Glossary

19th hole – (Slang) – The Clubhouse, more specifically The Bar. There are some golf courses that in fact do have a 19^th golf hole but the term 19^th hole is generally accepted to mean the bar.

90-Degree Rule – (Rule) – Something golf courses put into place when they want to allow the convenience of golf buggies / carts but minimize the impact of them on the fairway grass. It means buggies must stay on the buggy tracks as much as possible, only turning onto the fairway when they are at right angles (90 degrees) to the players’ golf balls.

Abnormal Course Condition – (Definition) – A term formerly known as Abnormal Ground Conditions, and refers to things like animal holes / GUR / temporary water on the golf course.

Abominable Snowman – (Slang) – A score of 9 on a hole (it’s even worse than an 8, which is a snowman).

Ace – (Slang) – A hole in one.

Address – (General) – The act of taking your stance and preparing to swing.

Afraid of the Dark – (Slang) – A ball that just doesn’t want to go in the hole.

Aggregate – (Format) – Refers to a score made over multiple rounds, or by two or more golfers playing as partners.

Aim – (General) – Could be either, the alignment of your body or your clubface (or both) or it could be the direction you intend for your ball to go.

Air Mail – (Slang) – Hitting the ball so hard that it flies over the green – “I just air-mailed the green”.

Air Shot – (General and Slang) – A stroke made with the intention of hitting the ball, but no contact is made. An air shot is counted as a stroke. See also “Whiff” or “Fresh Air”.

Albatross – (Definition) – A score that is 3 less than the Par for that hole. Americans call it a “Double Eagle” … the rest of the world considers “double” to mean twice as much, so a “Double Eagle” would therefore be 4 under par for a hole, so we’ll stick with Albatross …

Alec Guinness – (Slang) – A shot that goes Out of Bounds, or O.B. (from Guinness’ Star Wars character, Obi-Wan Kenobi).

Alignment – (General) – The aiming position of either a player’s body or the clubface. With regard to the player’s body alignment, this is usually derived from imaginary lines in front of your toes, hips and shoulders, and where they are pointing relative to your intended target. For the clubface, it would be an imaginary line coming out of the sweetspot (perpendicular to the leading edge), and where that line is pointing relative to your intended target or your intended swing path.

All Square (AS) – (Definition) – A Matchplay term relating to the score – a match is all square (tied) when both players or teams have won the same number of holes.

Angle of Approach – (Definition) – The angle at which the club head strikes the ball, relative to the ground, eg. Downward AoA or Upward AoA. This is one of the Impact Laws influencing the ball flight.

Approach Shot – (General) – A shot intended to get the ball on the green, usually referring to full powered swings on Par 4’s and 5’s (rather than Pitch or Chip shots), and does not apply to tee shots on Par 3’s.

Apron – (General) – The grass around the perimeter of the green that separates the putting surface from the fairway or rough. Also known as “Fringe”, the “Collar” or “Frog-hair”.

Areas of the Course – (Definition) – Referring to the 5 areas that make up the Course – the General Area, Teeing Area, Penalty Areas, Bunkers and Putting Green.

Artisan – (General) – A type of membership of a golf club with restricted rights and lower fees in exchange for unpaid maintenance of the course / clubhouse.

Attend the Flag – (Definition) – When a golfer / caddy holds the flag-stick in, above or next to the hole, to show the player where the hole is, and then removes the flagstick once the stroke has been made.

Back 9 – (General) – The last 9 holes of an 18-hole golf course.

Back-door putt – (Slang) – A putt that catches the edge of the hole, rolls around the lip to the back of the hole, and falls into the cup off that back edge.

Backswing – (Definition) – The first part of the golf-swing, where the club is moved away from the ball.

Bail-Out Area – (General) – An area on a hole designed to provide a safer alternative to golfers who don’t want to attempt the risky shot towards a tricky part of the fairway / green / hole location.

