Golf for Beginners

Golf can be an intimidating sport to take up - it's not easy to master, and can be expensive. Here are some tips for helping you get off on the right foot:

Choosing Your First Set of Clubs

There's a phrase experienced golfers use to describe newbies who look like they have game... but don't: "He’s got a $1,000 bag and a $10 game."

That creative phrase holds a kernel of truth - you shouldn't spend tons of money on golf until you know how to play it. Golf is an expensive game. You'll have plenty of time down the cart path to buy top-notch clubs.

As a beginner, though, it's in your best interest to be thrifty. Manufacturers such as Wilson, Dunlop, Ram, Knight and many others make quality golf sets that can be had for less than $150. Big-box retailers - Wal-Mart, Kmart and others - often carry bargain club sets.

Another option: garage sales or yard sales. Don't knock it - many experienced golfers buy a new set on a yearly basis, so you might get a great deal on a set that cost somebody else many hundreds of dollars.

A year from now, you'll be ready to spend that kind of money yourself. For now, take the money you're saving on clubs and invest in...<p> Also see: Before You Buy Used Golf Clubs

Taking Lessons

If you do have a lot of money to spend, and want to learn as quickly as possible, then a golf academy might be the choice for you. Most major metropolitan areas have at least one good golf school, and most major golf schools offer lodging packages for those willing to travel.

For most, though, the choice should be weekly lessons with a local pro. Most pros are available for lessons. The rate depends on the course the pro is affiliated with and the time allotment. But many pros offer sessions for as little as $30 for a lesson ranging from 30 minutes to an hour.

Also see: Before You Buy Golf Lessons

Where to Practice

At the driving range, of course, where you can hit a bucket of balls and nobody (except you) will care if most of your shots are terrible.<p> Most driving ranges also have practice putting greens. Some also feature practice chipping areas and sand bunkers.

Your back yard is another good place to practice a swing, although you obviously don't want to be hitting real golf balls. Try a wiffle golf ball, or just work on the swing mechanics you’ve been learning during lessons.

And then there’s the living room - made to order for putting practice.

Where to Play

Par-3 courses are good choices for beginners. These are generally nine holes, all short par-3s. Executive courses are also shorter than full-sized 18-hole courses.

If you want to try 18 holes on a full-sized course, ask some golfers you know for recommendations. You want courses that are not too lengthy and that don’t have much sand or water. You want a wide open, easy course.

Many beginners don't like to play with a lot of people watching, so ask about crowds, too. Find a course that doesn’t receive a ton of play

