Golf

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This article is about the sport. For other uses, see Golf
(disambiguation).

Golf

A golfer in his backswing

Highest governing
body

R&A
USGA

First played

15th century

Characteristics

Contact

No

Categorization

Outdoor

Equipment

Golf clubs,
golf ball

Olympic

1900, 1904, 2016,[1]
2020[2]

Golf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players
(golfers), using
many types of clubs, attempt to
hit balls
into each hole on a golf
course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few
ball
games that does not require a standardized playing area. Instead, the game
is played on golf "courses," each of which features a unique design, although
courses typically consist of either nine or 18 holes. Golf is defined, in the
rules of golf,
as "playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke
or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules." Golf competition is
generally played for the lowest number of strokes by an individual, known simply
as stroke play, or the
lowest score on the most individual holes during a complete round by an
individual or team, known as match play.

Contents

1 Origin

2 Golf course

3 Play of the
game

4 Rules and
regulations

4.1 Penalties

5 Equipment

6 Stroke
mechanics

7 Scoring and
handicapping

7.1 Par

7.1.1 Scoring

7.2 Basic forms of
golf

7.2.1 Match
play

7.2.2 Stroke
play

7.3 Other forms of
golf

7.3.1 Skins

7.3.2 Stableford

7.3.3 Team
play

7.4 Handicap
systems

8 Popularity

9 Professional
golf

9.1 Instruction

9.2 Golf
tours

9.3 Men's major
championships

9.4 Women's major
championships

9.5 Senior major
championships

10 Events

11 See also

12 References

13 External
links

Origin

Main article: History of golf

The origin of golf is unclear and open to debate. Some historians[3]
trace the sport back to the Roman game of paganica, in which
participants used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball. One theory asserts
that paganica spread throughout Europe as the Romans conquered most of the
continent, during the first century B.C., and eventually evolved into the modern
game.[4]
Others cite chuiwan ("chui"
means striking and "wan" means small ball) as the progenitor, a Chinese game
played between the eighth and 14th centuries.[5]
A Ming Dynasty scroll dating back to 1368 entitled "The Autumn Banquet", shows a
member of the Chinese Imperial court swinging what appears to be a golf club at
a small ball with the aim of sinking it into a hole. The game is thought to have
been introduced into Europe during the Middle Ages. Another early game that
resembled modern golf was known as cambuca in England and chambot
in France.[6]
This game was, in turn, exported to the Low Countries, Germany, and England
(where it was called pall-mall, pronounced “pell mell”). Some observers,
however, believe that golf descended from the Persian game, chaugán. In addition, kolven (a game involving a ball
and curved bats) was played annually in Loenen,
Netherlands, beginning in 1297, to commemorate the capture of the assassin of Floris V, a
year earlier.

The modern game originated in Scotland, where the first written record of
golf is James II's banning
of the game in 1457, as an unwelcome distraction to learning archery.[7]

Golf course

A model of the 17th hole of the TPC at Sawgrass Stadium
Course.

Main article: Golf course

A golf course consists of a series of holes, each with a teeing area that
is set off by two markers showing the bounds of the legal tee area, fairway, rough
and other hazards, and the putting green surrounded
by the fringe with the pin (flagstick) and cup. Different levels of grass are
varied to increase difficulty, or to allow for putting in the case of the green.
While many holes are designed with a direct line-of-sight from the tee-off point
to the green, some of the holes may bend, either to the left or to the right.
This is called a "dogleg", in reference to a dog's knee. The hole is called a
"dogleg left" if the hole angles leftwards and vice versa; sometimes, a hole's
direction can bend twice and is called a "double dogleg". A typical golf course
consists of 18 holes but nine hole courses are common and can be played twice
through for 18 holes.[8][9]

Early Scottish golf courses were primarily laid out on links land, soil
covered sand dunes directly inland from beaches.[10]
This gave rise to the term golf links, particularly applied to seaside courses
and those built on naturally sandy soil inland.

The very first 18 hole golf course in America was located on a sheep farm in
Downers Grove, Illinois in 1892. The golf
course is still situated there.[11]

Play of the game

1=teeing ground, 2=water hazard, 3=rough, 4=out of
bounds, 5=sand bunker, 6=water hazard, 7=fairway, 8=putting green, 9=flagstick,
10=hole

Every round of golf is based on playing a number of holes in a given order. A
round typically consists of 18 holes that are played in the order
determined by the course layout. On a
nine-hole course, a standard round consists of two consecutive nine-hole rounds.
Playing a hole on a golf course is initiated by putting a ball into play by
striking it with a club on the teeing area (also called the "tee box" or simply
"the tee.") When this initial stroke (or "shot") is required to be a long one
due to the length of the hole, it is usual (but not required) for a golfer to
suspend (or "tee") the ball on a tee prior to striking it. A "tee" in this last
sense is a small peg which can be used to elevate the ball slightly above the
ground up to a few centimeters high. This elevation is at the discretion of the
golfer. Tee pegs are commonly made of wood but may be constructed of any
material; the ball may even be "tee'd" on a mound of grass or dirt (at one time
a small pile of sand placed by the golfer was routinely used and sand was
provided at teeing areas for golfers' use).

When the initial shot on a hole is a long-distance shot intended to move the
ball a great distance down the fairway, this shot is commonly called a "drive."
Shorter holes generally are initiated with "shorter" clubs. Once the ball comes
to rest, the golfer strikes it again as many times as necessary using
shots that are variously known as a lay-up, an
approach, a
"pitch," or a chip, until
the ball reaches the green, where he or she then putts the
ball into the hole (commonly called "sinking the putt"). The goal of getting the
ball into the hole ("holing" the ball) in as few strokes as possible may be
impeded by obstacles such as areas of long grass called rough (usually
found alongside fairways) which both slows any ball that contacts it and makes
it harder to advance a ball that has stopped on it, bunkers ("sand
traps"), and water
hazards.[8]
In most forms of gameplay, each player plays his or her ball until it is
holed.

Players can walk or drive in motorized carts over the course. Play can be
done either singly or in groups and sometimes accompanied by caddies, who carry and manage the
players' equipment and who are allowed by the rules to give advice on the play
of the course.[12]
A caddies' advice can only be given to the player or players for whom the caddy
is working, and not to competing players.

Rules and
regulations

Main article: Rules of golf

The rules of golf[13][14]
are internationally standardised and are jointly governed by The R&A, spun
off in 2004 from The
Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (founded 1754), and the United States
Golf Association (USGA).

The underlying principle of the rules is fairness. As stated on the back
cover of the official rule book: Play the ball as it lies, play the course
as you find it, and if you cannot do either, do what is fair.

There are strict regulations regarding the amateur status of golfers.[15]
Essentially, anybody who has ever received payment or compensation for giving
instruction, or played golf for money, is not considered an amateur and may not
participate in competitions limited solely to amateurs. However, amateur golfers
may receive expenses which comply with strict guidelines and they may accept
non-cash prizes within the limits established by the Rules of Amateur
Status.

In addition to the officially printed rules, golfers also abide by a set of
guidelines called golf
etiquette. Etiquette guidelines cover matters such as safety, fairness, pace
of play, and a player's obligation to contribute to the care of the course.
Though there are no penalties for breach of etiquette rules, players generally
follow the rules of golf etiquette in an effort to improve everyone's playing
experience.

Penalties

Penalties are incurred in certain situations. They are counted towards a
player's score as if there were extra swing(s) at the ball. Strokes are added
for rule infractions or for hitting one's ball into an unplayable situation. A
lost ball or a ball hit out of bounds result in a penalty of one stroke and
distance. (Rule 27-1) A one stroke penalty is assessed if a player's equipment
causes the ball to move or the removal of a loose impediment causes the ball to
move. (Rule 18-2) If a golfer makes a stroke at the wrong ball (Rule 19-2) or
hits a fellow golfer's ball with a putt (Rule 19-5), the player incurs a two
stroke penalty. Most rule infractions lead to stroke penalties but also can lead
to disqualification. Disqualification could be from cheating, signing for a
lower score, or from rule infractions that lead to improper play.[16]