Ball-marker – (Definition) – A token or a small coin used to mark the ball’s position on the putting green prior to lifting it.

Banana-ball – (Slang) – A shot that curves severely from left to right for a right handed player or one that curves severely from right to left for a left handed player.

Bandit – (Slang) – Someone who plays / scores much better than their handicap. Bandits usually artificially inflate their handicaps with the intent of winning bets on the course, a practice that most golfers consider cheating. AKA a “Ringer” or a “sandbagger”.

Bare Lie – (General) – When the ball lies directly on hard ground without any grass under it.

Barky (or Woody) – (Format) – A bet won by a golfer who makes par or better on a hole after his golf ball hits a tree. “We’re playing barkies today, £1 for each one.”

Barnes Wallis – (Slang) – A shot where the ball bounces across water like the old dam-buster bombs used in WW II, invented by Sir Barnes Wallis.

Beach – (Slang) – A sand bunker. “That shot’s finished on the beach.”

Bentgrass – (Definition) – A type of turfgrass used on some golf courses. It grows better in cooler climates than in warmer ones. Bentgrass (often just shortened to “bent”) is commonly the first choice of grass for putting greens in any location where it can be grown, as it has very thin blades that grow densely and can be very closely mowed, resulting in a felt-like smoothness to the putting surface.

Bermudagrass – (Definition) – The name for a family of warm-season turfgrasses commonly used on golf courses in warm, tropical climates. Most common in the southern United States. Bermudagrasses have thicker blades than bentgrass, so when used on putting greens they have the added dimension of “grain” which can make the ball curve as it rolls along the putting surface.

Best Ball – (Format) – A form of team play where the best individual score on a hole counts as the team’s score. Could be two-, three-, or four-person teams.

Biarritz – (Definition) – A hole where the green incorporates a deep gulley that effectively splits the putting surface in two. Named after a famous example at “Le Phare Golf Club” in Biarritz, France.

BIGGA – The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association.

B.I.P. – (Slang) – Back in pocket / Ball in pocket. When you’ve played the hole so badly that you can’t score so you pick the ball up.

Birdie – (Definition) – A score that is one less than the Par for that hole.

Bite – (Slang) – A golf ball has “bite” if it stops quickly after landing. Shouting “Bite!” at your golf ball means you’re hoping it stops as quickly as possible when it lands (usually because you know you’ve hit it too hard in the first place).

Bite…Like A Police Dog! – (Slang) – Shouted by an old caddy of mine when I lived in Africa, for the ball to stop on a particularly firm green (because police dogs bite hard apparently!).

Blade – (Definition) – Has several different meanings –

(i) A type of iron where the weight is distributed evenly across the back of the club-head;

(ii) A type of iron or putter where the front of the clubface is in line with the front / centreline of the shaft, when viewed from a normal set up position (the alternative is called off-set, which is where the design of the clubhead has the face in line with the back of the shaft, or even further than that, ergo – “off set”);

(iii) a “thin” shot;

Blind Shot – (Definition) – A shot where you aren’t able to see the landing area, eg. Over the brow of a hill, over the corner of a dog-leg or onto an elevated green.

Blind Deer – (Slang) – “No eye deer” where that shot went.

Block / Block Shot – (General) – A shot played severely to the right (not necessarily curving) for a right handed player, severely to the left for a lefty. Similar to a push but more severe.

Bo Derek – (Slang) – A score of 10 on a hole.

Bogey – (Definition) – A score that is one more than the Par for that hole.

Bogey Train – (Slang) – When you make multiple bogies in a row, you’re on the bogey train.

Borrow – (Definition) – Same as “break”.

Bounce – (Definition) – The sole of the club, usually in reference to the Wedges. A term that is used to describe the angle from the front edge to the back edge of the sole (the front is usually higher so that it acts like the bottom of a boat and “bounces” the club out of the sand / grass in order to keep it from digging in).