Coach’s Corner: Humbled by the game of golf

Looking for something relaxing, sure to give you a day of fresh air, exercise and enjoyment? Why not take up golf?
An early spring trip to Florida is where I caught the golf bug. Sure, I could hit that little ball where I wanted to have it land with no problem. I saw all those players on TV do it so why should I be any different. What a humbling sport!
As a Little League coach, I have preached year after year to players, “keep your head still; keep your eye on the ball.” Boy, did I learn to practice what I preached. As I made my way around the Disney golf course, I became more confident.
At times, I thought I had figured the game out and then, all of a sudden, I realized I had a way to go. As the months have passed, having played more, I have learned to enjoy the game. I will keep you up to date on my progress but that doesn’t mean you will have to check the tour listings for me anytime in the near future.
This Christmas, my list includes golf balls to replace all those balls lost last spring and summer. I enjoy golf and hope to continue to get better as time goes on. Those of you who have tried the game understand how humbling it can be.
The Pitt versus Notre Dame football game was almost as disheartening as the recent Eagles versus Chargers duel. I believe that Pitt was the better team but as a lifelong Notre Dame fan, I think Charlie Weis has worn out his welcome.
It is time Charlie! The players do not seem to respond to you anymore and it is obvious that you have used that screen pass and New England offense too, too much. Maybe, Andy Reid will hire you as offensive coordinator. Lord knows, he could use some help.
The Phillies continue to try to figure out their pitching rotation for 2010. Should they trade Cole Hamels? I think all the talk about moving Hamels is ridiculous.
As I travel down Green Lane towards Route 13, I cannot help but remember the old Hunter Wilson Field. As a 12-year-old, I had Little League practice every night at that location. The memories are all pleasant because that is where I learned the game of baseball as well as the value of preparation.
Under the guidance of my manager, Mr. Tosti, I was lucky to experience what coaching was all about. He was the master of teaching and motivation. Even as I grow older, I remember his effect on those of us who played for him. Our team was Deluca Fuel Oil. Just think, as adults, we remember our Little League coach.
Hopefully, those of us who coach today share Mr. Tosti’s example. If Yankee Stadium is The House That Ruth Built, then Hunter Wilson Field is The House That Tosti Built. His teams very seldom lost during those days. Along with sons “Brud” and Bob, their teams learned fundamentals through practice and teaching.
It is quite possible that their method of coaching would be looked at as too hard today. Take it from someone who believes however in doing it the same way, it still is the best and most successful way of coaching. Just ask anyone who ever played for Mr. Tosti.
Does Charlie Weis stay as coach at Notre Dame? His job will be to make sure that quarterback Jimmy Clausen decides to stay for his senior year. If Clausen stays, our bet is that Weis will be retained as the coach at least for another year.
Rumors have Florida’s Urban Meyer strongly considering a move to Notre Dame. He was the first pick of the Irish five years ago. A Clausen and Meyer team sounds great to me.
College basketball is underway with a lot of tournaments all around the USA. The rankings are out and North Carolina is the defending champion and ranked fourth. That may be a little generous since they lost all of their stars to the NBA.
Roy Williams is a great coach so they should be in the hunt come tournament time. The rankings mean nothing now. As we get to March, that is showtime, and how you are playing then counts most.
Free agency is alive and well in Major League baseball. The Phillies are looking for a third baseman and righthanded pitcher. They have finally given up on Matt Stairs. I know the guy hit a home run in the playoffs two years ago but keeping him last year was a mistake.
I feel sorry for Brian Westbrook. Number 36 is a great player and person. He signed a $13 million contract for 2008 and 2009 guaranteed but Brian cannot risk further injury and should call it a day.
I am rooting for an Alabama versus Texas national game. Florida just does not seem to be strong enough to deserve a shot at the big prize. Texas just keeps winning and they are a sentimental favorite.
I think much of the country is getting a little tired hearing about Tim Tebow and would like to see Forida eliminated from the big game.
Bristol versus Morrisville on Thanksgiving morning for 80 years is the most special Turkey Day matchup in the area. Those of us who are big on tradition love this matchup. It brings together fans, friends, and memories. Our pick is Bristol, 34-13.
Coach George Gatto’s turkey and macaronis will taste just fine this Thursday.
Have a great holiday and good Luck with this week’s sports trivia.
Answers to last week’s trivia:
1. Coach Jim Sottile attended West Virginia University
2. Pete Cimino scored 114 points against Palisades High School
3. Bristol lost to Midland in 1973 and came back to win the State Championship Against Midland in 1975.
Bonus question: In 1976, Indiana defeated Michigan to win the NCAA championship. It was the first time that two Big Ten teams played for the championship.

Presidents Cup

The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially. Initially it was held in even numbered years, with the Ryder Cup being held in odd numbered years. However, the cancellation of the 2001 Ryder Cup due to the September 11 attacks pushed both tournaments back a year, and the Presidents Cup is now held in odd numbered years. It is hosted alternately in the U.S. and in countries represented by the International Team.

Senior major championships

Senior (50-and-over) men's golf does not have a globally agreed upon set of majors. The list of senior majors on the U.S.-based Champions Tour has changed over the years, but always by expansion. The Champions Tour now recognises five majors: the Senior PGA Championship, the United States Senior Open, the Senior British Open Championship, The Tradition and the Senior Players Championship.

