Golf 101 - It is a sport!
Many people question whether golf even is a sport. A number of critics have labelled it an activity, similar to walking, sleeping or sitting. Officially, though, it is still considered a sport, passionately played and followed all over the world. If you are new to golf and do not know what all the fuss is about, you need not worry. By the time you are done reading this, you will know all you need to about golf to in order to hold a conversation on Golf, without embarrassing yourself.
So, what is with all the sticks you say? Well, firstly, they are called clubs. There are different clubs for different types of shots. There are three different types of clubs, generally speaking. Let us start with the Putter. The Putter is generally used for short range shots, mainly to roll the ball into the hole while on the grass. The Woods, on the other hand, are used mainly for long-medium distance and tee shots. Lastly, the Irons are used in a variety of situations depending on the preference of the golfer.
Now onto the balls, no pun intended. There are certain regulations that govern the size, weight and standards of the ball, but nothing major an amateur needs to be aware of. It is safe to assume that the golf ball you purchase from your sports shop salesman is the appropriate kind. For the sake of visibility, white balls are used. An interesting fact about the golf ball is that when the sport started, the ball was wooden but as the game evolved, so did the ball until it ended up in its current form.
Next up, moving on to the scoring; the basic science behind scoring is simple enough. The number of 'strokes' it takes a golfer to put the ball in all of the designated holes, is the score. In a professional game and in some competitive amateur ones too, there is a set criterion for how many 'strokes' a golfer must take in order to secure all of the holes. When a golfer takes more 'strokes' than the pre-decided number, he is said to be over-par. Similarly, when a golfer takes fewer strokes than the pre-decided number, he is said to be under-par. Keeping things simple, remember that it is always better to be under-par than over-par.
All sports need players and Golfers are some of the highest paid sportsmen in the world at this moment. Looking at the official rankings, Tiger Woods is still at the top closely followed by another American, Phil Mickelson. Tiger Woods has been one of the most successful golfers of all time and is still only 34 years old, which means he can still play for a very long time. In the United States, the PGA tour is an organization that brings together the best players from all over the world for tournaments. It is fair to say that these events are the highlights of a Golf fan's year.
Finally, let us talk about the playing field or "Golf Course". A golf course typically has either 9 or 18 holes. Every course is unique, which helps keep the sport competitive since players face a new challenge every time they play at a new golf course.
This is golf, in a nut-shell. Hopefully the information presented here was of use to you.
Tags: