Golf is one of the most popular sports on the earth; approximately sixty million players enjoy this game all over the world. This sport commenced from the Anglo-Saxon area, which possesses traditions of several centuries, and at the moment it has conquered the planet. Golf counts as the number one leisure sport, the professional competitions are played for huge amounts of money, and the champions belong to one of the best paid sportsmen.
Count Andrássy Géza, who held a show on the metropolitan turf in 1902, brought the golf into the public consciousness of Hungary. The first course was built is 1908 at Tátralomnic – at that time it still belonged to Hungary, it was based on the plans of a multiple golf champion Lauber Dezső. Two years later the Budapest Golf Club was formed, which later was brought into the public consciousness as the Hungarian Golf Club, in turn our players belonged to the forefront of the continent. After the 1945, during the communist leadership golf became an undesirable sport, it was necessary to wait until the middle of the seventies till the authorities tolerated the representatives of the game. After the political transformation, Hungarian Golf Association was formed promptly in 1989, and since then quite a few practice and competition courses were built in the country, and golf clubs are registered continuously.
In Hungary for a long period of time is was presumed that golf is the sport of wealthy people, the equipment and the rent of the golf courses requires a serious amount of money, this is the reason not everyone can afford this type of entertainment. However since then due to the golf courses being built continuously this became an accessible type of sport at an affordable price. The equipment requires a onetime investment, and renting a golf course is not very expensive either. But let’s take a look at what is needed in order for someone to taste the mysteries of golf.
The price of the necessary clubs and the golf bags begins at 100 thousand forints, but there is no problem if someone who is interested in this sport and would like to try it out does not wish to invest this sum of money at the first try since at almost every course the equipment may be rented. In order to play, a good quality ball is needed, the cost of which is approximately 400 HUF. Those who wish deal with the game in a more serious manner then it is recommended to invest in special golf footwear, which costs 15-20 thousand forints but with it the game is more easier and much more comfortable.
The main objective of golf is to hit the ball – which has to be at least 42,67 mm in diameter and at most 45,93 grams – with the lowest possible number of strokes from a tee on the teeing box (a marked area designated for the first shot of a hole, a tee shot) into the cup which has to be at least one hundred meters away and – according to the rules of golf – with a diameter of 10,8 centimeters. A course typically consists of 18 holes, while courses for practicing have 9 or 6 holes, the length of which in total may even be over 7000 meters. To every section a number is paired, which stands for the amount of strokes an experienced golf player would be able to hit the ball into the cup. According to the rules one player may take maximum 14 clubs from the five different kinds with himself to the course.
There are two different types of golf competitions, the match play and the stroke play. In case of stroke play there is no opponent, the goal is to play through the whole course, with the possible lowest number of strokes. In case of match play the contest takes place with an actual opponent, it is necessary to win as many holes as possible with the lowest amount of hits. In the two types of golf competitions two kinds of calculation methods are used, with the help of which a gross (the actually reached score) and a net (the reached score including the participant’s playing strength) results can be counted.
The accomplishment of the different types of strokes does not require very complicated action coordination, or special strength, however in order to enjoy the game, it is advised to practice the basics and it will not harm to take some lessons from a coach either. With a suitable attitude and technique, the correct stroke may be learned, and once we have attained this, the game can be enjoyed with a relatively poor knowledge, which is not just a type of sport but also a superb social program.
In Budapest and its surroundings there can be found a number of distinguished quality golf courses which are equipped with high-level establishments, which provide superb entertainment equally for the lovers of this sport, professionals and amateurs.
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