Making Sense of The Golf Course

By: Marc Jenson


Are you new to the sport of golf? Have you ever gazed out over the landscape from the first tee box and wondered about the world before you? Have you ever looked at these obstacles that stand between you and that hole which is just over 4 in. in diameter and just under 4 in. in depth? They can be horrifying to both the golf newbie and the veteran. They are always changing as golf course designers conceive of more and more ways to stuff the golfer. And with over 20,000 golf courses world wide, there is no shortage of bunkers and water hazard out there to frustrate you.

So what is a new golfer to make of this terrifying and strange world that lies before him? Not only does this world present a different stage to compete on, but a whole new list of terms and jargon. The list of golfing terms is a long one. So to help the newbie understand this foreign ground now placed before him, here is a list of some of the more common objects found on the golf course.

The first piece of sod you'll stand on when beginning your game is called the tee box or teeing ground. The reason for this term is simple, this is the only place where a tee can be used. The tee is that large toothpick like object found in your bag. By pushing it in the ground you are able to give yourself a little elevated platform on which to place your ball. With the ball of the ground it is easier to strike the ball with accuracy and strength. Usually at the start of a hole, there are a number of tee boxes to choose from. These boxes are designated for pro's, amateur, ladies, senior. I suggest you start with the one closest to the hole. As you get better, you can move back into the more challenging boxes.

After the tee box comes the fairway. The fairway is that piece of trimmed grass between you and the green, which is where the hole is. Fairways vary in length and bend. Different fairway lengths call for different clubs, something you will discover early on. If there is a bend in the fairway in front of you, this bend is called a dog leg. There can be dog leg lefts and dog leg rights depending on which direction the fairway is headed. The fairway is home to most of the hazards you'll find on the course. Tall grass usually lines the edges of the fairway, and this tall grass is often referred to as the rough. If there isn't rough lining the edge then there's a good chance that water is. It often feels as if the water lining the fairway has a strange pull on the ball, but this fortunately is just an illusion. However, rivers and lakes present the new golfer with one of his most challenging and expensive hazards.

Another hazard that is often present on the fairway and around the green is the bunker. A bunker is generally a depression filled with one of two different types of material sand or grass. The sand bunker may be one of the most notorious obstacles a golfer can encounter. Getting out of a bunker takes a lot of skill acquired though practice. Even pro's struggle with sand bunkers so don't get to discouraged. Along with bunkers and water . Fairways are also filed with hills and trees, adding to the struggles of golfers around the world.

Once you've cleared the fairway you'll find yourself on the green. The green consists of very short grass that allows for faster rolling. This faster speed comes in handy when trying to refine your stroke, so as to put the ball in that extremely small hole. When on the green you'll typically use only one type of club, the putter, The putter provides the golfer with a tool refined exclusively for managing the fast and undulating green. Greens are not only faster than the rest of the whole but the often contain subtle impressions and slopes. These changes in slope are referred to as the break. If you've ever seen a golfer crouched on the green, staring intensely at the ground before him you've seen someone trying to read the green or observe the break. Learning to read the green can lead to better scores.

As with some of the other articles I've written this is meant entirely for the beginner. Golf can be so intimidating, so get all the information you can before going. As you progress you'll find out more and more about this difficult sport.

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