What is golf
Golf is the transliteration of the English word "golf". Golf is a kind of sports and entertainment that is played on outdoor lawns, using different clubs and hitting the ball into designated holes according to certain rules. Usually eighteen holes are played in a game, and the player with the fewer strokes, that is, the fewer strokes, wins.
Golf is a sport and a game (ball play). Sports are all plays, and any game is inseparable from the form of sports. The definition of golf in the highly authoritative Merriam-Webster Dictionary is "Golf is a sport that uses several clubs to play on an eighteen-hole course with as few strokes as possible, and continuously hit the ball into the hole in each hole. "Germany's Duden Dictionary (Duden) explains golf this way: "(A sport originating from Scotland) A game played on grass with hard rubber balls and clubs, with the purpose of using as little effort as possible. Hit the ball into each hole according to the score. "The Sports Volume of "Encyclopedia of China" (1982 Edition) defines golf in one sentence: "A ball game that uses a stick to hit the hole." Interestingly, people found that the word golf is composed of one letter in front of the four English words green, oxygen, light, and foot. This is consistent with the word golf, which is full of fresh air and Strolling and hitting the ball on the green grass in the sunshine is an amazing fit.
The golf course covers an area of ??1,000 acres to 2,000 acres (18 holes). It is designed according to the terrain characteristics and natural scenery, so there are no two identical golf courses in the world. This is also Unlike other ball games, golf is also the fun part.
Golf can be played by one person or by several people. When there are many people, it can be played in groups. Courses usually require that each group should not exceed four people. Regardless of differences in age and level, there is an equal chance of winning. Really interesting and engaging.
◆The origin of golf
The origin of golf has been controversial for many years, but one thing is unified, that is, golf is an ancient sport. Today, most people who know golf tend to admit that golf originated in Scotland in the fifteenth century or earlier. Scotland has many mountains and a humid and foggy climate, which is very suitable for the growth of pasture. Before industrial civilization, this area was a continuous pasture. According to legend, shepherds used wooden boards to play games during their free time, hitting stones into rabbit holes or holes. Over time, they formed the idea of ??using different clubs and hitting the ball according to certain rules. The winter in Scotland is very cold, so everyone always likes to bring a bottle of spirits in their back pocket every time they go out to play, and drink a small bottle of wine with the bottle cap before each serve. A bottle of wine is 18 ounces, and a bottle cap is exactly 1 ounce. After playing 18 holes and finishing the wine, I had no choice but to go back in such cold weather. As time went by, many students thought that they had to play 18 holes to play a round of golf.
◆The evolution of golf
The most basic equipment of golf is the ball and clubs. Balls and clubs are the main parts of golf equipment. With balls and clubs, you can play golf. With the development of golf, in addition to balls and clubs, a variety of auxiliary equipment and golf clothing have gradually been produced. Therefore, golf equipment, mainly balls and clubs, have developed with the development of golf in terms of appearance, structure, quality, efficiency and other aspects. High-tech achievements are constantly being applied to this sport, so the development of the sport itself and its various equipment is endless.
The ancestors of golf balls are believed to be round or oval stones, and then hand-carved wooden balls. Some golf history researchers even believe that early golf balls were made of beech wood, a tree that is a common vegetation in central and western Europe in the north temperate zone.
The earliest golf ball recorded in writing should be the featherieball. The outer skin of this ball is stitched together from several pieces of genuine leather (horsehide or cowhide). During production, steamed wet feathers are stuffed into the hemisphere, and the two hemispheres are then sewn together. After stitching, the ball skin will shrink and the ball will become slightly smaller; only after stitching by the hands of skilled craftsmen can it reach a better state. Since a craftsman can only sew a few balls a day, the craftsmanship is expensive, sometimes more expensive than a club. It took about 200 years for feather golf balls to be released in the 17th century.
As mentioned before, changes in the material of the ball directly affect its performance, and also require a matching ball cup. Therefore, the development of the golf situation itself has also brought about the development of related golf equipment, and even the stadium design should adapt to it. Badminton balls were used until the middle of the 19th century. Someone used this ball to score 87 on the Old Course in St. Andrews. It should be noted that badminton balls become soft on rainy days, making them difficult to use. Despite this, some golf historians have even verified that it was used for four centuries from 1400 to 1850. Around 1840, people began to experiment with a rubber ball.