Of the five events, the Senior PGA is by far the oldest, having been founded in 1937. The other events all date from the 1980s, when senior golf became a commercial success as the first golf stars of the television era, such as Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, reached the relevant age. The Senior British Open was not recognised as a major by the Champions Tour until 2003. The European Seniors Tour recognises only the Senior PGA and the two Senior Opens as majors. However, the Champions Tour is arguably more dominant in global senior golf than the U.S. LPGA is in global women's golf.

Women's major championships

Women's golf does not have a globally agreed set of majors. The list of majors recognised by the dominant women's tour, the LPGA Tour in the U.S., has changed several times over the years, with the last change in 2001. Like the PGA Tour, the (U.S.) LPGA^[29] has four majors: the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the LPGA Championship, the U.S. Women's Open and the Women's British Open. Only the last of these is also recognised by the Ladies European Tour. The other event that it recognises as a major is the Evian Masters, which is not considered a major by the LPGA (but is co-sanctioned as a regular LPGA event). However, the significance of this is limited, as the LPGA is far more dominant in women's golf than the PGA Tour is in mainstream men's golf. For example, the BBC has been known to use the U.S. definition of "women's majors" without qualifying it. Also, the Ladies' Golf Union, the governing body for women's golf in the UK and Republic of Ireland, states on its official website that the Women's British Open is "the only Women's Major to be played outside the U.S."^[30] For many years, the Ladies European Tour tacitly acknowledged the dominance of the LPGA Tour by not scheduling any of its own events to conflict with the three LPGA majors played in the U.S., but that changed in 2008, with the LET scheduling an event opposite the LPGA Championship. The second-richest women's tour, the LPGA of Japan Tour, does not recognise any of the U.S. LPGA or European majors as it has its own set of three majors. However, these events attract little notice outside Japan.

Men's major championships

The major championships are the four most prestigious men's tournaments of the year. In chronological order they are: The Masters, the U.S. Open, The Open Championship (referred to in North America as the British Open) and the PGA Championship.^[24]

The fields for these events include the top several dozen golfers from all over the world. The Masters has been played at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia since its inception in 1934. It is the only major championship that is played at the same course each year.^[25] The U.S. Open and PGA Championship are played at courses around the United States, while The Open Championship is played at courses in the UK.^[26][27][28]

Prior to the advent of the PGA Championship and The Masters, the four Majors were the U.S. Open, the U.S. Amateur, the Open Championship, and the British Amateur.

Golf tours

There are at least twenty professional golf tours, each run by a PGA or an independent tour organization, which is responsible for arranging events, finding sponsors, and regulating the tour. Typically a tour has "members" who are entitled to compete in most of its events, and also invites non-members to compete in some of them. Gaining membership of an elite tour is highly competitive, and most professional golfers never achieve it.

The most widely known tour is the PGA Tour, which tends to attract the strongest fields, outside the four Majors and the four World Golf Championships events. This is due mostly to the fact that most PGA Tour events have a first prize of at least US $800,000. The PGA European Tour, which attracts a substantial number of top golfers from outside North America, ranks second to the PGA Tour in worldwide prestige. Some top professionals from outside North America play enough tournaments to maintain membership on both the PGA Tour and European Tour.

The other leading men's tours include the Japan Golf Tour, the Asian Tour (Asia outside Japan), the PGA Tour of Australasia, and the Sunshine Tour (for Southern Africa, primarily South Africa). These four tours, along with the PGA and European Tours, are full members of the trade body of the world's main tours, the International Federation of PGA Tours. Two other tours, the Canadian Tour and the Tour de las Américas (Latin America), are associate members of the Federation. All of these tours, except for the Tour de las Américas, offer points in the Official World Golf Rankings to golfers who place sufficiently high in their events.

Golf is unique in having lucrative competition for older players. There are several senior tours for men 50 and older, the best known of which is the U.S.-based Champions Tour.

There are six principal tours for women, each based in a different country or continent. The most prestigious of these is the United States based LPGA Tour.

