Golf equipment
Clubs
There are three major types of clubs, known as woods, irons,
and putters. Wedges resemble irons and may also be counted
among these (see below). The rules forbid the golfer to carry more than 14
clubs during the game.
The parts of a club are the shaft (with grip) and the head. The shaft is a
tapered tube made of metal or
fiberglass or
graphite. The shaft is roughly 1/2
inch in
diameter
(12 mm) near the grip and about 35 to 45 inches (89-115 cm) in length
depending on the club. The end of the shaft opposite the head is covered with
a rubber or leather grip for the player to hold. The head is the part that
hits the ball. Each head has a face which contacts the ball during the stroke
(but the head of a putter may have two faces).
Various clubs are designed with the face having differing loft
(the angle between a vertical plane and the clubface when the club is at
rest). Perhaps with the exception of tee shots, it is loft that makes a golf
ball leave the ground, not an upward direction of swing: for shots with a
particularly high trajectory such as pitches, the club actually hits the ball
in a downward motion, and with most other shots the motion is more or less
horizontal. Typically, the greater the loft, the higher and shorter the
resulting shot. The clubs are numbered for identification with the smallest
numbers indicating the lowest loft. A typical set of clubs may consist of
irons 3 to 9, three wedges, woods 1, 3, and 5, and a putter.
- Woods are long clubs (shaft length about 40-45 inches or
100-115 cm) for long shots. The have large heads that are somewhat spherical
in shape with a slightly bulging clubface and a flattened bottom that slides
over the ground without digging in during the stroke. Originally the "wood"
heads were made of wood but modern club heads are made of hollow metal,
sometimes filled with foam. The shaft enters the wood off-center, in such a
way that the face of the wood is roughly at a right angle to one side of the
shaft. Woods are used for the longest shots, ranging from 200 to 300 yards
(180-275 m). The typical loft for wood faces ranges from 6 to 26
degrees.
- Irons are used for shorter shots than woods, especially
including shots approaching the greens. Irons typically range from 36 to 40
inches (90-100 cm) in length. Iron heads are typically solid with a flat
clubface. The typical lofts for irons range from 16 to 60 degrees. "Long"
and intermediate irons (i.e. those with a lower loft) are usually played
from fairway or other easy ground. "Short" irons (with a higher loft) are
played from difficult ground and especially for approach shots to the green.
- Wedges are irons with lofts of more than approximately 50
degrees. Pitching wedges are rather similar to other irons but have
a higher loft than those. Some wedges have specially designed undersides
that make them suitable for shots from bunkers (sand wedges) or
from the rough. Lob wedges have a very high loft and are used for
approach shots or from sand.
- Putters come in a variety of head shapes; they have a very low
loft and often a short shaft. They are used to roll the ball on the green to
get the ball into the hole.
Traditionally, most metal golf club heads were made by forging, which
involves the careful shaping of the club head through hammering and pressing
of heated steel. Today, most modern golf club heads are cast, that is, molten
metal is poured into inticate molds and allowed to cool.
Forged clubs (http://www.swingweight.com/forging.htm)
are still prized for feel while cast clubs often have modern game improvement
characterists.
Other equipment
Sometimes
transportation is by special golf
carts. Clubs and other equipment are carried in golf bags.
Golfers wear special
shoes with exchangeable spikes (or little plastic claws termed soft
spikes) attached to the soles. Tees are often made of wood or
plastic and resemble nails with a flattened head. A tee is pushed into the
ground to rest a ball on top of it for an easier shot; however this is only
allowed for the first stroke (tee shot or drive) of each
hole.
Rules and decisions of golf, etiquette, and regulations on amateur status
The rules of golf
[1] (http://www.randa.org/flash/rules/PDF/RoG2004.pdf)
are internationally standardised and are jointly governed by the
Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) and the
United States Golf Association (USGA). By agreement with the R&A, USGA
jurisdiction on the rules is limited to the
United States and
Mexico.
