Learning to play golf can be a task that takes a lifetime. The game of golf is based not on physical strength or endurance, but rather on strategy, patience, and technique. Those who are serious about improving their game will most often take training lessons. Training usually includes reviewing golf techniques in slow motion, in-class room learning, and swinging practice. Swinging practice is usually taught by a golf swing trainer.

Golf is normally played on a nine-hole course or an eighteen-hole course. Games for eighteen holes are sometimes played on nine-hole course and just repeated twice.

The golf basics start from the tee and work down to the green. Score is kept via par scores. Each hole is designated a par number based on its difficulty, length, and terrain. Par is the number of attempts it would take a professional golfer from tee off to have the ball into the hole. Par numbers range from three and up to five. A par of six is rare but is possible. Holes can be as short as two hundred fifty yards to as long as six hundred yards.

The number of strokes a golfer takes to place the ball in the hole will be his or her score. The person with the lowest par number at the end wins. Average par scores range from seventy to seventy-two. Par scores can also include handicap scores. Handicaps are difficult to calculate and vary depending on the type of game being played.

Handicaps usually include calculating the total gross score at the round’s end with the net score. Different golf games include match play, stroke play, skins, stableford play, foursome, greensome, four ball, and scramble. Each game includes the same scoring style and rules, but when the game ends and how the scores are calculated vary with each. Golf can be played by the self or in pairs.