While most novice golfers simply start playing golf for the fun of it, a knowledge and understanding of golf will add greater pleasure of playing the game. An introduction to some basics of how golf is played and the rules of the game will go a long way in helping the novice golfer starting on the exciting game of golf.
The game of golf is best described as the objective to hit a ball with a club from the teeing ground, to the fairway, to the green and into the hole in the fewest number of strokes possible. A round of golf normally consists of 18 holes and the player with the fewest number of strokes (i.e. with the lowest score) to complete the 18 holes wins the game. Most courses have 18 holes but some smaller course may have only 9 holes. Hence, the golfers would normally play the round twice to complete the 18 holes. There is another form of scoring for the game, i.e. match play whereby the golfer is concerned only of winning or tying one hole at a time against his opponent.
Besides knowing the scoring system, there are a few basic rules that the novice golfer should understand and be aware of:-
1. You are not allowed to touch you ball once it is in play until it is on the green. When your ball is on the putting surface, you are to mark it with a marker and pick the ball up. When you replace your ball, you are to put it back exactly where it was earlier.
2. If you lose your ball after it is play or hit it out of bounds, you must take a stroke and distance penalty, meaning that you count the original stroke, plus the penalty stoke plus the replay stroke as well.
3. If you hit your ball into a water hazard, it is a one stroke penalty.
There are several other rules in the game of golf and it would be a good idea to keep a small rules book in your golf bag.
Golf is a unique game in that the golfers must police themselves especially in friendly competition where there are no referees, umpires or officials. Hence, it is important for golfers to have a good understanding of how golf is played and to know the basic rules of golf so as not to have any misunderstandings with their fellow golfers.
