| Although noone wants their ball to end up in a | | | | your ball roll back down the fairway and away |
| hazard you must agree that it is the presence of | | | | from its intended target. This is particularly true if |
| hazards around the golf course that makes the | | | | the slope falls away to one side of the course |
| sport both stimulating and challenging. Who has | | | | and your ball is likely to not only roll back down |
| not watched a tournament and enjoyed the | | | | the fairway but to roll off into the rough or into |
| spectacle of seeing a player negotiate his way out | | | | some other type of hazard. |
| of a sticky situation? | | | | 3. Bunkers. Bunkers are essentially a hazard for |
| Having said this, it is one thing to watch other | | | | beginners rather than for anyone else and, with a |
| people trying to hack themselves free of the | | | | bit of practice, it is usually not too hard to hit |
| thorn bushes but it is not something which you | | | | your ball out of the sand and in fact you can |
| want to experience yourself. So, just how can | | | | frequently make some quite excellent shots from |
| you at at the very least reduce the possibility of | | | | the sand. Having said this, not all bunkers are the |
| this happening? | | | | same and finding yourself caught under the lip of |
| The answer comes from and ability to read the | | | | a deep and steeply sided bunker may present |
| golf course and plan ahead. | | | | you with a sizeable difficulty. |
| Before playing a hole you must think very | | | | 4. Bushes and Trees. Bushes and trees can be |
| carefully about where the particular hazards for | | | | very nasty and even if you are unable to play |
| the hole are and work out how each might affect | | | | your ball and are forced to make a drop you |
| your game if you fall foul of it. Once you have | | | | might well find that the lie within the 2 club lengths |
| done this you must then decide how you should | | | | specified by regulation is not a great deal better |
| play the hole so as to minimize the damage | | | | than your original lie. |
| should you be unfortunate enough to finish up in | | | | 5. Water. Ending up in the water will usually mean |
| one of the hole's traps. | | | | that you have to take a penalty and reposition |
| So, just what are the hazards you will meet on | | | | your next shot. This said, it is sometimes possible |
| just about all golf courses? There are in essence | | | | to hit your ball from the water if it is accessible |
| 6 hazards that you are likely to come across: | | | | and not lying too deep, however these occasions |
| 1. The Rough. While it is troublesome the rough is | | | | are rare. |
| possibly the simplest of the problems which you | | | | 6. Out of Bounds. Probably the worst of all |
| will come across and it is not usually too hard to | | | | hazards is hitting your ball into an 'out of bounds' |
| get your ball out of the rough and back onto the | | | | area because you will be required to play the shot |
| fairway. | | | | again and will also have to take a penalty stroke. |
| 2. Hilly Terrain. Having your ball in a good position | | | | This is certainly something which you want to |
| on the fairway so that you can take your | | | | avoid because there is nothing worse than finding |
| approach shot to the green is always better than | | | | yourself driving off into an out of bounds area |
| achieving distance and so, when you are looking | | | | and having to return to the tee and begin all over |
| at a significant uphill slope along the fairway, you | | | | again with what will in fact be your third shot to |
| might wish to think about playing short of it | | | | the hole. |
| rather than trying for distance and simply having | | | | |