Bounce Back – (General) – Scoring a birdie or better on a hole immediately following a bogey or worse.

Break – (Definition) – Typically used to describe the slope or the grain of the grass on the putting surface and how it is expected to affect the direction the ball will roll when it is putted. Could also be used to describe the behaviour of the ball “breaking” to the left or the right. AKA “Borrow”.

Bump and Run – (Definition) – A low-trajectory shot that is intended to get the ball into the air for a small distance and then rolling the rest of the way to the hole. Very similar to a chip shot but usually played from further away from the green.

Bunker – (Definition) – A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. Most commonly found around the green but could also be in / alongside the fairway. AKA a “Sand Trap”.

Burn – (Definition) – More than one meaning : a term commonly used in Scotland to describe a stream or small river that runs through a golf course (AKA a “creek” in America);

or

The edge of the hole that appears “burnt” on grainy greens. It is a key indicator of the direction the grass is growing in (it grows towards the burn).

Cack-handed – (Slang) – A style of holding the club where the hands are placed in positions opposite that of the conventional grip. For right-handed golfers, this would have the left hand below the right. Usually associated with putting but not unheard of for full-swing. AKA “Cross-handed” or “left-hand low.”

Cabbage – (Slang) – Thick, deep rough. “I’ve just hit it in the cabbage, I’ll never find it”.

Caddie or Caddy – (Definition) – Someone who helps a player during a round, by carrying and cleaning clubs, repairing damage to the course, tending the flag and giving advice. Derived from the Scottish form of the French word ‘Cadet’, meaning an assistant or errand-runner.

Can – (Slang) – Another term for the hole or cup.

Captain! – (Slang) – A hook shot, short for Captain Hook.

Captain Kirk – (Slang) – Your shot just went where no ball has gone before.

Carpet – (Slang) – Another term for the green.

Carry – (Definition) – Term used to describe either

(i) How far the ball travels through the air.

or

(ii) The distance to get your golf ball over a hazard / obstacle. Eg., “This shot requires a 200 yard carry to get over that water.”

Cart – (Definition) – Usually means a Buggy but can sometimes mean a Trolley.

Casual Water – (Definition) – Any temporary standing water on the course, eg puddles or overflowing rivers / ponds / dams. Snow and ice can also be taken as casual water.

Cat Box – (Slang) – Another name for a sand bunker.

Cavity Back – (Definition) – An iron whose design characteristic is such that the weight is distributed primarily around the outer edges of the club-head, giving the appearance that there is a cavity on the back of it.

Chef – (Slang) – A golfer who can’t stop slicing.

Chilli-dip – (Slang) – A badly botched chip shot, where the player hits the ground first and the ball second. Also called a “flub”, a “chunk” or a “fat shot”.

Chicken Run – (Format) – A 9 hole competition usually played in the afternoon, after work. Also known as a “Turkey Trot” and has it’s origins in Southern Africa – golfers at small clubs out in the country play for a freshly slaughtered chicken / turkey to take home for dinner.

Chip – (Definition) – A short shot (typically played from very close to the green), that is intended to travel low, and a short distance through the air then roll the remainder of the way to the hole.

Chip-in – (General) – Holing a chip.

Chippies / Ferrets – (Format) – A bet won by chipping into the hole from off the green.

Chunk – (Slang) – A swing where the club-head hits the ground before the ball, resulting in a large chunk of grass being taken as a divot and the ball only moving a yard or two forward. Also called a “flub”, a “fat shot”, or a “chili-dip”.

Closed Face – (Definition) – The alignment of the clubface being left of either the intended target, or the Swing Path, or both (for a right handed player). “Closed” is to the right for a left-handed player.

Closed Stance – (Definition) – The alignment of a player’s body whereby their target-side foot is set closer to the target-line than his trail foot (usually refers to the feet, but could be the hips and shoulders too).

Club – (Definition) – Could be either

(i) the “stick” used to hit the ball with;

or

(ii) The entirety of a golf facility, including course, club-house, pro-shop, practice areas etc.

