Golf is a ball sport practiced on special golf courses with marked areas. The players carry the ball with a bat from the starting point or tee (tee) to a likewise marked target, the so-called green (green). The goal is to get the ball from the tee to the hole in the green in as few strokes as possible. The standardized areas on a golf course over which the ball must be played are the closely mowed area between the teeing area and the green, called the fairway, and the rough, the taller grass to the side of the fairway. Areas with sand or water are also common to increase the level of difficulty. A complete round of golf usually consists of 18 holes that have to be played.
Origin
The basic idea of a game with a ball and bats can be found in many sports throughout history. Such games existed in Holland, France, Belgium, Japan and Korea, or even in ancient Rome and Egypt. Games like hockey, croquet, baseball or billiards also have a certain relationship with golf. In general, however, Scotland is considered the country of origin of the modern game of golf, as it can be attested to for the first time in 1457.
The origin of the word “golf” is also disputed. It probably derives from the Latin word clava (“cudgel”). The game of golf did not become common in any non-British country until the 19th or 20th century. In the meantime, golf has developed worldwide from an elite sport to a popular sport.
Organization
The international umbrella organization International Golf Federation (IGF) based in Lausanne has 143 member associations from 138 countries. There are over 60 million golfers worldwide who are members of golf associations. Golf has been an Olympic discipline again since 2016. However, the most important golf tournaments are the majors. It used to include the two most important amateur tournaments (British Amateur and US Amateur). Nowadays, however, the majors are invariably professionals.
Golf Game Forms
In golf, as in tennis or baseball, it is important to learn and practice the correct sequence of movements for hitting the ball. The more precise a player’s shot position, the more successful a game will be.
Golf can be played in two different ways, match play or stroke play.
- In match play, the lowest possible number of strokes at each hole decides
- In stroke play, the number of strokes counts for the complete round.
- There is also the Stableford counting method: The number of points depends on the number of strokes in relation to the personal par or handicap of the respective player.
Golf course
Golf is played on a specially designed golf course with 9 to 18 fairways or holes. Every course contains at least the basic elements tee, fairway and green. A golf course is designed by a golf architect and managed by a golf club or commercial operating company. The care of a golf course is very complex and requires many specialists, the so-called greenkeepers, as well as a number of special machines. Therefore, even today membership in a golf club cannot be cheap.
Golf clubs and handicap
For a long time, golf was a sport that was reserved for the nobility and elite due to the necessary investment of time and money. There are now many public golf courses and equipment is available at regular sporting goods stores or can be hired for the occasion. However, most private golf clubs still have various access restrictions, although they also accept day guests without membership.
In some countries, including Germany, Austria and Switzerland, permission to play on a golf course depends on the so-called Platzreife or Platzerlaubnis (PE). This can be achieved in various courses where, in addition to the golf rules, golf etiquette is also learned. In Anglo-American countries, however, golf is already a popular sport and there are many courses open to the public.
Golf etiquette
In addition to the course rules applicable to the respective golf club, there are general rules of conduct for golfers, which are summarized as golf etiquette. These relate primarily to safety and consideration when playing, but also to protecting the lawn. The most important such rules are:
Before attempting a shot or practice swing, make sure no one is too close to be hit by a club, golf ball, or flying rocks. Players are generally not allowed to play until other golfers are out of range in front of them.
The English call “Fore” means that players are at risk from a flying golf ball. There are always accidents caused by flying golf balls.
Teammates only touch down their balls after the player who has the honor has teed off.
Moving, speaking, or standing close to the ball or hole when a player is making a stroke is prohibited.
A player’s side and back remain free. Teammates and golf bags are always opposite to players. The golf bag should also not be placed on the tee.
It is forbidden to step into the putt line – the line between the ball and the hole – of the other player.
The priority on the pitch is determined by the pace of play of a group of players (flight).
A slower flight must give way to a faster-playing group. A single player also falls under the term group. In many cases, individual course rules determine the rights of single players or two, three and four-man flights.
Any flight that plays a full round must be let through without being asked by flights that play shortened rounds (lateral entrants).
Players who are searching for a ball for a long time must immediately give a following flight priority to overtake and may not continue play until the following flight has finished playing and is out of range.
If a flight has putted to the end, he must leave the green as soon as possible and write down the score later.
Any damage to the field by knocking out pieces of grass (divots) must be avoided. If it does happen, divots must be put back and kicked down.
In the sand obstacle, all bumps and footprints must be leveled again with a bunker rake.
Impact holes in the ball (pitch marks) and damage caused by spikes on the green also need to be repaired using a pitch repair tool.
The flagpole must be put back into the hole, taking care not to damage the edge of the hole.
Golf bags are not allowed to be placed on the green and it is also forbidden to cross the green with a golf cart.
The golf equipment
The golf ball
The size and texture of a golf ball is strictly regulated. It consists of a hard plastic shell with different cores. These cores can be made of hard rubber or multi-layer cores. The ball diameter is at least 42.67 millimeters and the maximum weight is 45.93 grams. The surface of a golf ball has hundreds of dents arranged in a pattern, the so-called dimples. The angle of the club head causes the golf ball to rotate on impact, giving it directional stability in flight. The surface structure of the golf ball and the rotation allows a golf ball to fly three times further than an ordinary ball without dimples. Additional factors for the flight characteristics are the lateral deflection or the buoyancy of the ball caused by the rotation.
