Fascinating Golf Facts & Terms… Are they? Maybe or maybe not!

These are facts and terms I’m learning along the way of my golf destination journey —and they’re making golf even more interesting to me. I’m sharing them here in simplified form to offer a basic understanding. They may or may not matter to you, but I’ve found them fun and worthwhile to know.

They are in no particular order, but posted generally when I discovered them or researched them for some reason.

Why 18 holes:  I learned this from the Andrew Wiehebrink article.  Andrew writes… “One of the more well-known links between golf and whiskey has to do with the number of holes on a course. It was said that it takes 18 shots to finish off a bottle of whisky (the Scotch claim to have invented golf by the way), and therefore, when the whisky is gone, the golf game is over.”  It is said that this is a well know myth that originated from a member of St. Andrew’s  around the mid 1800s. Is it true or not? I Don’t know but it sounds good as a 5th of whisky today holds about 17 shots. They may have used just a wee bigger bottle or a slightly smaller shot.
If you’re curious, it’s definitely worth reading the full article, which you can find over at ISC Barrels:
Whiskey and Golf: Inextricably Intertwined

USGA Rating:  Simply, it represents what a scratch golfer (a 0 handicapper) should score on a perfect day or, as the USGA says, “on a normal day.”

Slope: This is the difficulty rating of the course or, as the USGA says, “It is the numerical difficulty of the course for an average player. “
So, 55 to 113 is easier than average and 113–155 is harder than average. Your handicap can be adjusted by the slope ratings for different courses, making competitions more fair across various courses.

Dimples on a golf ball: How many dimples are there on a standard golf ball? From https://www.glenmuir.com,
The average number of dimples on a golf ball is 336, they say. But the dimples do vary by brand and range between 250 and 500. This, I think, is amazing for such a small ball that weighs only 1.620 oz with a diameter of around 1.680 inches.

Golf Hole, or Golf Cup as it were: It is now regulated by the two major governing bodies of golf, the USGA(United States Golf Assoc.) and the R&A (Royal & Ancient). They agree it is 4.25” wide and between 4” and 6” deep. It is just a smidge larger than two golf balls side by side. First recorded records of these the hole size is 1876 by the R&A where they were using a drain pipe top make the holes.

Grasses:
Here are six basic grass types that I think every golfer should know about. Why, because each affects your game in a unique way. You should know because the surface you’re playing on can impact your fairway and rough(God forbid) shots and your putts.

1. Bentgrass:
   Augusta National GC has Creeping Bentgrass, so you know it is good turf. It is on their greens and Perennial Ryegrass (overseeded over the base Bermuda grass)for their fairways/roughs.This provides ideal putting conditions that are fast and true. Also, fairways can be cut very short, making it more difficult for the average golfer to strike a ball well off the fairway.
2. Bermudagrass:
   This grass is said to love warm climates and is drought-tolerant. It is the most widely used grass on southern courses in the United States for fairways, tees, and greens. It is dense and coarse, used for fairways and rough—it is very difficult to hit off. There is a Hybrid Bermuda grass that allows for very fast putting surfaces.
3. Kentucky Bluegrass:
   This is a common grass because it is less costly to maintain. Also, mowing heights are a bit longer, giving the average golfer easier conditions to hit off the fairways because the ball sits a bit higher. It is said the ball will travel farther than expected when hitting off the fluffy lies. This grass is used for fairways and rough but is not a preferred grass for putting surfaces.
4. Paspalum:
   This is a new strain created around the 1990s. It was used in limited ways for basic erosion control.  It started to come into more widespread use on golf courses in the 2000s as it tolerates salty seaside courses in warmer climates very well. Playing conditions are similar to Bermuda grass, so do your best to stay out of the roughs and on the fairways.
5. Ryegrass:
   This grass does not seem ideal for golf courses, as it does not like long periods of no rain or high temperatures. So, it is used to overseed southern golf courses for the winter months, as the Bent-grasses go dormant in the winter months. Over-seeding normally takes place in October or early November and produces beautiful green golf course conditions. In the spring and summer heat, the Bent-grasses spring back to life.
   
