A golf course consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground In golf, the teeing ground is the area at the beginning of a hole from which the player's first stroke is taken. When referring to the area, the terms "tee", "tee box", and "teeing ground" are often used interchangeably, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick (pin) and cup, all designed for the game of golf Golf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players , using many types of clubs, attempt to hit balls into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not require a standardized playing area. Instead, the game is played on golf "courses", each of. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes. Some, however, only have nine holes and the course is played twice per round, while others have 27 or 36 and choose two groups of nine holes at a time for novelty and maintenance reasons. Additionally, par-3 courses also exist, consisting of nine or 18 holes, all of which are a Par 3. Many older golf courses, often coastal The coast is defined as where the land meets the sea. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs. Both the terms coast and coastal are often used to, are golf links A links is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. The word "links" comes from the Scots language and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland. It also retains this more general meaning in the Scottish English dialect. It can be treated as singular even though it has an "s" at, of a different style to others. For non-municipal courses, there is usually a golf club A country club is a private club and it may have a closed membership. Most offer a variety of recreational sports facilities and are located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo. An athletic club is similar but is usually located within an urban setting, which may exclude based at each course, and may include a pro shop.
Contents |
Teeing area
Tee for the first hole at The Links at Spanish BayThe first section of every hole consists of what is known as the teeing ground In golf, the teeing ground is the area at the beginning of a hole from which the player's first stroke is taken. When referring to the area, the terms "tee", "tee box", and "teeing ground" are often used interchangeably, or tee-box. There is usually more than one available box for a player to place their ball Under the Rules of Golf, a golf ball weighs no more than 1.620 oz , has a diameter not less than 1.680 in (42.67 mm), and performs within specified velocity, distance, and symmetry limits. Like golf clubs, golf balls are subject to testing and approval by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the United States Golf Association, and, each one a different distance from the hole. They are generally as level as feasible, and most are slightly raised from the surrounding fairway. The most common tee areas, in increasing order of length from the hole, are the ladies' tee, the men's tee, and the championship tee. Other common tee-boxes include the junior tee, closer to the hole than the ladies' tee, and the senior tee, generally between the ladies' tee and the men's tee. In tournaments, golfers generally tee off from the box one level further from the "normal" box for their class (men use the championship tee, ladies use the senior or men's tee, and juniors use the ladies' tee).
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 from two-club lengths behind the markers up to the markers themselves. A golfer may play the ball from outside the teeing area, but the ball itself must be shot from within the area.[1] A golfer may place his ball directly on the teeing ground (called hitting it "off the deck"), a manufactured support known as a tee A tee is a stand used to support a stationary ball so that the player can strike it, particularly in golf, tee ball, American football, and rugby, or any natural substance such as sand placed on the teeing surface.
Fairway and rough
Typical doglegs. On the left side: "dogleg left", on the right side: "double dogleg"After teeing off, the player again hits the ball Under the Rules of Golf, a golf ball weighs no more than 1.620 oz , has a diameter not less than 1.680 in (42.67 mm), and performs within specified velocity, distance, and symmetry limits. Like golf clubs, golf balls are subject to testing and approval by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the United States Golf Association, and toward the green from where it came to rest. The area between the tee box and the putting green is called the fairway. The turf of the fairway is generally cut short and evenly and is an advantageous area from which to hit. The area between the fairway and the out-of-bounds markers and also between the fairway and green is the rough, the turf of which is cut higher than that of the fairway and is generally a disadvantageous area from which to hit. Par three holes expect the player to be able to drive the ball to the green on their first shot from the tee box. Holes longer than par threes are expected to require at least one extra shot made from the fairway or rough.
While many holes are designed with a direct line-of-sight from the tee-off point to the green, some of the holes may bend either to the left or to the right. This is called a "dogleg", in reference to a dog's knee. The hole is called a "dogleg left" if the hole angles leftwards, and a "dogleg right" if the hole angles rightwards. Sometimes, a hole's direction can bend twice, and is called a "double dogleg".
Just like good quality putting green grass, there is good quality fairway and rough grass. The quality of grass influences the roll of the ball, as well as the ability of the player to 'take a divot' (effectively, the ability to hit the ball into the turf, and compress it). The fairways on prestigious tours, like the PGA Tour, are cut low, making it harder for players to compress the ball. Mow heights influence the play of the course; for example, the grass heights at U.S Open events are alternated in order to make the golf course difficult. One example of this is the infamous roughs at U.S Opens, which are often 3 to 5 inches tall depending on how close to the fairway or green the said height will be. This makes it harder for a player to recover after a bad shot.
Some variants of grass used for fairways and roughs are bent grass, Tifway 419, rye grass, Kentucky Bluegrass, and Zoysiagrass. As in putting green grass types, not every grass type works for every climate type.
