About Golf

Cloudlands: VR Minigolf

Now a few words about how a golf ball is constructed and why it is shaped like this, with holes. A modern golf ball is not as solid as it may seem at first glance. It has a core inside, a hard piece of rubberized plastic. The stuffing of the ball is like a spring – it stores potential impact energy and turns it into motion energy.

The surface is made of durable plastic – polyurethane. Notches are vitally important for the ball – they improve the airflow of the ball in flight, reduce air resistance and provide a greater range of impact. Manufacturers experiment with the shape and number of grooves. The number of grooves on balls from different manufacturers varies from 300 to 500. The more hollows, the higher the ball flies. As a result, a ball with more holes flies very high to the detriment of the distance.

Etiquette

The game of golf is famous for its age-old traditions and etiquette. The most important thing in golf is to observe good manners toward your opponent. While preparing your opponent for a shot, you should try not to move or talk. Never stand on the line of strike, close to the flight path of the ball or close to the player who makes the swing, otherwise you can be seriously injured. Do not shout something loud to your friends who are far away from you: this may disturb other players. Walk quickly without delaying the players following you. Lose the ball and signal to the players behind you to wait. If you tear out a piece of turf with your stick when you hit it, you need to put it back in its original place and press it down. You should always clean up the dents left by the ball on the course, and smooth out the marks in the sand bunker with the special rakes that are always lying around.

There are strict restrictions on amateur player status. Anyone who has ever once received a golf instruction fee or played golf for money cannot be considered an amateur and compete in amateur events. Amateurs, however, may receive fees according to a strictly defined procedure and may accept non-cash prizes up to the standards set forth in the rules for amateur status.

A couple of weeks ago I played golf for the first time. Before that I never had much interest in this “game of the rich”, but it was worth one try…. Now I even want to buy a club, a bucket of balls and shoot them somewhere far away. Only that the price of 300 rubles per ball a little restrains the ardor. In any case, I tried to understand the principles of the game and to find out a few facts about golf: why the ball isnotches on the surface, why do you need to carry so many clubs, what is golf etiquette, what is the real purpose of golf and how the golf cart is organized.

Loimijoki Golf Club

The golf club where we were taught to play golf is located in the southwest of the province of Tavastia in Jupää, Finland. Loimijoki Golf has 70 hectares of lawn, 18 holes and 14 tracks.  Once there was an old manor house that existed from 1539 until 1992. The owner of the estate decided to break the tradition of cultivation of these lands and built a golf course here.

The club was named after the river Loimijoki, on the banks of which it is located.  At the bottom of the river and artificial ponds rest many balls thrown there by inexperienced players.

Principles and structure

The meaning of the game of golf is that the participants drove a small ball in special holes with strokes of clubs, trying to pass the allotted distance for a minimum number of strokes.

A typical golf course consists of 18 holes, divided into series of 2-3. Each series is a small field with water obstacles, sand traps (bunkers), high grass, special lawn (putting green on”green”) with holes cut in it and teeing ground.  The teeing ground is the place where the game starts and the first shot is taken. Each teeing ground has a map of the course where you can see all the obstacles and the location of the putting green, where you eventually have to put the ball in.

The starting area is marked with two marks showing the allowable boundaries of the area where the ball peg (tee) can be placed.  For women and men can be different sites marked by special signs. For example, at Loimijoki Golf, a yellow horseshoe marks the men’s tee area.

Most of the holes are in line of sight from the starting area to the green, but some holes may deviate to the right or left side.  This is what a section of the golf course looks like from the starting tee. This is where the first swing of the club takes place, after which the ball must travel a maximum distance of 250-300 meters to the green. Look closely: In the center of the photo, among the trees, you can see a white flag. This is a hole in another series, but the distance to ours is about the same. True, we will have to twist the ball slightly so that it makes a turn to the left, behind the trees. Therefore, our hole is called “left dogleg”.

After determining the distance to the desired point with an electronic rangefinder, you can calculate the force of the stroke. Ideally, the golfer should first hit the main course, pass the ball on it several strokes (depending on the type of course) and hit the green – a course with perfect grass, on which the ball rolls without hindrance.  To play golf player can use no more than 14 types of clubs.

The very first club, which begins the game, is called “wood” (Wood). There are usually three woods in a player’s bag – No. 1 (“driver”), No. 3 and No. 5. A club with a solid head and a 7 to 15 angle of impact that allows you to throw the ball up to 300 meters.

For the first shot, the ball is placed on a special tee, which is usually made of wood. The price of one tee is 1-2 euros, and they tend to break like matches from the blows of inexperienced players.

After the first hit the ball goes to the main field, from which it has to get to the green for a minimum number of strokes. At this stage, other clubs come into play – iron. These are lighter, shovel-headed clubs, which can be used to put the ball at shorter distances. The sticks vary in numbers. A bigger number allows you to send the ball at a higher angle to the horizon at a shorter distance. The distance of the shot is between 70 and 150 meters.

After that, you need to send the ball through the “raff” – section of tall grass bordering the “fairway” (main field), on the green. Actually, everything is solved on the green (putting green). With another, L-shaped club – putter, a light and precise blow to drive the ball into the hole.

The grass is so filigree mowed on the green, it looks more like carpeting. Around the hole grass dries out most quickly and it is sown in its place.