The underlying principle of the rules is fairness. As written of the back
cover of the official rule book: "play the ball as it lies", "play the course
as you find it", and "if you can't do either, do what is fair". Some essential
rules state that
- every player is entitled and obliged to play the ball from from the
position where it has come to rest after a stroke, unless a rule allows or
demands otherwise (Rule 13-1),
- a player must not accept assistance in making a stroke (Rule 14-2)
- the condition of the ground or other parts of the course may not be
altered to gain an advantage, except in some cases defined in the rules
The Decisions on the Rules of Golf are based on formal case
decisions by the R&A and USGA and are regularly published.
The etiquette of golf, although not formally equivalent to the
rules, are included in the publications on golf rules and are considered
binding for every player. They cover matters such as safety, fairness,
easiness and pace of play, and players' obligation to contribute to the care
of the course.
The regulations regarding the amateur status of golfers
[2] (http://www.usga.org/rules/am_status)
are very strict. Essentially, everybody who has ever taught or played golf for
money (with the exception of trophies of a modest monetary value) is not
considered an amateur and must not participate in amateur competitions.
Handicap systems
Golf scores for amateurs are usually calculated using a handicap system.
Such a system allows players of different proficiency to play against each
other on equal terms. While there are many variations in detail, all handicap
system are based on calculating an individual player's playing ability from
his or her recent history of golf rounds. A player's handicap is (very
roughly) equal to the average number of strokes that he or she plays above the
par of a course. Thus, a player who constantly plays a 100 on a par-72 course
will have a handicap of 100 - 72 = 28. An expert golfer who plays a course in
par (scratch golfer) will have a handicap of 0.
Handicaps are administrated by golf clubs or national golf associations. In
most countries, official handicaps will start from between 28 and 36. Handicap
systems are not used in professional golf.
History
Golf is usually regarded to be a
Scottish
invention, as the game was mentioned in two
15th
century laws prohibiting the playing of the game of "golf". Some scholars
however suggest that this refers to another game which is actually much akin
to the modern
field
hockey. The same scholars also point out that a game of putting a small
ball in a hole in the ground played with "golf clubs" was played in the
17th
century
Netherlands.
What we think of as the modern game really came into being in the second
half of the 19th century in Scotland. The basic rules of the game and the
design of equipment and courses strongly resemble those of today. The major
changes in equipment since then were better mowers, especially for the greens,
better golf ball designs using rubber and man-made materials beginning around
1900 and the introduction of the metal shaft beginning in the 1930s. Also in
the 1930s the wooden golf tee was invented. In the 1970s the use of metal to
replace wood heads began, and shafts made of graphite composite materials were
introduced in the 1980s.
Social aspects of golf
In the
United States, golf is the unofficial sport of the business world. It's
often said, in fact, that
board meetings merely confirm decisions that are actually made on the golf
course. For this reason, the successful conduction of business golf (which
extends beyond merely knowing the game) is considered a useful business skill;
many
business schools include a "business golf" course.
Most business golfers either cheat at golf, if they are poor golfers, or
play under their ability, if they are good, since it is considered most
advantageous to lose to one's superior, but within fewer than 6 strokes.
Golf is not inherently an expensive activity; the cost of an average round
of golf is $36
[3]
(http://www.ngf.org) and the game is
regularly enjoyed by over 26 million Americans. Most regions of the country
feature public courses which strive to be affordable for the average golfer.
Golf's status as the American "business sport" is probably connected to the
expense of playing the game on a private course. These courses are usually
open only to lifetime members and their guests, and private course memberships
can cost as much as $300,000.
The purpose of the high membership cost is not, primarily, the
maintenance the course. Rather, many private golf courses set high membership
fees to exclude "undesirables" from being able to play on the course. This
exclusion also allows corporate dialogue to be concealed from the public.
Environmental impact
A major result of modern equipment is that today's players can hit the ball
much further, along with safety concerns, modern golf course architects have
had to lengthen and widen their design envelope. This has led to a 10%
increase in the amount of area that is required for golf courses today. At the
same time, water restrictions placed by many communities have forced the
modern architect to limit the amount of maintained turf grass on the golf
course. While most modern 18-hole golf courses occupy as much as 150 acres
(600,000 m²) of land, the average course has 75 acres (300,000 m²) of
maintained turf. - [Sources include the National Golf Foundation and the Golf
Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA)]. Environmental concerns
over the use of land for golf courses have grown over the past 30 years.
People are concerned over the amount of water and types of chemicals used as
well as the destruction of wetlands and other environmentally important areas.
