Golf

Arguably the most prestigious of golf’s majors, the Masters is the only major played at the same venue (Augusta). Previously known as the Augusta National, and founded by amateur golfer Bobby Roberts, the champion is awarded a green jacket.

It takes place in April, and there is something unique about it, especially the Amen Corner stretch of holes (11th, 12th, and 13th) where disaster can often strike. This tournament comprises a small invite-only field, usually 90-100 players.

Renowned for tough setups, the US Open is open to amateur and pro golfers, and the winner is the player who records the fewest strokes. This event has been held annually by the United States Golf Association (USGA) since 1895.

Tough pin positions, complete with narrow fairways and thick rough, make this tournament daunting. Usually, a score of around level par is enough to be crowned champion.

The Open Championship is the oldest-running major, dating back to 1860, and the R&A runs it outside of the US and Mexico. This tournament is played on a links course, which provides a stern test, and the weather is a huge factor when the wind picks up.

Rotating between courses in the UK and Ireland, the Open Championship has firm fairways and deep bunkers, but the reward for taming the course is the coveted Claret Jug.

Unofficially known as the ‘fifth Major’, the Players Championship is an integral part of the PGA Tour’s Florida swing.

Taking place each March at TPC Sawgrass, the crowning glory of the par-72 course is the 17th, a short par-3 island hole that requires precise iron control, but it has created plenty of drama.

Established in 2007, the FedEx Cup playoffs are the culmination of a season-long points competition, marked by three events – the FedEx St. Jude Championship, BMW Championship, and Tour Championship.

There is a progressive cut from each event, with 30 players lining up for the Tour Championship. The player with the lowest 72-hole score earns $10 million and a five-year PGA Tour exemption.

The Ryder Cup, which is held every two years, pits the USA and Europe against each other over three days in a matchplay event, consisting of fourballs, foursomes, and singles.

Teams feed off the crowd energy, and the same applies to the Presidents Cup, which is also staged biennially. A matchplay event too, this tournament sees a 12-man USA team face an International team.

Tournaments are played on standard 18-hole courses, and typically par might be set around 72. There will be a mix of par 3s, 4s, and 5s designed to test precision and accuracy.

St Andrews is credited with having the first-ever 18-hole course in 1764. Players start their rounds from the tee box, and reaching the fairways and greens is the objective. Often, playing out of the rough and bunkers creates its own dangers, while players landing in water hazards face a one-stroke penalty and will need relief.

The technology has come a long way, as players originally utilized wooden clubs. Nowadays, clubs are made with metal for durability. The introduction of hybrids; a hybrid between wood and iron; replaced long irons, which became frustrating to carry around the course.

The PGA Tour is the main men’s tour, with events predominantly US-based. The regular season starts in January in Hawaii and there are eight Signature Events, featuring the top 50 players from the previous campaign’s FedEx Cup.

Everything builds towards the FedEx Cup playoffs, which consists of three legs, and there is the allure of the big money Tour Championship finale at the end of August.

As the flagship women’s tour, the LPGA Tour has its own global schedule, and it puts on five majors each year – the US Women’s Open, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the AIG Women’s Open, the Chevron Championship, and the Amundi Evian Championship.

Meanwhile, the DP World Tour was the result of a rebranded European Tour, with events taking place all over the world. Some events are co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour, such as the Genesis Scottish Open.

There are other golfing tours, such as the Korn Ferry and Asian Tour, which are developmental pathways to the PGA Tour.

The golfing landscape has changed with the introduction of LIV, a Saudi-backed rival to the PGA Tour, which has recruited many of the game’s leading lights. The top pros are now spread across multiple circuits.

Although originally banned, King James IV of Scotland gave golf the royal seal of approval in 1502. As the world’s first golf monarch, he paved the way for games to be played on Scottish links before the sport spread throughout Europe.

Golf officially became recognized as a sport when the Gentlemen Golfers of Leith formed the first club in 1744. Later in the 18th Century, the St Andrews Society of Golfers was formed to compete in its own tournament using Leith’s codified rules.