Equipment

Main article: Golf equipment

Golf clubs are
used to hit a golf
ball, Each club is composed of a shaft with a lance (grip) on the top
end and a club head on the bottom. "Long" clubs, which have a lower amount of
degreed loft, are those meant to propel the ball a comparatively longer distance
and "short" clubs, a higher degree, a comparatively short distance. Typically,
the actual physical length of each club is longer or shorter, depending on the
distance the club is intended to propel the ball. The "driver" is the
largest-headed and "longest" club. Woods are slightly
shorter but still comparatively large-headed clubs, used for long-distance
fairway shots. Woods are now typically made of metal; the traditional name
"woods" remains in general use but is gradually being replaced by the term
"fairway metal." Next shorter in length are the irons, the most numerous
and versatile class used for a wide variety of shots. Hybrid (golf) clubs which
embody characteristics of both woods and irons in varying degrees, are
increasingly being used in preference to long irons in many places because they
are easier for the average golfer to use. Last but not least, putters are used to roll the
ball across the green into the cup.

A maximum of 14 clubs is allowed in a player's bag at one time during a
stipulated round. The choice of clubs is at the golfer's discretion,
although every club must be constructed in accordance with parameters outlined
in the rules. (Clubs which meet these parameters are usually called
"conforming.") Violation of these rules can result in disqualification.

The exact shot hit at any given time on a golf course, and which club is used
to accomplish the shot, are always completely at the discretion of the golfer;
in other words, there is no restriction whatsoever on which club a golfer may or
may not use at any time for any shot.

Golf
balls are spherical, usually white (although other colours are allowed),
and minutely pock-marked by "dimples" that decrease aerodynamic drag by
decreasing air turbulence around the ball in motion, thereby allowing the ball
to fly farther.[17]

A tee is allowed
only for the first stroke on each hole, unless the player must hit a provisional
or replay his or her first shot from the tee.

Many golfers wear golf shoes with
metal or plastic spikes designed to increase traction, thus allowing for longer
and more accurate shots. A golf bag is used to
transport golf clubs. Golf bags have several pockets designed for carrying
equipment and supplies such as tees, balls, and gloves. Golf bags can be
carried, pulled on a two-wheel pull cart or harnessed to a motorized golf cart during play.
Golf bags have both a hand strap and shoulder strap for carrying, and sometimes
have retractable legs that allow the bag to stand upright when at rest.

Stroke mechanics

Main article: Golf stroke
mechanics

Golfers start with the non-dominant side of the body facing the target. At
address the body and club are positioned parallel to the target line. The feet
are commonly shoulder width apart for middle irons and putters, narrower for
short irons and wider for long irons and woods. The ball is positioned in the
center of the players stance for short irons and putters, more to the front for
middle irons and even more for long irons and woods. The golfer chooses a
grip. The golfer chooses a golf club and stroke appropriate to the
distance:

The drive is used on the tee box to tee off long distances.

The approach is used in long to mid distance shots

The chip is used for relatively short distance shots around the
green. The goal of the chip is to land the ball safely on the green allowing
it to roll out towards the hole.

The putt is used in short distance shots on or near the green. The
goal of the putt is to get the ball in the hole or as close to the hole as
possible.

Scoring and
handicapping

Par

Main article: Par (score)

A hole is classified by its par; the number of strokes a skilled
golfer should require to complete play of the hole.[8]
For example, a skilled golfer expects to reach the green on a par-four hole
in two strokes (This would be considered a Green in Regulation or GIR): one from
the tee (the "drive")
and another, second, stroke to the green (the "approach"); and then roll the
ball into the hole in two putts for par. A golf hole is either a par-three,
-four or -five, rarely -six.[18]

The key factor for classifying the par of a hole is the distance from the tee
to the green. A typical par-three hole is less than 250 yards (225 metres) in
length, with a par-four hole ranging between 251 and 475 yards (225–434 metres),
and a par-five hole being longer than 475 yards (435 metres). Although uncommon,
par-six can stretch well over 650 yards (595 metres).

