Enjoyed Aditi Ashok's Performance But Failed To Understand Rules? Here's Our Basic Guide To Golf | All You Need To Know

Tokyo2020: Watched Aditi Ashok's golf final but failed to understand? In this article, we bring to you the most basic rules of golf that will make you understand the sport better. 

Tokyo: All of India cheered for Aditi Ashok as she took to the field in the final of Golf at Tokyo Olympic Games 2020. Most Indians who watched Aditi secure a historic 4th position at the Olympics were unaware of most of the rules as golf is not a popular sport in India. 

Former Indian cricketer, Wasim Jaffer's tweet about Aditi Ashok's match sums up the knowledge that Indians have about golf. Using a meme, Jaffer suggested that he did not understand the game but felt good watching Aditi represent India. Well, if you too, like Wasim Jaffer, are naive about golf and its rules then this is the right space for you. In this article, we bring to you the most basic rules of golf that will make you understand the sport better. 

Take a look at the tweet by Wasim Jaffer: 

Well, the most basic rule, as most people know, in golf is to put the ball in the designated hole in fewer strokes. First, let's clear our basics.

What does "birdie", "par" and "bogey" mean in golf? 

Par: This is the most commonly used term in golf. "par" is the number of strokes a golfer is expected to make in order to reach the hole. Mostly, holes in golf are par3, par4 or par 5. For example, in a par4 hole, an expert golfer would take 4 shots to put the ball in the hole. If the golfer takes 4 shots to put the ball, then that round is considered to be "par" for that golfer. 

Birdie: This term is used if a golfer takes fewer shots to hole. For example in a par4 hole, if a golfer puts in 3 shots, then that is a birdie attempt. "Birdie" is something that every golfer is striving for. 

Bogey: This term is the opposite of birdie and golfers despise getting a bogey. A "bogey' is when a golfer takes an extra shot to put the ball in the hole. For example, in a par4 hole, if a golfer takes 5 attempts to hole, then that attempt becomes a bogey.

Once these terms are clear, it is at least possible to watch the sport without having to be totally clueless about it. In Olympics, golfers play four rounds of 18 holes, competing over a total of 72 holes. The four rounds take place over a period of four days. The par score in one round is 71. 

An "ace" shot is - as the name suggests - when the golfer puts the ball in the hole in just one attempt. An ace mostly takes place on a par3 hole. Even on some PGA tours, golfers ace on par4 holes, but that's a rarity. If you understand "ace", you will understand "albatross" as well. It is a term used when a golfer uses three fewer shots to hole. It is possible on a par5 hole if a golfer puts in two attempts and also possible on par4 holes if a golfer puts an "ace" in. 

These were some of the basic rules that you need to know before watching any golf match and do not want to end up feeling like Wasim Jaffer. If you want to get into more minute details, then click HERE for a detailed list of rules in golf.