Women golfers who are still or just starting off may need some help understanding the golf course layout. Just remember that you're not alone and don't be afraid to feel foolish by asking questions!
According to Dr. Paula King:
- "Look at the numbers: of the 26 million golfers age 12 and over, currently in the U.S., 5.7 million are women. And the number is steadily increasing. Women may be a minority, making up a mere 22% of the total number of golfers, but they appear to be closing the gap, comprising 39% of all beginning golfers and representing the largest growing segment of new players in the industry. You can guess that the industry’s recent interest in gender difference is tied directly to this huge influx of women into the game."
The Parts of the Course
- The Tee:
The first thing beginning women golfers should become familiar with is the tee areas. There are three standard tees in a golf course, differentiated by their color and their distance from the flagstick, which is where the golf hole is located. The first is the red or forward tee - the tee area that is closest to the flagstick. A bit farther from the flagstick is the white tee box. Even farther than that is the championship box, or the blue tee box. There could be as many as six or even more tee areas in some courses, but three is the industry standard.
The forward tee is what you would want to start with, if you are still getting the hang of things. If you want to find a women friendly golf course, you should wonder whether in fact you should consider a course that explicitly refers to the forward tee as the "ladies' tee." The forward/red tee has been traditionally known as the "ladies' tee," where women golfers were always expected to hit off. However, more progressive country clubs no longer use the term "ladies' tee," and are now allowing women to tee off where they wish. Tee areas are identified based on color and handicap. Purgatory Golf is such a club. Dr. Paula King, a licensed sports psychologist based in Arizona, reports that some men golfers should be using the “ladies’ tee,” but refuse to do so for ego reasons.
Once you have chosen a tee area, you may place your ball on any part of the ground that is covered by the tee area (striking the ball from the ground is called an "off the deck" hit), a wooden peg called a "tee," or any natural object that is placed on the surface of the tee area. After you perform a stroke, your ball may land in various parts of the golf course, such as the rough, the fairway or the green.
- The Fairway:
The "fairway" is a long strip of land from the tee area to the green. The grass on the fairway is cut short and even, therefore it is easier to hit a ball into the green from there. It is considered a lucky shot if your ball falls into the fairway and not the rough.
- The Rough:
The "rough" is a patch of ground where the grass is allowed to grow longer. It would generally require women golfers stronger strokes in order to launch the ball in the proper direction, than if the ball was located on the fairway. But these are still not considered as tricky as the hazards, such as water pits, bunkers (man-made sand traps) and lateral hazards, such as dense natural vegetation.
- The Green:
It is considered a very lucky shot if your first stroke puts the ball into the green. The putting green, also known as just the "green," is where the flagstick and the golf holes are located. The grass in this small area is cut very short, so that a ball may roll a distance of many yards when struck. A gentle stroke, called a "putt," would be necessary to hit a ball on the green, into the golf hole. Special golf clubs called "putters" are required to manage these strokes, and they can be bought at any golf pro shop.
