Are you having difficulty trying to find that good and inexpensive public golf course? Don’t despair. Our golf course sniffer has some tips and advice on finding the right course for you.

Beginners normally do not have club memberships and so cannot play on the courses where the big guns putt their stuff. It’s better this way because there are plenty of cheap courses out there that can offer the same levels of challenge.

The first thing you should check at a public golf course is the course itself. More importantly, find out how many holes it has. Some courses only have 9 holes. To play the full 18 holes, you just go around twice. Walk a few holes and take a look at the course. Check to see whether it appears well maintained. Are the greens plush and even? Is the rough bearable? Does it look like they regularly mend divot holes? There’s nothing more discouraging for a novice golfer than playing a course that ends up being too tough just because of poor maintenance. While poorly maintained courses can provide lots of entertainment value – you know you look funny when you’re swinging away in a bunker – they don’t provide as much "good" experience for a novice golfer as a well cared for course will.

The second thing you should check is the cost of a round. You'll find big differences in costs from course to course. Many public golf courses offer reduced rates at certain times of the day and during off-season. For example, public golf courses in Phoenix, Arizona, known as the City of Golf, sometimes discount their rates by as much as 50 percent during the hot summer months.

Third, there are extras that can be really helpful to your game! Most beginners spend far too much time on the practice putting green and not nearly enough time on the driving range. Make sure the course you pick has an adequate driving range. It doesn’t matter if you can putt like a pro if it takes you six strokes to get onto the green at a par 3 hole. Along with the driving range and practice green, you might find a public golf course that has a chipping green or a practice bunker. These can all be great features to help you improve particular problem areas in your game. And that’s what it's all about.

And finally, check out the clubhouse. Learn whether the course has a pro shop. Find out if a golf pro runs the shop. Ask about their qualifications – most of us think of the words "golf pro" and immediately think PGA, but not all golf pros are registered with the PGA. For that matter, not all golf pros are particularly well qualified for teaching. Ask if lessons are offered or if a golf school is associated with the course. This can be a big selling point if you’re trying to improve your golf swing and just can’t figure out what's wrong. And of course, find out the cost of the lessons.

Check out several courses in your area. Then again, all the information you will ever need can probably be found online.