Can You Answer These Questions a Golf Expert Should Know?

SPORTS

By: Robin Tyler

6 Min Quiz

Image: jhorrocks/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Fore!

One of the oldest sports in the world, the game of golf was first played centuries ago. In fact, there is proof that people were playing games similar to golf as early as the 13th century. 

Modern golf, however, is said to have been invented in Scotland. And here we are talking about a game over 18 holes with recorded strokes at every hole. The first mention of golf in Scottish history appears in a 1457 declaration by the parliament of Scotland. This banned any soldiers from playing the sport of "gowf" as it kept them from archery practice. It is said that Mary, Queen of Scots was an avid golf fan.

Recorded instructions for playing golf have been found and dated to the late 1600s. That said, golf is a game of many rules, incredibly talented players, beautiful courses and if you are a professional, it's a great way to make a living.

But what exactly do you know about the game of golf? Do you know your bunkers from your condors? Your tee from your putter? What about your hazards from your driver?

Let's test your golfing knowledge in this short golf quiz. Maybe you are up to scratch golfer after all. 

Good luck!


 

 

Who has won the most golfing Majors of all time?

"The Golden Bear," as he is known in the golfing world, Jack Nicklaus is the most successful golfer in the world in terms of Majors won. And let's be honest, that's the best way to judge a golfer. He won the U.S. Masters six times, the PGA Championship five times, the U.S. Open four times and the British Open three times. He also finished runner-up at Major tournaments on 18 occasions.

Advertisement

Can you name the golfer who won the 2018 British Open?

Francesco Molinari of Italy won the 2018 British Open by two shots over England's Justin Rose. The British Open is one of golf's four Major tournaments, and for his trouble, Molinari took home £10.5 million.

Advertisement

What is the Ryder Cup?

Held every two years, the Ryder Cup is one of the golfing world's greatest spectacles. It features two teams, one from the United States and one from Europe who battle it out for ultimate glory. Players play four-ball matches, pairs and singles over three days with a point scoring system determining the winner.

Advertisement

What nickname is given to a hole-in-one?

A hole-in-one is extremely difficult to achieve. It means a golfer has managed to land the ball in the hole in one shot. This is called an "ace" and is usually achieved on a par three hole.

Advertisement

Of the golf courses listed below, which is the oldest?

Well, it would be found in Scotland, right? After all, it is the home of golf. Musselburgh Links. Written evidence exists that golf was played here in 1672. Originally a seven-hole course, Musselburgh is now a nine-hole course with a par of 34.

Advertisement

Can you identify the golfer known as "The Great White Shark"?

Australian golfer Greg Norman was at the height of his career in the 1980s and '90s. He won over 90 tournaments around the world, including the British Open twice. In 2001 he was voted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Advertisement

Do you know what it means to play a hole in a par score in golf?

Par can be difficult to explain as golfers all have different handicaps. In professional golf, however, handicaps do not exist. So if a hole is a par 4, the golfer should complete it in four shots. Then he has achieved par for that hole.

Advertisement

True or false. Golf has been played on the moon.

Yes, it is true! It was astronaut Alan Shepard that took balls and a golf club with him on Apollo 14. Scientist calculated that Shepherd's shot would have flown for around 2.5 miles and stayed airborne for 70 seconds thanks to the fact that the moon has far less gravity than earth.

Advertisement

What nickname was Arnold Palmer known as?

Arnold Palmer is one of the greatest golfers the world has ever seen. He is recognized as golf's first real TV star when the sport first made it onto television. Palmer was extremely charismatic and loved by both the public and fellow golfers.

Advertisement

A golfer who wants to hit the ball as far as he can when teeing off would use a ______

When a golfer is going for distance, he hauls out his driver. Well, off the tee that is. Drivers have a massive head but are very light. They loft the ball the least out of all the clubs, hitting at a low trajectory to ensure it goes as far as possible and continues to roll once it lands.

Advertisement

A golfer teeing off from a par 4 or more hole is aiming for what specifically?

A golf hole consists of many different lengths of grass as well as areas that include water and sand. The place a golfer wants to land the ball when teeing off is the fairway. This is short grass, which means it is easier to play the next shot, especially in terms of aiming and getting the correct spin on the ball without having to worry about grass affecting the contact with the ball.

Advertisement

Do you know when the golf tee was invented?

The golf tee was invented and patented in 1899 by Dr. George Grant. A dentist, Grant was also a golfer who wanted an easier way to raise the ball to drive it at the start of a hole. And so, he invented the tee, which has remained much the same to this day.

Advertisement

What is the President's Cup?

Introduced in 1994 and held every two years, the President's Cup features two teams, one from the United States and the other comprising of golfers from around the world but not Europe. Players play four-ball matches, pairs and singles over three days with a point scoring system determining the winner.

Advertisement

Any idea what a bunker is on a golf course?

Bunkers are found on every hole on a golf course. They are usually very strategic positions to ensure accuracy from golfers. If a shot should land in a bunker, a golfer will most likely play it out with a sand wedge.

Advertisement

When playing from the fairway into the green, a golfer would mostly use which club?

Off a tee, a golfer will use a driver. For putting, he will use a putter. If the ball is in a bunker, a sand wedge is used. But generally, when playing an approach shot to the green, it is an iron that is used. Most golfers have nine different irons in their golf bag.

Advertisement

Any idea as to the oldest 18-hole golf course in the United States?

Chicago Golf Club has the oldest 18-hole course in America. It has hosted numerous tournaments including three U.S. Opens in the early 1900's. This course is a par 70.

Advertisement

Can you name the women's equivalent of the Ryder Cup?