These concerns along with concerns over cost and health issues have led to
significant research into more environmentally sound practices and turf
grasses. The modern golf course superintendent is well trained in the uses of
these practices and grasses. This has led to reductions in amount of chemicals
and water used on courses. The turf on golf courses is an excellent filter for
water and has been used in many communities to cleanse grey water. While many
people continue to oppose golf courses for environmental reasons, there are
others who feel that they are plus for the community and the environment as
they provide corridors for migrating animals and sanctuarys for birds and
other wildlife.
Golf courses are built on many different types of land including sandy
links areas along coasts, abandoned farms, strip mines and quarries, deserts
and forests. Many Western countries have instituted significant environmental
restrictions on where and how courses can be built.
In some parts of the world, attempts to build courses and resorts have led
to significant protests along with vandalism and violence by both sides.
Although golf is a relatively minor issue compared to other land ethics
questions, it has symbolic importance as it is a game normally associated with
the wealthier Westernized population, and the culture of colonization and
globalization of non-native land ethics. Resisting golf tourism and golf's
expansion has become an objective of some land reform movements, especially in
the Philippines and Indonesia.
Professional Golf
Golf, like other sports, is played professionally in many different
countries. Organizations usually called "tours" form tournaments, find
sponsors, select participants, and set rules and standards. There are many
different tours around the world, including the European Tour and the Canadian
Tour, as well as the
Champions Tour for pro golfers 50 years old and up, and the LPGA tour for
women golfers. The most widely known is the
PGA TOUR
(correctly rendered in all caps), which attracts the best golfers from all the
other men's tours. This is due mostly to the fact that winning a PGA TOUR
event results in a six-figure (sometimes seven-figure) paycheck; in turn, PGA
TOUR wins can mean endorsement deals, automatically provide the winner a
minimum two-year exemption to play in other tournaments, and supply the
prestige earned by beating the best of the best.
The Majors
The four biggest tournaments in professional golf are called "majors"
and they are played at roughly the same time every year. The four majors are:
-
The Masters
-
U.S. Open
-
The Open Championship (British Open)
-
PGA Championship
The Masters has been played at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA
since its inception in 1934. The U.S. Open and PGA Championship are played at
various courses around the United States, while the British Open is played in
the U.K.
Winning a major is the crowning career achievement for many professional
golfers. Most will never accomplish this very difficult feat.
Jack Nicklaus, who is widely regarded as the best golfer of all time, has
won 18 majors.
Tiger
Woods, who is possibly the only contender to Nicklaus' record has won 8
majors, all before the age of 27. Tiger has also come the closest to winning
all four majors in one year (known as a "grand slam") when he won the U.S.
Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship in 2000, and then the Masters
in 2001.
The LPGA's
list of majors has changed several times over the years, with the last change
in 2001. Like the PGA TOUR, the LPGA currently has four majors:
- Kraft Nabisco Championship
- U.S. Women's Open
- LPGA Championship
- Women's British Open
Golf terminology
- Tee can mean:
- the area of specially prepared grass from which the first stroke for
each hole is made (teeing ground in official terminology)
- a small peg - made of wood or plastic - placed in the teeing
ground, upon which the golf ball may be placed prior to the first
stroke on a hole.
- Green or putting green: the area of specially prepared
prass around the hole, where putts are played
- Drive: a tee shot of great length, usually done with a
driver (a type of club)
- Mulligan: a do-over; it is not allowed by the rules and not
practised in tournaments, but not uncommon in casual rounds
- Hole In One: The first stroke sends a ball into the hole. Also
known as an ace.
- Double Eagle (a/k/a Albatross): Three stokes under par.
- Eagle: Two strokes under par.
- Birdie: One stroke under par.
- Bogey: One stroke over par.
- Double Bogey: Two strokes over par.
- Hook: a poor shot that curves sharply to the left (may
occasionally be played intentionally but difficult to control)
- Slice: a poor shot that curves sharply to the right (may
occasionally be played intentionally but difficult to control)
- Draw: a shot that curves slightly to the left, often played
intentionally by skilled golfers
- Fade:a shot that curves slightly to the right, often played
intentionally by skilled golfers
See also
External links
