For many folks, golf is a sport that takes time, patience and dedication. While the sport offers the advantages of great scenery and camaraderie, the learning process often deters those interested from participating. Retired PGA pro Brian Baldwin and Pinewood County Club in Harshaw have teamed up to offer Golf 101, a class designed for beginners and those who have lost touch with the sport. We recently sat down with Brian to learn more about this upcoming course.

Star Journal: Where did the idea behind this class come from?

Brian Baldwin: There are a lot of individuals that have either retired in the area or are younger and have always been interested in the sport of golf, but don’t know where to begin. There are a lot of rules to golf and it can be overwhelming at times, so we wanted to offer a program that starts with the very basics of the sport and builds up to techniques such proper stances, posture and stroke techniques.

SJ: What is the cost of the class?

BB: The cost of the class is $195 for 10 weeks of lessons. Each lesson is roughly 45 minutes, followed by a 9-hole round of golf. The cost also includes a golf cart and complimentary beverage from the pro shop. Our lessons are offered on Monday evenings at three different times. Our first lesson is offered at 3 p.m. and we have a 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. class for those who are still working and may not be available until later in the evening. We’re hoping to have about 12 people per class, which allows me the ability to work with each participant up at the driving range before they head to the course for their round of golf.

SJ: What kinds of techniques and skills are covered in the course?

BB: Since we have participants ranging in age and experience in the sport, we start at the very basic fundamentals of the game. Some people’s biggest fear is calling the golf course to set up a tee time, so we work with our participants on the etiquette of golf. However, we set a good portion of our emphasis on the physical techniques of the game, like holding the club, demonstrating the proper stance and posture, and stroke and swing techniques. A lot of our participants have been away from the game for quite some time and are simply looking to find their swing again so our lessons vary greatly, depending on the golfer.

SJ: How can people who are interested enroll in the program?

BB: Anyone that is interested in joining the Golf 101 class may call Pinewood Country Club at (715) 282-5500. We will be holding our information meeting on Monday, June 3 at 5 p.m. in the clubhouse at Pinewood Country Club. The meeting is open to all who are interested.