Course
The course is the golf facility with its holes on which you play your round.
In the rulebook the course is simply called the "course", and it comprises everything from the first tee to the last green. A full facility has 18 holes, usually supplemented by practice areas such as a driving range and putting green. Shorter variants are the 9-hole course or the pure short course with exclusively short holes. Each hole consists of tee, fairway, rough, hazards and the green with the hole. The sum of the hole pars gives the course par, usually 70 to 72.
For your round, the course practically begins on the scorecard. There you see the length, par and hole index of each hole, plus the map of the facility. An example: you are standing for the first time on the tee of hole 7, a dogleg to the left. The look at the scorecard shows you the 340 metres, the position of the bunker at 220 metres and the ideal line. Anyone who "reads" the course before the round plays it strategically instead of blindly.
A common misconception is confusing course and club. The course is the facility, the club the community that runs it. The distinction is worthwhile in everyday life too: a course certificate counts as a qualification, but whether you are allowed to play is decided by the respective course through its admission conditions. And when the course is closed for maintenance or frost, even the best membership is no help.
FAQ
What is the difference between course and club?
The course is the facility with its holes, greens and practice areas; the club is the community that runs it. So you can play on a course without being a member of the club there. What matters for the round is whether the course admits you through its admission conditions.
How do I prepare for an unfamiliar course?
Take a look at the scorecard before the round: it shows the length, par and hole index of each hole, often also a map of the facility with hazards and ideal lines. Anyone who "reads" the course in this way beforehand plays doglegs and bunkers strategically instead of blindly charging ahead.
Does a golf course always have to have 18 holes?
No. Besides the classic 18-hole facility, there are many 9-hole courses that you play twice for a full round, as well as pure short courses with exclusively short holes. Especially for beginners and quick rounds after work, the shorter variants are often the better choice.