The gradient of the course (uphill or downhill) can also affect the par
rating. If the tee-to-green distance on a hole is predominantly downhill, it
will play shorter than its physical length and may be given a lower par rating;
the opposite is true for uphill holes. Par ratings are also affected by factors
such as the placement of hazards or the shape of the green, which can sometimes
affect the play of a hole by requiring an extra stroke to avoid playing into
hazards.[19]

Eighteen hole courses may have four par-three, ten par-four, and four
par-five holes, though other combinations exist and are not less worthy than
courses of par 72. Many major championships are contested on courses playing to
a par of 70, 71, or 72. Additionally, in some countries, courses are classified
according to their play difficulty, which may be used to calculate a golfer's
playing handicap for a given course (cf. golf handicap).[20]

Scoring

In every form of play, the goal is to play as few strokes per round as
possible. A "hole in one"
(or an "ace") occurs when a golfer sinks his ball into the cup with his first
stroke (a drive from the tee). Common scores for a hole also have specific
terms.[8]

Numeric term

Name

Definition

−4

Condor

four strokes under par

−3

Albatross

three strokes under par

−2

Eagle

two strokes under par

−1

Birdie

one stroke under par

E

Par

equal to par

+1

Bogey

one stroke over par

+2

Double bogey

two strokes over par

+3

Triple bogey

three strokes over par

+4

Quadruple bogey

four strokes over par

Basic forms of
golf

Match play

In match play, two
players (or two teams) play each hole as a separate contest against each other.
The party with the lower score wins that hole, or if the scores of both players
or teams are equal the hole is "halved" (tied). The game is won by the party
that wins more holes than the other. In the case that one team or player has
taken a lead that cannot be overcome in the number of holes remaining to be
played, the match is deemed to be won by the party in the lead, and the
remainder of the holes are not played. For example, if one party already has a
lead of six holes, and only five holes remain to be played on the course, the
match is over. At any given point, if the lead is equal to the number of holes
remaining, the match is said to be "dormie", and is continued until the leader
increases the lead by one hole or ties any of the remaining holes, thereby
winning the match, or until the match ends in a tie with the lead player's
opponent winning all remaining holes. When the game is tied after the
predetermined number of holes have been played, it may be continued until one
side takes a one-hole lead.[8]

Stroke play

In stroke play, the
score achieved for each and every hole of the round or tournament is added to
produce the total score, and the player with the lowest score wins. (Stroke play
is the game most commonly played by professional golfers.) If there is a tie
after the regulation number of holes in a professional tournament, a playoff
takes place between all tied players. Playoffs are either sudden death or employ
a pre-determined number of holes, anywhere from three to a full eighteen. In
sudden death, a player who scores lower on a hole than all of his opponents wins
the match. If at least two players remain tied after such a playoff using a
pre-determined number of holes, then play continues in sudden death format,
where the first player to win a hole wins the tournament.

Other forms of
golf

Skins

In a skins game,
golfers compete on each hole, as a separate contest. Played for prize money on the
professional level or as a means of a wager for amateurs, a skin, or the
prize money assigned to each hole, carries over to subsequent holes if the hole
is tied (or halved). If you come to the end of the round and there are still
skins left over, play continues until the final skin has been decided.

Stableford

Under the Stableford
system the player gains points for the score achieved on each hole of the round
or tournament (1 point for a bogey, 2 points for a par, 3 points for a birdie, 4
points for an eagle). The points achieved for each hole of the round or
tournament are added together to produce the total points score. The player with
the highest score wins.[8]

Team play

A foursome (defined
in Rule 29) is played between two teams of two players each, in which each
team has only one ball and players alternate
playing it. For example, if players A and B form a team,
A tees off on the first hole, B will play the second shot,
A the third, and so on until the hole is finished. On the second hole,
B will tee off (regardless who played the last putt on the first hole),
then A plays the second shot, and so on. Foursomes can be played as
match play or stroke play.[21]

A four-ball (Rules 30 and
31) is also played between two teams of two players each, but every player
plays his/her own ball and for each team, the lower score on each hole is
counted. Four-balls can be played as match play or stroke play.[22]

There are also popular unofficial variations on team play:

In scramble (also known as ambrose or best shot), each
player in a team tees off on each hole, and the players decide which shot was
best. Every player then plays his/her second shot from within a clublength of
where the best shot has come to rest, and the procedure is repeated until the
hole is finished. In a champagne scramble, each player in a team tees off on
each hole. The best drive is used and all players play their own ball from
this spot. In best ball, each player plays the hole as normal, but the
lowest score of all the players on the team counts as the team's score.[23]

In a greensome, also called modified alternate shot, both
players tee off, and then pick the best shot as in a scramble. The player who
did not shoot the best first shot plays the second shot. The play then
alternates as in a foursome.[24]

A variant of greensome is sometimes played where the opposing team
chooses which of their opponent's tee shots the opponents should use. The
player who did not shoot the chosen first shot plays the second shot. Play
then continues as a greensome.