In 1848, a new generation of golf ball called Gutta percha appeared on the scene, which was regarded as an epoch-making event in the history of golf. The main material of gutta-percha balls is extracted from gutta-percha. After the "water-emulsion blend", this material becomes extremely elastic. During the ball making process, it is easily pressed into a ball shape and has a hard texture after cooling. The production cost of gutta-percha is much lower than that of feather balls, making golf more affordable for more people. Therefore, this new ball brought about a breakthrough development in golf. In the production and improvement process of gutta-percha balls, we began to pay attention to "standardization", that is, the balls produced should gradually comply with certain specifications in terms of size and weight. The easy formability of this new ball material is the prerequisite for its pursuit of standardization. Gutta-percha balls have another advantage. Once their bodies are deformed or broken, they can be melted back to their original shape, bringing the damaged balls back to life. Golfers have concluded through practice that recycled balls sometimes have better flight performance than completely smooth and flat original balls. At the beginning, golfers used balls with smooth spherical surfaces. Later, they found that having textured balls was better, so later on, they intentionally added engraved patterns to make them uniform or shaped them as needed. According to historical records preserved at the Old Course of St. Andrews, A. Allan Robertson used this gutta-percha ball to score 79 in 1858. Generally speaking, gutta-percha balls at that time weighed about 1.3-1.5 ounces (note: 1 ounce = 28.349 grams), which was slightly lighter than today's golf balls. The ball with small protrusions (Pimples) on the surface is called "Bramble".
On the eve of 1900, it was announced that a new ball would replace the hard rubber gutta-percha ball (Gutty) that had been popular for many years. C. Coburn Haskell was inspired after visiting a rubber factory in Akron, Ohio, USA, and decided to create a rubber core ball, which is to use a thin layer of rubber to wrap a rubber ball with a small protruding coat. In 1898, Haskell successfully developed and patented it. The advantages of this new ball are very outstanding. It can fly 20 meters further than the previous ball. And easy to control. Although golfers who have always focused on tradition say that the Haskell ball changed the nature of the golf game, the Goodrich Rubber Company that inspired Haskell's first inspiration launched the production of this new ball. In 1901, Walter Travis used this new ball to win the U.S. Amateur Championship and successfully defended his title. The following year, the Haskell ball was introduced to the British Isles, and British player Sandy Herd used the new ball to win the British Open Championship at the Royal Liverpool Stadium in Hoy, defeating the three-time champion who used the old ball. The famous general Harry Vardon. Since then, Haskell ball has gained a firm foothold and ended the debate over who is better than the old ball.
People have been conducting various experiments to improve the Haskell ball. Therefore, the updated ball uses dimples on the ball surface instead of small protrusions, so that it can not only maintain the same good aerodynamic properties, but also hit the ball more accurately. The small protrusions on the original spherical surface will cause the ball to miss. Today's standard golf balls are of the dimpled surface type, and although the diameter and depth of the balls vary from brand to brand, the differences are minimal. In their promotional campaigns, manufacturers often emphasize the different flight performance caused by this difference. Experts tested the ball's aerodynamics in a wind tunnel, similar to testing the wings of an airplane. When a golfer hits the ball, each ball gets a backward rotational force, which is closely related to these four marks, as if a thick air pillow is formed under the ball.
Someone has tried it, and a smooth ball can only fly 65 meters, while a dented ball can fly 275 meters.
◆Golf course
The golf course is in the shape of a strip and is laid out on an open land. The course includes a teeing lawn. When teeing off, a ball holder is placed in a position on the flat lawn, the golf ball is placed on the ball holder, and then the ball is hit with a club. The purpose of hitting the ball is to hit the ball into or towards a hole. The hole is also dug on a flat lawn, and a flag is used to indicate the location of the hole. After the ball is hit into the hole, the lawn where the hole is located becomes the new teeing lawn, and the ball is hit to the next hole.
