Colour in the golfer swinging and getting ready to hit the ball.

Golf is a precision club and ball sport where competing players (or golfers) use various

clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course using as few strokes as possible.

Golf is played outdoors on a golf course. Grass, water and sand make up a golf course. The

course is made up of 18 holes. Each hole includes a tee to start from and a putting green

which is where the hole is. There are other forms of terrain in between the tee and the

hole such as; fairway, rough, and hazards. Each hole has a unique layout.

When a golfer swings at the ball it is called a stroke. Golfers try and complete a round of

golf with as few strokes as possible, the lower the score the better. Each hole has a set

number of strokes a golfer should be able to complete each round, this is called par.

Here is an example of a hole on a golf course and the parts that make up a hole.

1. Tee

2. Water hazard

3. Rough

4. Out of Bounds

5. Sand Bunker

6. Water Hazard

7. Fairway

8. Putting Green

9. Flagstick (marks the hole)

10. Hole

Golf Clubs:

A golfer uses golf clubs; they carry a bag with them that holds a variety of golf clubs.

Choosing the right club depends on the type of shot, the surface the ball is on, the

distance etc. Each type of club then has a number of clubs each having different results.

There are five types of clubs;

Woods: Woods feature deep (from front to back) clubheads that are made of metal,

usually steel or a titanium alloy. They are called "woods" because the clubheads used to be

made of wood.

Irons: The clubheads of irons are thin from front to back, and the clubfaces are grooved

to impart spin on the golf ball. Irons are generally categorized as long irons, mid-irons and

short irons. Long irons are the 2-, 3- and 4-irons; mid-irons, the 5-, 6- and 7-irons; short

irons, the 8- and 9-irons and pitching wedge.

Each iron delivers different results. Golfers choose which iron to use based on the loft

and distance they desire.

Wedges: The focus with wedges is on accuracy - trying to hit a short shot as close as

possible to the flagstick - wedges are often referred to as the "scoring clubs." Wedges

feature the shortest shafts and highest lofts of any golf clubs.

Putters: Putters are mostly used on the putting green. All putters, regardless of size or

shape, are designed to start the ball rolling smoothly, with a minimum of backspin to avoid

skipping or skidding. Almost all putters have a small amount of loft (typically 3 or 4

degrees), so the ball does come up off the turf when it is first struck, then settles back

on the surface of the putting green and begins its forward roll.

Utility/Hybrid: These clubs are a category of clubs that combine elements of both woods

and irons into their design. These are fairly newer clubs and are becoming popular as they

are easy to use.

Golf Terms:

Approach: A shot hit towards the green or towards the hole.

Backswing: The motion that involves the club and every element of the body in taking the

club away from the ball and setting it in position at the top of the backswing from which

the club can be delivered to the ball at impact.

Backspin: The rotational movement or spin of the ball produced by contact with the

clubface. The greater the backspin, the higher the ball will fly and the more it will spin.

Break: The amount a putt will curve to the side because of the slope, grain and wind that

affect the movement of the ball.

Bunker: A hollow comprised of sand or grass or both that exists as an obstacle and, in

some cases, a hazard.

Caddie: A person hired to carry clubs and provide other assistance.

Downswing: The swing forward from the top of the backswing.

Driving Range: Another term for a practice area. Also known as a golf range, practice

range or learning center.

Impact: The moment in the swing when the club strikes the ball.

Fade: A shot that flies slightly from left to right.

Lie: As it relates to the ball, the position of the ball when it has come to rest.

Recover: To successfully hit a shot from a poor location.

Tee Box: The area where players tee to start a hole.

Scoring Terms:

Par: The score an accomplished player is expected to make on a hole, either a three, four

or five.

Bogey: A score of one over par on a hole. If Par was 3, the total score would be 4.

Double Bogey: A score of two over par on a hole. If Par was 3, the total score would be 5.

Eagle: A score of two-under-par on a hole. If Par was 4, the total score would be 2.

