Aboard: (Also 'dancing, on the dance floor') safely on the green with an approach shot
Ace: (also called a 'hole-in-one') a score of 1 on a hole -- holing the first shot, or tee shot, on a hol
Across The Line: (also 'crossed over, crossing the line') when the club head is more above the plane than the grip en
Address: (also called 'set up' or 'address position') the position that the player assumes when preparing to
Aerate: ('aeration, aerify, aerification, punch') a machine is used to punch small diameter holes in ground
Afraid Of The Dark: A putt that narrowly misses the hole, particularly when narrow misses occur consecutively and/or rep
Airmail: A shot that carries completely over and beyond something in the air
Albatross: (also called a 'double eagle') a score of 3 under (less than) par for a hole
Alignment: The direction that the body and club are 'lined up' in the address position
All Square: Term used in match play scoring to indicate that the match is even at present (abbreviated as 'as' o
Alternate Shot: Tournament format where teammates take turns playing each subsequent stroke (many variations with di
Ambrose: see scramble (more on tournament formats)
Angle Of Approach: The angle formed by the arc of the clubhead in relation to the slope of the ground
Approach Putt: (also called a 'lag' putt) a long putt that is not expected to go in, but hopefully will finish clos
Approach Shot: A shot intended to reach the green
Apron: (also called 'collar, fringe, frog hair') the short grass that separates the putting green from roug
Army Golf: The unfortunate tendency to play wildly from one side of a hole to the other (rather than relatively
Attend The Flag: (also 'tend' the flag, flagstick or pin) holding and then removing the flagstick after a player has
Automatic Two-Putt: When a golf course declares that players may consider the ball to be holed in no more than two putts
Away: Farthest from the hole
Back Nine: (also 'back side') the last 9 holes (10-18) of an 18 hole golf course
Backdoor: The rearmost edge of the hole from the perspective of the player
Backspin: (also sometimes called 'juice') reverse rotation on the ball
Backswing: The backward movement of the body and club (away from the ball and target) in the golf swing in prep
Baffing Spoon: (also 'baffie, baffy') archaic term for an approach wood or lofted wood
Bag: The container (usually made of some kind of fabric or leather) in which a player carries their clubs
Bag Drop: A place where golfers unload their bags from cars, etc., before parking at golf courses
Bail Out: To play or aim away from trouble (usually extreme)
Bailout: The location or direction or position to which one bails out, or plays away from trouble (see 'bail
Balata: Rubber like material (dried juice of a tree) used for making soft golf ball covers (outermost layer
Ball In Pocket: (also 'b.i.p.') when a player has picked up his ball and does not intend to complete a hole with a v
Ball Mark: (also 'pitch mark') the depression that a ball makes when it strikes the ground (usually, but not al
Ball Marker: (also 'marker') usually a small, flat object (like a dime) used to mark the ball's position (usually
Ball Position: The position of the ball relative to a player's stance and the target at address
Ball Striker: Usually used in reference to a player whose strong suit is consistently solid contact and the abilit
Ball Striking: 1. A statistical category comprised of 2 others: total driving (which is a combination of distance a
Ball Washer: A mechanical device for scrubbing golf balls clean, usually found near the tee of every hole
Ball-Bound: Excessive fixation on the ball, diminishing or eliminating body and/or target line awareness
Balloon: (more commonly 'ballooning', also 'upshooter, upshooting') excessive climbing or lifting of a shot b
Baseball Grip: (also 'full finger, ten finger' grip) a method of holding the club using all ten fingers on the grip
Be Right: (also 'be the number') an expression popularized by tour players on television, usually indicative o
Beach: Any sand-filled hazard
Beginner Set: (also 'starter set, half set') a partial set of golf clubs usually consisting of either the odd or t
Below The Hole: When the ball is in a position lower than, or downhill from, the hole on ground that is not level
Bent Grass: A very smooth, fine-bladed grass usually (but not exclusively) used for putting greens
Best-Ball: A match where an individual plays against the better ball of two, or the best ball of three, players
Better Ball: The best score for a team (more on tournament formats and games)
Birdie: A score of one under (less than) par for a hole
Bite: (also sometimes 'check, grab, hold, sit, sit down, hit a house' and so on) 1. A command issued to th
Blade: 1. (also 'leading edge') the leading (lowest/forward-most) edge of a club's head, where the sole and
Blast: (also 'blast shot, explosion, explosion shot') a shot that removes a large amount of sand or earth i
Blind Shot: A shot where the intended landing area is not visible from the player's perspective
Block: 1. (also 'block shot, push') a shot that is pushed (to the right for a right-handed player), usually
Bloodsome: (also 'bloodsome scramble') same as a scramble but the worst shot is selected each time rather than
Bogey: A score of one over (more than) par for a hole
Bogey Golfer: A player whose handicap is about 20 for men (between 17.5 and 22.4) and about 24 for women (between
Bogey Rating: Like a course rating but based on the ability of a bogey golfer rather than a scratch golfer (the bo
Borrow: The allowance for the break or curve of a shot (usually associated with putts or chips)
Bounce: ('bounce sole, bounce angle') the angle of the club's sole in relation to level/horizontal, or the a
Bowed Wrist: Indicates a wrist position where the palm is closer to the underside of the forearm (technically cal
Brassie: Archaic term for a 2 wood
Break: The curve of a putt or running shot due to the slope of the terrain and gravity
Breakfast Ball: (also 'lunch ball, mulligan, sunday ball') another term for a mulligan or do-over
Bulge: (also 'horizontal bulge') the curve of the face of a wood (across, from heel to toe) which helps sho
Bump And Run: (also 'chip, chip and run, chip and roll') a shot that is designed to roll (run) farther than it fli
Bumping It: (also 'improving your lie, preferred lies, winter rules') altering the ball's position, or the way i
Bunker: A depression in the ground usually (but not always) filled with sand
Buried Elephant: A particularly large mound or hump, usually used in reference to the surface of a putting green
Cabbage: Deep rough or vegetation off the fairway
Caddy: (also 'caddie, looper') someone who carries a players bag of clubs and/or assists a player with advi
Calcutta: An auction/wagering method for team play matches, where the right to bet on the winning team(s) must
Call Up: (also 'wave up') common practice at some courses (usually on par 3 holes) where the group ahead (gro
Callaway Handicap System: (also 'callaway scoring system') a system of creating 'fair' handicaps for a one-time event in which
Camber: Camberthe curve of a club's sole, either heel-to-toe or leading edge-to-back of sole, to soften the
Can: (also 'jar') another term for the hole or cup
Captains Choice: 1. (also 'scramble') a tournament format in which all players in a group (foursome or otherwise) hit
Card: 1. Scorecard 2. To record a score on the scorecard
Carry: 1. The distance a ball travels in the air 2. The distance a ball must travel in the air in order to
Carry-Over: When a competition is played with a separate contest on each hole (like a skins game) any unresolved
Cart Path: Area specifically for the purpose of driving motorized golf carts (usually, but not always, having a
Carve: Expression has been used to describe shaping or bending a shot to fit a hole's terrain or curve arou
Cast: 1. A common tendency to actively uncock the wrists and throw the club with the hands too early in th
Casual Water: A temporary accumulation of water (outside of a water hazard) that is visible before or after a play
Cavity-Back: (also 'perimeter-weighted') a style of club head where the mass is distributed more toward the perim
Cayman Ball: Actually a brand name, but generally thought of as lighter-than-standard-weight practice balls, with
Cc: 1. (also 'cc's, cubic centimeters') typical unit for measuring the volume of wood heads, usually tes
