Golf Courses of the World

Avid golfers not only invest much time perfecting their swing but they also travel across continents in search of the best golf courses in which to polish their game and perhaps score birdies during their rounds.  There are lots of golf courses in the world today and the greater majority is located in the United States. Other golfing countries are Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Canada, Wales, Sweden and England.  However, the number of courses in new golfing destinations is increasing rapidly.  The People’s Republic of China opened its first golf course in mid-1980 but by 2006 there were more than 200 golf courses in that country.

A golf course consists of a series of holes usually 18 holes.  The “hole” means both the hole in the ground into which the ball is played as well as the total distance from the tee (a predetermined starting point from where a ball is first hit) to the green (area surrounding the hole).  Play begins at the first tee.  From here each player drives the ball onto the fairway (main part of the golf course).  On either side of the fairway is the rough which consists of areas covered with uncut grass or trees.  Artificial hazards are also constructed such as bunkers (sand traps) and water hazards such as lakes or ponds.  At the far end of the fairway from the tee is the putting green, a smooth area of cropped grass.  The borders of a golf course are marked.  Beyond them is out of bounds.