However, hitting the ball from hole to hole is by no means as easy as the text above makes it seem. First of all, the distance between holes generally ranges from 90 meters to 540 meters. The farthest distance between two holes in the world is between the sixth and seventh holes of a course owned by a golf club in Japan, which is 830.8 meters apart. Second, there are various natural or artificial obstacles around each hole, such as bunkers, grass, creeks, ponds, or bushes. And without special permission, no matter where the ball lands on the court, it may not move, and the ball must continue to be hit where it landed. If the ball cannot be hit without moving, the player can stand at the landing point, face the next hole, hold the ball over his shoulder, throw the ball down from behind, and then continue hitting the ball at the new landing point. The settings between holes are usually teeing lawns, open grasslands, undulating terrain or bushes, hazard areas, and hole lawns.
Since few people can hit the ball from the teeing green to the next hole in one shot, but it is necessary to ensure that the golf game is difficult, competitive and exciting, therefore, from the teeing green to the next hole A standard stroke is required for the next hole. Generally, two hitting opportunities are allowed on the green of the hole. From the teeing green to the green of the hole, depending on the distance and difficulty of the obstacles, one to four hitting opportunities are allowed, that is, the standard hitting between holes. The number of clubs can be three, four, five or six.
It usually takes three strokes to hit the ball into the hole, a distance of nearly 200 meters. It is extremely difficult to hit the ball from the teeing green to the next hole in one stroke, but it is not impossible. In the British Open held in May 1988, Australia's Davis hit the ball into the hole with one stroke. The distance was 195 meters, setting a new world record.
When golf courses around the world are laid, the standard number of strokes varies from hole to hole. Some take the distance between the two holes as the main consideration, and some take the distance of the course as the main consideration. based on the total length.
If the distance between two holes is used as the standard, generally when the distance between two holes is less than 228 meters, the standard number of strokes is three, which is called a three-shot or three-shot hole. When the distance between two holes is between 228 meters and 434 meters, the standard number of strokes is four, which is called a par-4 or a par-4 hole. When the distance between two holes exceeds 434 meters, the standard number of strokes is five, which is called a par-5 or par-5 hole. In women's golf, when the distance between holes exceeds 526 meters, the standard number of strokes is six, which is called a par-6 or a par-6 hole. The standard stroke score of the entire course is calculated by adding the standard stroke scores of all 18 holes in the course. For example, among the 18 holes of a golf course, there are four par-3 holes, four par-5 holes and 10 par-4 holes, then the standard number of strokes required by the course is: (4x3)+(4x5)+( 4x10)=72. This course is known as the Par 72 or Par 72 Course. If the length of the course is used as the standard, the number of strokes required by the course is generally fixed.
Usually when setting up each hole in a golf course, there must be a certain proportion of par-3 holes, par-4 holes and par-5 holes; taking a par-72 golf course that often hosts international competitions as an example, its various types The hole ratio is: four par 3 holes, four par 5 holes and 10 par 4 holes.
◆Golf equipment
Golf equipment includes clubs, balls, shoes, caps, gloves and clothing. Chief among them is the first putting club. Differences in the angle and function of the club often affect the performance of the ball. Therefore, the club must never be careless.
1. Club
The club consists of three parts: the club head, the shaft and the grip. Its length is about 0.91-1.29 meters. Depending on the different needs of hitting the ball, each player can bring up to 14 clubs of various types into the venue. These 14 clubs should be configured as follows: 4 woods, 9 irons and 1 putter.
For beginners, just taking the odd number of rods is enough. (1) Wooden poles are mostly made of persimmon wood. It can be divided into different sizes according to its length and the angle of the rod clamp bevel. The smaller the number, the longer the length, and the ball will hit higher and further. Wood clubs are mostly used in the teeing area. The most commonly used ones are No. 1, 3, 4 and 5. For beginners, No. 3 wood is more suitable. (2) Iron heads are made of soft iron, which are slightly thinner and smaller than wooden clubs. It is mainly used to control short-range strikes. Irons can be roughly divided into three categories: long, medium and short. The long irons are easy to grasp the direction; the middle irons are easy to swing and easy to use, suitable for beginners; the short irons are suitable for hitting the ball in difficult positions. (3) The putter head is also made of soft iron and is mainly used to push the ball into the hole. Putter can be divided into T-type, L-type and D-type. Their unique feature is that the club face is flat.