Chapman: (also 'chapman scotch, pinehurst') a variation on a four-ball match between two 2-man teams where ea
Chase: 1. A pronounced lateral movement of the upper body in the downswing in an attempt to keep the hands
Chicken Wing: When the forward elbow joint (left elbow for right-handed players) collapses (flexes) out away from
Chili Dip: When a short chip or pitch shot is hit fat or chunked, causing the ball to go a much shorter distanc
Chip: (also 'chip and run, chip and roll, bump and run') a shot that is designed to roll (run) farther tha
Chip Out: (also 'punch out') hitting a relatively small chip shot (many times sideways or even backward) to ex
Chip-Off: (like 'play-off') -- a method of breaking a tie by seeing who gets a selected chip shot closer to th
Choke: A derogatory term for poor performance under pressure or in a crucial situation (usually associated
Choke Down: (also 'choke up') gripping farther down the grip or handle of the club
Chopper: (also 'duffer, hacker, hack, chop') a (usually) erratic and unskilled golfer whose technique is char
Chunk: (also 'chunky, fat, thick, heavy, laying the sod over it, hitting the big ball [the earth] before th
Claw Grip: (also 'gator grip, psycho grip') an unusual method of gripping the putter, popularized by pga tour p
Cleek: 1. Archaic term for a driving iron or 1 iron 2. Fairway metal woods with shallow rake-like channel
Closed: ('closed or 'shut' clubface, closed stance') can apply to the alignment of the body/stance or clubfa
Club Face: The striking surface, or the lofted part of the clubhead that (ideally) makes contact with the ball
Club Head: The most massive part of the club at the bottom end (opposite the grip or handle) of the shaft (idea
Club Head Speed: The speed that the clubhead is travelling through impact (usually measured in miles per hour)
Club Professional: A golf professional associated with the operation of a golf facility, specifically as opposed to a t
Clubhouse: (very broadly) the main building or structure of a golf facility which can, but does not necessarily
Coefficient Of Restitution: (also 'cor, c.o.r.') a measurement, expressed as a percentage, of how efficiently a ball bounces off
Coil: The turning of the body away from the target in the backswing (generally thought of as the turning o
Collar: (also called 'apron, fringe, frog hair') the short grass that separates the putting green from rough
Come Out Of It: Raising of the posture too early in the downswing
Committee: The person or group in charge of the competition, or if not in competition, the person or group in c
Compression: 1. The resilience of a golf ball 2. The flattening of the golf ball when contacted by the club
Condor: (also 'triple eagle') a score 4 under par on a hole (e.g., a hole-in-one on a par 5)
Connected: (also 'connection') used to describe a united relationship between the arms and torso during the swi
Continuous Putting: A common practice where a player, having putted the ball close to the hole, chooses to finish puttin
Course Management: (also 'game management') the use of strategy, or a thoughtful plan, emphasizing strengths and accomo
Course Rating: An evaluation of the difficulty of a course for a scratch player (expressed in relation to the par o
Cover The Ball: (also 'trap the ball') to contact the ball with the hands forward (more toward the target than the c
Cover The Flag: (also 'cover the pin') an approach shot that is precisely on line, heading directly toward the flags
Cpm: ('cycles per minute') most common unit used in measuring shaft flexes or frequencies (more precise t
Cross Bunker: A long or wide bunker that crosses the fairway rather than running adjacent or parallel to the fairw
Cross-Country Golf: Playing from the tee of one hole to the green of another hole, rather than playing the holes as they
Cross-Handed: A grip where (for right-handers) the left hand would be the lowest hand instead of the right (usuall
Crossed Over: (also 'crossing the line, across the line') when the hands have moved the club over the plane on the
Cup: Generically refers to the hole but also includes the base and liner, or sleeve, inside the hole that
Cup Lining: (or 'cup liner') rigid (usually plastic or metal) sleeve inside the hole
Cupped: When the back of the left hand (right-handed player) is bent back toward the forearm at the wrist --
Cut: 1. (also 'cut shot, fade') a shot which (for a right-handed player) curves gently from left to right
Dance Floor: (also 'green, putting green, putting surface, dancing, aboard') 1. The putting surface 2. On the pu
Dead Hands: (also 'dead hand shot, dead-handed shot') a technique in which the hands hold the club with very lit
Dead Weight: (also 'overall weight') the total weight of a golf club (see also 'swingweight')
Depth Charge: A putt that is lagged softly down a slippery (fast) slope and intended to just get close rather than
Deuce: A score of 2 on a hole
Digger: A club whose loft angle is such that the sole's leading edge is substantially lower than its trailin
Dimples: The indentations on the surface of a golf ball which increase friction and lift
Dip: Downward movement of the spine and head during the swing - not desirable
Disconnected: When the arms move separately from, or independently in relation to, the torso, particularly through
Divot: A portion of turf that is ripped out of the ground
Divot Mix: (also 'sand and seed') a combination of sand, soil and grass seed (and perhaps even fertilizer in so
Divot Tool: (also 'divot repair tool, ballmark repair tool, pitchfork') a small (usually) two-pronged fork-like
Dog Track: (derogatory) a run-down, poorly maintained or poorly designed golf course
Dogleg: A hole on which the fairway has an angle, turn or bend in it like a dog's rear leg
Dont Give The Hole Away: (also 'keep it inside the hole') an instruction to aim the putter and/or stroke the ball inside the
Dormie: (also 'dormy') a match play situation where one player or team is ahead (or 'up') by the same number
Double Bogey: A score of two over (more than) par for a hole
Double Break: ('double breaker') a putt with two distinctive breaks, or curves, on the ball's path/line to the hol
Double Cross: (or 'double-cross') when a player attempts to make a shot curve, or bend, in one direction and it cu
Double Eagle: (also 'albatross') a score of 3 under (less than) par for a hole
Double Green: (also 'shared green') one putting green surface shared by two separate holes, usually with two separ
Double Hit: Contacting the ball twice with one swing, which results in a penalty stroke in addition to the strok
Double Sandy: When one plays an approach shot from a fairway bunker into a greenside bunker, then holes the ball i
Down: 1. (also 'as it lies') playing the ball as you find it, with no alteration of its position or condit
Downhill Lie: When the ball rests on a downhill slope in the intended direction of play
Downswing: (also 'downward swing, forward swing') the portion of the swing that starts from the top, or end, of
Dq: Scoreboard abberviation for 'disqualified' (for rules violation, etc.)
Drain: (also 'drano, draino, drain-o') 1. To sink a putt 2. A player who seems to make a lot of putts
Draw: (also 'slinger, turn over, turn it over') a shot that curves gently from right to left (right-handed
Drink: Another term for a water hazard
Drive: The first shot on a (usually) par 4 or par 5 hole (most commonly used in reference to the driver or
Drive For Show And Putt For Dough: Clich?© referring to the fact that hitting long beautiful tee shots may look nice and be impressive
Driver: The number 1 wood 2. One that uses a number 1 wood
Driving Iron: An alternate name for a number 1 iron (neither the term nor the club is very commonly used any longe
Driving Range: (also 'practice range, practice tee, range') an area, separate from the golf course, designated for
Drop: When the ball is released by hand (with an extended arm at shoulder height) and put back in play aft
Drop Area: An area of ground (usually marked with a white circle and labeled 'drop area' or 'da', etc.) Where p
Dub: (also 'duff, top') a badly misplayed shot, usually associated with the ball never leaving the ground
Duck Hook: (also 'snap hook, snapper, quacker') a shot that curves abruptly and severely right to left (right-h
Duffer: (also 'hacker') an unskilled golfer
Eagle: A score of 2 under (less than) par for a hole
Embedded Ball: (also 'plugged') a ball stuck in the ground as a result of its impact
Etiquette: Rules of behavior, propriety, decorum, manners, etc.
