Each hole has a starting place, called a tee. This is a small area from which the golfer takes the first stroke or drive. The grass between the tee and the green is called the fairway. Sometimes fairways can be very long and golf players need a few strokes to get to the green.
One of the terms you'll find in the back of the rule book is the 'General Area' and it's a term that was introduced in the 2019 revisions. It was previously known as 'through the green'. Essentially it applies to any area of the golf course that isn't one of the four set, defined areas.
It was previously known as 'through the green'. Essentially it applies to any area of the golf course that isn't one of the four set, defined areas. Those are four defined areas of the course and everything else is classed as the 'general area' so things like the rough, fairway and fringe.
Aerial view of a golf course (Golfplatz Wittenbeck at the Baltic Sea, Germany) A golf course is the grounds where the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup".
The green, or putting green, is the culmination of a golf hole, where the flagstick and hole are located. Getting the golf ball into the hole on the putting green is the object of the game of golf. Every hole on every golf course in existence ends at the putting green.
To play with the right club, you have to have a better understanding of the hole you are playing, especially its parts. Each hole in a course has 5 major parts namely Tee, Fairway, Green, Rough and Hazards. Understanding these parts allow you to plan your shots right.
The tee boxThe tee box, also known as the teeing ground, is where the hole begins. This area is flat so that the golfer can get a clean tee shot.
Fescue, after all, is the grass of links golf, and it often populates the unmown native areas where you would rather not hit your ball. But fescue can serve wonderfully as short grass, too, great on fairways, greens and tees for all kinds of reasons.
There are five areas of the courseAreas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course: (1) the general area, (2) the teeing area you must play from in starting the hole you are playing, (3) all penalty areas, (4) all bunkers, and (5) the putting green of the hole you are playing..
Golf is played on a course, and the green area of the course is known as the fairway. The typical course consists of 18 holes, although golfers can play a 9-hole course through twice to play a full game of 18 holes....Scoring.Numeric termNameDefinition+3Triple bogeythree stroke over par7 more rows
The fringe is the section of the fairway, typically forming an apron shape at the front, that links the green and the fairway together. The fringe is usually cut at an interim depth to the shorter green and the longer fairway, but all should allow for a ball to roll across the surface.
Fringe. The fringe consists of the relatively narrow margin that is located between the putting green and the rough.
The apron is not a part of the putting green. It is either cut lower than the fairway but higher than the green (such as the fringe or collar around the green); or it is the same height as the fairway grass and is therefore part of the fairway.
Aerial view of a golf course ( Golfplatz Wittenbeck at the Baltic Sea, Germany) A golf course is the grounds where the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup".
The first section of every hole consists of the teeing ground, or tee-box. There is typically more than one available box where a player places his ball, each one a different distance from the hole (and possibly with a different angle of approach to the green or fairway) to provide differing difficulty.
Each tee box has two markers showing the bounds of the legal tee area. The teeing area spans the distance between the markers, and extends two-club lengths behind the markers. A golfer may play the ball standing outside the teeing area, but the ball itself must be placed and struck from within the area.
White – Farther still, typically used by low-to-average-handicap men and low-handicap teenage boys. Black or Blue – The farthest tee from the hole and with the most exposure to any major hazards; typically used only during tournaments or by zero-handicap ("scratch") male players.
The hole is called a "dogleg left" if the hole angles leftwards, and a "dogleg right" if the hole angles rightwards. A hole's direction may bend twice, which is called a "double dogleg". Fairway and rough, Spur Valley Golf Course, Radium Hot Springs, Canada.
The cup holds a flagstick, known as a "pin". A standard round of golf consists of 18 holes. Most courses contain 18 holes; some share fairways or greens, and a subset has nine holes, played twice per round. Par-3 courses consist of nine or 18 holes all of which have a par of three strokes.
The hole, or cup, is always found within the green and must have a diameter of 108 millimeters (4.25 in) and a depth of at least 10 centimeters (3.94 in). Its position on the green is not fixed and typically is changed daily by a greenskeeper in order to prevent excessive localized wear and damage to the turf.
Green. Greens, the most closely mowed areas of grass on the course, are where the hole is located and players putt. Greens can vary depending on the conditions of the course. For example, in hot, dry conditions, a green will play faster than usual and approach shots will be less likely to hold on the green. In wet conditions, the greens will be ...
There are many different course styles including, traditional, links, desert, seaside, forested and each has something different to offer. Each golf course provides a different set of challenges depending on the design and layout of the course.
Rough. The rough is the longer-cut area of grass surrounding the fairway and green. To be successful, avoid the rough, which is normally allowed to grow longer the farther it is located from the greens and fairways. Hitting from the rough means players must use more club than they normally would to reach the green.