There is also a form of starting called shotgun, which is mainly
used for tournament play. A shotgun start
consists of groups starting on different holes, allowing for all players to
start and end their round at the same time.

Handicap systems

Main article: Handicap (golf)

A handicap is a numerical measure of an amateur golfer's ability to
play golf over the course of 18 holes. Handicaps can be applied either for stroke play competition or
match play competition. In
either competition, a handicap generally represents the number of strokes above
par
that a player will achieve on an above average day (i.e., when playing
well).

In stroke play competition, the competitor's handicap is subtracted from
their total "gross" score at the end of the round, to calculate a "net" score
against which standings are calculated. In match play competition, handicap
strokes are assigned on a hole-by-hole basis, according to the handicap rating
of each hole (which is provided by the course). The hardest holes on the course
receive the most handicap strokes, with the easiest holes receiving the least
handicap strokes.

Calculating a handicap is often complicated, but essentially it is
representative of the average over par of a number of a player's previous above
average rounds, adjusted for course difficulty. Legislation regarding the
calculation of handicaps differs among countries. For example, handicap rules
may include the difficulty of the course the golfer is playing on by taking into
consideration factors such as the number of bunkers, the length of the course,
the difficulty and slopes of the greens, the width of the fairways, and so
on.

Handicap systems are not used in professional golf. Professional golfers
often score several strokes below par for a round and thus have a calculated
handicap of 0 or less, meaning that their handicap results in the addition of
strokes to their round score. Someone with a handicap of zero or less is often
referred to as a scratch golfer.

Popularity

Golf course on the western coast of
India.

In 2005, Golf
Digest calculated that the countries with most golf courses per capita,
starting with the best endowed were: Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Republic
of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Canada, Wales, United States, Sweden, and England
(countries with fewer than 500,000 people were excluded). Apart from Sweden, all
of these countries have English as the majority language, but the number of
courses in new territories is increasing rapidly.

The most notable example of this phenomenon is China. The first golf course
in the People's Republic of China opened in 1984, but by the end of 2009 there
were roughly 600 in the country. Jack Nicklaus, who in late
2009 had either designed or had plans to design 35 courses in China, claimed in
October of that year that China had plans to build 1,400 public courses in the
next five years (currently, only a small number of China's courses are public),
although a Chinese golf industry insider called Nicklaus' claim "bullshit".[25]
For the last several years, development of new golf courses has been officially
banned, but the number of courses has nonetheless tripled since 2004; the "ban"
has been easily evaded with the government's tacit approval simply by not
mentioning golf in any development plans.[25]

In the United States, the number of people who play golf 25 times or more per
year decreased from 6.9 million in 2000 to 4.6 million in 2005,[26]
according to the National Golf
Foundation. The NGF reported that the number who played golf at all
decreased from 30 to 26 million over the same period.[26]

Professional golf

Main article: Professional
golfer

The majority of professional golfers
work as club or teaching professionals (pros), and only compete in local
competitions. A small elite of professional golfers are "tournament pros" who
compete full time on international "tours". Many club and teaching professionals
working in the golf industry start as caddies or a general interest in
the game, finding employment at golf courses and eventually
moving on to certifications in their chosen profession. These programs include
independent institutions and universities, and those that eventually lead to a
Class A golf professional certification.

Instruction

Indoor putting green
for practice and instruction

Main article: Golf instruction

Golf instruction involves the teaching and learning of the game of golf.
Proficiency in teaching golf instruction requires not only technical and
physical ability, but also knowledge of the rules and etiquette of the game. In
some countries, golf instruction is best performed by teachers certified by the
Professional
Golfers Association. Some top instructors who work with professional golfers
have become quite well-known in their own right. Instructors use a combination
of physical conditioning, mental visualization, classroom sessions, club
fitting, driving range instruction, on-course play under real conditions, and
review of videotaped swings in slow motion to teach golf.