Even Par: (also 'even, level, level par') anytime one's score is level with, or equivalent to, par during, or
Executive Course: A golf course with very short holes, mostly par 3's and short par 4's
Explosion Shot: (also 'explosion, blast, blast shot') a shot that removes a large amount of sand or earth in additio
Face: 1. (also 'clubface') the striking surface of the club head 2. The sloped surface of a bunker that i
Face Balanced: A method of weighting a putter so that when the shaft is balanced on the finger the face points gene
Face Progression: The distance from the center of the shaft or hosel to the blade, or leading edge, of the club face
Fade: A gently curving shot from left to right (right-handed player)
Fairway: The closely mown area between the tee and green
Fairway Bunker: A sand or deep grass hazard situated in, or adjacent to, the fairway
Fairway Wood: (also 'fairway metal') a wood other than the driver or 1 wood (more commonly made of metal rather th
Fall Line: The natural and most direct downhill course of a given slope, the path water would take, or that gra
False Front: A slope back towards the fairway on the front section of a putting green, usually where the ball wil
Fan: (also 'whiff') missing the ball completely
Fat: (also 'chunky, fat, thick, heavy, laying the sod over it, hairpiece, hitting the big ball [the earth
Feathery: Early type of golf ball made with a leather cover and stuffed with goose feathers
Feel: (also 'touch') the sensation of, or level sensitivity for, playing shots in golf
Fensome: (also 'st. Andrews foursome') an alternate shot tournament format with two two-man teams in each fou
Ferrule: A decorative 'cap' where the shaft inserts into the club head to make the transition from the head t
Fescue: Type of grass usually used for rough, mainly found in coastal regions
Finish Position: (also just 'finish') the last position, or end, of the swing
Flag: Usually, but not always, a fabric banner atop the pin or flagstick to make the location of the hole
Flagstick: (also 'pin, stick') a slender pole, usually about 7 feet in height, with a flag on it placed inside
Flange: 1. The back edge of the sole (bottom) of an iron club (usually associated with the sand wedge) 2. A
Flare: (also 'block, push') a shot that is typically high and a push (to the right for a right-handed playe
Flat: A relatively shallow or more horizontal swing plane or lie angle
Flat Stick: Another name for the putter
Flex: (also 'frequency') the relative strength (stiffness or softness) of a club shaft
Flex Point: (also 'kick point') the point of maximum bending of a club's shaft, measured with the club in a hori
Flier: (also perhaps 'flier lie, flyer, shooter, jumper') a shot that flies further than desired as a resul
Flip: 1. The active pushing or throwing of the club with the hands and wrists (usually used in reference t
Flop Shot: A soft-landing, relatively vertical shot from close to the green (usually played with a sandwedge or
Florida Scramble: A modified scramble tournament format in which the same player's shot may not be selected on two con
Fluffy: ('fluffy lie') when the ball is sitting up in longish grass with a lot of air underneath it and a lo
Follow-Through: (also 'finish') the continuation of a golf stoke after the bottom of the swing and impact area
Foot Wedge: Kicking the ball (which, of course, is against the rules)
Fore: Used (usually yelled loudly) to warn golfers in range of the incoming flight of a ball
Forecaddie: (also 'spotter') persons situated in the general landing area of holes to help quickly identify a ba
Forged: (as in 'forged irons') a process of manufacturing clubheads where 100% stainless steel is stamped or
Forward Press: A (usually slight) movement of the hands and arms forward (in the direction of the target) to initia
Four-Ball: A match in which two 2-person teams compete against each other using the one best score from each si
Foursome: 1. Four players playing together in a group 2. A match in which two 2-person teams compete against
Free Drop: (also 'free relief') dropping the ball without penalty in any number of situations allowed by the ru
Frequency: (also 'flex') a measurement of the relative flexibility, firmness, tension or strength of a club sha
Frequency Analyzer: A device that measures the flex, or frequency, of a golf club's shaft by holding the grip end of the
Frequency Matched: Different club shafts that are of consistent flex as measured by a frequency analyzer
Fried Egg: A lie (usually in a sand filled bunker) in which the ball is half buried and thus resembles a fried
Fringe: (also called 'apron, collar, frog hair') the short grass that separates the putting green from rough
Frog Hair: (also called 'apron, collar, fringe') the short grass that separates the putting green from rough or
From The Tips: (also 'playing from the tips') playing each hole from its longest possible yardage (from the farthes
Front Nine: (also 'front, front side') the first 9 holes (1-9) of an 18 hole golf course
Full Finger Grip: (also 'baseball, ten finger' grip) a method of holding the club using all ten fingers on the grip wi
Gallery: Spectators
Gap Wedge: (can go by many other names, manufacturer-dependent) a lofted wedge that is usually designed to fill
Garden Spot: The ideal location for placing a tee shot, usually thought of in terms of an ideal angle and lie fro
Gator Grip: (also 'claw grip, psycho grip') an unusual method of gripping the putter, popularized by pga tour pl
Gear Effect: The tendency of a ball hit on the toe or heel of the club (usually thought of in terms of woods) to
Ghin: (golf handicap & information network) handicap service begun in 1981 maintained by the usga
Gimme: (informal: derived from the words 'give me,' as in 'concede the next stroke to me as holed') a putt
Go To School: (also could be heard sloppily as 'get a teach') to learn from another players shot (most commonly as
Golf: A game played with a small ball and a set of clubs, the object being to hit the ball into each of a
Gorse: Spiny european shrub with yellow flowers, found off the fairway on some (usually european) courses a
Grain: The direction the grass is growing (usually only of consequence with coarser grasses, e.g., bermuda)
Grand Slam: The four major championships in golf are considered the 'grand slam' events (masters, u.s. open, bri
Grass Bunker: A depression in the gound, generally shaped like a sand-filled bunker but with grass (usually rough)
Green: (also 'putting green, putting surface, dance floor') the most closely mown and smooth (hopefully) ar
Green Fee: The fee paid to play a course
Green Grass: Used to indicate a retail golf shop operation on the premises of a golf course
Green In Regulation: (also 'gir, g.i.r.') playing one's ball onto the green in the prescribed number of strokes as determ
Greenie: Generally thought of as being on the green in regulation, but also used in betting games to indicate
Greenkeeper: Older term for an individual involved in maintaining and caring for a golf course and grounds
Greenside Bunker: A bunker surrounding, or in close proximity, to the putting surface
Greensome: An alternate shot tournament format with two two-man teams in each foursome, each player hits a tee
Grind: 1. Maintaining or intensifying one's mental focus, similar to the expressions 'bear down' or 'stay f
Grip: 1. The handle of a golf club (usually covered with rubber, leather, etc.) 2. The holding, or method
Groove: (also 'score line, scoring') markings (usually horizontal and linear) etched into the face of a golf
Gross: (also 'unadjusted') the raw, actual or unadjusted score (strokes) before a handicap has been applied
Ground: ('ground the club, grounding the club') the act of touching the club to the ground (earth)
Ground Under Repair: Any area of the course undergoing repair (usually marked with white lines)
Gutta Percha: (also 'gutty') type of golf ball made from sap of a tree, introduced in the middle 1800's
Hack: 1. (also 'chop') chopping violently at the ball 2. (also 'duffer, hacker, chop, chopper') a (usuall
Hacker: (also 'chop, chopper, duffer, hack') a (usually) erratic and unskilled golfer whose technique is cha
Hairpiece: Another phrase for hitting the ball fat, or hitting the ground first - if one were able to freeze ti
Half Set: (also 'starter set, beginner set') a partial set of golf clubs usually consisting of either the odd
Half Shot: (also 'half swing, knockdown, knockdown shot, punch, punch shot') a shot played with less than a ful
Halve: A tie on a given hole in match play
Ham And Egg: When players on a team (usually a two-man team) compliment each other during a match -- usually thou
Hammer Hands: A player that does not have good sensitivity for controlling the distance of their putts
Handicap: (abbr: 'hcp, hdcp', related: 'handicap differential, handicap index, index') the average difference
Handsy: Usually refers to loose or excessive use of the hands and wrists in a swing or stroke
Hanging Lie: When the ball is on ground substantially above the player's feet
Hardpan: Very firm, unyielding ground (many times bare)
Hazard: Any bunker (usually a hollow of some kind with a prepared surface, generally sand or similar) or wat
Head: (also 'clubhead') the part of the club that is intended to make contact with the ball
Headcover: Protective sock or sheath of some kind, typically used on wood and putter heads, but also available
Heathland: Open uncultivated land (particularly in the british isles) having sandy soil and dominated by small
Heavy: Another word for fat
Heel: 1. The part of the clubhead that is nearest the hosel or shaft 2. (sometimes 'heeler') the act of c
High Side: The uphill edge of the cup when it is on any slant
Hitch: A noticeable rough spot or hiccup in the flow of a golf swing
Hitting From The Top: Excessive arm and hand pressure early in the downswing, particularly thought of as happening before
Hitting The Big Ball Before The Little Ball: Another phrase for hitting the ball fat (the big ball being the earth)
Hold: (also 'check, grab') when the ball stays near where it lands, not rolling much (if any) forward 2.
