1- History & Object
2- The Essentials (Scoring, Competion, etc.)
3- Equipment
4- Course Diagram
5- Glossary of Golf Terms

Field of Play

A golf course is a large property divided into 18 holes. The first nine holes are called the “front nine” and the last nine holes are called the “back nine.” An average 18-hole course measures between 6,000 to 7,000 yards. Each hole is different on the course, and golf courses vary substantially, but there are some common features of a course:

Tee box: Area where golfers begin each hole.

Fairway: Shorter, manicured grass with a consistence surface that players attempt to stay on to get a good lie.

Rough: Longer grass off either side of the fairway, where it is difficult to hit the ball.

Out of bounds: The area outside the course where play is prohibited. A player is penalized for hitting the ball out of bounds; he must replay the shot with a penalty of one stroke. Also called O.B.

Hazards: Bodies of water (such as ponds), bunkers, and other obstacles that players try to avoid. Hazards are either difficult to play from (bunker) or result in a one-stoke penalty (water hazard).

Green: Manicured area of short grass surrounding the cup where players putt.

Fringe: Slightly longer grass surrounding the green.

Cup: The object of the game is to hit the ball into the cylindrical cup that is inserted into the ground on the green.

Pin: A stick with a flag attached, which is inserted into a hole to indicate the hole location to the players while the players are off the green.

[Previous] [Next]  

© 2005 SportSpectator.com. All rights reserved. The content provided on SportSpectator.com, such as text, graphics, design, logos, button icons, code, and images, is protected by United States and international copyright law. You may not copy, distribute, reproduce, sell, or modify the content in any form. However, you may link to this page. You may also make one printed copy for your own personal, noncommercial use.