The Solheim Cup is the women's version of the Ryder Cup. It was first played in 1990 with the United States taking the win. To date, they have won 10 of the 15 tournaments played.

Advertisement

When a golfer is on the green and attempting to hit the ball in the hole with his next stroke, what club does he use?

A putter is used when a golfer has the ball on the green and is aiming to hit it into the hole. It keeps the ball on the ground, with the golfer having to read the green inclines to hit the ball on the right line and into the hole.

Advertisement

Which of these golfers managed the only par 4 hole-in-one in PGA history?

The only hole-in-one on a par 4 in PGA history happened at the FBR Open in 2001. And the man to do it? Andrew Magee. Unbelievably, Magee tee shot reached the green with golfers still on it. The ball hit the putter of Tom Byrum and deflected into the hole. The hole-in-one stood.

Advertisement

True or false. Phil Mickelson, who plays left-handed, is actually right-handed.

When learning to play golf, Phil Mickelson would mirror his father playing shots. To do this, he would swing left-handed. And that just stuck so to this day, he plays left-handed even though he is right-handed.

Advertisement

Golf balls are covered in dimples. How many of them are there on a standard ball?

Golf balls never used to have dimples but they were introduced to help cause less air resistance. They do this by causing turbulence in the air next to the ball. This reduces drag.

Advertisement

"The Black Knight" is the nickname of which South African golfing legend?

South Africa's greatest ever golfer, Gary Player, won nine Majors through the course of his career. Now over 80 years old, he is known for his extreme fitness and still does 500 sit-ups every day! He is only one of five golfers to win a grand slam of majors. He was included in the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.

Advertisement

Do you know the term used to describe if a golfer has shot one over par for a whole?

It's something no golfer wants! A bogey is when a golfer completed the hole using one extra shot than the par score. For instance, a bogey on a par 4 hole means a golfer took five shots to get the ball in the hole.

Advertisement

What are the odds of shooting two holes-in-one in a round of golf?

Those are pretty massive odds right. Well, it does happen! And then you have golfer Martin Pollard from the United Kingdom. In 2010, he shot two holes-in-one in a ROW! What are the odds of that?

Advertisement

Complete the great golf saying: "You drive for show but you put for _____?

And that's true, isn't it? And there have been some great putters in the game of golf. None more so than South African Bobby Locke who actually coined this phrase. Locke won four Open Championships between 1949 and 1957.

Advertisement

Which of these golfers won the 2018 U.S. Masters?

The 2018 U.S. Masters was Patrick Reed's first Major victory after coming close at the 2017 PGA Championship where he tied for second. Reed's efforts saw him pocket $11 million in a tournament dominated by American golfers with Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth ending in second and third.

Advertisement

True or false. The word "caddie" comes from the French word "cadet".

Yes, it does. The French world "Cadet" pronounced "cad day" means the youngest child. This is where the golfing term "caddy" comes from. A caddy is someone who carries your bag around the golf course. How that links to the youngest child is anybody's guess.

Advertisement

What were early golf balls made from?

Golf balls have been made from a number of different materials but never bone, ivory or pearl. One of the ways to make them was to boil chicken or goose feathers in a leather sack. This was then formed into a ball shape and painted. These were very expensive, and not everyone could afford them.

Advertisement

How many golf balls are there on the moon?

Astronaut Alan Shepard famously took golf balls and a club to the moon on Apollo 14. Shepard hit a few balls from the lunar surface with scientists calculating afterward the balls would have stayed airborne for 2.5 miles!

Advertisement

Before the golfing tee was invented, what did golfers do to prop up their ball when driving?

To raise the ball off the ground when driving in the early days of golf, players would build up a small mound of sand. Often this meant carrying a bucket of sand with them on their round. This all stopped with the invention of the golf tee.

Advertisement

True or false. Golf returned as an Olympic sport at the 2016 Olympic games.

Golf did return to the Olympics in 2016. The last time it had been played as an Olympic sport was at the 1904 Olympics held in St Louis in the United States. Justin Rose of Great Britain took home gold in Rio.

Advertisement

If a golfer manages four strokes under par on one hole, what is it called?

Also called a double albatross, or a triple eagle, a condor would be achieved on a par 5 hole by hitting a hole-in-one. This has never been done in professional golf, but there are recorded cases by amateurs.

Advertisement

What is Tiger Woods' actual first name?

Some people aren't away that Tiger is just a nickname. His first name is Eldrick. And if that seems a little strange, his second name is Tont. Eldrick includes the E from his father Earl and the K from his mother Kultida, while Tont is a Thai name as his mother is from Thailand.

Advertisement

Golf rules state that a player may only have ____ clubs in his bag.

A golfer may only have 14 clubs in his bag on a round. One of these will be a putter, and of course, he will probably carry a driver. A wedge of some kind is needed as well while the majority of clubs will be irons.

Advertisement

Can you tell us the lowest score ever recorded in a professional round of golf?

Ryo Ishikawa of Japan became the first professional golfer to record a score of 58. He did this at the Crowns tournament on the Japanese Golf Tour in 2010. To date, two other golfers, Stephan Jäger and Jim Furyk, have managed the feat.

Advertisement

Explore More Quizzes

About Zoo

Our goal at Zoo.com is to keep you entertained in this crazy life we all live.

We want you to look inward and explore new and interesting things about yourself. We want you to look outward and marvel at the world around you. We want you to laugh at past memories that helped shape the person you’ve become. We want to dream with you about all your future holds. Our hope is our quizzes and articles inspire you to do just that.

Life is a zoo! Embrace it on Zoo.com.