Links lessons

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Pilot’s Amanda Pennington attended the Toshiba Classic women’s clinic and filed this first-person report.

NEWPORT BEACH — I used to joke that I knew way too much about two sports to not play them — golf and surfing.

I grew up the daughter of a doctor who, of course, played golf. My mom used to playfully call herself a “golf widow.”

But it’s not like I’ve never played. I play in the Bubba Kapko Memorial Golf Tournament every year. I’m a “driving range pro,” as Saddleback College golf instructor Bill Cunerty would say.

But on Friday, my golf ego was shattered before I even attempted to hit a ball (when it normally would be). I attended the Toshiba Classic women’s golf clinic on Friday afternoon and was enlightened about golf rules and strategy.

The game of golf has its own language, its own etiquette, much of which I was unaware of, but I wasn’t alone. A slew of women gathered in the garden tent at the golf tourney to learn more about etiquette, rules and equipment. Some were total novices and others were obviously more experienced.

Cunerty guided us through some of the basics of golf, which are in many cases the most important things to know for novices and those who have more experience.

Many business deals are made on the golf course, and it’s much more important to keep a good attitude while playing than to sink a sweet birdie when trying to close the deal or impress the boss.

But sometimes it seems women may get cut out of that business deal because the assumption is that men are the ones who play golf.

“Businessmen can further their careers on the golf course,” Huntington Beach resident and clinic participant Jillian Fabian said. “I can’t help but think it would do the same thing for women.”

So for the ladies, Cunerty and clinic director Sue Brooks offered a few tips. The 34 primary rules of golf are important to review but aren’t at the heart of what it takes to have some fun during nine or 18 holes. Make sure to use some common-sense etiquette — don’t talk while someone is hitting, don’t tear up the grass by doing doughnuts on the fairway in a cart and don’t walk in someone’s line.

First thing — keep up.

“Simply being ready to play and not standing over your ball for hours — just hit the thing,” Brooks said. “If your fellow players are good, know when to pick up.”

I play slowly — and I mean slowly — but I always figured I should keep my eyes behind me on the course, but just as I learned that my golf grip was wrong, I did so here. Cunerty and Brooks said to make sure you keep up with the group in front.

There’s no shame in picking up the ball and gracefully continuing on, so I’m told, which leads me to another point.

It’s one thing to be knowledgeable about the rules, but it’s another to be able to keep a good attitude after slicing the ball.

Jack Nicklaus once said something to this effect: You can learn more about someone in 18 holes of golf than you can in a month of knowing the person.

And most golfers will tell you that some version of that is true. Thankfully, I’m an easygoing gal. Even when I got to hit a bright yellow ball with a brand new Cleveland hybrid club on the Newport Beach Country Club driving range alongside pros and whiffed it, I decided to shrug it off — something I, unfortunately, have to do often when I attempt to play.

But I think it’s pretty easy to get discouraged on the course. So if you’re worried, Cunerty and senior pro Dave Stockton suggested taking lessons.

Fabian has been taking lessons every week for less than six months. On her first time to a real course last week, she was amazed that she was actually pretty good.

Cleveland Golf representative Ruben Padilla said the golf equipment manufacturer offers swing evaluations at its Huntington Beach facility. They’ll introduce the ladies to their beautiful clubs, including the hybrid four iron I used to miss the ball.

If you really want to impress someone, check out the United States Golf Assn.’s website, where you can find professional and amateur play rules.

But most of all, have fun, don’t stress and don’t be afraid to pick up the ball if you play anything like the way I do.

FOR THE GREEN GOLFER

If you need to brush up on the basics, here’s a simple cheat sheet:

Pace of play: Take more than one club to your shot, especially if you’re hitting close to the green. Take your putter so you don’t have to walk back to the cart. Make sure to keep up with the group ahead of yours.

Teeing up: Mark your ball with a pen so it won’t be confused with other players’. Be sure to tee up between the tee markers or within two club lengths behind them. Never tee up in front of the markers.

Hitting order: After teeing off, the person whose ball is farthest from the pin hits first, unless decided otherwise by the group. Whoever wins the last hole will tee off first at the next.

What to do while another person is hitting: Make sure to stand out of the person’s line of sight — and that includes keeping your shadow out of the way.

Practice swings: Don’t take more than 30 seconds to take practice swings.

Course care: Make sure to rake a bunker after you hit from it.

Find out more online: United States Golf Assn., www.usga.org ; Cleveland Golf, www.clevelandgolf.com ; Toshiba Classic, www.toshibaclassic.com .

SPEAKING GOLF

address: when the golfer prepares to hit the ball

albatross: score three less than par — beginners may not use this much, but it’s inspiring to know

bogey: score of one over par — now that’s more like it

chip and run: a shot near the green when the ball spends more time on the ground than in the air

dance floor: slang for the green

duff: slang for a bad shot

explosion: shot played from a fried egg, see below

fluffy lie: when the ball rests on top of long grass

fried egg: a ball buried in the sand of a bunker

lie: the position of the ball

mulligan: do-over

plumb bob: figuring out how a putt will curve

sweet spot: This is what you want to find on the club — the spot on the clubface that will not torque or twist when it hits the ball.

worm burner: Basically a grounder — a shot other than a putt in which the ball never leaves the ground.

TODAY AT TOSHIBA

Toshiba Classic — second round of professional competition; tee times start at about 10:15 a.m.

Wells Fargo junior clinic — immediately following play; 4:30 p.m.; Newport Beach Country Club driving range

To see photos from Friday’s opening round of the Toshiba Classic, go to click here.