Golf
By Cathy Richey, the Cathy Factor
The modern
game of golf was developed in Scotland somewhere around the 12th century. Many
countries in Europe had been playing stick and ball games since the time of the
Romans, but the Scots are credited with adding the objective of getting the ball
into a hole in the ground.
The aim of
golf is simple: hit a small ball into a hole with the fewest possible shots, 18
times. Unlike other sports, here the enemy is never his/her opponent but his/her
own self, and the golfers surrounding. This is why the game has managed to keep
sportsmanship at its center, because, even at the top level, golfers are united
in their battle against the course as against each other.
The Course: A standard golf course is made up of 18 holes. From a teeing area
(also known as a tee) the first shot is usually played. The ball is usually
placed on a plastic or wooden keg (also known as a tee). The rest of the hole
consists of a rough or a stretch of grass known as the fairway, which leads to
the green, where the hole is. Apart from the fairway, there are other hazards to
contend with such as bunkers or streams. A “flagstick” sits in the hole to show
the target. These flags are usually yellow in the first nine holes and red on
the second nine. The standard course is around 6000 yards long and it takes
about four hours to play 18 holes. You may walk around five miles.
Scoring: Your score on a golf course is made up of the number of shots you take;
add to it any penalties you can incur. So, if you take 80 shots to go around the
course and your friend takes 90, you’re the winner. Scoring center around the
‘par’ for the course, which is usually the number of shots that it takes for a
top golfer to go around, usually 70 or about. Each hole has a par according to
its length or difficulty. A par-four hole lets you have four shots. If you can
score 92 on a par 72 Course, then your score will be 20 over par.
Or, if you
score five on a par-four hole, you will be one over par for the hole. On the
other hand, golf allows you to play against better players by giving you extra
shots, almost like handicapping, or a head start.
The Rules: Golf has many rules, but unlike other sports, golf has no need for a
referee or an umpire, unless it’s a tournament. Players must know the rules
themselves, and be honest about the number of shots they take. Then they must
play the ball as it lies, moving the ball around or interfering with it is a big
No-No. But, there are a few exceptions. If you lose your ball or hit it into the
lake, you will have to add strokes to your score, before you can proceed to
play.
Many people do not understand the necessity of exercising for golf. To them
golfing itself is an exercise. However, the truth is that you should exercise
your body if you want to play golf of a higher level and wish to have the least
amount of injury. Most strength and stretching exercises are suitable for
playing Golf. Golf is physical and your body can easily suffer a break down. If
you want your drive to result in the longest travel you have to have superior
strength and flexibility specific to golf. These are facts that cannot be
denied. All golfers need to do exercises regularly if they wish to improve their
game and the sooner they start the greater will be the results.
There a
difference in exercising in the gym by working out on machines and in doing golf
exercises. Golf is played standing, so the correct exercises aimed at bettering
your golfing will never require you to sit on machines. Golf exercises will be
on your feet and in a dynamic posture. Because of the demands of golf, you need
to have a different approach to exercising for improving your game.
Golfing exercises are not just strength exercises. A very big part consists of
stretching exercises. Golfing exercises are a combination of both strength and
stretching exercises that result in permanent flexibility. This is the perfect
combination to give you the best results for increasing your golfing
capabilities. When looking at golfing exercises you must consider the body
position that is necessary for making a mechanically sound swing. Once you are
able to understand this and the unique body positioning to this you can start on
golf exercises that are specific to this position.
For proper golfing exercises always remember the following:
• You must do most of your exercises on your feet.
• It will be best to do them in the specific posture relevant to the game.
• Always keep your knees flexible as in the case of swinging your club.
• Try to do the maximum number of rotational exercises.
• Ensure that you also do exercises for the follow through part of a swing.
• Make sure that repetitions are high enough for developing muscular endurance
relevant to golfing.
By exercising, you'll be able to stay more fit than your golfing partners and
will be able to enjoy the game much more as you will find a natural improvement
in your golfing skills.
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