Golf

Golfers compete in the sport of golf, using a number of different types of clubs with which to hit a ball around an 18-hole course using as few shots as possible. 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."

It is one of the few ball games that do not require a specialised playing area, with a golf course being used instead of a specified playing field. Golfers usually compete over the space of either nine or 18 holes on a golf course. Golfers play their first shot from a 'tee', with the aim to putt the ball into the hole using as few shots as possible. 

Golf is generally played for the lowest number of strokes by an individual player, 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. Stroke play is the most commonly played format at nearly all levels of the game. 

Golfers usually have to deal with a variety of different hazards during a round of golf. Courses can have water hazards, sand bunkers and out-of-bounds areas, all giving the golfer additional factors to think about before they play a shot.

A hole is classified by its par, meaning the number of strokes golfer should be taking to get the ball from the tee into the hole. Par always includes a stroke for the tee shot and two putts, so the minimum par of any hole is 3, but pars of 4 and 5 strokes are very common, with occasional examples of par-6 and even par-7 holes, although not a common sight for golfers. Strokes other than the tee shot and putts are expected to be made from the short-cut area in the middle of that particular hole, called the fairway.

Golfers are awarded handicaps given in relation to the player's ability. A handicap is a numerical measure of an amateur golfer's ability to play golf over the duration of 18 holes. A player's handicap generally represents the number of strokes above par that the player should play over the course of an above-average round of golf. Someone with a handicap of 0 or less is often referred to as a scratch golfer, and would typically score or beat the course par on a round of play, depending on the level of the golf course. 

For all the latest Golf Betting Tips place check out betting.betfair