Where the Battle of Golf is Fought

The great military strategist Sun Tzu in his immortal work "The Art of war" once wisely said "The natural formation of the country is the soldier's best ally; but a power of estimating the adversary, of controlling the forces of victory, and of shrewdly calculating difficulties, dangers and distances, constitutes the test of a great general."

How true it is in the game of golf! Knowing the anatomy of the golf course and utilizing the knowledge gain from such can spell the difference between winning and losing in the game of golf. The game of golf is fought in the battlefield which is known as the "course." A golf course has a series of holes which are considered as the "target" of the game or the "goal" in most ball games. A golf course usually consists of 18 holes. The games are usually done after the players have played finishing the 18^th hole. However there are games that are finished during the 9^th hole, and still there are other variations to the game.

A golf course usually involves a vast track of land which is covered with green grass that is cut very short in order that the ball can roll easily over distances of several meters. A golf course may also contain some sand traps bunkers and water hazards. This is intended to make the game more exciting and challenging as the ball may roll sometimes into these areas making it difficult for the player to let the ball roll at greater distance.

The game is started on each hole from the Tee, or what is familiarly called to golfers as teeing ground. It is here where the players can use a "tee" which could be a small wooden or plastic peg. The tee is used in order to make the tee shot easier. Most teeing ground is relatively flat in order that the golfer may have an easy shot at the hole.

After the players "tee off" the ball could either land in the "fairway ground" the "rough" or a hazard. The fairway is defined "as the short grass between the tee and the green." The "rough" is meant as "the grass that borders the fairway, and is usually taller and coarser than the fairway." It will be much easier for the player if he lands his ball on the fairway since the grass is shorter and more even in the fairway allowing the player to cleanly strike the ball. In the rough, the grass is much longer hence the player will not have any idea as to the direction of the ball once it is hit. The hazard could either be a water hazard or a bunker. A water hazard could be a lake or a river. A bunker on the other hand could be a sand trap, which is more difficult to play on than in the grass. There are special rules involved when a ball falls into a hazard. One example of such rule is that a player must not touch the ground with his club before playing a ball; he cannot even do a practice swing. If a ball falls in any type of hazard the ball may be played as it lies without penalty. There are times when it cannot be played from the hazard, (Like when the ball falls into the lake) in this case the ball may be hit from another location with a penalty of one stroke.

The players keep on hitting the ball from until they come to an area known as the "green." The green has been defined as " the area of specially prepared grass around the hole, where putts are played" The Green is what is also popularly known as "Putting greens" since this is the place where "putts" are played and the final stages of the game with regards to a single hole is played. It is called "putts" since in the putting green you have to use a special golf club called a "putter" which is necessary since it has a very low loft allowing the ball to roll easily. The grass in the green is cut very short so that a ball can roll easily over distances of several meters. In the green, the growth of individual blades of grass can affect how the ball rolls.

Golf courses often have marked boundaries. There are times when the golfer hits the ball and it goes beyond those boundaries. This is called "out of bounds." In this case if the ball is out of bounds, the golfer must hit a ball from the same position where he was the last time with a penalty of one stroke.

A good golfer knows his terrain but a great golfer uses his knowledge of the terrain to win the game.