You train your pelvic muscles, your buttocks, your shoulders, and your back
- You walk at least 5 kilometres
- You can also play golf with various injuries, such as a herniated disc
How Does One Become a Serious Golfer?
Only one question remained: how would I become a member of the Golf & Country Club Fleesensee? Very easily. You have to acquire a “Platzreife” – something like a golfing license – by passing a theoretical test on etiquette and rules. In contrast to the driving license, you only need one week for the Platzreife.
Suddenly, I found an uplifting mood all around me. The 50 minutes of the introductory golf class were up. The time had passed quickly and I still felt like I had much to learn. It looks so simple as an observer, but there’s a lot you have to be aware of. It’s also surprisingly exhausting. The introductory golf class is a great opportunity to get some insight into the world of golf. In any case, you should try it on your next visit to the TUI BLUE Fleesensee. Maybe we’ll see each other on the green!
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The introductory golf class is free and take place every Saturday at noon at the Golf & Country Club Fleesensee, near the Hotel TUI BLUE Fleesensee. The hotel offers special arrangements for golfers.