All of the leading professional tours for under-50 players have an official developmental tour, in which the leading players at the end of the season will earn a tour card on the main tour for the following season. Examples include the Nationwide Tour, which feeds to the PGA Tour, and the Challenge Tour, which is the developmental tour of the European Tour. The Nationwide and Challenge Tours also offer Official World Golf Rankings points.

Golf instruction

Golf instruction involves the teaching and learning of the game of golf. Proficiency in teaching golf instruction requires not only technical and physical ability, but also knowledge of the rules and etiquette of the game. In some countries, golf instruction is best performed by teachers certified by the Professional Golfers Association. Some top instructors who work with professional golfers have become quite well-known in their own right. Instructors use a combination of physical conditioning, mental visualization, classroom sessions, club fitting, driving range instruction, on-course play under real conditions, and review of videotaped swings in slow motion to teach golf.

Professional golf

The majority of professional golfers work as club or teaching professionals (pros), and only compete in local competitions. A small elite of professional golfers are "tournament pros" who compete full time on international "tours". Many club and teaching professionals working in the golf industry start as caddies or a general interest in the game, finding employment at golf courses and eventually moving on to certifications in their chosen profession. These programs include independent institutions and universities, and those that eventually lead to a Class A golf professional certification.

Popularity

In 2005, Golf Digest calculated that the countries with most golf courses per capita, starting with the best endowed were: Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Canada, Wales, United States, Sweden, and England (countries with fewer than 500,000 people were excluded). Apart from Sweden, all of these countries have English as the majority language, but the number of courses in new territories is increasing rapidly.

The most notable example of this phenomenon is China. The first golf course in the People's Republic of China opened in 1984, but by the end of 2009 there were roughly 600 in the country. Jack Nicklaus, who in late 2009 had either designed or had plans to design 35 courses in China, claimed in October of that year that China had plans to build 1,400 public courses in the next five years (currently, only a small number of China's courses are public), although a Chinese golf industry insider called Nicklaus' claim "bullshit". For the last several years, development of new golf courses has been officially banned, but the number of courses has nonetheless tripled since 2004; the "ban" has been easily evaded with the government's tacit approval simply by not mentioning golf in any development plans.^[22]

In the United States, the number of people who play golf 25 times or more per year decreased from 6.9 million in 2000 to 4.6 million in 2005,^[23] according to the National Golf Foundation. The NGF reported that the number who played golf at all decreased from 30 to 26 million over the same period

Handicap systems

A handicap is a numerical measure of an amateur golfer's ability to play golf over the course of 18 holes. Handicaps can be applied either for stroke play competition or match play competition. In either competition, a handicap generally represents the number of strokes above par that a player will achieve on an above average day (i.e., when playing well).

In stroke play competition, the competitor's handicap is subtracted from their total "gross" score at the end of the round, to calculate a "net" score against which standings are calculated. In match play competition, handicap strokes are assigned on a hole-by-hole basis, according to the handicap rating of each hole (which is provided by the course). The hardest holes on the course receive the most handicap strokes, with the easiest holes receiving the least handicap strokes.

Calculating a handicap is often complicated, but essentially it is representative of the average over par of a number of a player's previous above average rounds, adjusted for course difficulty. Legislations regarding the calculation of handicaps differs among countries. For example, handicap rules may include the difficulty of the course the golfer is playing on by taking into consideration factors such as the number of bunkers, the length of the course, the difficulty and slopes of the greens, the width of the fairways, and so on.

Handicap systems are not used in professional golf. Professional golfers often score several strokes below par for a round and thus have a calculated handicap of 0 or less, meaning that their handicap results in the addition of strokes to their round score. Someone with a handicap of zero or less is often referred to as a scratch golfer.