Clubhead – (Definition) – The whole of the end of the club that is used to strike the ball.

Clubface – (Definition) – The front of the clubhead, designed to strike the golf ball.

Club-length – (Definition) – The length of a club, which is pertinent when following the Rules for defining the player’s teeing area on each hole and in determining the size of the player’s relief area when taking relief under a Rule. Players would typically use the longest club in their set (except the putter, which is not allowed under the Rules) to measure, so as to gain the maximum distance / area allowed.

Collection Area – (General) – A depression on or to the side of a putting green, that the ball gets channelled into by the contours of the green, hence “collecting” it. Also called a “roll-off” or “run-off” area.

Collar – (Slang) – The fringe grass around a putting green.

Compression – (Definition) – The term for expressing the hardness of a golf ball. Used to be tagged as 90- or 100-compression but not that common anymore.

Condor – (Definition) – A score that is four less than the Par for that hole.

Coring – (Definition) – A golf course maintenance term that refers to the process where putting greens (and sometimes fairways) are aerated. A special machine removes small (around 1 inch wide) cores, or plugs, of sod from a green, leaving a hole (and sometimes the removed core) behind, which loosens the soil, opens up growing room for roots, and helps air, moisture and nutrients get to the roots. The process is carried out once, sometimes twice, a year.

Count-back – (Definition) – A method of determining the winner of a competition when a tie has occurred. There are several different methods used, but typically it would go in order of the scores in the last nine, then last six if that didn’t separate the tie, then last three and then final hole until a winner emerges.

Course Rating – (Definition) – A numerical value given to each set of tees at a golf course to approximate the number of strokes it should take a scratch golfer to complete the course under normal conditions.

Courtesy (of the course) – (General) – Being allowed to play for free. A courtesy could be extended to visiting golfers due to play in a big competition at that course, visiting Professional golfers and even staff or office bearers of other golf clubs.

Cross-handed – (Definition) – A style of holding the club where the hands are placed in positions opposite that of the conventional grip. For right-handed golfers, this would have the left hand below the right. Usually associated with putting but not unheard of for full-swing. AKA “left-hand low” or “cack-handed”.

Cup – (General) – The hole. More specifically, the plastic or metal liner placed into the hole on the putting green.

Cut – (Slang or General) – Could be either

(i) Another term for a fade / slice shot

or

(ii) The reduction in the size of the field during a tournament played over multiple rounds. Eg 144 players compete over the first 2 rounds of a tournament and then the field is “cut” to just the top 65 (and those tied for 65^th) to continue on to compete for the final 2 rounds (and the prize money).

Dance Floor – (Slang) – The putting green. “I’m on the dance floor,” or, shortening the expression, “I’m dancing.”

Danny DeVito – (Slang) – Same as a Joe Pesci or a Dennis Wise (a tough little 5-footer).

Dawn Patrol – (Slang) – Golfers or groups of golfers who play as early as possible in the morning – the same as “dew sweepers.”

Dead – (Slang or General) – A shot in which there is no favourable outcome possible.

Die (In the Hole) – (Slang) – When a ball just barely makes it to the hole and falls in with what seems to be it’s last possible bit of energy, it died into the hole.

Dimples – (Definition) – The round indentations on a golf ball cover. Dimples create lift and drag, allowing a golf ball to stay in the air for a longer, steadier flight than would be possible with a smooth ball.

Divot – (Definition) – The chunk of grass and earth displaced during a stroke.

Dogleg – (Definition) – A hole where the fairway is straight for some distance and then bends fairly sharply to the left or the right. These holes are so-named because they resemble the shape of a dog’s leg.

Dog Licence – (Slang) – A Matchplay contest being won by seven holes, with six remaining (known as 7 and 6) so named because the cost of a dog license in the UK before decimalisation was seven shillings and sixpence.