Double Eagle: A score of three under par on a hole. If Par was 5, the total score would be

2.

Birdie: A score of one under par on a hole. If Par was 3, the total score would be 2.

Hole in One (Ace): When you get the ball in the hole with only one shot.

The Scorecard:

The scorecard has a number of components.

Hole: there is a line that lists the number of holes 1-18. Some have a picture of each hole.

Tees: there may be a list of different tees you can use, each has a different distance to

the hole. Beside each tee the scorecard indicates the distance to the hole.

Name: Spaces to write in the golfer’s names.

Par: The number of strokes you should be able to complete the hole is listed here, for

each hole on the course. The total score based on the set amounts for par is listed at the

end. Golfers should be able to complete a round of golf with this score or lower.

Score: under each hole, mark the number of strokes each player took to get the ball in

the hole.

Fun Facts about Golf:

1. A “round” of golf typically consists of 18 holes that are played in the order

determined by the course layout.

2. A maximum of 14 clubs is allowed in a player’s bag at one time during a stipulated

round.

3. Golf will be included in the 2016 and the 2020 Olympics.

4. The youngest and oldest golfers ever to win the Masters Tournament are the same

person! In 1963 and at age 23, Jack Nicklaus became the youngest golfer to win

the Masters. He became the tournament’s oldest winner when he won it for the

sixth time in 1986 at age 46.

5. Golf balls travel significantly farther in hot weather. The warmer the ball is, the

more resilient the rubber becomes. A warmer golf ball has more elasticity, which

causes the ball to leave the club with more force.

6. The longest ever pro golf drive was made in 1974 by Mike Austin. It traveled a

monstrous 515 yards!

7. A regulation golf ball has 336 dimples.

8. Golf is one of the two only sports to be played on the moon. On February 6,

1967 Alan Bartlett performed a one-handed swing with a six-iron, sending the ball

flying through the moon’s low-gravity atmosphere.

9. The longest putt ever is a monstrous 375 feet

10. The chances of making two holes-in-one in a round of golf are one in 67 million

Activities:

Putting: Putt the ball along a taped line or chalk line on the driveway or sidewalk. You can

make this line as long as you would like. Make it curvy or make it straight. Go uphill or

down. Who can stay on the line the longest? How far could they put along the line?

You could also just practice putting, who can putt the furthest?

Closest to the Pin Challenge: Set up a marker as the pin (hole). Everyone starts with one

ball. Take turns trying to hit or roll the ball closest to the pin. How close did everyone

get? Measure and record everyone’s best results!

Target Golf: Using an empty cardboard box, cut out different

sized squares, place it on the floor and let children try hit or

roll the balls into the holes. If you wanted to keep score, each

hole can have a different point value and you can record each

child’s scores after each shot.

Golf Ball Paint: Use golf balls dipped in paint and roll them on the paper to make a unique

print.

Tin Can Golf: Use tin cans laying sideways as the holes and set up a mini course.

For the holes:

• 3 x Tin cans

• 3 x Popsicle sticks (paddle pop sticks/craft sticks)

• Paper for flags (use free printable template attached)

• Glue stick & scissors

• Duct Tape

For the club:

• 2 x paper towel rolls, plus a half cut lengthways to brace them together

• 1 piece of thick recycled cardboard (ideally a flap from a cardboard carton)

• Duct tape

Design a Golf Course: Work together and design your own golf course, or just one hole in

a golf course. You can draw it or make it out of playdoh.

Design a Golf Ball: Design a golf ball, paint it any way you like.

Golf Footprint Painting: Create a painting using the footprint as the green and fill in the

rest.

Books about Golf:

1. P is for Putt: A Golf Alphabet by Brad Herzog and Bruce Langton

2. Count on Golf by Susan Greene and Margaret L. Rose

3. Curious George Plays Mini Golf by H.A. Rey

4. Consider It Golf: Golf Etiquette and Safety Tips for Children by Susan Greene

5. Swing into Opposites with Golf by Susan Greene

6. My First Golf Book by Smith James