Bite - Sit - Run - Get Legs Turn - Come Down - Hurry Get in the Hole - #!!*%#*&!!

Do you talk to your golf ball? Don't be timid. Most golfers do. Dotty Pepper does. Some shout words of encouragement to their ball after every shot. Some scream words that we are not able to print here on the pages of this magazine. Others whisper little helpful hints to their ball. (Please... tell me if it helps, and I will do it on a more regular basis!)

Are you superstitious? In recent years I have seen little things attached to golf bags that give golfers that extra mental support. Some of the trinkets attached to the players bags or in their pockets include lucky tees, Xena dolls, special ball markers, four leaf clovers, a lucky putter, etc. Human beings are funny.

Is playing good golf luck or skill, or a combination of both? If you are a serious player then you know golf is a game of skill with an occasional lucky shot thrown in. The more lucky shots you have, the longer you’ve been playing and the more skillful you’ve become. Lessons are an important part of playing good golf.

If your goal is to play better and eliminate some of the frustration you feel when you play, then you should schedule a lesson or a series of lessons each year before you hit the links. A minimum of 3 half hour individual or group lessons with a golf professional will get you off on the right foot. There are many excellent LPGA and PGA golf professionals in your area. A referral is usually a good way to find an instructor, or check this issue of Tee Time and call one of the golf pros listed. Compare costs for individual lessons versus group lessons. When are the lessons conducted? What is the number of students per instructor? What is the pro’s specialty in teaching?

Before you begin your lesson, think about what area you wish to improve on most. Don’t be afraid to ask the instructor for some information about his or her background and qualifications. Remember... you are right on schedule... your life is just where it is supposed to be. Tomorrow can be better, you just have to do something different. Lessons definitely help improve ones game. Okay... "Get Legs" and "Hurry"... keep rubbing that four leaf clover... and take that golf lesson!