Hazards
Main article: Hazard (golf) Water hazard, sand trap, and dense vegetation on the 13th hole at Ridgefield Golf Course, CTMany holes include hazards, which may be of three types: (1) water hazards such as lakes and rivers; (2) man-made hazards such as bunkers; and (3) natural hazards such as dense vegetation. Special rules apply to playing balls that fall in a hazard. For example, a player may not touch the ground with his club before playing a ball, not even for a practice swing. A ball in any hazard may be played as it lies without penalty. If it cannot be played from the hazard, the ball may be hit from another location, generally with a penalty of one stroke. The Rules of Golf The Rules of Golf and the Rules of Amateur Status is published every two years by the governing bodies of golf to define how the game is to be played. The Rules have been published jointly in this manner since 1952, although the code was not completely uniform until 2000 (with mostly minor revisions to Appendix I). The Rules Committee of The R& govern exactly from where the ball may be played outside a hazard. Bunkers (or sand traps) are shallow pits filled with sand and generally incorporating a raised lip or barrier, from which the ball is more difficult to play than from grass. As in any hazard, a ball in a sand trap must be played without previously touching the sand with the club.
Putting green
The 18th green at Pebble Beach Golf Links Pebble Beach Golf Links is a golf course located in Pebble Beach, California in the Western United States. Four of the courses in the coastal community of Pebble Beach, including Pebble Beach Golf Links, belong to the Pebble Beach Company, which also operates three hotels and a spa at the resort. The other courses are The Links at Spanish Bay,To putt is to play a stroke on the defined putting surface. Usually, this stroke is played on the green with a putter where the ball does not leave the ground. Once on the green, the ball is putted (struck with the eponymous flat-faced club to roll it along the ground) toward the hole until the ball falls into the cup.
The grass A lawn is an area of aesthetic and recreational land planted with grasses or other low durable plants, which usually are maintained at a lower and consistent height. Low ornamental meadows in natural landscaping styles are a contemporary option of a lawn. In recreational contexts, the specialised names turf, pitch, field or green may be used, of the putting green (more commonly just green) is cut very short so that a ball can roll long distances. The most common types of greens for cold winter, but warmer (not extremely warm i.e Southern United States) are bent grass greens. These are considered the best greens because of their ability to be cut to extremely low heights, and their ability to be grown from seed. Bent grass does not have grain, which makes it superior as a putting surface; however, bent grass often gets infested with poa annua, which is a costly and time consuming weed. Augusta National is one of many golf courses to use these types of greens; the original design of Augusta National did not have bent grass greens, however, in the 1980s, the controversial decision was made that changed the greens to bent grass, from Bermuda. This has affected the speed and playing of Augusta National. Another type of grass common for greens is Tifway Bermuda(other variants exist, but Tifway is becoming the most common), or simply Bermuda grass. This type of grass is more common in places that do not have cold winters, yet have very warm summers (such as the southern portion of the United States, and the southwestern states). They are usually laid from sod (pre-grown grass rolls), and not from seed. A downside to Bermuda greens is the cost of maintenance, and the existence of grain (The growth direction of the blades of grass affects the ball's roll and is called the grain of the green). The slope or break of the green also affects the roll of the ball. The 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 should be changed daily by a greenskeeper A professional who maintains a golf course or country club. Greenskeepers usually work under the direction of a golf course superintendent. Work includes mowing greens, fairways and tees, fertilizing, irrigation, scouting for pests and pesticide applications, pruning, and arranging the pins and tee markers for daily and tournament play. Other non in order to prevent excessive wear and damage to the turf. The cup usually has a flag on a pole positioned in it so that it may be seen from a distance, but not necessarily from the tee; this flag-and-pole combination is called the pin or less commonly the flagstick.
Putting greens are not all of the same quality. Generally, the finest-quality greens are well kept so that a ball will smoothly roll over the closely-mowed grass. Excess water can be removed from a putting green using a machine called a water hog A water hog is a machine that removes water from sports grounds. The water hog was invented by Hugh McLaughlin. Golfers describe a green as fast if a light stroke to the ball makes it roll a long distance; conversely, a slow green is one where a stronger stroke is required to roll the ball the required distance. The exact speed of a green can be found with a stimp meter The Stimpmeter is a device used to measure the speed of a golf course putting green by applying a known force to a golf ball and measuring the distance traveled in feet. By collecting sample measurements, golf courses can be compared in terms of average green speed. It is, however, illegal by the Rules of Golf The Rules of Golf and the Rules of Amateur Status is published every two years by the governing bodies of golf to define how the game is to be played. The Rules have been published jointly in this manner since 1952, although the code was not completely uniform until 2000 (with mostly minor revisions to Appendix I). The Rules Committee of The R& to test the speed of a green while playing by rolling a ball on it, feeling or rubbing the green.
