The closely mown strip of turf that transitions between the fairway and the putting green, cut shorter than the fairway but longer than the green itself — also called the fringe or collar. Because it's mown tight, a ball on the apron can be putted, chipped, or pitched, giving a player a running option that isn't available from rough or a bunker; many touring pros choose the putter from the apron over a chip precisely because it removes the risk of a fat or thin strike. Despite sitting right next to the putting surface, the apron is rules-wise no different from the fairway — it belongs to the 'general area,' not the green, so putting-green-only rules like marking and lifting the ball don't apply there.