Other forms of golf : Team Play

Team play

• A foursome (defined in Rule 29) is played between two teams of two players each, in which each team has only one ball and players alternate playing it. For example, if players A and B form a team, A tees off on the first hole, B will play the second shot, A the third, and so on until the hole is finished. On the second hole, B will tee off (regardless who played the last putt on the first hole), then A plays the second shot, and so on. Foursomes can be played as match play or stroke play.^[18]
• A four-ball (Rules 30 and 31) is also played between two teams of two players each, but every player plays his/her own ball and for each team, the lower score on each hole is counted. Four-balls can be played as match play or stroke play.^[19]

There are also popular unofficial variations on team play:

• In scramble (also known as ambrose or best shot), each player in a team tees off on each hole, and the players decide which shot was best. Every player then plays his/her second shot from within a clublength of where the best shot has come to rest, and the procedure is repeated until the hole is finished. In a champagne scramble, each player in a team tees off on each hole. The best drive is used and all players play their own ball from this spot. In best ball, each player plays the hole as normal, but the lowest score of all the players on the team counts as the team's score.^[20]
• In a greensome, also called modified alternate shot, both players tee off, and then pick the best shot as in a scramble. The player who did not shoot the best first shot plays the second shot. The play then alternates as in a foursome.^[21]
• A variant of greensome is sometimes played where the opposing team chooses which of their opponent's tee shots the opponents should use. The player who did not shoot the chosen first shot plays the second shot. Play then continues as a greensome.
• There is also a form of starting called shotgun, which is mainly used for tournament play. A shotgun start consists of groups starting on different holes, allowing for all players to start and end their round at the same time.

Other forms of golf : Stableford

Stableford

In stableford the player gains points for the score achieved on each hole of the round or tournament (1 point for a bogey, 2 points for a par, 3 points for a birdie, 4 points for an eagle). The points achieved for each hole of the round or tournament is added to produce the total points score, and the player with the highest score wins

Other forms of golf : skins

 

In a skins game, golfers compete on each hole, as a separate contest. Played for prize money on the professional level or as a means of a wager for amateurs, a skin, or the prize money assigned to each hole, carries over to subsequent holes if the hole is tied (or halved). If you come to the end of the round and there are still skins left over, play continues until the final skin has been decided

Golf: Carey eyes Cape Cod Amateur repeat

HYANNISPORT – There were few surprises in yesterday’s match-play segment of the 59th annual Cape Cod Amateur as Kevin Carey continues his quest to repeat as champion and capture his ninth championship.

The 54-year-old Carey, who is old enough to play in the Senior Division but prefers ruling the Championship Division, rolled to a pair of 4-and-3 victories to gain a spot in this morning’s semifinals at the seaside Hyannisport Club layout.

Carey, who plays out of Dennis Pines Golf Course, topped Chris Tufts in the morning round before stopping another Dennis Pines member, Dave Clapp in the afternoon quarterfinals.

“I finally got it going,” Carey said of his afternoon round. “There were no mistakes. I just hit it down the middle.”

Carey went through a five-hole stretch in 3-under (and never took his foot off the pedal the entire round.

“Kevin is such a solid player, it’s hard to feel bad when you lose to him,” Clapp said. “He got it up and down all afternoon and I never really got untracked.”

The Senior Division is shaping up as a true dogfight with three former champions vying for the title beginning with this morning’s semifinals. Dick King of Hyannis Golf Club, John Crook of Cape Cod National and defending champion Dave Houghton of The Captains all advanced along with newcomer Tom Fox of Farm Neck.

Carey’s Championship Division opponent will be 20-year-old Mike Lepore, who might be having second thoughts about playing hockey for the Cape Cod Cubs rather than honing his golf game at a school in the South.

“The thought has entered my mind, but I still have a couple of semesters to go at Cape Cod Community College before I’ll make any kind of decision,” Lepore said. “We have to see how it goes here in the amateur before I even consider doing anything different.”

Lepore advanced with a come-from-behind 4-and-3 win over Whitney Trimble, then he held off Bayberry Hills champion Stephen Lieberwirth in the quarterfinals, 2 and 1.