Hole: 1. 4?? inch diameter hole in the ground into which the ball is to be played 2. The entire length of
Hole High: (also 'pin high') when the ball has travelled the correct distance and is even with the hole, but of
Hole In One: (also 'ace') a score of 1 on a hole, holing the tee shot
Holed: (also 'hole(d) out') when the ball goes in the hole (as of 2008 the entire ball must be at rest belo
Home: 1. To reach the green with a shot 2. The clubhouse or vicinity of the starting point and ending poi
Honor: The privilege of playing first from the tee (note: 'privilege' was actually the word used until the
Hood: To lean the clubface forward (toward the target) reducing its loft
Hook: A shot that travels from right to left (right-handed player) - more severe than a draw
Horizontal Bulge: (also simply 'bulge') the curve of the face of a wood (across, from heel to toe) which helps shots h
Hosel: (also 'neck') the part of the club head into which the shaft is inserted (derived from the word hose
Hybrid Club: (also 'hybrid iron, hybrid wood') a club that combines playing characteristics of both woods and iro
Improved Lie: 1. (also 'improved lies, improving your lie, preferred lies, winter rules, bumping it') altering the
In: (also 'back, back nine, back side, last nine, second nine') the last nine holes (10-18) of an eighte
In Play: Officially, the ball is in play once the tee shot comes to rest anywhere on the course (not out of b
Index: see handicap
Insert: A separate piece of material that is joined with the body of a club's head (usually on/in the club's
Inside: 1. Closer to the hole than 2. Closer to the body than (e.g., inside the target line, inside takeawa
Inside The Leather: Closer to the hole than the length of the putter (from the head to where the grip begins), archaic:
Inside-Out: A swing path that travels from inside (closer to the body than) the target line to outside (farther
Interlocking Grip: (also 'interlock grip') a method of placing the hands on the club such that the index finger of the
Intermediate Target: A real or imaginary reference point, or target, that is on the line between the ball and the ultimat
Iron: A club with a head made of steel or iron and a relatively narrow sole (usually somewhere between 16?
Jail: When the ball is in a position where it cannot be swung at or advanced at all, or in any normal way
Jar: (also 'can') another term for the hole or cup
Jigger: Archaic term for a wedge/pitching wedge
Jump: (also 'fly') to fly farther than desired as a result of decreased backspin, usually resulting from l
Jumper: (also 'jumper, flier, flyer, shooter') a shot that flies farther than intended (see 'jump') or a lie
Keep It Inside The Hole: (also 'don't give the hole away') an instruction to aim the putter and/or stroke the ball inside the
Kick: 1. Bounce (implies direction) of the ball upon landing 2. The springing back of a flexed shaft
Kick Point: (also 'flex point') the point of maximum bending of a club's shaft, measured with the club in a hori
Kikuyugrass: (also just 'kikuyu') very durable, creeping, wiry grass, originally from africa, often used in warm,
Kitty Litter: Another term for a sand-filled bunker
Knee Knocker: (also 'tester') a short putt that, for whatever reason, is challenging (not a gimme)
Knife: Another term for a one iron
Knockdown: (also 'knockdown shot, punch, punch shot, half shot') a shot played with less than a full swing, mai
Lag: (also 'lag putt, approach putt') a putt that is intended to stop close to the hole but not presumed
Laid Off: When the hands have moved the club under the plane on the bacskwing (especially at the top of the sw
Lateral: (also 'shank') when the ball is contacted by, and ricochets off, the hosel or neck before it hits th
Lateral Hazard: (also 'lateral water hazard') a water hazard (whether filled with water or not) which is generally a
Launch Angle: The initial trajectory of the ball relative to the ground
Lay Up: (also 'lay back, play for position', sometimes 'transport shot') a shot played to a particular locat
Laying The Sod Over It: Another expression for hitting the ball fat (in the most amusing version of this the divot would act
Lead Tape: Thin adhesive strips (also comes in rolls) of lead used to add weight to a club head
Leader In The Clubhouse: The player with the lowest score having completed regulation play
Leading Edge: (also 'blade') the lowest or forward-most edge of a club's head, where the sole and face meet
Leak: (also 'fade') a ball that moves somewhat from left to right for a right-handed player, usually used
Left The Headcover On It: Another phrase for leaving a putt short
Less Club: (also 'club down') using a shorter, more lofted club
Let It Go: Free relaxed swinging through the ball, as opposed to attempting to guide or steer a shot
Let The Big Dog Eat: Use the driver or number 1 wood
Let The Shaft Out: To make an effort to hit the ball long
Level: (also 'level par, even, even par') anytime one's score is level with, or equivalent to, par during,
Lie: 1. The quality, manner, style, way, or position relative to level in which a ball rests on the groun
Lie Angle: The angle between the sole of the club and the shaft from the face view (looking at the face of the
Lift, Clean And Place: (sometimes also 'preferred lies, winter rules') a mode of play, usually because of muddy or poor cou
Lights-Out: Playing excellently
Line: 1. ('target line, intended line') direction, as indicated by a vertical plane 2. ('line, line of a
Line Up: 1. ( also 'align') position/direct/orient the body and/or club 2. Assessing the direction of a shot
Links: 1. Originally referred to seaside courses on 'links land' (seaside grassy area), now used loosely to
Lip: (also 'rim') the top edge of the hole, above the cup
Lip Out: When the ball hits the edge of the hole and spins out instead of dropping
Lob: (also 'lob shot') a relatively vertical (steep arced) shot, usually played with a lofted wedge, inte
Lob Wedge: A very lofted wedge, usually 59 or 60 degrees (more sometimes), designed for playing high, soft shot
Local Knowledge: Awareness of a course's idiosyncratic playing characteristics from having played it many times
Loft: 1. The angle/cant/slope/pitch/grade of the clubface relative to the shaft of the club from the front
Long Game: The part of golf played with full, or substantial, swings where the ball is intended to cover relati
Long Iron: The longer-shafted, steeper-faced, (and hopefully) longer distance irons, generally numbers 1 throug
Loop: 1. (mainly used by caddies) another term for a round of golf (also might refer to the player a caddi
Looper: Caddy
Loose Impediment: Any natural object that is not fixed or growing (e.g., rocks, twigs, leaves, etc.)
