In this weekly series, we peer into your summer weekend agenda and offer a few essential sundries to help you make the most of your upcoming escapade. This weekend, you’re hitting the links.

There’s still plenty of time to get out on the course this summer. And when you do, we’d like to make sure you’re getting the most you can out of it, so for this week’s installment of “Weekending Right” (trademark pending), we’re skipping the gear (mostly) and focusing on the experience—we’re talking 19th holes, cart girls, etc.

Allow us to help you take your next round of golf to the next level.

The hybrid club. Let’s get our one gear recommendation out of the way, because it’s the secret weapon you should have in your bag. It’s the iron/fairway wood hybrid—they don’t allow these on tour for a reason. But for the weekend warrior, they’re a godsend on long par fours, par fives and the occasional three off the tee. Taylor Made calls them the Rescue Club, but you can find a good selection of hybrids in any club shop worth its green fee.

For your refreshments. Keep an eye out for the beverage cart. Be polite to the cart girl, leave a nice tip, and she’ll swing back around sooner than later—there’s nothing worse than a Bloody Mary thirst gone unquenched.

The lingo. A pastime this old is bound to pick up some clever terms and turns of phrase. Brush up here (or pick up the pocket-size book) and pepper them into the conversation as necessary—for authenticity’s sake. For instance: stick the green and then tell the rest of your foursome you’ll see them on the dance floor.

The trick shot. This one counts for style points far beyond what any tartan knickerbockers might lend. You can always try mastering the Tiger Woods juggling act, but you’d be best off learning something that will come into play on the course. Something like Phil Mickelson’s backward shot that’ll get you off the lip of a bunker in spectacular fashion.

The 19th hole. Post-golf drinks are a time-honored ritual almost as important as the game itself. Research this list from Golf Digest, find your nearest course and make the tee time.

—N.B.