Golf
Background
Golf is a sport in which a player, using several types of clubs, hits a ball into each hole on the golf course in the lowest possible number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not use a standardized playing area; rather, the game is played on golf "courses," each one of which has a unique design and typically consists of either 9 or 18 separate holes.
The British Columbia Golf Association (BCGA) represents more than 67,000 individual golfers, in over 300 clubs at 270 member courses. The governing body of amateur golf in the province, the BCGA, acts as a voice in provincial golf affairs and functions as a resource centre for the golf industry. Golf in BC drives more than 1.5 billion dollars into the provincial economy each year.
How to Watch Golf
In stroke play, players record the total number of strokes taken in the entire round of golf. The lowest total score wins. Players' scores are usually reported in relation to par for easier comparison with other golfers' scores. For example, a player whose score is three strokes over par after a given hole would appear as "+3" on the scoreboard.
If there is a tie after the regulation number of holes in a professional tournament, a playoff takes place between all tied players. Some playoffs employ a pre-determined number of holes, anywhere from three to a full eighteen. If at least two players remain tied after such a playoff, then play continues in sudden death format, with the first player to win a hole outright winning the tournament.
In every form of play, the goal is to play as few strokes per round as possible. Scores for each hole can be described as follows:
|
Term on a
scoreboard
|
Specific term
|
Definition
|
|
-4
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Condor (or triple-eagle)
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four strokes under par
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-3
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Albatross (or double-eagle)
|
three strokes under par
|
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-2
|
Eagle
|
two strokes under par
|
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-1
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Birdie
|
one stroke under par
|
|
0
|
Par
|
strokes equal to par
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+1
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Bogey
|
one stroke more than par
|
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+2
|
Double bogey
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two strokes over par
|
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+3
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Triple bogey
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three strokes over par
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Competition at the Games
At the BC Summer Games, athletes will compete in three categories; Boys Individual, Girls Individual, and Mixed Zone Teams. For individual play, athletes will complete 36 holes of stroke play with the final scores based on a total two-day gross score. For team play, team scores are based on 36 holes of stroke play with final team scores recorded on the two-day total of the three lowest net scores from any member of the Zone Team posted each day.
Under the BCGA Player Development model, athletes chosen by the BCGA use the BC Summer Games as a stepping stone to a higher level of competitive play. In many cases, the BC Summer Games is an introduction to competitive golf for participating athletes.
For more info on Golf, contact the BC Golf Association at www.bcga.org or (604) 421-9755.