Last year’s finalist, Matt Sheran of Olde Barnstable Fairgrounds, moved closer to a rematch with Carey. He edged Woods Hole’s Alex Stimpson 1-up, then topped Tim Norton in the quarters, 4 and 3.

Norton, a junior baseball player at Division I Bryant College who played for the Hyannis Mets in the Cape Cod Baseball League this summer, had trouble overcoming Sheran.

In the last quarterfinal, two-time finalist Brian Secia of Miacomet Golf Club beat talented Mike Marooney of The Ridge Club, 2 and 1.

The match went back and forth, including an improbable halve on the par-4 12th that both players agreed was the turning point of the match.

Secia led, 1-up, going into 12 and after blowing his tee shot into an impossible position, managed to scrape out a par to match Marooney and maintain the 1-up advantage.

“That was the turning point,” Marooney said. “No doubt about it. I felt like I was getting it back to even there and he goes and makes a par. That was a key up-and-down.”

The two swapped wins on two of the next four holes, but a birdie on 17 closed out the win for the 52-year-old Secia.“I am beat,” Secia said. “I was running on empty at the end. I have got no legs left. It’s a good thing the match didn’t go any longer.”

King, the senior medalist in the qualifier, advanced with a 4-and-3 victory over Hyannisport’s Rick Coville in yesterday morning’s quarterfinal.

It must have seemed like the movie “Groundhog Day” for Coville, who has been bumped from the event by King three consecutive years.

Yesterday it was a back-nine blitz by King that put an end to Coville’s hopes.

The two were deadlocked after the front nine and they each parred 10 to advance to the rugged, 420-yard 11th hole all square. Three holes later, King had a 3-up advantage after two pars and a birdie.

“We both played OK,” Coville said. “The difference was on the greens. They were like lightning and Dick putted them well.”

Crook handled another host club member, Peter Thompson, 5 and 4.

“Nothing pretty, just steady golf,” Crook said of his round. “I did have some success on the greens with a number of 1-putts.”

Crook one-putted No. 4 from 6 feet to halve the hole, sank a 7-footer on No. 5 to halve the hole and then ran in a 10-footer for a birdie and a “W” on No. 6. He drained a 20-footer for another win on the eighth hole.

After Thompson chipped in for a win on 10, Crook ran off three straight wins with pars to lock up the win.

“When you play someone of that caliber, you cannot make mistakes and expect to win,” Thompson said of his defeat.

Fox captured the match between tournament rookies when he stopped Hyannisport’s Ron Knight, 3-and-2.

“This was one of those matches where you had to grind it out all the way,” Fox said. “Fortunately, I have been driving the ball well because I’ve been struggling around the greens.”

A great shot into the wind on the par-3 15th hole after Knight had driven his shot on the 175-yard hole to within 12 feet, set up Fox to halve what looked like it would be a Knight win. “That was a confidence-booster for me,” Fox added.

Houghton, the defending champion, handled Bass River’s Russ Caron, 4 and 3. It was the second straight year Houghton has beaten Caron.

“He made every putt out there,” Caron said. “It was quite an exhibition as to how to play these greens.”

Houghton broke open the match after the seventh hole winning Nos. 8 and 9 to go 1-up at the turn. Birdies on 12 and 13 put him up by four and he never looked back.

“I played pretty well,” Houghton said. “The putts were falling when I needed them.”

The semifinals for both divisions begin at 7:30 this morning followed by a break for lunch, with the finals afterward.

Basic forms of golf: Stroke play

Stroke play

In stroke play, the score achieved for each and every hole of the round or tournament is added to produce the total score, and the player with the lowest score wins. (Stroke play is the game most commonly played by professional golfers.) If there is a tie after the regulation number of holes in a professional tournament, a playoff takes place between all tied players. Playoffs are either sudden death or employ a pre-determined number of holes, anywhere from three to a full eighteen. In sudden death, a player who scores lower on a hole than all of his opponents wins the match. If at least two players remain tied after such a playoff using a pre-determined number of holes, then play continues in sudden death format, where the first player to win a hole wins the tournament.

