Golf 101

So you want to know more about golf? Here are a few things to get your knowledge on par with those that spend their time chasing that little white ball. But first, the main thing to know, is golf a game unlike any other. Each course is unique, it's a game you can play alone or in a group and unlike most sports, the lowest score wins! So when you are wondering what good is... lower is better. If you are woman reading this blog, you may also be wondering, why are some men obsessed with this game? Well, it's really the only way we men can ask one another to go on a walk in nature together.

The History

The game of golf dates back to the late 1400's. Though Scotland is credited to being the home of golf, a similar game was also played in the Netherlands during that time! The modern game continued to flourish in Great Britain during the 18th and 19th century with formation of clubs and codification of rules. Golf's home is still considered Scotland with the Old Course at St. Andrews being the designated mecca. 

There are multiple governing bodies in golf. The United States Golf Association (USGA) and Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) set and update the games rules. The same rules are used for men, women, children, professionals, and amateurs with limited modifications based on the event. It is now estimated that 65 million people worldwide play golf! The Netherlands itself has over 400,000 golfers registered!

The Game

A full-round of golf is consisted over 18 holes, played in a set order. There is a designated starting point for each hole, the tee, and a specific end point, the hole, which is located on the green. The goal is to make it from tee to hole in the lowest amount of strokes as possible. Depending on the situation, a golfer will use a different club for each shot during the hole.

Each hole has a given par.  The par of the hole is the recommended score for the hole. Holes can be either a par 3, 4, or 5. The sum of the holes par, is the par for the course. Traditionally, a course is a par 72 consisting of ten par 4's, four par 5's, and four par 3's. However, this is not a rule and it is common to see courses with a Par 70 or 71 as well.

When a golfer does better than par on a hole i.e. takes 4 strokes on a par 5, this is a birdie. If they score more than par i.e. five strokes on a par 4, this is a bogey.

Based on scores relating to par, a handicap index (handicap) is given to the player. A player with a handicap index of 5 would generally be expected to shoot fice strokes over par on an 18 hole course. Handicaps are important as it allows players of all abilities to play against each other.  Handicaps also give you a quick idea of how good the player is. Professional golfers would have a handicap below 0.

Playing 18-holes can take over four hours. It is permissible and becoming more common for individuals to play only nine holes (about two hours). These nine-hole scores can also be used for to calculate golfers handicap.

The Professionals 

Not only do golfers enjoying playing the game, they enjoy watching others play the game! The standard format for a professional tournament is four 18 holes rounds that take place Thursday- Sunday. The golfer with the lowest score after the 72 holes is the winner. There are professional tours all over the world. The most prestigious being the PGA Tour which has the majority of its events in the United States. The DP World Tour (European Tour) is the second most prestigious tour with events traditionally held in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. No matter what tour golfers play on, they come together for four majors championships every year. Each championship has it's own personality. Similar to tennis, different styles of play are rewarded at the different championship venues. The majors are as follows:

• The Masters - Augusta National Golf Club - April 
• The most traditional tournament, same course, same weekend, invite only
• Winner receives a "Green Jacket" as a prize
• The PGA Championship- Rotating courses in United States- May 
• The least prestigious of the majors but maybe the best competition
• Only professional golfers are invited to play
• The U.S. Open- Rotating courses in United States- June
• "Golf's Toughest Test"
• Open qualifying allows any golfer to make tournament through series of events
• Held on America's best public and private courses
• The Open Championship- Rotating Courses in the United Kingdom- July
• Held on golf courses that are mainly "links" i.e. close to the sea
• The oldest and most storied major championship
• Weather is always a factor
• Only major outside on the U.S.

The best professional golfer of our generation is Tiger Woods. Though because of a series of injuries and off the course incidents, his last major championship win was in 2019. Today, golfers such as Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, John Rahm and Scottie Scheffler are fan favorites and usually in contention come Sunday.

How to sound like a golfer

You now know the basics! But what are some questions to ask to make you sound like a pro? Here are some examples.

• What did you shoot today? How many birdies did you make?
• Did you win your match?
• Has your handicap been going up or down this year?
• What are the strengths in your game? What are the weaknesses?
• What is your favorite golf course? Why?
• Who is your pick to win the Open?