2. Balls, club bags and shoes
Golf has changed a lot from the Scottish era to modern times. The original golf balls were sewn with feathers as the core and leather as the shell. Not only was the craft difficult, but the authenticity rate was low. At the beginning of the 19th century, golf ball manufacturing craftsmen could make up to four or five "good" balls a day. However, feather golf balls are not durable. Especially on rainy days, the sewing thread is easy to break, which often causes the ball to break during flight and feathers to fly all over the sky. In the late 1850s, "rubber balls" appeared, which were made of rubber-like Eucommia gum. It is solid at first, and then solid material or liquid is used as the core. Modern golf balls are mostly made of liquid as the core and rubber as the outer shell. The surface of the white rubber ball has many regularly arranged "dimple" depressions to facilitate flight and improve accuracy. Rubber golf balls are mainly divided into two types: British style and American style. The maximum weight of the ball must not exceed 50.38 grams. The minimum diameter of the American ball is 4.26 cm for domestic use in the United States. The English ball has a minimum diameter of 4.11 cm and is used in British, Canadian and international team golf tournaments.
Club bags are mostly made of leather, with a diameter of about 8 inches. A good club bag should have the characteristics of stable club placement, smooth texture, and a solid overall frame.
The soles of golf shoes have about 12 sole spikes, which can prevent slipping and allow players to maintain body balance when swinging. The screws holding these spikes must be secure. Otherwise, once the screws are loose, the shoes will not be stable.
◆Golf History
There are different opinions on the origin of golf. According to historical records and data, there are three theories, originating from three countries.
1. Originated in the Netherlands
Golf is the transliteration of the Dutch word KOLF. It is said that more than 1,000 years ago, in the pasture, when the sheep were grazing and playing, the shepherd boys who were herding the sheep often hit small stones with the shepherd sticks in their hands. Over time, technology, strength factors and comparisons were developed. The consciousness of winning and striving for strength. Sometimes the hit is far, sometimes the hit is accurate, sometimes it is both far and accurate, and it is both. This is the original form and prototype of golf ball.
The evolution of golf courses also proves this point. The earliest golf venues were pastures. Later, some moved the golf courses indoors, some moved them to the road, some moved them to the seaside, some even moved them to the ice rink, etc. But these places, with little time, have become transitional places for exploration. Later, the formal golf course that is still a simulated ranch was gradually formed.
As for golf clubs, they were originally simply processed and trimmed shepherd's sticks. Also, in the process of hitting stones with sticks for a long time, shepherd boys found that using a shepherd's stick with a bump on the top was more convenient and could hit stones farther. Therefore, they often look for and select such sticks to use. The predecessor of the current golf club was indeed the shepherd's stick in the hands of the shepherd boy. As for the invention and emergence of curved bats, that happened later.
It is said that there is an ancient Dutch painting from the 14th century, in which three people are holding small balls, and another person is hitting the ball with a stick. Some people think that this is the earliest Dutch golf game.
2. Originated in the UK
Golf is the transliteration of English GOLF. The word first appeared in a Scottish Parliament document in 1457.
There are three theories about the origin of golf:
First, a Scottish shepherd used a shepherd's stick to hit stones for fun while herding sheep.
Once, he accidentally knocked a stone into a rabbit's nest in the distance. He suddenly felt that this game of "hitting a stone into a rabbit's nest" was very attractive, interesting and full of interest. From then on, he often invited friends to play together, and was loved and welcomed by people. This activity gradually became popular. It is said that this is the prototype of golf.
Secondly, it is said that in the early fifteenth century, soldiers stationed in the city of St. Andrews on the North Sea coast of Scotland often played a game of hitting holes on the grass after training. This game is widely played in the military. Later, it aroused strong interest among young people, and they became enthusiastic about this sport. Even the court nobles, dignitaries and dignitaries began to be eager to try and rolled up their sleeves. Some people think that golf ball came from this.