Basic forms of golf:Match play

 

In match play, two players (or two teams) play each hole as a separate contest against each other. The party with the lower score wins that hole, or if the scores of both players or teams are equal the hole is "halved" (tied). The game is won by the party that wins more holes than the other. In the case that one team or player has taken a lead that cannot be overcome in the number of holes remaining to be played, the match is deemed to be won by the party in the lead, and the remainder of the holes are not played. For example, if one party already has a lead of six holes, and only five holes remain to be played on the course, the match is over. At any given point, if the lead is equal to the number of holes remaining, the match is said to be "dormie", and is continued until the leader increases the lead by one hole or ties any of the remaining holes, thereby winning the match, or until the match ends in a tie with the lead player's opponent winning all remaining holes. When the game is tied after the predetermined number of holes have been played, it may be continued until one side takes a one-hole lead.^[6]

Scoring and handicapping

Par

Main article: Par (score)

A hole is classified by its par; the number of strokes a skilled golfer should require to complete play of the hole.^[6] For example, a skilled golfer expects to reach the green on a par-four hole in two strokes (This would be considered a Green in Regulation or GIR): one from the tee (the "drive") and another, second, stroke to the green (the "approach"); and then roll the ball into the hole in two putts for par. A golf hole is either a par-three, -four or -five, rarely -six, very rarely -seven.^[15]

The key factor for classifying the par of a hole is the distance from the tee to the green. A typical par-three hole is less than 250 yards (225 meters) in length, with a par-four hole ranging between 251 and 475 yards (225–434 meters), and a par-five hole being longer than 475 yards (435 meters). Although uncommon par-six and even par-seven holes do exist, and can stretch well over 650 yards. The gradient of the course (uphill or downhill) can also affect the par rating. If the tee-to-green distance on a hole is predominantly downhill, it will play shorter than its physical length and may be given a lower par rating and the opposite is true for uphill holes. Par ratings are also affected by factors such as the placement of hazards or the shape of the green which can sometimes affect the play of a hole such that it requires an extra stroke to avoid playing into hazards.^[16]

Eighteen hole courses may have four par-three, ten par-four, and four par-five holes, though other combinations exist and are not less worthy than courses of par 72. Many major championships are contested on courses playing to a par of 70, 71, or 72. In some countries, courses are classified, in addition to the course's par, with a course classification describing the play difficulty of a course and may be used to calculate a golfer's playing handicap for that given course (cf. golf handicap).^[17]

[edit] Scoring

In every form of play, the goal is to play as few strokes per round as possible. A "hole in one" (or an "ace") occurs when a golfer sinks his ball into the cup with his first stroke (a drive from the tee). Common scores for a hole have also have specific terms.^[6]

Numeric Term
Specific term
Definition

−4
Condor
four strokes under par

−3
Albatross
three strokes under par

−2
Eagle
two strokes under par

−1
Birdie
one stroke under par

0
Par
equal to par

+1
Bogey
one stroke over par

+2
Double Bogey
two strokes over par

+3
Triple Bogey
three strokes over par

+4
Quadruple Bogey
four strokes over par

Stroke mechanics

Golfers start with the non-dominant side of the body facing the target. At address the body and club are positioned parallel to the target line. The feet are commonly shoulder width apart for middle irons and putters, narrower for short irons and wider for long irons and woods. The ball is positioned in the center of the players stance for short irons and putters, more to the front for middle irons and even more for long irons and woods. The golfer chooses a grip. The golfer chooses a stroke appropriate to the distance:

• The drive is used in long distance shots.
• The approach is used in long to mid distance shots
• The chip is used for relatively short distance shots around the green. The goal of the chip is to land the ball safely on the green allowing it to roll out towards the hole.
• The putt is used in short distance shots on or near the green. The goal of the putt is to get the ball in the hole or as close to the hole as possible.