Golf club
Golf clubs come in many varieties and designs and for different purposes. The rules state that no more than 14 golf clubs can be taken for a round of golf. Since golf clubs used to be primarily made of wood, the term “wood” has become common for certain golf clubs. Today’s racquets are mainly made of metal (aluminium, steel and titanium) or carbon.
Basic types
Driver / Wood 1: The longest golf club with which the greatest distance can be achieved. A tee is also used for the tee shot with the driver.
Fairway Wood: Club with a voluminous head. Wood 3, 5 and 7 are typical. There are also wood 2, 4, 9, 11, 13 and 15, but these are rarely used and are no longer offered. The shooting distance with such woods is usually higher than with irons, but also less accurate.
Putter: A straight-faced golf club used to hit the green to put the ball in the hole.
Chipper: Putter-like golf club with a lofted face for approach shots around the green.
Irons: Golf clubs with heads made of metal: (chrome-plated) zinc alloys, steel of various stainless steel alloys, titanium, bronze, copper, beryllium and various combinations of these materials. Irons come in 1 and 2 chops, long 3, 4 and 5 irons, medium 6, 7 and 8 irons, and short 9 irons and wedges.
Wedges: Wedges are iron clubs for approach shots around the green, under 100 yards. They give the ball a steep and high trajectory. There are pitching wedges, gap wedges, sand wedges for bunker shots and lob wedges.
Dress
Comfortable clothing that you can move in is important when playing golf. However, jeans, jogging suits or tracksuits are frowned upon. Shirts or shirts with a collar (polo shirt) with short or long sleeves are common. Pants should be elastic and not too short, covering half the thigh. Long or knee-length shorts are preferred. At professional golf tournaments it is even mandatory to wear long trousers, regardless of the weather. Water-repellent jackets or so-called windbreakers with a windproof fabric layer are also recommended. Additional pockets or eyelets for golf tees and ball markers increase functionality.
Golf shoes
There are special shoes for golf that have a sole with replaceable soft spikes. They give you a stable footing with every shot. The shoes should be chosen with a precise fit so that they remain comfortable even after several kilometers. Stable lateral support is also important for golf shots.
Golf gloves
Golf gloves are allowed but not required. A glove protects against blisters and gives a secure grip.
Golf bag and trolley
The golf bag or golf bag is used to transport golf equipment on the golf course. It is available in Tourbag, Cartbag and Carrybag versions. To make it easier, a golf bag can also be attached to a trolley, a frame with two or three wheels (caddy trolley, cart). Some golf clubs also provide electric trolleys, golf carts (buggy) or even a Segway for covering long distances.
Golf tee
The term tee has become established in golf for the tee, a rectangular and slightly raised lawn at the beginning of each fairway. However, the golf tee is actually a small pin made of wood or plastic on which the ball is placed (teed up). A golf tee can be between 5 and 10 centimeters long, the permitted length depends on the wood (club) used. The ball is higher and easier to play, but teeing up is only allowed on the first shot of a fairway (teeing ground).
Golf Rules
The modern rules of golf were established by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A), founded in 1754, and published jointly with the United States Golf Association (USGA). A current version has been in effect since January 1, 2019, with most of the changes being in the area of game speed. The set of rules is particularly extensive compared to other sports, since golf has a very large and largely natural playing field. The rules must therefore take into account a large number of conceivable situations.
As the national golf association in Germany, the DGV with its expert commission is responsible for disputed rule issues. In addition, there are the respective course rules, a regulation of golf course-specific features. It can therefore be useful to carry a golf rule book with you at every game.
Basics
Basically, a golfer must
- play the ball as it lies and
- play the course as he finds it
- play the same ball from tee to hole
- play your own ball. It is therefore useful to mark your own ball with a mark.
Furthermore:
- If a ball is completely lost (e.g. in a water hazard), a new (individually marked) ball may be used.
- However, there is a penalty.
- There is also a penalty stroke if the ball lands out of bounds. The player must retake the shot from the spot where he made the failed shot.
- In an obstacle (bunker, water ditch) the player is not allowed to put down the racket.
- In an obstacle (bunker, water ditch) “loose, obstructive natural substances” must not be moved before the shot. Elsewhere on the golf course, however, leaves and branches lying on the ground may be moved away without penalty.
- If a player declares a ball unplayable, he receives one penalty stroke and has three options:
repeat the stroke from the original spot - dropping the ball within two club-lengths of where the unplayable ball lies
- go on an imaginary line from the hole over the unplayable ball and starting from the ball as far back
- as you like and drop
- Although so-called movable obstacles (e.g. a bench) can be removed without penalty, this is not possible with immovable obstacles. For example, if a bench is screwed on, the player is allowed to drop the ball within one club length.
- The ball may be lifted and cleaned on the green with no penalty.
- If the ball is on the green, it must not touch the flagpole when putting. Therefore, a teammate can help and take the pin out of the hole as the putting progresses.
Golf variants
In addition to the traditional game of golf, there are numerous variants. For getting started in the sport you know.
- Cross golf or urban golf away from traditional golf courses
- Swingolf, played with a hard foam ball and a universal club, away from golf courses
- Snow golf on snow and ice surfaces
- Hickory golf played with traditional wooden clubs
- Small golf variants on specially designed courses, such as lane golf, office golf, mini golf, indoor golf and pitch and putt
- Disc golf played with frisbees.
