Each golf course contains a range of obstacles in its overall landscape that a golfer must surmount with as few strokes as possible as he plays through. Every subsequent hole would contain a usually straightforward path to the ball (the fairway) and any number of topographic hazards, each with its set of rules.
There is no stroke penalty if the ball is played where it lies, but if the ball is found to be unplayable, it can be moved for a determined penalty. Depending on their placement, terrain obstacles could present a formidable challenge even for expert golfers and could require immense skill to surmount, particularly in later holes.
The primary hazards faced by golfers are water hazards such as lakes and streams, natural hazards such as forests and bushes, and man-made hazards such as bunkers. Each particular hazard challenges the golfer either by reducing their line of sight (as with forests) or making it difficult to get the ball out of the hazard. The bunker, a depression in the course that is usually filled with sand, is among the most difficult of them all, requiring its own club whose motions are difficult to learn.
Terrain hazards make golf courses a challenging game of physical skill and sound judgment to ensure the ball doesn’t enter a hazard and to get it out of one without incurring strokes. In addition to difficulty, they also add beauty to the course’s overall landscape.
Thomas Boge, an avid fishing and golf lover, often plays with the Rotary Club of Oakland. Visit this Facebook page for more on the sport of golf.
