That first trip to the golf course can be very intimidating, as every golfer knows. There's so much to remember, so much to learn...or so it seems. You can ease that self-inflicted pressure a bit by "doing your homework". So, where do you begin? As a beginner golfer, one of the first things you will need to familiarize yourself with is the golf course and the terminology associated with it.
Typically golf courses consist of either 9 or 18 holes, each of which will vary in both distance and length. These variations are what makes each hole unique and challenging.
Upon your arrival at the golf course, you'll need to check in at the clubhouse or pro shop. This is where you will pay for your round. Be sure to check on the "pin placement" for that day. This will tell you where the hole or cup placement is on the green. After taking care of business at the pro shop, you'll load your cart and follow the "cart path" to the first tee. Be sure to follow the course rules when driving the golf cart. Some courses ask that you stay on the cart path, some in the fairways and others have no restrictions.
Be sure to have your "scorecard" before beginning your round. The scorecard contains some very useful information such as the distance or "yardage" from each tee to the green, "par", the optimal score for the hole, the handicap rating (1 being most difficult) and some show the layout of the hole. Some courses will have the yardage and layout of each hole at the tee so be sure to check.
Players will begin at the tee box or "tee". Each hole will have 3 - 5 sets of markers. As a beginner, I would suggest starting at the forward most markers (the ones closest to the green). Your ball should be placed anywhere between the 2 markers and can be placed up to 2 club lengths behind the markers.
Hopefully, after teeing off, your ball will end up in the "fairway". This is the area between the tee and the green that's nicely manicured and the easiest place from which to hit your next shot. There will be some form of "yardage markers" in the fairway which will indicate the distance from that marker to the center of the green. This is very useful information when determining which club to use. The taller grass that surrounds the fairway is known as the "rough". On some courses, as is the case at my local golf course, there will also be lots of trees in this area. As a rule of thumb, it's better to hit a shorter shot in the fairway than a long shot in the woods!
On your journey through the course, you're sure to run into some "hazards". These can be man-made or natural. Some courses have ponds strategically placed throughout the course while others may have a creek or even a lake that was there before the course was built. These are known as "water hazards". Sand traps or "bunkers" can be located next to the fairway or up close to the green. Keep in mind, when you land in a bunker, or any hazard, you cannot ground your club prior to hitting the ball.
"Out of bounds" areas are usually marked with white stakes. Unfortunately, if your ball lands in one of these areas, you must add a penalty stroke, move your ball back to its original location and hit again.
Typically at the end of the fairway, there are markers indicating where you must exit the fairway with the golf cart. Beyond these markers is the "approach". This is the area leading up to the green. The grass is typically the same length as that in the fringe.
The "green" is where you'll finish the hole. The grass is typically cut very close. The area around the green is known as the "fringe". Again, the "cup" or hole is marked by a pin or "flagstick". Once you've putted your ball into the cup, you've finished the hole.
In a nutshell, these are the basics of every golf course. There's no need to "memorize" everything as it will stick with you over time. If you're like me, you'll find yourself silently quizzing yourself while you're on the course. Now, take a deep breath, relax and enjoy the game.
PJ Greene is a golf entusiast and co-owner of a successful driving range and pro-shop