Golf tours

Main article: Professional golf
tours

There are at least twenty professional golf tours, each run by a PGA or
an independent tour organization, which is responsible for arranging events,
finding sponsors, and regulating the tour. Typically a tour has "members" who
are entitled to compete in most of its events, and also invites non-members to
compete in some of them. Gaining membership of an elite tour is highly
competitive, and most professional golfers never achieve it.

The most widely known tour is the PGA Tour, which tends to
attract the strongest fields, outside the four Majors and the four World Golf
Championships events. This is due mostly to the fact that most PGA Tour events
have a first prize of at least US $800,000. The PGA European Tour,
which attracts a substantial number of top golfers from outside North America,
ranks second to the PGA Tour in worldwide prestige. Some top professionals from
outside North America play enough tournaments to maintain membership on both the
PGA Tour and European Tour.

The other leading men's tours include the Japan Golf Tour, the Asian Tour (Asia outside
Japan), the PGA
Tour of Australasia, and the Sunshine Tour (for
Southern Africa, primarily South Africa). The Japan, Australasian, Sunshine,
PGA, and European Tours are the charter members of the trade body of the world's
main tours, the International Federation of PGA Tours, founded in 1996. The
Asian Tour became a full member in 1999. The Canadian
Tour became an associate member of the Federation in 2000, and the Tour de las
Américas (Latin America) became an associate member of the Federation in
2007. The Federation underwent a major expansion in 2009 which saw 11 new tours
become full members—the Canadian Tour, Tour de las Américas, China Golf
Association, the Korea Professional Golfers' Association, Professional
Golf Tour of India, and the operators of all six major women's tours
worldwide. The OneAsia Tour, founded in
2009, is not a member of the Federation, but was founded as a joint venture of
the Australasia, China, Japan, and Korean tours. The charter members of the
Federation, as well as the Asian, Canadian and OneAsia Tours, offer points in
the Official
World Golf Rankings to players who place sufficiently high in their
events.

Golf is unique in having lucrative competition for older players. There are
several senior tours for men 50 and older, the best known of which is the
U.S.-based Champions
Tour.

There are six principal tours for women, each based in a different country or
continent. The most prestigious of these is the United States based LPGA Tour. All of the
principal tours offer points in the Women's World
Golf Rankings for high finishers in their events.

All of the leading professional tours for under-50 players have an official
developmental tour, in which the leading players at the end of the season will
earn a tour card on the main tour for the following season. Examples include the
Nationwide Tour,
which feeds to the PGA Tour, and the Challenge Tour, which is
the developmental tour of the European Tour. The Nationwide and Challenge Tours
also offer Official World Golf Rankings points.

Men's major
championships

World number one Lee Westwood, pictured
making a bunker shot at the 2008
Open

Main article: Men's major
golf championships

The major championships are the four most prestigious men's tournaments of
the year. In chronological order they are: The Masters, the U.S. Open, The Open
Championship (referred to in North America as the British Open) and
the PGA
Championship.[27]

The fields for these events include the top several dozen golfers from all
over the world. The Masters has been played at Augusta National
Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia since its inception in 1934. It is the only
major championship that is played at the same course each year.[28]
The U.S. Open and PGA Championship are played at courses around the United
States, while The Open Championship is played at courses in the UK.[29][30][31]

Prior to the advent of the PGA Championship and The Masters, the four Majors
were the U.S. Open, the U.S. Amateur, the Open Championship, and the British
Amateur.

Women's major
championships

Lorena Ochoa; the recently
retired number one female golfer, pictured here in 2007.