Par
Mark Bostic Golf Course The Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, is the home of the Florida Gators men's and women's golf teams. The course was formerly part of a private country club, and was acquired by the university in 1963. The course was designed by noted Scottish golfer and golf course architect Donald Ross. In 2001, BobbyMost courses have only par three, four, and five holes, though some courses include par six holes. Typical distances for the various holes from standard tees are as follows.
Men
- Par 3 – 250 yards (230 m) and below
- Par 4 – 251 to 450 yards (410 m)
- Par 5 – 451 to 690 yards (630 m)
- Par 6 – 691 yards (632 m) or more
Women
- Par 3 – 210 yards (190 m) and below
- Par 4 – 211 to 400 yards (370 m)
- Par 5 – 401 to 575 yards (526 m)
- Par 6 – 575 yards (526 m) or more
Harder or easier courses may have longer or shorter distances, respectively. Terrain can also be a factor, where a long downhill hole might be rated a par four, but a shorter uphill or treacherous hole might be rated a par five. Professional tournament players will often encounter longer Par 3 holes (up to 290 yards) and longer Par 4 holes (up to 520 yards).
Other areas
Some areas of the course are designated as ground under repair ("G.U.R."), where greenskeepers are making repairs or where the course is damaged. A ball Under the Rules of Golf, a golf ball weighs no more than 1.620 oz , has a diameter not less than 1.680 in (42.67 mm), and performs within specified velocity, distance, and symmetry limits. Like golf clubs, golf balls are subject to testing and approval by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the United States Golf Association, and coming to rest in this spot may be lifted, then played from outside the G.U.R. without penalty. Certain man-made objects on the course are defined as obstructions (i.e. distance posts, gardens, etc.), and specific rules determine how a golfer may proceed when their play is impeded by these.
Driving range
Main article: Driving range A driving range is an area where golfers can practice their swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range attached and they are also found as stand-alone facilities, especially in urban areas. They are typically run by businesses Practice range with 43 tees (20 covered)Often, there is a practice range or driving range A driving range is an area where golfers can practice their swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range attached and they are also found as stand-alone facilities, especially in urban areas. They are typically run by businesses, usually with practice greens, bunkers, and driving areas. Markers showing distances are usually included on a practice range to benefit the golfer. There may even be a practice course (often shorter and easier to play than full-scale golf courses), where golfers practice to measure how far they can hit with a specific club or to improve their swing technique.
Design
A specialty of landscape design Landscape design is similar to landscape architecture. Landscape design focuses more on the artistic merits of design, while Landscape architecture encompasses the artistic design as well as structural engineering. Landscape design and Landscape Architecture, both take into account soils, drainage, climate and other issues, because the survival of or landscape architecture Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, and/or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions that will produce the desired outcome. The scope, golf course architecture is its own field of study. Some golf course architects become celebrities in their own right. The field is represented by the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the European Institute of Golf Course Architects and the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects.
Golf match at Columbia Country Club, Washington, D.C. area 1910-20.While golf courses often follow the original landscape, some modification is unavoidable. This is increasingly the case as new courses are more likely to be sited on less optimal land. Bunkers and sand traps are almost always artificial, although other hazards may be natural.
The layout of fairways follows certain traditional principles, such as the number of holes (nine and 18 being most common), their par and number of chosen par types per course. It is also preferable to arrange greens to be close to the tee box of the next playable hole, to minimize travel distance while playing. Combined with the need to package all the fairways in a compact square or rectangular land plot, they tend to form an oppositional tiling pattern. In complex areas, sometimes two holes share a single tee box. It is also common for separate tee-off points to be positioned for men, women, and amateurs, each one respectively lying closer to the green.
A successful design is as visually pleasing as it is playable. With golf being an outdoor form of recreation, the strong designer is an adept student of natural landscaping, understanding the aesthetic cohesion of vegetation, water bodies, paths, grasses, stonework and woodwork, among other things.
Executive golf course
A special design of golf course is the "executive" golf course (also known as a "par-3" course). This course differs from standard courses in that the majority of holes are Par 3 holes, with one or two Par 4 holes added and sometimes (though rare) a Par 5 hole. The executive course is designed for beginner or older golfers and those who lack the time to play a round on a standard course.
Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:49:44 GMT+00:00
! The Atlantic (blog) Apparently, someone answered nature's call a bit too close to one of the private homes lining the golf course . The lady of the house, perhaps in the ... Did Roethlisberger 'water' golf course ? Columbus Dispatch Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben caught urinating on golf course ? Rotoworld.com Ben Roethlisberger allegedly peed on a golf course ; everyone is appalled Guyism (blog) USA Today - Player Press - Cincinnati.com (blog)
