Welcome to my very first post. I thought it might be nice to start by explaining the main components of what makes a golf course. If you’re new here, my name is Dennise Eberle. I’m on a journey to spread the culture of golf with beginners like myself. My goal is to teach people who are brand new to golf the tips, tricks, the jargon, & the culture from an outsider perspective looking in. If you like this style of content or find any of this helpful, please support this platform by sharing it with other aspiring golfers. From the bottom of my heart, thanks so much!
Let’s start with the basics. Before you ever step on a golf course, do you have any idea what to expect? Do you know your way around a golf course? If the answer is “no” or if you need a refresher, this post is for you. Let me break it down for you. Here are the main components of a golf course.
The Clubhouse. The clubhouse is usually an where the outing begins. The clubhouse is a central location where people go to check in, pay for their round, use the restroom, shop the merch, purchase range balls, and maybe even grab a snack.
The Driving Range. Otherwise known as “the range”. This is where people go to practice their swing. You might see folks warming up before their round by hitting a few range balls. Other times, players just come out to the range to practice their swing. All players use golf balls that belong to the course. These balls are referred to as “range balls”. Generally, you can purchase a bucket or bag of range balls at the clubhouse for anywhere as low as $8 up to $25+ depending on the course.
The Practice Green. The Practice Green is a space where you can practice putting using a club called “a putter”. (Yes, I know that’s redundant!) This is also another place you may see people practice before their round. You can use your own golf balls on the putting green. Just don’t leave them behind or forget to take them with you!
Now we get into the fun part! Let’s talk about what you can expect on the actual course. Starting with…
The Tee Box. Also known as “the tee” and where you “tee off”. Each of the 18 holes has its own tee box. The tee is where each hole begins. A golfer will set up their tee and place their ball on top. Take a practice swing, then complete a real swing. Each tee box has at least three different markers that you can start from depending on your skill level. The tee markers furthest up are generally for women and beginners. The further back you go, the higher the skill level.
The Fairway. The fairway is where you want your ball to land after that initial shot from the tee box. The fairway lies between the hole and the tee box. It can be anywhere from 30 to 50 feet long. In other words— really freaking long. The grass is cut shorter so that it gives the player more control and makes it easier to hit your ball.
The Rough. These are areas typically on the outer edges of the course where grass may be cut higher. These areas can be less attended to by the golf course, making it a difficult place for a player to hit from. As the name implies, hitting the ball from this part of the course is rough. Players hitting in the rough typically have less control and predictability over the direction of the ball and how far it will go.
The Hazards. The term “hazards” refers to bunkers, trees, bodies of water, etc. These are places you want to completely avoid as it can be extremely difficult to get your ball out of, if at all even possible.
And last but certainly not least…
The Green. The green is where each hole ends. All 18 holes have their own putting green. The cup is typically marked with a flag. The greens are meticulously maintained and have the lowest cut of grass on all of the golf course. The green is something sacred and delicate compared to the rest of the course as the goal is to make the ball into the hole using as little strokes as possible.
There we have it friends. I hope that you have a pretty good idea of how to find your way around a golf course. If you have stuck around this long— thank you from the bottom of my heart! This post took time and effort outside of my regular 9-5 career so I would love it if you would support me by liking, sharing, or following this journey.
Until next time!
Dennise Eberle
Calamondin Golf 