The Rules of Golf

What is golf?

Golf is a sport where you hit a small ball with a club, trying to get it into a faraway hole in the ground. It sounds simple, but it takes patience, skill and a steady nerve. What makes golf special is that you are mainly playing against the course and yourself, trying to take as few shots as possible.

A golf course usually has 18 holes (smaller courses have 9). Each hole has a starting area called the tee, a long stretch of short grass called the fairway, and a smooth area around the hole called the green. This lesson explains the main rules, how scoring works, and the all-important etiquette and safety.

The basic rules

Here is how a hole of golf works:

1. Tee off: you start by hitting the ball from the tee.
2. Keep hitting: you walk to wherever your ball landed and hit it again, moving closer to the hole each time.
3. Hole out: you finish when the ball drops into the hole.
4. Count your shots: every swing counts as one shot, even if you miss the ball.

You play all the holes one by one, adding up your shots. In stroke play, the most common form, the player with the lowest total wins. Yes, in golf a low score is the goal!

Understanding par

Each hole has a target number of shots called par. A short hole might be a par 3, a long one a par 5. If you finish a hole in par, you played it well. Golf even has fun names for beating or missing par:

• Birdie: one shot under par (great!).
• Bogey: one shot over par.
• Eagle: two shots under par (excellent!).

Comparing your score to par helps you measure how well you are playing, a bit like setting targets in how to set fitness goals.

Etiquette: the spirit of golf

Golf is famous for its etiquette, the polite, respectful way players behave. Some key rules:

• Be quiet and still when another player is about to swing, so they can concentrate.
• Wait your turn and don't hit your ball until the people ahead are out of range.
• Look after the course: fix any marks you make and replace divots (the chunks of grass a club can lift).
• Be honest: golfers count their own shots truthfully. Honesty is a point of pride in golf.

Safety first: a golf club is heavy and a golf ball flies fast. Before you swing, always check that nobody is standing close to you or in the path of the ball. Children should only play with an adult nearby.

A quick word on clubs

Golfers carry different clubs for different shots. Drivers hit the ball a long way off the tee. Irons are for medium shots. Putters are used on the green to gently roll the ball into the hole. Beginners only need a few clubs to start, and many clubs offer junior-sized sets.

Try it: a putting challenge

Putting is the perfect skill to practise safely, because the ball only rolls gently along the ground:

1. With an adult, set up a putter and a soft golf ball on flat grass or carpet.
2. Place a cup or marker as your "hole" a few steps away.
3. Try to roll the ball into the hole. Count your putts.
4. Move the target further away as you improve.

Putting teaches the gentle touch and focus that golf is all about. Staying calm and concentrating is a skill in every sport, as our lesson on the psychology of sport explains.

Why golf is great

Golf can be enjoyed at any age, and you mostly compete against yourself. It teaches patience, honesty and focus, and you spend hours walking in the fresh air. Whether you finish under par or not, the real win in golf is steady improvement over time.