If you're anything like I was, you probably think golf is boring. It took until I started dating my husband to start to appreciate the game. I did not enjoy the sport--in large part--because 1) I never played it, and 2) I didn't understand it. Now that I've tried it, I can honestly say that golf is the most frustrating sport that I can't wait to play again (anyone else?)
Here's the bare minimum you need to know...for now.
Golf is a sport in which the lowest score wins. A course consists of 18 holes: a front 9 and a back 9.
Each hole will have the following aspects:
Tee Boxes: This is where a golfer begins his/her shot by using a driver to hit the ball as far (and strategically) as possible.
Fairway: This is the area between the tee boxes and the green where a majority of play occurs. Obstacles like trees, sand pits, water and higher grass surround it--which you aim to avoid. A golfer hopes the shot is placed well enough to stay on the fairway in order to put oneself in a better position to hit the ball onto the green
Green: This is usually the finest kept part of the course with short grass that houses the hole (and its flag). This is where a golfer "putts" the ball gently into the hole/cup. This is the only area on the course where a golfer wants the ball to roll on the ground instead of cutting through the air.
Keeping Score:
Par: The number of hits that *should* be needed to complete a hole. This number changes from hole to hole. Typically shorter holes have smaller pars while longer holes have higher pars. If you add up all the pars on a course, the number of strokes needed for 18 holes would typically be 72 (this is regulation but it can vary). If you hit par every hole, your final score would be 72.
*Also, 72 is the "starting score" to which your score will be added or subtracted as you will see below.
Birdie: This means you made the ball into the hole 1 shot UNDER the par. So, if the par was 4 shots, you made it in 3. You would score (-1) on that hole. Hypothetically, if you scored a birdie on every hole on our 18-hole regulation course (WOW, btw), that means you did not "use" 18 strokes while playing, therefore you would subtract 18 from 72 for your score of 54 (72-18=54).
*You could also simply add up every number of hits for each hole for your final score. Alternatively, a more experienced golfer will often report their score based on how much they were over/under par for the day (Ex: "5 under" "3 over" "broke even")
Bogey: This means you made the ball into the hole 1 shot OVER par. So, if the par was 4 shots, you made it in 5. You would score a (+1) on that hole. If you scored a bogey on every hole, then you needed 18 *additional shots to complete the course. You would then add 18 to 72 for your final score of 90 (72+18=90).
Double Bogey: You took two more shots OVER par to complete a hole (+2). So, if the par was 4, you made it in 6.
Triple Bogey: You took three more shots OVER par to complete a hole (+3). So if the par was 4, you made it in 7.
*I live in the bogey to triple bogey world at the moment*
Eagle: This means you made the hole 2 shots UNDER par. So, if the par was 4, you made it in 2. You would score a (-2) on that hole. If you scored an eagle on every hole (you probably cheated but anyway...), then you did not "use" 36 strokes while playing, therefore your final score would be 36 on our regulation course (72-18(2)=36)
Double Eagle or Albatross: This means you made a hole in 3 shots UNDER par (-3). This usually means a player made the hole in 2 shots on a par 5. An albatross is actually the most rare shot in golf, even more rare than the famous hole-in-one.
Ace AKA Hole-In-One: CONGRATS! You made the hole in 1 shot. So, if the par was 4, you made it in 1 for a score of (-3). If you scored a hole-in-one on every hole (you definitely cheated), your final score would be 18 (72-18(3)=18).
And, there you have it: golf in a nutshell. It's an intricate, frustrating, yet rewarding game. The only way to truly learn is to try golf for yourself--you may be surprised how much you like it!
Golf can be complicated, but remember to KISS (Keep It Simple, Sister).
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33