Parts of a Golf Hole
Every golf hole has the same basic parts: a tee box to start from, a fairway of short grass to aim down, rough on either side, and a green with the hole in it. Along the way there are usually hazards such as bunkers and water.
Knowing what each part is called makes the rules, the commentary and your playing partners much easier to follow. Here's the tour, from tee to cup.
The tee box
The tee box is where each hole starts. The Rules of Golf call it the teeing area: a rectangle two club-lengths deep, with its front edge set by a pair of tee markers. You must start the ball within that rectangle, and it's the only place on a hole where you can put the ball on a tee peg.
Most courses have several sets of markers, often coloured, at different distances from the green. Pick the set that suits your game rather than the longest one.
The fairway
The fairway is the strip of closely mown grass running from the tee towards the green. It's where you want your tee shot to finish on a par 4 or par 5, because the short grass gives a clean lie and a predictable strike.
Fairways aren't always straight. When one bends left or right, the hole is a dogleg.
The rough
The rough is the longer grass either side of the fairway. Many courses have a first cut (slightly longer grass right next to the fairway) and then deeper rough further out. Grass grabs the club and makes it harder to control distance and spin, so a shot from the rough tends to come out lower and run further.
The fringe
The fringe (also called the apron or collar) is the ring of grass round the green, cut a little longer than the green but shorter than the fairway. From the fringe you can often putt, or play a short chip that lands on the green and rolls.
The green
The green (the putting green in the rules) is the very short, smooth grass where you putt. It holds:
- The hole (or cup): 4.25 inches (108 mm) wide and at least 4 inches deep.
- The flagstick: the pole and flag that show where the hole is from a distance.
- Slopes and borrow: most greens tilt, so putts curve. See how to read a green.
On the green you can mark, lift and clean your ball, and repair pitch marks.
Hazards
"Hazard" is the everyday word for anything designed to catch a bad shot. The modern rules split them into:
| Feature | What it is | What happens if you're in it |
|---|---|---|
| Bunker | A prepared area of sand, often a hollow | Play it as it lies, with limits on touching the sand |
| Penalty area | Water, ditches or other areas marked with red or yellow stakes | Play it as it lies, or take relief for one penalty stroke |
| Out of bounds | Beyond the course boundary, marked with white stakes or lines | One penalty stroke, replay from where you last played |
| Trees and bushes | Part of the general area | No penalty, but you may have to chip out |
Before 2019 the rules called penalty areas "water hazards". The term changed because many are now marked round dry areas such as desert or thick scrub too. More on these in what is a bunker in golf and out of bounds in golf.
How the rules see the course
Officially, the Rules of Golf divide the whole course into five areas: the general area, the teeing area, bunkers, penalty areas and the putting green. Fairway, rough and fringe aren't separate areas in the rules: they're all part of the general area. That's why the same rules apply whether your ball is in the middle of the fairway or deep in the rough.
Try it in Mashy
Mashy is seen from a top-down 3/4 view, so you can see every part of a hole at once: the tee, fairway, rough, fringe, green, bunkers, water and out-of-bounds woods. The ball lands, bounces and rolls differently on each surface, which is a handy way to learn why the fairway is worth aiming for.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the fringe and the green?
The fringe is the band of slightly longer grass around the edge of the green. The green itself is the very short, smooth surface where the hole is cut. Under the rules your ball is only on the putting green when part of it touches the green, so on the fringe you can't mark and lift it.
Is the tee box called the teeing area?
Yes. Tee box is the common name, but since 2019 the Rules of Golf use the term teeing area. It's a rectangle two club-lengths deep behind the front edge set by the two tee markers, and your ball must be teed up inside it.
How big is a golf hole?
The hole on the green is 4.25 inches (108 mm) in diameter and at least 4 inches (101.6 mm) deep. That size is set by the Rules of Golf, so the cup is the same width on every course, even though the length and shape of each hole varies.
Are bunkers hazards in golf?
In everyday language, yes. The current Rules of Golf no longer use the word hazard, though: bunkers are their own area of the course, and water and similar features are penalty areas. Landing in a bunker has no penalty, but there are limits on touching the sand before your stroke.
What is the area between the fairway and the rough called?
It's usually called the first cut or the intermediate rough. It's a narrow strip of grass a little longer than the fairway, which gives a slightly worse lie than the fairway but a better one than the deeper rough further out.