Golf

Golf Rules

Golf Etiquette

It is a set of practices designed to make the sport safer for the golfers and to minimize damage to the golf courses and equipment. If any player gets involve in serious breaching of these etiquettes, then he/she may be disqualified by the course authorities.

Some of the serious breaches are:-

• Actions intended to damage the course, other player’s equipment or facilities
• Deliberately injure other players or distract them while playing
• Delaying other players from continuing their game
• Actions made for gaining an unfair advantage in the game

Scoring

In golf, players mark each other’s scorecards and not their own. The score of the golfer is expressed as the difference between the no. of strokes and the par score. Certain scores are given names as below:-

• Par- A score equal to the par of a hole.
• Birdie- A score one less (or stroke) the par such as a three on a par-4.
• Eagle- Two strokes under par. A hole in one on a par-3 is an eagle.
• Albatross (Double eagle) - Three strokes under par, an extremely rare occurrence, even for the world’s best.
• Condor- Four strokes under par.
• Bogey- One stroke over par, for instance a six on a par-5.
• Double Bogey- Two strokes over par.
• Triple Bogey- Three strokes over par.

Penalty

In golf, a penalty is awarded in the form of an additional stroke or strokes are added to the golfer’ score for an infringement of the rules.

Some of the situations in which penalties are assessed are:-

• Declaring the ball unplayable in its current lie. In this situation, a substitute ball is placed at a penalty of one stroke.

• Hitting the ball where it can’t be played as it lies even though the golfer wishes to, like in a water hazard, out of bounds or in an area where it becomes lost. In this situation, a substitute ball is played at a penalty of one-stroke.
• Hitting the wrong ball like any other player’s ball or the abandoned ball. This awards a two-stroke penalty to the golfer.
• Interfering with the moving ball, i.e., stopping or deflecting the ball before it comes to rest. In this situation, a player receives a two-stroke penalty.

Game Rules (major changes in rules)

Year 1618

The feather golf ball or 'Featherie' was introduced

Year 1848

The gutta-percha golf ball was invented

Year 1880s

Golf bags first came into use

Year 1898

Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored ball

Year 1905

The first time a dimple pattern was applied to a golf ball

Year 1908

Club head made with grooves for more backspin

Year 1925

Steel golf club shafts were introduced in the US golf at St Andrews golf at St Andrews

Year 1939 

The maximum of 14 clubs in a bag rule was introduced

Year 1951

The center shafted putter, was legalized

Year 1962

The first powered golf car appeared, invented by Merlin L. Halvorson.

Year 1963

The casting method of manufacturing clubs heads was introduced

Year 1972

Spalding introduced the first two piece ball, the Executive.

Year 1973

The graphite shaft was introduced

Year 1991

Big Bertha oversized wood which was introduced