III.

Golf Strokes and Golf Equipment

In addition to the putt, the specialized stroke used on the green, two main types of shots are used in playing each hole: the drive, which is a long shot from the tee onto the fairway; and the approach shot, which is the shot used to hit the ball onto the green. Shots of various lengths are played with different clubs, according to the distance to be covered and the lie (position) of the ball. A standard set of 14 golf clubs (the maximum that one player may carry in tournament play) is divided into two main types: woods and irons. Woods have larger heads and are so called because for many years the heads were made of wood, but today they are almost exclusively made of metal. Irons have heads made of forged steel, sometimes chrome plated. The shafts of both types usually are made of steel or cast graphite. Formerly, each club was known by a distinctive name, but today most are designated by numbers. The woods are customarily numbered 1 through 7 and the irons 1 through 9, though usually a player only carries some of these clubs during a round. The putter, an iron, has retained its distinct name. Another class of clubs that retains its name is the wedges, including the pitching wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge, which are used on short-range shots in an attempt to place the ball on the green.

Different clubs are used to achieve varied distance, height, or accurate placement of the ball; the angle of the club face determines the trajectory of the ball. For making drives and distance shots on the fairway, golfers use the woods (the most popular of which are No. 1, or driver; No. 3; and No. 5) and the so-called long irons (No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3). For the initial shot on each hole, the ball is teed up—that is, placed on a small wooden, rubber, or plastic peg, known as a tee. This action lifts the ball off the ground, making it easier to hit cleanly. For long, low shots on the fairway, the No. 2 wood is often used, and for shorter, higher shots the higher-numbered woods are employed. Approach shots to the green are generally played with irons. For even shorter approaches, known as chip shots, the clubs with more loft—high irons and wedges—are used. The putter normally is used only on the green or the apron (a fringe of less smooth grass) of the green.

The game was originally played with a ball made of feathers tightly packed inside a leather cover. About 1850 a ball made of gutta-percha (a crude form of rubber) came into use. At the start of the 20th century a two-piece ball with a rubber core enclosed in gutta-percha, similar in design to the ball in use today, was developed. After much experimentation, the pitted, or dimpled, surface of modern golf balls was adopted to stabilize flight. Most golf balls today have a cover made of a plastic resin called Surlyn and a rubber core. All golf balls must have a diameter of no less than 1.68 in (4.27 cm) and weigh not more than 1.62 oz (45.93 g).