Lost Ball: Any ball that cannot be found within five minutes of beginning a search for it (see also 'provisiona
Low Side: The downhill edge of the cup when it is on any slant
Lpga: (ladies professional golf association) formed to organize and promote women in professional golf
Lunch Ball: (also 'muligan, sunday ball') taking a second attempt (replay, 'do over') at a shot when one doesn't
Major: 1. One of four annual tournaments (the masters, u.s. open, british open or pga) 2. Could also refer
Makeable: (fairly subjective) commonly used by commentators in broadcasts, refers to a putt (or short game sho
Mark: (also 'spot') to put down a ballmarker (usually a small flat object, like a dime) to be able to repl
Marker: (also 'ball marker') usually a small, flat object (like a dime) used to mark the ball's position (us
Markers: (also 'tee markers, blocks, tee blocks') two objects that indicate the foreward boundary of the teei
Marshal: 1. A person designated by a tournament committee to help with crowd control and to keep order 2. A
Mashie: Archaic term for a 5 iron
Mashie Iron: Archaic term for a 4 iron
Mashie Niblick: Archaic term for a 7 iron
Match Play: Scoring by holes rather than strokes, the way golf was originally played
Medal Play: (also 'stroke play') scoring by the total number of strokes
Medalist: The player in a stroke play, or medal play, competition with the fewest strokes/lowest score, the wi
Member Bounce: (also 'member's bounce, lucky kick') a very favorable (lucky) bounce or kick of the ball
Mid Mashie: Archaic term for a 3 iron
Middle Iron: (also 'mid iron, mid-iron') generally irons 5 through 7, which are in the middle of the range of iro
Misclub: Choosing the wrong club (usually associated with good execution but an incorrect distance result)
Mishit: To not hit a shot solidly
Misread: To incorrectly assess the break of a putt or chip shot
More Club: (also 'club up') using a longer, less lofted club
Moving Day: Saturday of a tournament taking place thursday through sunday, refers to the fact that it is common
Mulligan: (also 'breakfast ball, lunch ball, sunday ball') taking a second attempt (replay, 'do over') at a sh
Muni: Short for a municipal or city owned golf course
Muscle Back: (also muscle-back, muscle-backed') a style of iron head with a thick amount of metal on the lower ha
Muscle Memory: A phrase referring to the nervous system's ability to memorize, or perform automatically, a well reh
Nassau: A type of wager in which the first nine holes, the last nine holes and the total for 18 holes are th
Nc: Scoreboard abbreviation for 'no card', meaning that the player did not turn in a scorecard
Neck: (also 'hosel') the part of the club into which the shaft is inserted
Net: A players score after a handicap has been applied
Never Up, Never In: Refers to the obvious fact that if a putt does not have enough speed to reach the hole it can't go i
Niblick: Archaic term for a 9 iron
Nineteenth Hole: (also '19th hole') the bar or lounge after a round of golf
Ninety Degree Rule: (also '90?° rule, 90 degree rule') a practice where golf cars are allowed to drive on the fairway,
Nutted: (also 'flushed') hitting it squarely and on the sweetspot
Ob: (also 'o.b., out of bounds, oscar brown') out of bounds, off the golf course premises (usually marke
Off The Deck: From the fairway or ground (mainly used in reference to hitting a driver off the ground rather than
Offset: A clubhead where the leading edge is set back from the shaft
On The Nut: (also 'nutting it, nutted it') hitting it squarely and on the sweetspot (see also 'on the screws' be
On The Screws: Hitting it on the sweetspot, usually of a wood, or driver in particular (many woods originally had a
One-Piece Takeaway: When the beginning of the backswing is initiated by the torso, arms and hands moving together as one
One-Putt: When only one putt is taken on a green to hole the ball
Open: 1. A tournament in which any eligible competitor can play, if they qualify 2. ('open clubface, open
Oscar Brown: Another phrase for out of bounds
Out: (also 'front, front nine, front side, first nine')
Out Of Bounds: (also 'out of play, ob, oscar brown') area that is not part of the course, on which play is not perm
Outside: On the opposite side of the target line from the golfer 2. (also 'away') farther from the hole than
Outside-In: A swing path that cuts across the target line from the far side of the target line, in relation to t
Over The Top: (also 'coming over the top') a downswing path or plane above, or over, the correct or desired plane,
Overall Weight: (also 'dead weight') the total weight of a golf club (see also 'swingweight')
Overlapping Grip: (also 'overlap' and 'vardon grip' after famous player, harry vardon) the most common grip in golf, p
Overseed: To plant new grass seed directly into already existing turf
Overswing: 1. To swing too hard to the point of negatively affecting the result 2. Too long a backswing, usual
Pace Of Play: Time taken to play a stroke, hole or round, usually thought of in terms of maximum allowable time wi
Par: 1. The standard number of strokes in which a scratch player would be expected to complete a hole or
Par In: To score a par on each remaining hole
Past Parallel: Beyond the point where the club's shaft is horizontal, or parallel with the ground, at the top of th
Path: (also 'swing path') the direction the clubhead is traveling (generally referred to through the impac
Peeking: Looking up to see the result of the shot before impact, mainly used in reference to putting, and par
Peg: (also 'tee') another term for a tee - a small (usually, but not always, wooden) device for setting t
Penalty Stroke: A stroke that must be added to the score, for a variety of reasons (e.g., lost ball, unplayable lie)
Peoria Scoring System: A system of scoring where 6 secret holes are selected, prior to the tournament, and a formula is app
Perimeter-Weighted: (also 'cavity back, cavity-back') a style of club head where the mass is distributed more toward the
Pga: (professional golfers' association) organization to promote and regulate the profession of golf
Pick Up: Lifting the ball and discontinuing play on a hole, for various reasons (e.g., informal - too many st
Pill: Another term for a golf ball
Pin: (also 'flagstick, stick') the stick or pole that rests in the cup and holds the flag
Pin High: (also 'hole high') when the ball has travelled the correct distance and is even with the hole, but o
Pin Position: (also 'pin placement') the exact location of the hole and flagstick
Pin Sheet: A chart that shows the hole locations on each green
Pinehurst: 1. (also 'chapman, chapman scotch') a variation on a four-ball match between two 2-man teams where e
Pitch: ('pitch shot') a relatively short, lofted shot designed to land softly and not roll much (differs fr
Pitch And Putt: (also 'pitch 'n' putt') a par 3 course with extremely short holes (usually not much longer than 130
Pitch And Run: A lofted shot that is also intended to release/run/roll
Pitch Mark: (also 'ball mark') the depression that a ball makes when it strikes the ground (usually, but not alw
Pitchfork: (also 'divot repair tool, ballmark repair tool') a small (usually) two-pronged fork-like tool used m
Pitching Niblick: Archaic term for an 8 iron
Pitching Wedge: (also 'wedge, p, pw, w' and more) a lofted short iron (usually next in chronological order after the
Plane: (also 'swing plane') most easily visualized as the plane that the shaft of the club or the clubhead'
Play Through: (also 'go through') passing the group in front of you (for various reasons) while they wait
Playing The Ball Down: (also 'playing it down') playing the ball as it lies, as opposed to improving the lie
Plug: 1. When the ball embeds in the ground 2. A cylindrical chunk of earth removed by aeration
Plumb Bob: A method of reading putts where the putter is hung from the fingers (like a surveyor's plumb line) i
Poa Annua: (also just 'poa' or, incorrectly, 'poanna') grass (actually a weed) that sometimes grows on golf cou
Pop: Another term for a handicap stroke
Pop Stroke: A (typically putting) stroke characterized by an abrupt little 'hit' or twitch of force at the ball