Thirdly, a long time ago, a ball game played on the grass was popular in England. The method is to use a wooden stick similar to a modern hockey stick to hit the ball into a specified number of holes with the minimum number of hits as an entertainment activity. At that time, this sport was called golf.
According to historical records, in 1879, a British blacksmith manufactured a batch of iron golf clubs, which developed from crude and crude wooden clubs to light and durable iron rods. This is the main equipment of golf - the ball. What a breakthrough. It was very popular at the time and was quickly adopted as the game's bat. After forty-one years of evolution, in 1920, an American businessman invented a copper hollow round tube bat with beautiful shape and excellent texture. By 1924, this kind of bat was designated as an official game bat.
Over the years, golf balls have also undergone considerable changes and improvements. Stone balls were first used. Later, leather balls were used, and thick leather was sewn into a ball shape. Feathers were stuffed inside, sewn with thread, and then fried in oil. It is said that the balls made in this way are hard and elastic, but the disadvantage is that they are prone to cracks and become soaked in water. This ball was used until 1848. Later, a rubber ball was used. On a small piece of compressed rubber, a rubber band was used to wrap it into a ball shape, and the opposite edge was cast with a hard synthetic material. This is the modern ball. But during the process, the surface of the ball is smooth. Due to hammering, friction and collision, the surface of the ball becomes uneven, causing some bumps. However, people feel this unevenness with protrusions during long-term sports. A ball with no bumps is easier to use. This is why the surface of modern golf balls must have many tiny bumps. Until 1900, a kind of ball was made with glue lines wrapped around the center of the ball layer by layer, and the outside was covered with a layer of pitted tape. Since 1911, it has been selected as the competition ball in the Atlantic American Golf Tournament in the United States until now. However, due to the development of science and technology, most of the current golf balls are made of plastic products.
There are also some interesting legends and records about the evolution and origin of the eighteen standard holes in modern golf.
It is said that some of the earliest golf fans in the UK combined playing golf, hiking and socializing with picnics and drinks. They often take golf equipment, food and wine to the beautiful countryside for entertainment. Every time a cave is entered, people cheer and toast. What a coincidence, when the four bottles of whiskey I brought were all empty. The ball was played with great enthusiasm, and everyone calculated that they had hit exactly eighteen holes. Over time, this coincidence created the impression that the 18 standard holes in modern golf balls came from this, and they were talked about and widely circulated.
In fact, this is not the case. This is a rumor and misinformation. According to historical records, 18 holes were widely used to play golf more than 200 years ago. In the second half of the 18th century, based on the customary playing style and tradition of golf, 18 holes were initially included in the rules and scale of golf.
In fact, since King James IV played golf in the 16th century, rumors of kings and dignitaries playing golf have continued to appear in the British royal family. Later, from King Charles I and Charles II to his brother the Duke of York, to the Queen of England and King William IV, golf has been a recreational activity in the British court for hundreds of years.
3. Originated in China
According to historical records, a sports activity called "Chui Wan" appeared in China as early as the Tang Dynasty. As the name suggests, thumping means hitting, and pilling means hitting the ball, and the ball is also hit into the hole. Golf balls look exactly the same.
This means that the "chui ball" appeared at least a century earlier than golf.
"Cui Wan" evolved from the "Bu Chui Ball" in the Tang Dynasty, and was also called "Bu Chui Ball" in the Northern Song Dynasty. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the activity of "beating pills" became popular among the people in northern my country. The Song Dynasty picture of beating pills in the mural of the Water Temple of Guangsheng Temple in Hongdong County, Shanxi Province can be used as evidence. In the picture, there are four people, one of whom is holding a stick, waiting to hit the ball into the hole. The situation is realistic and lifelike. In addition, during the period of Kublai, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, someone wrote the book "Wan Jing". The book has detailed regulations and discussions on the exercise methods, competition rules, techniques, tactics, venues, equipment, etc. of "Chui Wan". For example: before the game, each player selects the terrain, digs the ball socket, and builds a "ball base" 60 to 100 steps away, with an area of ??about one square foot, for hitting the ball. The player who hits the ball in the hole within three sticks will get one point, and the player who scores more points will win. If there is a foul or violation, one point will be deducted or one point will be deducted. In addition, there are three types of competitions: one is a team competition, the other is a multi-player competition, and the third is a two-person singles competition. The team competition is divided into "big conference", "medium conference", and "small conference" according to the number of people.
