How to Read a Golf Course Map: Tee to Green Explained
A golf course map shows every hole from tee to green, and once you can read the layout it becomes a poster you keep looking at.
The first time you look at a golf course map, it can seem like a puzzle of shapes, lines and open space. Once you know what each part means, the drawing becomes a route you can follow hole by hole. This guide explains how to read a golf course layout, and why a good map also makes a fine poster.
The building blocks of every hole
Every hole follows the same logic. It begins at the tee and ends on the green, with the fairway in between. Rough, bunkers and water lie around that route as hazards. Read any hole on a map in that order and the layout starts to make sense.
Tee
The tee is where a hole begins and the first shot is played. When you read a map, find the start of each hole first. From there, the line of play opens up towards the green.
Fairway
The fairway is the stretch between tee and green. It shows the shape of a hole most clearly. You can see at a glance whether it runs straight, bends left or curves to the right.
Rough, bunkers and water
The rough borders the fairway. Bunkers sit along the way or close to the green, and water can run beside a hole or cut across it. These hazards show you where trouble waits, and they often explain why a hole is shaped the way it is.
Green
The green is where every hole ends. It is the target of the whole route, the point the fairway leads you to.
Following the order of the holes
A standard round consists of 18 holes, played in a fixed order. On a golf course map you can trace that sequence from the first tee to the first green, on to the next tee, and onwards until the eighteenth green. You can see how the course moves across the land, where holes run side by side and where the route turns back.
That routing is what gives every course its character. Two courses with the same number of holes can feel very different once you see how they are laid out.
Why a good map makes a beautiful poster
While you play, you only ever see one hole at a time. A well drawn map shows the whole course at once. For a golfer, that means replaying a round on the wall. If you are buying a gift, it shows that you know which course matters to the person receiving it.
Take the Bethpage Black golf course poster, a map of a public course on Long Island, New York. Every hole is drawn, so you can follow the round from the first tee to the last green. The same goes for the map of The Old Course at St Andrews and the Kennemer poster.
Sizes, frames and delivery
Posters start at €29.99 and come in four sizes: A4 (21 x 29.7 cm), 30 x 40 cm, 40 x 50 cm and 50 x 70 cm. You can choose unframed or a black frame. Shipping is free from €60. The product page shows the expected delivery date before you pay, and around the holidays it mentions Sinterklaas or Christmas while that date can still be met.
Ready to choose? Browse the full collection of golf course maps, or start with the gift page with the most popular courses. Is your course missing? Then use the designer to have a poster made of another course.
Frequently asked questions
How do you read a golf course map?
Read each hole from the tee, along the fairway, to the green, and note the rough, bunkers and water around it. Then follow the holes in order to see the full layout.
How many holes does a golf course layout show for a standard round?
A standard round consists of 18 holes. On a golf course map you can follow them in order, from the first tee to the eighteenth green.
What sizes does a golf course map poster come in?
A golf course map poster comes in A4 (21 x 29.7 cm), 30 x 40 cm, 40 x 50 cm and 50 x 70 cm. Every size is available unframed or in a black frame, starting at €29.99.
Can I order a golf course map of a course that is not in the collection?
Yes, you can have a poster of another course made in the designer. You choose the course there instead of in the collection.