Postage Stamp: ('postage stamp green') a green with a particularly small surface area presenting a demanding target
Pot Bunker: A small deep bunker, typically with steep sides, requiring a very steep angle of ascent to escape
Power Fade: (also 'slider') a slight curve from left to right for a right-handed player (usually thought of in t
Power Leak: Some error interferring with the efficient sequence of movements and delivery of force in the full s
Practice Green: ('practice putting green') a green which is separate from the golf course and is designated for prac
Practice Range: (also 'practice facility, practice tee, driving range, range') an area, separate from the golf cours
Practice Round: A round of golf usually thought of as being for the purpose of familiarizing a player with a particu
Practice Swing: (also 'rehearsal swing') a swing through the air made (without hitting a ball) to work on, or feel,
Pre-Shot Routine: Procedure prior to hitting a golf shot, usually thought of as a consistent sequence (see my article
Preferred Lies: (also 'improved lies, winter rules, bumping it') a local rule under which a player can improve his l
Press: A wager on top of, or augmenting, an already existing wager, implemented at some point after the ori
Private Golf Course: (also 'private golf club') a golf course that requires membership, not accessible to the general pub
Pro Shop: Usually thought of as the building or room where the retail operation of a golf course takes place (
Pro-Am: (also 'pro am') a tournament in which professionals and amateurs play together on teams
Progressive Offset: Where a set of clubs has differing amounts of offset (leading edge of face behind forward edge of ho
Provisional Ball: (also 'provisional') an additional shot played in a situation where it is believed that the original
Psycho Grip: (also 'claw grip, gator grip') an unusual method of gripping the putter, popularized by pga tour pla
Public Golf Course: A golf course that is accessible for play to the general public
Pull: 1. (also 'yank, jerk') a shot that goes to the left of the intended line for a right-handed player
Pull Cart: (also 'hand cart') a mechanical device or trolley with wheels and a handle used to carry a player's
Pull Hook: A shot that is both a pull and a hook, starting and curving to the left of the intended target line
Punch Out: (also 'chip out') hitting a relatively small chip shot (many times sideways or even backward) to ext
Punch Shot: (also 'punch, knockdown, knockdown shot, half shot') a shot played with less than a full swing, main
Punch The Greens: Another phrase for aerate
Pure: (also 'flush, solid, on the sweet spot, on the screws, on the nut') perhaps not proper english, but
Push: (also 'shove, block') a shot that goes to the right of the intended line for a right-handed player
Push Fade: A shot that is both a push and a fade, starting and curving to the right of the intended target line
Putt: A shot (generally, but not necessarily hit with a putter) that is intended to make the ball roll (us
Putt Out: (also 'finish') to complete play by holing your ball, or to putt your ball into the hole whether you
Putter: (also 'flatstick, wand') a club with a fairly straight face (very little loft) used for putting, or
Putting Green: (also 'green, putting surface, dance floor') the most closely mown and smooth (hopefully) area on th
Q School: The pga tour's annual qualifying tournament
Quacker: (also 'duck hook, snap hook, snapper') a shot that curves abruptly and severely right to left (right
Quail High: A very low trajectory shot
Quit: ('quit on the shot') not following-through completely with momentum, decelerating through impact
R and A: Royal and ancient golf club of st. Andrews, golf's original ruling body
Rabbit: 1. A touring professional that is not a regular member of the tour and who, therefore, must play in
Rainmaker: (also 'skying, skyball, pop up') another term for skying the ball or hitting a pop-up
Rake: 1. (also 'trap rake') a tool placed in sand-filled bunkers for the purpose of re-smoothing the surfa
Range: (also 'driving range, practice range, practice tee') an area, separate from the golf course, designa
Range Ball: (also 'practice ball') golf balls for use only on the driving range, usually striped or marked in so
Range Rat: A person who loves to practice and spends a lot of time on the practice range
Ranger: (also 'marshal') a person designated to patrol the course, keeping an eye out for problems in genera
Rating: see course rating
Read: The process of assessing or surveying the line of a putt to determine its break and behavior
Ready Golf: A very effective informal method of play in which the right to play based on 'honor' or 'away' is fo
Recovery: (also 'recovery shot, trouble shot') a shot that is played to extricate oneself from trouble after a
Regrip: 1. To move or reposition the hands on the club during the swing 2. To replace the grip of a club
Regulation: conforming to regulations, official (e.g., the specified number of holes for a competition, or a clu
Release: 1. (also 'let it go') generally thought of as the act of allowing the centrifugal force of the body/
Relief: A rules term meaning 'to pick up the ball and move it away from' some condition, obstacle, etc.
Reload: An expression used when a shot is certainly out of play
Reroute: When the club is swung on a dramatically different path or plane on the downswing than it was on the
Rescue Club: (also 'hybrid club') a generic name applied to clubs that combine features of a wood and an iron, 'r
Resort Course: A golf course affiliated with a resort, hotel or vacation spot
Reverse C: A finish position to the full swing where the hips are dramatically thrust out toward the target and
Reverse Overlap: ('reverse overlap grip') probably the most common grip used for putting - a method of placing the ha
Reverse Pivot: (also 'reverse weight transfer, reverse weight shift') when the weight is on the front foot (closest
Roll: 1. (also 'vertical roll') the curve of the face of a wood or metal wood (from top to bottom) 2. Des
Rough: Longer grass adjacent to the fairways, greens and perhaps tees
Round: A complete circuit of (usually) 18 holes
Rub Of The Green: An accident, not caused by the player or caddie, for which there is no relief under the rules (gener
Rules Of Golf: Regulations and procedures of the game as set forth by a collaborative effort of the royal and ancie
Rutting Iron: (archaic) a lofted iron with a very rounded and concave face (like an eating spoon), used commonly t
Ryder Cup: Professional team matches between europe and the u.s. that are played every second year, the venues
Sand And Seed: (also 'divot mix') a mixture of sand and grass seed (sometimes also including soil and/or fertilizer
Sand Iron: (also 'sandwedge, sand wedge') a lofted club with a flange specifically designed for (but not limite
Sand Save: (also 'sandy, sandie') getting the ball in the hole in just two shots from a green side bunker (usua
Sand Trap: (also 'trap, bunker, sand bunker') another commonly used term for a sand-filled bunker - a depressio
Sand Wedge: (also 'sandwedge, sand iron') a lofted club with a flange specifically designed for (but not limited
Sandbagger: (euphemism for 'liar, cheater') a golfer who lies about their ability in order to gain an advantage
Scoop: Erroneously attempting to get the blade of the club under the ball so as to lift up on it, usually b
Score: 1. The number of strokes taken on a hole or course (see also the chart of scores and their names) 2
Scorecard: (also 'card') the card (usually stiff paper) used to record and tally scores during and after a roun
Scoring: 1. The markings (grooves, dimples, scratches, etc.) On the face of a golf club 2. The act of keepin
Scotch Foursome: A game where 2 two-man teams play one ball per team and teammates alternate strokes, the tee shot be
Scramble: 1. A tournament format in which all players in a group (foursome or otherwise) hit a shot from the t
Scratch: 1. Zero handicap, no handicap strokes deducted 2. A player with (approximately) a 0 handicap
Screws: (also 'on the screws') the sweetspot, usually refers to hitting a wood, or driver in particular, rig
Seagoer: A long putt, usually used in reference to making such a putt
