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the rules of golf
The game of golf has a universal set of rules and regulations. In the United States, these rules are scrutinized on a regular basis and change with the times. Although there may be a book of rules for this game, some golf courses may have their own special rules that must be obeyed if playing on that particular course.
First, one should know the different types of matches played in golf. Each type of match has a different scoring method.
Match play if played hole by hole. The score for this type of match is determined by how many holes each player wins or loses. The most a player can win by is 10 holes won and eight to go. If the match is tied, they call that a halved match. In this situation, the players begin again at the 1st hole and play until someone wins a hole.
The Stableford match is played by scoring points according to how many strokes you are under or over par at each hole. The total number of points scored at each hole equals the result. Points are given under this scoring method:
Par plus 2 equals 0 points.
Par plus 1 equals 1 point.
Par equals 2 points.
Par minus 1 equals 3 points.
Par minus 2 equals 4 points.
And, Par minus 3 equals 5 points.
Keep in mind that Par plus two strokes is called a Double bogey, par plus one stroke is called a Bogey, par minus one stroke is called a Birdie, par minus two stokes is called an Eagle and a par minus three strokes is called an Albatross.
Stroke-play is a match in which the score is based upon the total number of strokes for the round. A round is considered to be 18 holes in this case.
In a Foursome players take turns with the same ball. With two teams here, the golfers take turns teeing off at alternating holes. Scoring can be based upon any of the above methods.
For a Fourball match, players enter in a partnership. The two players play the better of two balls against their opponents' best of two balls. This is a very popular method of play but can be very time consuming.
The par of any particular hole is decided upon based on the yardage of the hole.
0-250 yards is a par 3
251-475 yards is a par 4
476+ yards is a par 5
In the game of golf, each player has the responsibility of keeping his or her own score. Each player also keeps score of other individuals they are playing against. At the end of the game, you sign your own card as a verification of correct scoring.
As in any sport, some players have a greater ability over other players. For this reason, the golf associations have instituted a handicap regulation. A handicap works by subtracting strokes from the total score for the weaker players so that competitions can be done in a fair manner. There are different handicap allowances allowed for the sorted matches played in this sport.
In the game of golf, one is only allowed to play with fourteen clubs in his bag. Penalties will be assessed for persons who break this rule. Points are deducted according to which kind of match you are playing. For stroke play, two strokes are given on each hole the violation occurred, in match play, one would lose the hole in which the violation occurred and for stableford, one would deduct two points from the final score for each hole the violation occurred.
Once the number of clubs each person has is accessed, the players must figure out who will take their turn first. Usually, the person first listed on the roster would take the first shot, or a coin may be flipped. This is called honour.
The ground in which the ball is first hit is called the teeing ground. This is recognized as a flat area of ground that is marked with visible markers. The tee box is the actual box in which the ball may be hit. This box is measured from the tee line going back two club lengths.
The ball in play rule states that once the game has begun, one must play the ball where it lies. This simply means that one can not touch or improve the position of the ball. In some local courses, there may be rules that allow one to touch the ball. These cases are generally allowed only if the ball lands in water. For this situation, the ball must be dropped to be put back into play. This is done by standing upright and holding the ball straight out at shoulder length. Once the ball is dropped it cannot touch you otherwise it will need to be redropped.
On occasion, a ball may be lost or end up out of bounds. For a lost ball, the rules state that one has five minutes to find the missing ball. If the ball cannot be found, the player must return to the last area that the ball was hit and drop a new ball as close to the spot as possible. A penalty stroke will be assessed in this case. All golf courses should have a clear description of its boundaries. When a ball ends up out of bounds, one can go back to the last place of the last shot and replay the ball. For a ball that is in bounds, but close to the boundary, the player can stand out of bounds to play a ball that is clearly in bounds.
On all golf courses, various hazards are likely. Water and sand bunkers are two of the golfers greatest enemy’s. There is a two-stroke penalty for touching the sand or grounds before hitting the ball. One must assess the situation from a distance in this situation to abide by the rules. With water, the rule above applies. The ball must be dropped to be put back into play.
There are other courtesies that one can take while on the course. Keeping the golf cart on the track is a good reminder as well repairing the divot that your club made hitting the ball. If you wish to pick your ball up to clean it or examine it, you may do so by marking the place of the ball with a special marker or coin. If you are held up for any reason, be sure to let the team trailing you to play ahead.
Depending on how crowded the course is, it is so very important to remember the other players. Be courteous to others and they will be courteous to you.
Written by Stephanie Baldwin
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GOLF