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Increasingly, playing golf helps you get valuable business contacts - otherwise you are left out. In some corporate cultures, it's often an unspoken requirement that you should be able to play a decent game of golf. If you play golf badly, your opportunities may be as limited as if you didn't play at all.

On the golf course, players tend to discuss a range of topics. You may find out about new job opportunities and get advice on how to take your success to the next level. New business deals can happen on the golf course.

Here are some of the mistakes that beginner golfers make that can cost you opportunities.

Mistake 1: Not Knowing How to Hit the Golf Ball

Either you swing and you miss, or you hit the ball and it bounces a short distance, or it flies far off target. These bad shots can happen to anyone, but when they happen repeatedly, it's embarrassing.

Tip: If you know your colleagues play golf, take some lessons and practice. The $35-$60 per hour for a good golf instructor may be money well-spent. A good instructor can cut years off your learning curve. Why? Because he or she will teach you proper techniques and how to practice to build your skills.

Mistake 2: Spending Large Amounts of Time Looking for Your Golf Ball.

It annoys other players and it's a dead giveaway that you're inexperienced. There's actually a time limit in the official Rules of Golf - five minutes - but NO ONE searches for that long. Five minutes on each hole could add 90 minutes to your golf game.

Tip: At the end of your swing, look up to see where the ball went. Pick out a landmark, such as a tree or a bunker to peg where your ball landed. With practice you'll get better at seeing where your ball went.

Mistake 3: Spending Large Amounts of Time Talking About Your Next Shots.

It's only human to talk with other players about how to do better, especially when you're hitting bad shots. Keep this talk too a minimum though. The other players are not that interested. Remember, they are trying to play THEIR best games, too. Just do your best and plan on taking a few lessons so you'll play better next time.

How do I know about these mistakes? Because these are the same mistakes I made. The first time I played 18 holes of golf was during a company outing.

*I couldn't hit the ball.
*I thought looking for your ball was part of the game.
*And I tried to figure out how to hit better by talking it out.

Looking back, was I embarrassed? Yes. Did I learn from my mistakes? You bet I did. And you can learn from my new golfer mistakes too.