Equipment

Golf clubs are used to hit a golf ball. Each club is composed of a shaft with a lance (grip) on the top end and a clubhead on the bottom. "Long" clubs are those meant to propel the ball a comparatively longer distance and "short" clubs a comparatively short distance. Typically, the actual physical length of each club is longer or shorter, depending on the distance the club is intended to propel the ball. The "driver" is the largest-headed and "longest" club. Woods are slightly shorter but still comparatively large-headed clubs, used for long-distance fairway shots. Woods are now typically made of metal; the traditional name "woods" remains in general use but is gradually being replaced by the term "fairway metal." Next shorter in length are the irons, the most numerous and versatile class used for a wide variety of shots. "Hybrids," clubs which embody characteristics of both woods and irons in varying degrees, are increasingly being used in preference to long irons in many places because of they are easier for the average golfer to use. Last but not least, putters are used to roll the ball across the green into the cup.

A maximum of 14 clubs is allowed in a player's bag at one time during a stipulated round. The choice of clubs is at the golfer's discretion, although every club must be constructed in accordance with parameters outlined in the rules. (Clubs which meet these parameters are commonly called "conforming.") Violation of these rules can result in disqualification.

The exact shot hit at any given time on a golf course, and which club is used to accomplish the shot, are always completely at the discretion of the golfer; in other words, there is no restriction whatsoever on which club a golfer may or may not use at any time for any shot.

Golf balls are spherical, usually white (although other colors are allowed), and minutely pock-marked by "dimples" that decrease aerodynamic drag by decreasing air turbulence around the ball in motion, thereby allowing the ball to fly farther.^[14]

A tee is allowed only for the first stroke on each hole.

Many golfers wear golf shoes with metal or plastic spikes designed to increase traction, thus allowing for longer and more accurate shots. A golf bag is used to transport golf clubs. Golf bags have several pockets designed for carrying equipment and supplies such as tees, balls, and gloves. Golf bags can be carried, pulled on a two-wheel pull cart or harnessed to a motorized golf cart during play. Golf bags have both a hand strap and shoulder strap for carrying, and sometimes have retractable legs that allow the bag to stand upright when at rest.

Golf Penalties

Penalties

Penalties are incurred in certain situations. They are counted towards a player's score as if there were extra swing(s) at the ball. Strokes are added for rule infractions or for hitting one's ball into an unplayable situation. A lost ball or a ball hit out of bounds result in a penalty of one stroke and distance. (Rule 27-1) A one stroke penalty is assessed if a player's equipment causes the ball to move or the removal of a loose impediment causes the ball to move. (Rule 18-2) If a golfer makes a stroke at the wrong ball (Rule 19-2) or hits a fellow golfer's ball with a putt (Rule 19-5), the player incurs a two stroke penalty. Most rule infractions lead to stroke penalties but also can lead to disqualification. Disqualification could be from cheating, signing for a lower score, or from rule infractions that lead to improper play.^[13]

Golf Rules and regulations

Rules and regulations

Main article: Rules of golf

The rules of golf^[10][11] are internationally standardised and are jointly governed by The R&A, spun off in 2004 from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (founded 1754), and the United States Golf Association (USGA).

The underlying principle of the rules is fairness. As stated on the back cover of the official rule book: Play the ball as it lies, play the course as you find it, and if you cannot do either, do what is fair.

There are strict regulations regarding the amateur status of golfers.^[12] Essentially, anybody who has ever received payment or compensation for giving instruction or played golf for money is not considered an amateur and may not participate in competitions limited solely to amateurs. However, amateur golfers may receive expenses which comply with strict guidelines and they may accept non-cash prizes within the limits established by the Rules of Amateur Status.

In addition to the officially printed rules, golfers also abide by a set of guidelines called golf etiquette. Etiquette guidelines cover matters such as safety, fairness, pace of play, and a player's obligation to contribute to the care of the course. Though there are no penalties for breach of etiquette rules, players generally follow the rules of golf etiquette in an effort to improve everyone's playing experience.