| Golf is played on an area of land
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| | in it so that it may be seen from some
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| designated as the course. The course
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| | distance, but not necessarily from the
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| consists of a series of holes. A hole
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| | tee. This flag and pole combination is
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| means both the hole in the ground into
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| | often called the pin.
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| which the ball is played (also called the
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| | Putting greens are not of all the same
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| cup), as well as the total distance from
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| | quality. Generally, the finest quality
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| the tee (a pre-determined area from where
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| | greens are well kept so that a ball will
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| a ball is first hit) to the green (the
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| | roll smoothly over the closely mowed
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| low cut area surrounding the actual hole
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| | grass. Golfers describe a green as being
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| in the ground). Most golf courses consist
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| | "fast" if a light stroke of the ball
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| of eighteen holes.
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| | allows it to roll a long distance.
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| The first stroke on each hole is done
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| | Conversely, a green is termed "slow" if a
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| from the Tee (officially, teeing ground),
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| | stronger stroke is required to roll the
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| where the player can use a tee (a small
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| | ball the required distance.
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| wooden or plastic peg), which makes the
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| | The borders of a course are marked as
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| tee shot easier. Most courses offer a
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| | such, and beyond them is out of bounds,
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| range of Tee boxes to play from, making
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| | that is, ground from which a ball must
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| the hole longer or shorter depending on
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| | not be played. Some areas on the course
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| which Tees the player starts at. Often,
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| | may be designated as ground under repair,
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| the different Tee boxes have names
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| | meaning that a ball coming to rest in
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| associated with degree of competence
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| | them may be lifted and then played from
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| (e.g., Professional and Amateur Tees), or
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| | outside such ground (within two club
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| by sex and age (Men's, Ladies', Senior,
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| | lengths and no closer to the hole)
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| etc.). In addition to a difference in
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| | without penalty. Certain man-made objects
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| distance, the different Tees may also
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| | on the course are defined as
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| eliminate or reduce the danger of some
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| | obstructions, and specific rules
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| hazards for the "Forward" tees, such as
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| | determine how a golfer may proceed when
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| water hazards.
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| | the play is impeded by these.
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| After teeing off, a player hits the ball
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| | At most golf courses there are additional
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| towards the green again from the position
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| | facilities that are not part of the
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| at which it came to rest, either from the
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| | course itself. Often there is a practice
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| fairway or from the rough. Playing the
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| | range or driving range, usually with
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| ball from the fairway is an advantage
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| | practice greens, bunkers, and driving
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| because the fairway grass is kept very
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| | areas (where long shots can be
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| short and even, allowing the player to
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| | practiced). There may even be a practice
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| cleanly strike the ball, while playing
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| | course (which is often easier to play or
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| from the rough is a disadvantage because
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| | shorter than other golf courses). A golf
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| the grass in the rough is generally much
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| | school is often associated with a course
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| longer. Once on the green, the ball is
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| | or club.
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| putted (struck with a flat faced club
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| | Par
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| which makes the ball roll along the
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| | A hole is classified by its par. Par is
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| ground) towards the hole until the ball
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| | the number of strokes that a skilled
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| comes to rest in the cup.
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| | golfer should require to complete the
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| Many holes include hazards, which may be
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| | hole. For example, a skilled golfer
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| of two types: water hazards (lakes,
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| | expects to reach the green on a par four
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| rivers, etc.) and bunkers. Special rules
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| | hole in two strokes, one from the tee
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| apply to playing balls that come to rest
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| | (his "drive"), another to the green (his
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| in a hazard. For example, in a hazard, a
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| | "approach"), and then roll the ball into
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| player must not touch the ground with his
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| | the hole with two putts. A golf hole is
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| club before playing a ball, not even for
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| | traditionally either a par three, four,
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| a practice swing. A ball in any type of
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| | or five. A few par six holes now exist,
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| hazard may be played as it lies without
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| | but will not be found on a traditional
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| penalty. If it cannot be played from the
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| | golf course.
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| hazard for any reason, it may be removed
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| | The par of a hole is primarily, but not
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| by hand and dropped outside the hazard
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| | exclusively, determined by the distance
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| within two club lengths of its original
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| | from tee to green. A typical length for a
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| position; doing so calls for a penalty of
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| | par three hole is anywhere between 91 and
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| one stroke. If a ball was observed
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| | 224 m (100 and 250 yds.), for a par four,
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| entering a hazard but cannot be found, it
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| | between 225 and 434 m (251 and 475 yds.).
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| may be replaced by dropping another ball
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| | Par five holes are typically at between
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| outside the hazard along the plane at
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| | 435 and 630 m (476 and 690 yds.), and
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| which it made entry, but no closer to the
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| | untraditional par six holes are anything
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| hole, again at the cost of a one stroke
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| | longer. It should be noted that these
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| penalty. Exactly where a ball may be
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| | distances are not absolute rules. For
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| dropped outside a hazard is governed by
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| | example, it is possible that a 500 yard
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| strict rules. Bunkers (or sand traps) are
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| | hole could be classed as a par four since
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| hazards from which the ball is more
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| | the par for a hole is determined by its
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| difficult to play than from grass. As in
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| | 'effective playing length.' If tee to
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| a water hazard, a ball in a sand trap
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| | green on a hole is predominantly
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| must be played without previously
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| | downhill, it will play shorter than its
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| touching the sand with the club.
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| | physical length and may be given a lower
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| The grass of the putting green (or more
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| | par.
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| commonly the green) is cut very short so
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| | Many 18-hole courses have approximately
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| that a ball can roll easily over
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| | four par-three, ten par-four, and four
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| distances of several yards. To putt means
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| | par-five holes, though other combinations
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| to play a stroke, usually but not always
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| | exist and are not less worthy than
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| on the green, wherein the ball does not
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| | courses of par 72. Many major
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| leave the ground. The direction of growth
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| | championships are contested on courses
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| of individual blades of grass often
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| | playing to a par of 70 or 71, and it's
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| affects the roll of a golf ball and is
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| | not rare to find a worthy test
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| called the grain. The slope of the green,
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| | (especially in the British Isles) playing
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| called the break, also affects the roll
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| | to a par of 69 or lower. In many
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| of the ball. The cup is always found
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| | countries courses are classified by a
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| within the green, and must have a
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| | course rating in addition to the course's
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| diameter of 108 mm (4.25 in.) and a depth
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| | par. This rating describes the difficulty
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| of at least 100 mm (3.94 in.). Its
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| | of a course and may be used to calculate
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| position on the green is not static and
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| | a golfer's playing handicap for that
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| may be changed from day to day. The cup
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| | individual course.
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| usually has a flag on a pole positioned
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