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The sport of golf has really boomed in public awareness over the last 45 years. It has produced fantastic world-champions such as Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods and world-renowned courses like St. Andrews, Sunningdale, Pinehurst ans Augusta.

But why should golfing have become so poplar with the public? Surely, it must be because a round of golf is a leisurely, but nevertheless, active, outdoor pursuit with a competitive side that can be enjoyed with friends but that can never be mastered.

Your scorecard shows your progress, or lack of it, and this can spur you on to want to play again.

Here is a very basic lesson in golf for the person who hasn’t a clue about the game.

Golf is played on an eighteen-hole course. Each hole has its own “par” (value), which is the combined number of tee shots (drives), fairway shots, chips (short hits as you approach the green), and putts (on the green) you should need to take.

‘Par’ is determined by the length and difficulty of each hole and can range from three to six. So, if you get the golf ball in the hole in six shots on a ‘par six’ hole, you ‘made par’; if you make it in five, it’s a “birdie” or seven, a “bogie”.

‘Hazards’ or obstructions are usually placed before all the holes. Ponds, sand bunkers and trees are positioned in such a way as to make it more difficult to reach the green. Novice golfers should try to find a course with fewer hazards, which is therefore easier to play.

Each player keeps his or her own score, marking the total number of shots for each hole. At the end, each person adds up their scores – the one with the lowest number is the winner.

Please don’t take your score or your lack of skill to heart when you are a beginner golfer, because, although the professionals make it look simple, it takes many years to play the game well.

A good tip is to get the basics right from the start by taking a few lessons from the course ‘pro’, because then you will learn the correct posture and swing.