An overview of the sport of golf

Golf is a sport that is widely played by all kinds and types of people around the world. As the saying goes, “A bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at the office”. Below you will find some basic information about rules and etiquette of golf and basic information about how to play the game.    

A golf course is composed of 18 holes and can be set up in a variety of ways. Typically, a golf course is a par 72 and contains a various assortment of par 3, par 4, and par 5 holes. The goal is to get the ball from the teeing area at the start of the hole to the cup on the green in the fewest amount of strokes possible.

If you shoot two less strokes than the par, you have an eagle for that hole. If you shoot one less stroke than the par, you have a birdie. A par is, as you guessed it, shooting the posted par for that hole. A bogey is when you have one more stroke than par and a double bogey is when you have two more strokes than the par.    

There are a number of etiquette and competitive rules that need to be followed during golf. For example, a player may only have a maximum of 14 clubs in his bag during the course of the round. Also, a player may not “ground,” or touch the bottom of the club to the ground, in any hazard (sand trap or water hazard).

If you hit the ball into a water hazard, you must take a one-stroke penalty and drop the ball at the point of nearest relief. The most common mistake among many golfers is that when your ball goes out-of-bounds, or outside of the white posts, you must take a penalty stroke and re-hit the ball again from where you last played.

A common complaint among many golfers is of slow play on the golf course. One way to combat slow play is to let faster players play through and go ahead of you. In this way, they can continue their round at a pace that they like, and you won’t have to deal with them behind you for 18 holes.

Golf is a great sport and is also very fun. It is enjoyable to play golf with family, friends, and even co-workers. On a global stage, golf has spread to all corners of the earth. It is a game that can be enjoyed by all ages and ranges of ability, which is what keeps players coming back for more.