How is 果岭 a loanword from the English "green" (i.e.: putting green)? MDBG has the following entry:


  果岭
  guǒ​lǐng​
  
  green (golf) (loanword)


果岭 doesn't really sound anything remotely like green, 岭 especially doesn't match up with the end of green.

How did green become 果岭?
Like you said in the comment, something like 格林 indeed would have been a better phonetic approximation. But the translation (even by sound) should also consider its meaning if possible. 岭 means hill or mountain in Chinese. And since a golf course resembles a hill for having ups and downs, 岭 would be more approriate to describe such an area. However I think 果 is purely phonetic.