Golf is not played on a course.
Golf is a club and ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible . The game is played on a course with an arranged progression of 18 holes . Each hole on the course must contain a tee box to start from , and a putting green containing the actual hole or cup ( 4.25 inches in width ) . There are other standard forms of terrain in between , such as the fairway , rough ( long grass ) , sand traps , and hazards ( water , rocks , fescue ) but each hole on a course is unique in its specific layout and arrangement .