6. Poa Annua Grass: Known as a weed at golf courses due to its invasive nature, poa is found all over the world. Many golf courses in the northern region with bentgrass greens must contend with the inevitable invasion of poa. This occurs during late spring when the poa plant produces small seed heads for about three weeks. Golfers track these seeds from their shoes onto the next golf course they play!  It can be a green superintendent’s nightmare trying to manage this grass. Golf courses with a blend of bentgrass and poa will eventually create problems for golfers since the poa grass will grow a bit faster than bentgrass over the course of a day. This results in bumpy putting surfaces and frustrated golfers! Once the greens are mowed the following morning, the putting surfaces can be excellent until later in the day when the poa seedlings begin to show. This will last for a short period of time in the golf season but can be disappointing to the golfer when well-struck putts are deflected offline.

Golf Course Types:

Why know these? Because it directly affects how the game plays and how to approach your thoughts as to how to play the course. Here are six types of golf courses. As each type of course has unique characteristics.

4. Desert:
   A course that is built in arid regions with natural desert-like features, such as sand dunes, cacti, rocks, and possibly some desert flora. These courses typically feature lush green tee boxes, fairways, and greens, contrasting with the surrounding sandy and arid desert landscape, and are known for being challenging, with large bunkers, water hazards, and strategically placed hazards.
5. Heathland:
   The meaning of heath: “an area of open uncultivated land, especially in Britain, with characteristic vegetation of heather, gorse(weeds), and coarse grasses – Most heathland courses are found in Britain.” These courses are known for their natural design, making use of the existing terrain, similar to traditional links courses. Unlike the more manicured parkland style, they maintain a rugged and less refined look. The landscape is typically rolling and undulating, often with sandy soil, deep bunkers, open fairways, and firm playing surfaces. These natural features combine to create a challenge to play.
6. Links:
   First labeled from the “home of golf,” Scotland, where it all began. BBC says: “link courses are all about being one with nature, which gives it the natural look and feel all-natural.” The course design follows the contours of the land. Many links golf courses are found in coastal areas. These coastal locations help to create the hills, ridges, and fairways on sandy terrain that receives plenty of wind blowing off the sea with some blind spots. They will generally be wide open without trees and a lack of water hazards, but bunkers are plentiful. They are generally difficult to play and unforgiving.
7. Mountain:
   Would you guess they are situated in mountainous or hilly areas? There are significant elevation changes and natural features. You can experience significant elevation changes and natural features. They are known for their challenging layouts, expansive scenery, dramatic natural beauty. significant elevation changes, making for challenging shots and requiring careful strategy. They often utilize and embrace the natural contours of the land, with hillsides, valleys, and natural water features playing a key role in the course design, offer breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape, including mountains, valleys, and sometimes lakes. Less Manicured:
   Fairways and tees are typically maintained in a more natural style, with less focus on pristine lawns and more on showcasing the natural beauty of the landscape. Without question there will be challenging Shots to to combination of elevation changes, natural hazards, and sometimes unpredictable weather conditions can make for a truly challenging golfing experience.
8. Parkland:
   These courses are typically located inland and resemble landscaped parks—hence the name Parkland. As golf moved away from the coast, courses became greener and more structured, with trees playing a more prominent role in the layout. Parkland courses are carefully designed by architects and are more manicured than their links counterparts. They usually feature flat, lush fairways that offer gentle bounces and are generally more forgiving. Tree-lined holes, elevated greens, and meticulously maintained turf are common characteristics, creating a more refined and controlled golfing environment. 

Scoring Terms:

Ace / Hole-in-One: Getting the ball in the hole (cup) in only one stroke.
Albatross / Double Eagle: Three strokes under par on an individual hole. 

Birdie: One stroke under Par
Bogey: One stroke over par on an individual hole

Condor: Four strokes under par on an individual hole.

Double Bogey: Two strokes over par on an individual hole.

Eagle: Two strokes under par on an individual hole.

Par: The number of strokes an expert player is expected to make for a given hole or a group of holes (usually 9 or 18)

Quadruple Bogey:  Four strokes under par on an individual hole.

Stroke: Any forward club swing that’s intended to hit the golf ball.

Triple Bogey: Three strokes under par on an individual hole.

Fore: Where did yelling “Fore!” to warn unsuspecting golfers of an errant shot coming their way originate. My research tells me one of the possibilities was way-back-when, in Scotland of course, when they used spotters or “forecaddies that would be way in front of the golfers as they took their shots to spot where the balls landed.  The golfers would warn them that the balls were on the way by yelling “Fore” to warn the spotters.  So it has evolved as a general warning when a ball is headed toward unsuspected golfers.

Another most widely accepted theory links it to military terminology and soldiers warned of incoming rounds..

More to come…