Judging from historical records, as a complete sports activity in China, "Chuiwan" has a considerable scale and stereotypes in terms of methods, rules, and the extent to which it is carried out among the masses. .
According to records, the above three statements are undoubtedly facts. Judging from its shaping and development, China preceded the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and the Netherlands preceded the United Kingdom. However, as a modern world sport recognized by most countries and nations in the world, the birthplace and hometown of golf is the United Kingdom.
In 1908, the first golf club was established in the UK. In 1754, the rules of the competition were formulated. In 1911, the United States held the Atlantic National Golf Tournament. The annual Open Golf Championship held in the United Kingdom is the largest international competition. Nowadays, golf is popular in some developed countries, especially the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. The World Amateur Golf Association has 60 to 70 member countries and more than 20 million members. Among them, the United States has 12 million members and more than 10,000 courses; Japan has 3 million members and more than 1,400 courses.
In 1900, golf was included as a performance event at the Second International Olympic Games. In 1984, the International Olympic Committee approved golf as an official event in the Olympic Games.
Currently the largest golf course in the world is the Bolton Course in Massachusetts, USA, which is 7,609 meters long and has a standard stroke score of 77. The highest golf course in the world is Taktu Course in Peru, with the lowest point located at 4,369 meters above sea level. The lowest course in the world is the Creek Course in Death Canyon, California, USA, which is 82.9 meters below sea level.
◆Sports Characteristics
Golf can be traced back to the first British Open held in 1860. The historical development of more than 130 years shows that this sport is one of the fastest growing projects in modern sports. Some sports experts even believe that golf, football and tennis are called the "three major sports in the world". According to information disclosed in the book "World Rankings", among the fifteen favorite activities of American men and women in their free time, they include eating and drinking, watching TV, reading, listening to music, and outdoor activities (such as hunting, fishing, skiing, etc.) After etc.), life, social activities, etc., the tenth place is sports activities. The number one sports activity is golf, followed by tennis and swimming.
Characteristics of golf
First: It is a sport rooted in nature and the closest to and caring for nature.
Second: Golf is a sport suitable for people of all genders, ages, body shapes, and physical conditions.
The oxygen requirement of the Olympic 10-kilometer race walking champion is 58 to 72 milliliters per kilogram per minute. For golf, even half of the above value is not required. In the process of playing golf, hitting the ball with a club and preparing beforehand are the intervals between walking, or resting. Playing golf for three or four hours does not provide as much exercise as playing tennis for half an hour. Sports scientists also concluded that in terms of energy consumption, playing golf is only five-sixths of walking for several hours, and playing 18 holes consumes approximately 2,400 calories.
Golf is the most challenging sport.
Being a professional golfer can indeed be said to be the most difficult of all professional sports (including professional football, basketball, baseball, American football and ice hockey). Technically speaking, professional golfers must master the ability to play various "technical balls", that is, the ability to deal with local conditions should reach the level of proficiency to be able to cope with changes in the game. In addition, it is even more important for professional players to ensure the accuracy of their putts, otherwise all their previous efforts will be wasted. In order to play the game well, professional players must not only be mentally brave enough to face the above challenges, but also should be familiar with the different grass types on the greens, the impact of wind direction and wind force on the ball, as well as the design features and difficulty of the course itself. In golf, players have to consider so many external variables that are not found in other ball sports.
Golf is the most prominent sport among all competitive sports in which the players themselves are the opponents. Golf is highly international. Golf is the least traumatic sport. Golf is a sport that places great emphasis on traditional civilization and courtesy. It is also a sport that requires high cultural quality of players. No other sport allows players and spectators to have fun together like golf. Players go with the audience. Sports is a cultural phenomenon. The various otherworldly characteristics of golf make it a kind of competition and entertainment that emphasizes cultural content, thus creating golf culture and people with golf cultural characteristics.