Golf can be a relaxing sport to play. It is a great game to enjoy on a warm, sunny day with friends, coworkers or family. However, there is more than one type of course. The course you play on can change your game slightly. Here’s what you need to know.
Access
A course that is private course requires a membership to join. These courses tend to offer members benefits that free courses do not. Resort golf club management focuses on bringing their members added value and include features such as social events and dining options. Semi-private courses usually have membership options but may also allow people to pay to play without becoming a member. The benefits tend to be less than a private club though. A daily-fee course is owned by a private owner but is available for public use. A municipal course is similar to a daily-fee course but is owned by the public. Both daily-fee and municipal courses are pay to play.
Landscape
Even in dry, arid climates, a golf course is possible. Like a beautiful oasis amid the dunes, a golf club is a green area surrounded by the native landscape. These courses use a lot of irrigation to create the unnatural course for the region, but they do use various features around them such as natural sand dunes. Links courses are the original Scottish courses where golf hails from. These narrow strips of land between the farms and coast are the links courses. They are available now beyond the Scottish borders but the tradition is found worldwide. The most commonly found courses are Parkland. These well-manicured lawns have smooth fairways and an abundance of trees and grass.
Size
Regulation courses have a majority of par 4 holes with a few par 3s and 5s mixed in. These 18-hole courses are generally par-72 but can range between 71 and 73. The official courses may be used for championships. If you are looking for a quick turnaround time, you may want to try an executive course. These shorter courses may have 18 holes or as few as nine. The majority of the holes are par 3s with a few 4s and 5s thrown in keeping an 18-hole course under par 65. These are great for getting in and out and back to the office.
Play
The variety of golf courses available can help you plan your next vacation or squeeze in a tee time after work or during your lunch hour. A regular golfer may enjoy the benefits of a private or semi-private club while a casual golfer may only want a municipal course. Whichever you choose, you can enjoy a quality game.