Do you have a spouse or partner or even child who eats, sleeps, and breathes golf? Golf is a widely loved sport both for men and women. However, sometimes a golf fanatic can overwhelm their significant other with names of players, terms, and stats that is like a foreign language. Whether you are familiar with golf or not, everyone knows Tiger Woods. He is one of the most famous and best golfers of our time. Despite his past scandals, Tiger Woods remains a beloved figure of the sport with the majority of golf fans still rooting for a major comeback. Many would credit Tiger Woods for making the game of golf popular again, especially in the area of junior golf.
For those who want to learn golf and gain a better understanding of the sport to not only feel included, but offer their thoughts and input, this guide will give you a brief synopsis of what you need to know about golf. Although you cannot learn how to physically play golf by reading about it, you will at least know the premise and goal when you do decide to get out there, hit the ball, and learn to play.
The Object of Golf
The object of the game of golf is to get the golf ball from the start of the hole, the tee box, to the end of the hole, the green, using different golf clubs in as few strokes as possible. Through a series of different swings using several golf clubs, a golfer attempts to move the golf ball from one end of the hole to the other both skillfully and with minimal errors. There are numerous rules in the game of golf that must be followed with etiquette and patience. If you are interested in learning how to play golf, contact your local courses and inquire about lessons. Most golf courses offer an on-staff golf professional that is available to provide golf lessons to both new and experienced golfers. Once you take a couple of lessons, you can continue to practice your golf swing at home.
Current World Rankings
Some of these names may sound familiar to you or you have heard your golf-obsessed partner talk about them before, but the players listed below are the current top golfers in the world. Through sweat, blood, and tears, these golfers have earned their rankings and are known for their unmatched skill in the game of golf. Although the current number one golfer is from England, you will notice a majority of the top 25 golfers in the world are from the United States. If you want to keep up with the current golfers status, become familiar with these names and keep an eye out for these talented golfers next time you are watching golf.
- Justin Rose (England)
- Dustin Johnson (USA)
- Brooks Koepka (USA)
- Justin Thomas (USA)
- Francesco Molinari (Italy)
- Rory McIlroy (Ireland)
- John Rahm (Spain)
- Bryson DeChambeau (USA)
- Ricky Fowler (USA)
- Jordan Spieth (USA)
- Jason Day (Australia)
- Tommy Fleetwood (England)
- Bubba Watson (USA)
- Patrick Reed (USA)
- Tony Finau (USA)
- Alex Noren (Sweden)
- Webb Simpson (USA)
- Xander Schauffele (USA)
- Paul Casey (England)
- Hideki Matsuyama (Japan)
- Tiger Woods (USA)
- Marc Leishman (Australia)
- Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
- Patrick Cantlay (USA)
- Phil Mickelson (USA)
Learn Golf Basics
To learn golf, you must first learn the golf basics. This includes understanding the terms associated with golf, the layout of a hole on the golf course, and the types of clubs used during a game of golf. Although the information below is just scraping the surface, learning these basics will help get you get started on your journey to learning golf.
Terms
Par: the score an accomplished player is expected to make on a hole, either 3, 4 or 5
Birdie: a score of one under par on a hole
Eagle: a score of two under par on a hole
Bogey: a score of one over par on a hole
Double bogey: a score of two over par on a hole
Handicap: a numerical measure of a golfer’s potential ability
Caddie: a person hired to carry clubs and provide assistance
Mulligan: the custom of hitting a second ball for a shot you just took without penalty
Layout of a Hole
Teebox: the beginning of each hole, where you tee off to hit your first shot of the hole
Fairway: the area between the tee box and the putting green where the grass is cut even and short
Rough: the area between the fairway and out-of-bounds markers where the grass is cut higher
Bunker: a hollow comprised of sand or grass or both that exists as an obstacle or hazard
Green: the area of very closely trimmed grass and smooth ground where the hole is located
Types of Clubs
Woods: clubs, including the driver that propel a golf ball the farthest
Irons: clubs numbered 1-9 usually used when the ball is fewer than 200 yards from the green
Wedges: clubs used to strike the ball and make it fly high into the air to land on the putting green
Putter: the club used to roll the ball on the putting green into the hole
Basic Steps to Hitting a Golf Ball
- Grasp the golf club in both of your hands holding it at the grip.
- Hold the golf club out in front of you with the head of the golf club on the ground just behind the golf ball.
- Position your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Balance your weight on the balls of your feet, not the heels or toes.
- Slightly bend your knees so they are directly over the balls of your feet.
- Bend your body slightly at the hips.
- With slightly bent arms swing the golf club back while keeping your eye on the golf ball.
- In one motion, swing the golf club through until it strikes the ball.
- Follow through with the golf swing and hold as you watch to see where your golf ball lands.
Source: Official World Golf Ranking, Golf Dictionary, Glossary, and Golf Terms, List of Different Types of Golf Clubs & Their Uses