Main article: Women's
major golf championships

Women's golf does not have a globally agreed set of majors. The list of
majors recognised by the dominant women's tour, the LPGA Tour in the U.S., has changed
several times over the years, with the last change in 2001. Like the PGA Tour,
the (U.S.) LPGA[32]
has four majors: the Kraft Nabisco
Championship, the LPGA Championship, the
U.S.
Women's Open and the Women's British
Open. Only the last of these is also recognised by the Ladies European
Tour. The other event that it recognises as a major is the Evian Masters, which is
not considered a major by the LPGA (but is co-sanctioned as a regular LPGA
event). However, the significance of this is limited, as the LPGA is far more
dominant in women's golf than the PGA Tour is in mainstream men's golf. For
example, the BBC has been known
to use the U.S. definition of "women's majors" without qualifying it. Also, the
Ladies' Golf
Union, the governing body for women's golf in the UK and Republic of
Ireland, states on its official website that the Women's British Open is "the
only Women's Major to be played outside the U.S."[33]
For many years, the Ladies European Tour tacitly acknowledged the dominance of
the LPGA Tour by not scheduling any of its own events to conflict with the three
LPGA majors played in the U.S., but that changed in 2008, with the LET
scheduling an event opposite the LPGA Championship. The second-richest women's
tour, the LPGA of
Japan Tour, does not recognise any of the U.S. LPGA or European majors as it
has its own set of majors (historically three, since 2008 four). However, these
events attract little notice outside Japan.

Senior major
championships

Main article: Senior major
golf championships

Senior (50-and-over) men's golf does not have a globally agreed upon set of
majors. The list of senior majors on the U.S.-based Champions Tour has
changed over the years, but always by expansion. The Champions Tour now
recognises five majors: the Senior PGA
Championship, the United States
Senior Open, the Senior
British Open Championship, The Tradition and the Senior Players
Championship.

Of the five events, the Senior PGA is by far the oldest, having been founded
in 1937. The other events all date from the 1980s, when senior golf became a
commercial success as the first golf stars of the television era, such as Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, reached the
relevant age. The Senior British Open was not recognised as a major by the
Champions Tour until 2003. The European Seniors
Tour recognises only the Senior PGA and the two Senior Opens as majors.
However, the Champions Tour is arguably more dominant in global senior golf than
the U.S. LPGA is in global women's golf.

Events

Asian
Games

Olympic
Games

See also

Glossary of
golf

Golfers
with most Asian Tour wins

Golfers
with most Champions Tour major championship wins

Golfers
with most Champions Tour wins

Golfers
with most European Tour wins

Golfers
with most Japan Golf Tour wins

Golfers
with most LPGA major championship wins

Golfers
with most LPGA Tour wins

List of
golfers

List
of men's major championships winning golfers

List of years
in golf

List
of golfers with most PGA Tour wins

Professional
Golfers' Association of America

Official
World Golf Rankings

Presidents
Cup

Ryder Cup

Solheim
Cup

Seve
Trophy

Lexus Cup

Walker
Cup

Curtis
Cup

Golf
Channel

Golf
Digest

Golf
Magazine

Golf
World

Links
(magazine)

Travel +
Leisure Golf

Golf Video
Games

Variations
of golf

Golf
portal

References

^ "Olympic sports of the past". Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/past/index_uk.asp. Retrieved 2009-03-29.

^ Associated Press file (2009-10-09). "Golf, rugby make Olympic roster for 2016, 2020".
cleveland.com. http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2009/10/golf_rugby_make_olympic_roster.html. Retrieved 2010-09-23.

^ Brasch, Rudolph (1970). How did sports begin?: A look
at the origins of man at play. McKay.

^ "paganica (game) - Britannica Online Encyclopedia".
Britannica.com. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/438170/paganica. Retrieved 2010-09-23.

^ "Golf (Chui wan) - China culture".
Kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com. 2009-09-25. http://kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com/en/141Kaleidoscope598.html. Retrieved 2010-09-23.

^ McGrath, Charles; McCormick, David; Garrity, John
(2006). The ultimate golf book. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
p. 13. ISBN 9780618710256. http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QGvBn-wOy4EC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=lob+wedge+history&ots=W9oxyaUmSP&sig=6ojRy1wz353wbgt2i1xwop7PdRc#PPP1,M1. Retrieved 2009-05-04.

^ http://www.golf-information.info/history-of-golf.html History
Of Golf

^ a
b
c
d
e
f
"Golf". Golf. Encarta.
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761570500/Golf.html#p2. Retrieved 2007-12-20.

^ "Hill den Park - 9 Hole Golf Course". www.hilden park.co.uk.
Archived from the
original on 2007-12-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20071222001759/http://www.hildenpark.co.uk/golf/golfcourse.html. Retrieved 2007-12-20.

