Lesson 2: Straight Lines and Angles
Golf is full of straight lines and the angles between them. The path your ball travels is a line. The edge of the fairway is a line. The boundary of the course is a line. Even your putting stroke travels along a line — or should, if you are putting well.
An angle is the space between two lines that meet at a point. When you stand on the tee and decide where to aim, you are choosing an angle. If you aim straight down the middle, the angle between your shot line and the edge of the fairway might be large. If you aim toward the corner of a dogleg, you are picking a specific angle.
A right angle is exactly 90 degrees — like the corner of a square. If a fairway makes a 90-degree turn to the right, it is called a right-angle dogleg.
Understanding angles helps golfers think strategically. Where should you aim to leave yourself the best angle for your next shot? Which angle to the flag gives you the most room for error?
An angle is formed where two lines meet. In golf, angles determine where your shot goes and what your next shot will look like.
A right angle is 90 degrees. Fairway doglegs are often described by the angle of their turn.
If you could design a golf hole, would you make it straight or with a dogleg? What would be the advantages of each? What angle would your dogleg turn?
On the course with your parent, find a hole with a dogleg (a turn in the fairway). Stand at the tee and try to estimate the angle of the dogleg — is it a sharp turn (close to 90 degrees) or a gentle turn (maybe 30 or 45 degrees)? Draw the hole from above in your math journal and mark your estimated angle. Then talk about: what are your options for playing this hole, and what angle would you aim at from the tee?