Being aware of and understanding the basic parts of a golf course, such as greens, fairways and bunkers, can better prepare golfers for success on the links.
Hitting approach shots out of the fairway allows players to spin the ball more than they would hitting from the rough. The way a golfer chooses to hit a shot from the fairway can change depending on the kind of grass on the course.
When reading greens before a putt, pay attention to the highest point on the surface--putts will usually roll away from that point.
Sand traps also are considered hazards, but the golfer can hit out of them with no penalty. Golfweeks' Adam Woodard breaks down the results from the match.
The green is the round area at the end of the fairway. It has special grass that is very short. In the middle of the green is a hole. It has a flag placed in it so that golfers can see where it is. Almost all golf courses have hazards. These are small lakes, sandy areas and bunkers.
The rules of a golf game are very simple. Starting from the tee a golfer must hit the ball towards the hole. You must not to touch or move it. It must be played from wherever it lands. If the ball lands in one of the hazards the golf player may take it out or use a new ball but then gets an extra stroke as a penalty.
Scoring and Handicaps. In order to see how well you doing every hole on a golf course has a standard score known as par. Par is the number of strokes it would take a very good golfer to hit the ball into the hole. There are 3- , 4- and 5-par holes. Golfers have special names for the number of strokes they need compared to par.
This is a small area from which the golfer takes the first stroke or drive. The grass between the tee and the green is called the fairway. Sometimes fairways can be very long and golf players need a few strokes to get to the green.
A golf course. Golf courses have different sizes and shapes. Most of them have 18 holes that are between a hundred and 500 metres long. If you have finished playing all 18 holes you have played a round of golf. Each hole has a starting place, called a tee.
The handicap system allows weaker and better players to compete with each other. Based on a very complicated formula a weaker player is allowed more strokes to finish the round. Golf can be played in two ways. In match play the player who hits the ball with the fewest number of strokes wins that hole.
Although the Romans may have played golf with a bent stick and a ball filled with feathers golf, as we know it today, started in Scotland in the 14th century. Saint Andrews is called the birthplace of golf because its golf course is over 500 years old. The first rules of the game were also set there.
Green Position. When deciding the green position within a new golf course design, a number of factors should be considered. The green itself should be a realistic and tempting target for the golfer; that is, at least part of the green should be visible from the landing area of the approach. If possible, greens should be placed in as natural ...
The golf green is, arguably, the most important part of the golf course. The green is where the majority of shots within a typical round is aimed at or played upon. The golf green has to cope with balls being pitched onto it from full shots played from up to 250 yards away, whilst also being smooth enough for a ball to roll predictably ...
The shape of the green can either reflect or oppose the desired approach shot to be played in order to influence the strategy of the golfer playing the hole. Approach shots over a greater distance may reflect the shape of the shot with a longer section to catch balls being fired in from a long distance.
Since irrigation systems have been modified for use on golf courses, the shape has swapped from concave to convex, the modern theory being that water that is shed effectively gives more control to the greenkeeper who can feed the turf with a regulated amount of water, when they see fit.
Green size. Green sizes vary from course to course. An average green should be between 300m 2 and 400m 2.
Rolls and hollows can be created to add chipping and putting interest around the majority of green surfaces with minimal movement and , with a little more earth shaping, bunkers can also be created.
Sitwell Park's par 3 includes some fantastically frightening height changes and more than five distinct lobes. Unfortunately, this green is no longer in existence, but many more exist of similar style. It should be noted that this is different to the type of green commonly referred to as a MacKenzie green.
The green has slightly longer grass on its edges, generally referred to as the fringe. Golfers must learn to "read" the green, because the condition of the grass and the contour of the green impacts how the ball will roll toward the hole.
Rough. The rough lines the fairways. It has longer grass than the fairway or green, creating an area from which it is more difficult to hit a ball. Some courses keep the grass at different lengths in different areas of the rough to make play more unpredictable and challenging.
The closely mowed grass makes hitting the ball from the fairway easier than from other areas of the course, so the goal generally is to place the ball in the fairway with your tee shot.
Most golf courses have more than one set of tee boxes on each hole, marking the beginning point for golfers of varying ability levels. The golfer should tee his ball between two markers located at each tee box. You can place your tee and ball up to two club lengths behind the markers, but not in front of them.
5 Major Components of a Golf Course. Of the five major components on a golf course, sand and water are least friendy. Golf has many variables that affect play, including the temperature, precipitation and even how recently the grass has been mowed. But the parts of the golf course remain constant. Every hole on a golf course has five major ...
Hazards make play more difficult. Golf courses have two types of hazards: bunkers and water. Bunkers are holes in the ground filled with sand that typically line the fairway or surround the putting green. Water hazards include lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks and even the ocean at coastal courses.