Semi-Private Course: A course that has members but is also open to public play
Set: 1. A collection of clubs taken as being together 2. When the wrists are cocked at the top of the ba
Set Up: (also 'setup, address, address position') the position that the player assumes when preparing to mak
Shaft: The part of the club that extends from the grip (actually all the way to the top of the club inside
Shag Bag: A bag or container for carrying practice balls
Shamble: (also 'texas scramble') a tournament format that is a variation of a scramble, where each member of
Shank: (also 'lateral') when the ball is contacted by, and ricochets off, the hosel or neck before it hits
Shoot: 1. The act of playing a golf shot 2. Another way to refer to one's score for a round of golf, or to
Shooter: 1. (also 'flyer, flier, jumper') a shot that flies further than desired as a result of decreased bac
Shootout: 1. A match play format in which one player is eliminated at the conclusion of each hole based on hav
Short Game: The part of the game that consists of short range (usually not full swing) shots (i.e., putting, chi
Short Grass: Another phrase for the fairway (in contrast to 'long grass' which would be the rough)
Short Iron: Any of the more lofted, shorter-shafted irons (usually considered the 8 through all wedges)
Short Side: 1. The side of the putting green closest to the position of the cup 2. (short-side) when hyphenated
Shot: 1. A stroke in golf and its result (assumes contact with the ball) 2. The act (past tense) of playi
Shotgun: (also 'shotgun start') a method of starting a round of golf (usually, but not exclusively, a tournam
Shotmaker: 1. A golfer with a very high skill level and wide variety in terms of controlling trajectory, shape
Shotmakers Course: 1. A golf course that tends to demand a wide variety of full shots in terms of controlling trajector
Side: ('back side, front side') another term for each 9 holes of an 18 hole course
Side-Hill Lie: (also 'uneven lie') when the ball lies on an uneven slope, with either the ball above the feet or be
Sidesaddle: A putting stance where the legs and feet are, more or less, facing the hole and the stroke is made t
Signature Hole: A hole that that uniquely identifies a course by its characteristics or style
Skins: (also 'skin game, skins game') a type of competition or wager format where only a uniquely low score
Skull: (also 'blade, thin, belly') when the ball is contacted with the leading edge instead of the face of
Sky: (also 'skyball, pop up, rainmaker') when a shot is hit off the top edge of the clubface resulting in
Sleeve: A container (usually a rectangular box) of (usually 3) golf balls
Slice: (also 'banana ball') a wildly curving shot from left to right for a right-handed player (scourge of
Slide: An excessive lateral move toward the target in the downswing with either the hips or the entire body
Slider: (also 'power fade') a slight curve from left to right for a right-handed player (usually thought of
Slinger: (also 'draw, turn over, turn it over') a shot that curves gently from right to left (right-handed pl
Slope: (slope rating) the relative playing difficulty of a course for players who are not scratch golfers -
Slot: (also 'the slot') a position (hopefully) reached in the downswing in which the pelvic girdle has shi
Slow Play: (also 'undue delay') not keeping up with the pace of play as determined by the committee
Smile: A cut in the cover of a golf ball which, because of the spherical shape of the ball, appears as a cu
Smother: A shot that either doesn't leave the ground or flies very lowly because the clubface contacted the b
Snake: A long putt with multiple breaks (curves) in opposite directions
Snap Hook: (also 'duck hook, snapper, quacker') a shot that curves abruptly and severely right to left (right-h
Snowman: A score of 8 on a hole (most commonly a quadruple bogey on a par 4)
Sole: 1. The bottom surface of the clubhead 2. To rest the clubhead on the ground
Sole Plate: Metal plate on the bottom of wooden clubs to improve wear
Spade Mashie: Archaic term for a 6 iron
Spike: (also 'cleat') sharp tong(s) on the bottom of golf shoes to help keep a player's feet from slipping
Spin Out: Usually thought of as the leading side of the body (left side for a right-handed player), especially
Spoon: Archaic term for a 3 wood or more lofted wood
Spray: Hitting the ball wildly in all directions with no consistency
Spring-Like Effect: (also 'trampoline effect') the 'bouncing back' of a club's face contributing force to the shot, limi
Square: 1. At a right angle to (i.e., perpendicular, 90?°) 2. Also can mean parallel to 3. Tied or even (
St. Andrews Foursome: (also 'fensome') an alternate shot tournament format with two two-man teams in each foursome, each p
Stableford: A system of scoring where a player's score is based on points earned rather than absolute number of
Stadium Course: A golf course designed specifically with spectators in mind, typically having lots of mounds, bumps
Starter: (less frequently 'tee master, master of the tee') the person in charge of controlling play at a golf
Starter Set: (also 'beginner set, half set') a partial set of golf clubs usually consisting of either the odd or
Starting Time: (also 'tee time, time') a reservation or appointment to play at a specific time
Step: Ridges or creases commonly seen around the circumference of steel shafts, creating a terraced taper
Stick: 1. Another name for the flagstick or pin 2. (also 'stiff, stoney') to put a shot close to the hole
Stiff: (also 'stick it, stoney') to put an approach shot close to the hole
Stimp Meter: A small, short ramp down which a golf ball rolls to give it a constant initial velocity so that the
Stinger: A low penetrating long shot, usually with a long iron or wood (term mainly used in reference to tee
Stoney: (also 'stick it, stiff') a shot that stops close to the hole
Straight-Faced: A club that has a relatively steep (not much loft) clubface
Stripe: To hit a tee shot solidly and straight, implying that it finds the center stripe of the fairway (the
Stroke: 1. (also 'shot') the act of swinging a club with the intention of striking the ball 2. The qualitat
Stroke And Distance: (also '2-stroke penalty') counting one stroke for the stroke itself and one stroke for the distance
Stroke Hole: A hole on which a player's handicap strokes fall in net scoring match play situations (e.g., a 1 han
Stroke Play: (also 'medal play') scoring by the total number of strokes
Strong Grip: Where the hands are rotated into a position of more physical advantage on the grip and, all else bei
Stymie: 1. Term referring to another player's ball (usually on the putting green) blocking one's path to the
Summer Rules: Another way some people use to indicate that the ball will be played 'down' or 'as it lies' (as oppo
Sunday Bag: An extremely lightweight golf bag, usually very small in diameter and easy to carry
Sunday Ball: (also 'lunch ball, muligan') taking a second attempt (replay, 'do over') at a shot when one doesn't
Superintendent: (also 'head greenkeeper or greenkeeper') the person in charge of overseeing the golf course maintena
Swale: A depression, valley, or low portion of undulation on a course
Sway: Generally considered to be an excess of lateral (side to side) body motion in a golf swing
Sweet Spot: (also 'sweetspot, screws, nut') the center of mass of the club (the solid spot on the clubface)
Swing: 1. To make a stroke 2. A significant change in the score (as in a scale, or the balance, shifting)
Swing Path: (also 'path') the direction the clubhead is traveling (generally referred to through the impact area
Swing Plane: (also 'plane') most easily visualized as the plane that the shaft of the club or the clubhead's arc
Swing Weight: The relative weight of a clubhead's leverage (usually measured on a scale with a 12 or 14-inch fulcr
Syringe: Watering by hand (most commonly putting greens) in spots or at times when the usual water sprinkler
Takeaway: The beginning of the backswing, the initial movement of the club away from the ball and target
Tap In: (also 'gimme') a very short put that is certain to be made
Target Golf: A phrase to describe a style of golf course that has discrete, well-defined landing areas rather tha
