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Field Hockey · Level 9: Master · Sub-level 9.5

From Grass to Turf

10 tests · 100 facts · updated 30 October 2026 · markdown

How the modern game changed: hockey on grass, the first synthetic pitches and the 1976 Olympics, water-based turf, the modern stick, new turf skills, the end of offside, the self-pass, quarters and the clock, and hockey made for television.

Each test below is ten questions on Insporta. The list under a test is what the questions check: one fact per question, with the source it was written from. Read it before the test, or come back from a wrong answer.

Test 1Hockey on grassTake a test

  1. Turf only arrived at the top in the 1970s.

    Source: FIH, The history of FIH & hockey · recall

  2. Uneven ground made control hard.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  3. Indian players were masters of close control.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  4. Friction and bumps slowed the ball.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  5. Mud made play heavy and slow.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  6. Grass remains common at grassroots level.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  7. Older sticks had bigger curved heads.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  8. Grass for a century, then turf in two stages.

    Source: FIH, The history of FIH & hockey · recall

  9. Grass, green turf, then blue turf.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  10. Grass made hockey slower and bumpier.

    Source: General field hockey reference · applied

Test 2The first synthetic pitchesTake a test

  1. They spread through the 1970s and 1980s.

    Source: FIH, The history of FIH & hockey · recall

  2. A flat surface rewarded skill and passing.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  3. Falls on early turf hurt.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  4. Access to pitches shaped who trained on them.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  5. A truer ball means quicker play.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  6. Turf needs a different shoe.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  7. Speed and passing rose in value.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  8. Natural, early artificial, modern artificial.

    Source: FIH, The history of FIH & hockey · recall

  9. The surface changed the ball, then skills, then tactics.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  10. Turf pitches spread from the 1970s.

    Source: FIH, The history of FIH & hockey · applied

Test 3Montreal 1976Take a test

  1. It changed the sport for good.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  2. Montreal is in Canada.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  3. New Zealand beat Australia in the final.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  4. India's grass game struggled on turf.

    Source: Olympedia, Olympic hockey results · recall

  5. Pakistan finished third.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  6. Top events moved to turf from then on.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  7. Women's hockey joined in 1980.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  8. Gold, silver, bronze.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  9. 1972 grass, 1976 turf, 1980 the women's debut.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  10. Montreal brought turf to the Olympics.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · applied

Test 4Water-based turfTake a test

  1. Water makes the ball run fast and smooth.

    Source: FIH, The history of FIH & hockey · recall

  2. Sand holds the fibres up.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  3. Speed and consistency suit elite hockey.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  4. Watering is part of match preparation.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  5. New 'dry' turfs aim to cut water use.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  6. Sustainability shapes new pitches.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  7. A film of water speeds it up.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  8. More water, faster ball.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  9. Check, soak, settle, play.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  10. Top hockey is played on watered turf.

    Source: General field hockey reference · applied

Test 5The modern stickTake a test

  1. Wooden sticks were the norm for a century.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  2. Composites are light and powerful.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  3. Stiffer sticks add power.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  4. Short heads help quick turf skills.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  5. Too much curve makes balls hard to control.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  6. A ring gauge checks the stick's width.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  7. The rounded back may not be used.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  8. From all wood to high-tech composites.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  9. Shape changed with the surface, then materials changed.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  10. Composites with short heads came with turf.

    Source: General field hockey reference · applied

Test 6New skills on turfTake a test

  1. A flat, true surface made edge hits possible.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  2. Lifts take the ball into the air past defenders.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  3. Corners turned into drag-flick duels.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  4. Accuracy grew with a true surface.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  5. Speed of passing beat long dribbles.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  6. Faster passing stretched defences.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  7. Laying the stick flat works only on a true surface.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  8. Grass era, early turf, modern turf.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  9. Approach, lift, collect.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  10. Lifting the ball over sticks is a 3D skill.

    Source: General field hockey reference · applied

Test 7The end of offsideTake a test

  1. Attackers may now stand anywhere.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  2. Forwards can wait near goal.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  3. Attacking hockey was the aim.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  4. Forwards near goal must be watched.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  5. A deep striker stretches the defence.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  6. Football still has offside; hockey does not.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  7. Space opened up from end to end.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  8. Old rules, the 1990s change, then faster restarts.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  9. Without offside a striker may wait near goal.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  10. Offside was removed in the 1990s.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · applied

Test 8Faster restartsTake a test

  1. A player may restart and dribble at once.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  2. Quick restarts keep play flowing.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  3. It was one of several changes for a faster game.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  4. Free hits can now be taken on the run.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  5. Side-line restarts are played with the stick.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  6. Teams that react fast gain the most.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  7. The bully restarts after some stoppages.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  8. Stop, place, go.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  9. 1990s, late 2000s, 2010s.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  10. Players may restart by playing on themselves.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · applied

Test 9Quarters and the clockTake a test

  1. Four quarters replaced two halves.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  2. Four times fifteen is sixty minutes.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  3. Matches used to be seventy minutes.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  4. Stopped time protects the playing minutes.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  5. Corners take time to organise.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  6. Quarters suit players and broadcasters.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  7. It was one of the biggest format changes.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  8. Two quarters, the break, two more.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  9. 70 minutes, then 60, then much shorter.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · recall

  10. The clock stops after goals at top level.

    Source: FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view) · applied

Test 10Hockey on televisionTake a test

  1. Video umpires review goals, corners and strokes.

    Source: FIH Video Umpire Protocol (July 2026) · recall

  2. Broadcasts grow a sport.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  3. It brought top teams to home crowds and screens.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  4. Blue pitches with white balls show up well.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  5. Blue turf contrasts with a white or yellow ball.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  6. Viewers see the evidence too.

    Source: FIH Video Umpire Protocol (July 2026) · recall

  7. Breaks fit broadcast schedules.

    Source: General field hockey reference · recall

  8. 1976, 2010s, 2019.

    Source: Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md · recall

  9. Request, replay, advice, decision.

    Source: FIH Video Umpire Protocol (July 2026) · recall

  10. Contrasting colours help viewers follow the ball.

    Source: General field hockey reference · applied

Sources

KNHB/SAHA Field Hockey Activity Guide, USA Field Hockey 101, NFHCA notes, FIH history and official results; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered rules belong to the Rules category (Field Hockey - Rules of Hockey).

  • General field hockey reference53
  • FIH Rules of Hockey 2027 (player's view)26
  • Official results (Olympedia, FIH), see FIELD_HOCKEY_VERIFIED_FACTS.md11
  • FIH, The history of FIH & hockey6
  • FIH Video Umpire Protocol (July 2026)3
  • Olympedia, Olympic hockey results1