Local Rule – Specific rule or rules that are not mainstream and only for that particular golf course. Long – A term for a golfer who hits the ball far (Dustin Johnson). Long Game – Refers to hitting long irons, woods, hybrids, and driver. Lob Wedge – A type of wedge that is usually in the 60 to 64-degree range.
Back Nine – This refers to the last 9 holes of a typical 18 hole course, also known as heading in. Backswing – As the term suggests, this is simply the action taking when swinging back before striking the golf ball. It is important for distance and accuracy.
It is important for distance and accuracy. Backspin – Spin is very important in most aspects golf and you will often come across the term when comparing clubs or in golfing instructions. Simply put, more backspin will give you a high ball with a fair amount of control.
Ace – Otherwise known as a hole in one an ace is when the ball finds the hole from the tee in a single stoke. It is the dream of many golfers.
The specifics and colors can vary from course to course. Fat – A fat shot is when the club strikes the ground before the ball.
Green in Regulation – Occurs when the golf ball is on the green and the player is putting for a birdie or better. Green Fee – The cost of playing a round of golf at a certain golf course. Grip – There are a number of different grips golfers use to hold the club.
Big Dog – A Driver. Bite – A term used by golfers for a golf ball to stop rolling. Bladed Shot – A chip shot from just off the green purposely hit with the bottom of the club. Played often from when the ball rests against the collar of the green. Runs like a putt.
The area of the course Areas of the Course: The five defined areas that make up the course: that covers all of the course Course: The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee: (...Continued) except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area Teeing Area: The area the player must play from in starting the hole he or she is playing. (...Continued) the player must play from in starting the hole he or she is playing, (2) all penalty areas Penalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there. (...Continued), (3) all bunkers Bunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. (...Continued), and (4) the putting green Putting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that: (...Continued) of the hole the player is playing.
The general area General Area: The area of the course that covers all of the courseexcept for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole he or she is playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.
Any hole dug in the ground by an animal Animal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans)., except for holes dug by animals Animal: Any living member of the animal kingdom (other than humans), including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans). that are also defined as loose impediments Loose Impediment: Any unattached natural object such as: (...Continued) (such as worms or insects).
Loss of hole in match play Match Play: A form of play where a player or side plays directly against an opponent or opposing side in a head-to-head match of one or more rounds: (...Continued) or two penalty strokes in stroke play Stroke Play: A form of play where a player or side competes against all other players or sides in the competition. (...Continued) .
The specifications and other regulations for clubs, balls and other equipment Equipment: Anything used, worn, held or carried by the player or the player’s caddie. ( ... Continued) that players are allowed to use during a round Round: 18 or fewer holes played in the order set by the Committee..
To hold the ball and let go of it so that it falls through the air, with the intent for the ball to be in play In Play: The status of a player’s ball when it lies on the course and is being used in the play of a hole: (...Continued) .
The person or group in charge of the competition or the course Course: The entire area of play within the edge of any boundaries set by the Committee: (...Continued) .
A golf course is the grounds where the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". The cup holds a flagstick, known as a "pin". A standard round of golf consists of 18 holes. Most courses contain 18 holes; some share fairways or greens, and a s…
Although a specialty within landscape design or landscape architecture, golf course architecture is considered a separate field of study. Some golf course architects become celebrities in their own right, such as Robert Trent Jones, Jr.; others are professional golfers of high standing and demonstrated appreciation for golf course composition, such as Jack Nicklaus. The field is partially repres…
The game of golf is played in what is called a "round". This consists of playing a set number of holes in an order predetermined by the course. When playing on an 18-hole course, each hole is played once; whereas, on a nine-hole course each hole can be played twice to complete a round. To begin a hole, players start by striking the ball off a tee. Playing the ball off a tee can only be used o…
Links is a Scottish term, from the Old English word hlinc : "rising ground, ridge", describing coastal sand dunes and sometimes similar areas inland. It is on links land near the towns of central eastern Scotland that golf has been played since the 15th century.
The shallow top soil and sandy subsoil made links land unsuitable for the culti…
See also: Golf course superintendent, Greenskeeper, Turf management § Golf courses, Equipment manager § Golf, and Groundskeeping
There are three main categories of ownership and management of a golf course: private, commercial, and municipal.
A private course is owned and managed by a golf club on behalf of its members, on a non-profit …
Environmental concerns over the use of land for golf courses have grown since the 1960s. Specific issues include the amount of water required for irrigation and the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers in maintenance, as well as the destruction of wetlands and other environmentally important areas during construction. The United Nations estimates that, worldwide, golf courses cons…
• List of golf course architects
• USGA Course Rating Primer at the website of the United States Golf Association