^ "Online Etymology Dictionary definition of the word Links".
Etymonline.com. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=links&searchmode=none. Retrieved 2010-09-23.

^ "Why Does Golf Have 18 Holes?". http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/golf-good-question-93041254.html. Retrieved 2010-05-06.

^ "Caddie". Caddie. Encarta.
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861593951/caddie.html. Retrieved 2007-12-24.

^ "The Rules of Golf". United
States Golf Association. Archived from the
original on 2007-10-11. http://web.archive.org/web/20071011003259/http://www.usga.org/playing/rules/rules_of_golf.html#. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

^ "Rules of Golf" (PDF). The
Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. Archived from the original on 2007-10-31. http://web.archive.org/web/20071031100139/http://www.randa.org/flash/rules/PDF/RoG2004.pdf. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

^ "Amateur Status". United
States Golf Association. Archived from the original on 2007-10-01. http://web.archive.org/web/20071001153253/http://www.usga.org/playing/amateur_status/amateur_status.html. Retrieved 2007-11-07.

^ 2008-2011 Rules of Golf (free download)[dead
link]

^
Nicholls, David (February 1998). "History of the Golf Club". http://www.home.aone.net.au/~byzantium/golf/ghistory.html. Retrieved 2007-11-05.

^ Kelley, Brent. "Definition of Par". About.com. http://golf.about.com/cs/golfterms/g/bldef_par.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-08.

^ Kelley, Brent. "Golf FAQ - What are the Yardage Guidelines for Par-3s, Par-4s
and Par-5s?". About.com. http://golf.about.com/od/handicaps/f/faq_parlengths.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-08.

^ Kelley, Brent. "Golf FAQ: What is Slope Rating?". About.com. http://golf.about.com/cs/rulesofgolf/a/hfaq_sloperate.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-08.

^ Kelley, Brent. "Definition of Foursomes". About.com.
http://golf.about.com/cs/golfterms/g/bldef_foursomes.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-25.

^ Kelley, Brent. "Definition of Fourball". About.com. http://golf.about.com/cs/golfterms/g/bldef_fourball.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-25.

^ Kelley, Brent. "Definition of Scramble". About.com. http://golf.about.com/cs/golfterms/g/bldef_scramble.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-25.

^ Kelley, Brent. "Definition of Greensome". About.com.
http://golf.about.com/cs/golfterms/g/bldef_greensome.htm. Retrieved 2007-12-25.

^ a
b
Washburn, Dan (2009-11-06). "Olympics makes China major player". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/columns/story?id=4618648. Retrieved 2009-11-07.

^ a
b
Paul Vitello (2008-02-21). "More Americans Are Giving up Golf". The New York
Times (The New York
Times Company). http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/nyregion/21golf.html?em&ex=1203829200&en=9c9070c4064e72a7&ei=5087%0A. Retrieved 2008-07-07.

^ "Golf
Majors". Sporting-World.co.uk. http://www.sporting-world.co.uk/golf-majors.php. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

^ "Golf Majors: The Masters Golf Tournament".
Sporting-World.co.uk. http://www.sporting-world.co.uk/masters-golf-tournament.php. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

^ "Golf Majors: The Open Championship".
Sporting-World.co.uk. http://www.sporting-world.co.uk/british-open-golf-tournament.php. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

^ "Golf
Majors: The US Open Tournament". Sporting-World.co.uk. http://www.sporting-world.co.uk/us-open-golf.php. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

^ "Golf Majors: The PGA Championship".
Sporting-World.co.uk. http://www.sporting-world.co.uk/pga-championship-tournament.php. Retrieved 2007-12-17.

^ There are
several bodies known as the "LPGA", each based in a different country or
continent. The U.S. LPGA is the only one without a geographic identifier in
its name, as it was the first to be founded. Typically, if the term "LPGA" is
used without an identifier, it refers to the U.S. body.

^ "Women's British Open breaks new ground at St Andrews".
Ladies' Golf Union. http://www.lgu.org/championships/women__s_british_open/. Retrieved 2007-08-12.

External links

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golf on Wikipedia's sister
projects:

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Quotations
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Source texts
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Textbooks from
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The
R&A, St Andrews

USGA:
United States Golf Association

International
Golf Federation (IGF)

The
Independent Schools Golf Association

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