Target Line: The line of play, or the line from the ball to the target
Tee: 1. (also 'peg') a small (usually, but not always, wooden) device for setting the ball up above the g
Tee Blocks: (also 'blocks, tee markers, markers') two objects that indicate the foreward boundary of the teeing
Tee Markers: (also 'markers, tee blocks, blocks') two objects that indicate the foreward boundary of the teeing a
Tee Off: To hit a shot from the tee
Tee Shot: (also 'tee ball') a shot from the tee, the first shot on a hole
Tee Time: The time assigned for a group to begin play on their first hole (in non-competitive situations could
Tee To Green: Another way of referring to the long game
Teeing Ground: (also 'teeing area, tee box, tee') the starting point of each hole, where the tee markers are
Temporary Green: A (usually) closely mown area in the fairway or rough of a hole, serving as the green (including the
Ten Finger Grip: (also 'baseball, full finger' grip) a method of holding the club using all ten fingers on the grip w
Tend The Flag: (also 'attend' the flag, flagstick or pin) holding and then removing the flagstick after a player ha
Texas Scramble: (also 'shamble') a tournament format that is a variation of a scramble, where each member of a team
Texas Wedge: Using a putter from off the green
Thatll Play: (also 'that will play') refers to a shot (usually off the tee) that might be less than ideal, but th
Thin: (also 'skinny') when the ball is contacted with the leading edge instead of the face of the club, pr
Third Wedge: (sometimes also called a 'utility wedge') manufacturer-dependent and varied, a lofted wedge that dif
Three Jack: (also 'three-putt') another phrase for three-putting a green
Through The Green: The whole course, excluding the teeing ground and putting green of the hole being played, and all ha
Tight: 1. A very narrow hole or course 2. A compact and efficient swing 3. Hole location that is very clo
Timing: The ordered occurrence of the sequence of movements comprising a golf swing
Tips: (also 'the tips' or 'playing from the tips') playing each hole from its longest possible yardage (fr
Toe: The far end of the clubhead (farthest from the hosel/neck/shaft)
Toe Hook: A shot that is contacted on the toe of the club and hooks (curves from right to left for a right-han
Top: 1. (also 'dub') when the bottom of the club contacts the ball above its center of gravity and the ba
Torque: The tendency of a club's shaft to twist or rotate around its long axis -- also the amount of that ro
Touch: (also 'feel') sensitivity for playing golf shots
Tournament: (also 'tourney') an organized golf competition
Tournament Format: The style, or rules and procedures, under which a competition is conducted (e.g., medal play, match
Tpc: (abbreviation of 'tournament players club') golf courses designed specifically for holding tour even
Tracking Iron: (archaic) lofted iron designed specifically to play shots from tracks in the mud
Trampoline Effect: (also 'spring-like effect') the 'bouncing back' of a club's face contributing force to the shot, lim
Transition: (also 'transition point') where the backswing turns into the downswing
Trap: 1. (also 'bunker, sand trap') another commonly used term for a sand-filled bunker - a depression in
Trolley: (also 'golf cart, golf car' or 'hand cart, pull cart') term mainly used in europe for wheeled golf c
Trouble Shot: (also 'recovery, recovery shot') a shot from a troublesome situation
Turn: 1. The rotation of the body in the swing (e.g., shoulder turn, hip turn) 2. Going from the ninth gr
Turn It Over: (also 'draw, slinger') a shot that curves gently from right to left (right-handed player)
Twilight Rate: A discounted green fee based on the fact that a limited number of holes may be completed due to dark
Under Par: (also 'subpar') less than or below par
Underclub: Using a club that does not provide enough distance to reach the intended target
Undue Delay: (also 'slow play') not keeping up with the pace of play as determined by the committee
Undulation: Wavy contour in the ground, usually thought of mainly in terms of the putting green surfaces and fai
Uneven Lie: (also 'sidehill lie, uphill lie, downhill lie') when the ball lies on an uneven slope, with either t
Unplayable Lie: The player has determined that the ball cannot be played from its current spot
Up: 1. To (as far as) the hole 2. Ahead of (specified in number of holes or strokes depending on the ty
Up And Down: Holed in two shots from off the green (most commonly thought of as a chip, pitch or sand shot follow
Uphill Lie: When the ball rests on an uphill slope in the direction of play or toward the target
Upright: A relatively steep or more vertical swing plane, stance, or lie angle
Usga: The united states golf association, the governing/rule making body in golf along with the r & a (roy
Utility Wedge: (sometimes also called a 'third wedge') manufacturer-dependent and varied, a lofted wedge that diffe
Utility Wood: (also 'hybrid wood') fairway wood of varied lofts, head shape or sole shape which may also have play
Vardon Grip: (also 'overlap grip, overlapping grip') the most common grip in use today, named after historic play
Vertical Roll: 1. (also simply 'roll') the curve of the face of a wood or metal wood (from top to bottom)
Verticut: A procedure to cut grass vertically (the cutting blades dig into the grass up and down rather than c
Waggle: Some kind of motion or movement (can be very individualized, but many times a back and forth movemen
Walk-On: Typically thought of as a single player with no reservation, but could be more than one player
Waste Area: (also 'waste bunker') a relatively unmaintained area (usually, but not always, with a surface of peb
Water Hazard: Any sea, lake, pond, ditch, etc. (whether it contains water or not), usually marked with either yell
Wave Up: (also 'call up') common practice at some courses (usually on par 3 holes) where the group ahead (gro
Wd: Scoreboard abbreviation for withdraw
Weak Grip: Where the hands are rotated into a position of less physical advantage on the grip and, all else bei
Wedge: (e.g., 'pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge, third wedge, utility wedge,' and so on) a short iron
Wet: Ball in water hazard
Whiff: A swing with intent to strike the ball and a miss
Whipping: A very thin cord-like material that is used to wrap the area where the shaft inserts into the clubhe
Windcheater: (also 'wind cheater') a very penetrating, low trajectory shot that is less affected by wind
Winter Rules: (also 'preferred lies, improved lies, bumping it') a local rule under which a player can improve his
Wolf: (also 'lone wolf') a match play game for four players in which players decide whether or not to comp
Wood: (e.g., 'driver or 1 wood, fairway woods, utility woods,' and so on) originally a club with a wooden
Work The Ball: To deliberately shape or curve a shot
Wormburner: (also 'worm burner') a shot with such a low trajectory that it appears to, or actually does, skim th
Wrap: A layer of something (usually tape) under a grip (applied to the shaft, before the grip is put on) f
Wrist Cock: (also 'wrist break, setting the hands') the procedure of allowing or causing the wrists or hands to
Wrong Ball: (covered by rule 15 of the usga rule book) any ball other than the player's ball in play, provisiona
X: A score that cannot be determined, as play on a hole was not completed
X Factor: The difference in the amount of rotation between the shoulders and the hips
X-Out: Golf balls that, for whatever reason, are manufacturer seconds and have the original label on the ba
Yank: (also 'pull, jerk') a shot that goes severely to the left of the target line (for a right-handed pla
Yardage: (e.g., 'yardage book, yardage marker') distance measured in yards
Yardage Book: A small booklet (given out or sold by a course, or created by the player or caddy) to keep various y
Yardage Marker: Some type of landmark (usually permanent) indicating the yardage to the green -- most commonly measu
Yips: Nervous twitching in the putting stroke resulting in poor accuracy and a lack of touch
Zoysia: Creeping, wiry grass, often used in warm, dry regions
