Golf info
Golf info is the collective term for all information about the sport of golf — from rules and technique to equipment and course search.
Golf strikes beginners as its own world with its own language. Terms like handicap, course certificate or Stableford need explanation before they make sense. For that there is golf info in many forms: association websites, specialist magazines, books, videos and online lexicons like this one. What matters is the currency of the source, because the rulebook has been thoroughly overhauled several times recently. Anyone following outdated tips risks unnecessary penalty strokes in competition. The basics like the course certificate or the Handicap are constant topics that concern every golfer.
In practice you usually look for golf info for a concrete occasion. An example: you are playing your first round on an unfamiliar course and want to know what is on the scorecard, how the tee colors work and what the etiquette demands. A good info source answers exactly these questions in understandable language. Another example: your ball is in the water and you need the correct dropping procedure. Here only the current rule counts, not the memory of how it used to be.
A typical mistake is trusting hearsay from the clubhouse. Much rules wisdom comes from old rule years and no longer applies today, such as dropping from shoulder height. Check important points against a source that refers to the current rulebook. For a quick overview in everyday play, compact reference works and golf portals, which offer knowledge bundled and well maintained, are helpful.
FAQ
Where do you get golf info that matches the current rulebook?
The most reliable sources are those that explicitly refer to the current rulebook: association websites, well-maintained online lexicons and current specialist books. Be careful with hearsay from the clubhouse, because much rules wisdom comes from old rule years. When penalty strokes are at stake in competition, only the checked source counts.
Which golf info do you need before your first round on an unfamiliar course?
Focus on three things: how to read the scorecard, which tee color suits you and what the etiquette on the course demands. Also part of this is how to behave when your ball is in the water or out of bounds. Anyone who reads up on these basics beforehand plays more relaxed and does not hold up the group behind.
Is it true that you have to drop the ball from shoulder height?
No, that is a stubborn misconception from earlier rule years. Under the current rules you drop the ball from knee height. Anyone still dropping from shoulder height incurs unnecessary penalty strokes in competition — a good example of why it pays to study the rules after the course certificate.