Dog Track – (Slang) – A golf course that is in poor condition. AKA a “goat track.”

Dominic Cummings – (Slang) – A long drive out of bounds. So named after the senior British politician who decided to break the lockdown rules during the COVID Pandemic of 2020 by travelling when the whole country was told to stay at home.

Dormie or Dormy – (Definition) – A situation in Matchplay when a player or team leads by as many holes as there are holes left to play. For example, four up with four holes to play is called “dormie-four”.

Dormie House – (General) – A building at a golf club providing overnight accommodation.

Double Bogey – (Definition) – A score that is two more than the Par for that hole.

Double Cross – (Slang) – A shot whereby a player intends (for example) for the ball to curve left to right, so aims left in preparation, but hits a shots that curves right to left, usually into major trouble.

Double Eagle – (General) – A completely nonsensical term, used predominantly in America, to (incorrectly) describe an “Albatross” – a score that is three less than the Par for that hole. Incorrectly because an eagle is two less than par for the hole so “double-eagle” would be 4 less than par not 3 …

Downswing – (Definition) – A motion of bringing the club from the end of the backswing to the point of impact.

Draw – (Definition) – A shot that, for a right-handed golfer, starts to the right of the target, curves (gently) from right to left in flight and when it comes to rest is on or slightly right of the target line; An overdone draw finishes way to the left of the target and gets classified as a hook.

Drive – (Definition) – Typically the first shot on par 4’s and 5’s (because they normally require the shot to be played with a wood).

Drop – (Definition or Slang) – Could be either:

(i) the act of dropping the ball under the Rules;

or

(ii) a term describing a “bogey” (a shot lost to par – a “dropped” shot)

Duck-hook – (Slang) – A severe hook that usually flies quite low as well.

Duff – (Slang) – A horrible shot. Typically, this is a shot where the ground is hit before the ball, and / or very little contact is made between the club and golf-ball.

Eagle – (Definition) – A score that is two less than the Par for that hole.

Embedded Ball – (Definition) – Correct definition of a “plugged” ball, or a “Fried Egg” if in a bunker. A ball is embedded when it sits in its own pitch-mark made as a result of the player’s previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground.

Etiquette – (Definition) – Your behaviour on the golf course.

European Tour – (General) – One of the world’s leading professional golf tours (2^nd biggest). Changed to DP World Tour in 2022.

Even – (Definition) – Having a score equal to par after completing at least 1 hole.

Explosion (Bunker Shot) – (Slang) – A bunker shot that sends lots of sand (looks like something exploded in there) and the ball (hopefully) out onto the green. AKA a “blast”.

Fade – (Definition) – A shot that, for a right-handed golfer, starts to the left of the target, curves (gently) from left to right in flight and when it comes to rest is on or slightly left of the target line; An overdone fade finishes way to the right of the target and gets classified as a slice.

Fairway – (Definition) – The short grass between the tee and the green.

Fairway Markers – (General) – Could be either :

Markers on either to the side of the fairway (or possibly on sprinkler heads in the middle of the fairway) to indicate the distance to the green;

or

Also, at desert courses, fairway markers are used to differentiate between fairway and rough.

False front – (Definition) – The front portion of a putting green that slopes down to the fairway, so that golf balls hit onto that section typically don’t stay there, they roll back down onto the fairway, hence the true front of the green is actually further up.

Fat – (Slang) – A stroke in which the club makes contact with the ground before the ball, resulting in a poor contact and significant loss of distance.

Ferret – (Format) – A hole out from off the green, typically a chip-in, and the term is usually used in bets / money games more than general golf speak.

First cut – (Definition) – A term that has two completely different and unrelated meanings. One refers to the first bit of rough on the sides of the fairway (the “first cut of rough”)

or

The reduction of the number of competitors from a tournament field (“the first cut reduced the field from 100 golfers to 60”). See also “Cut” point (ii).

Flagstick – (Definition) – A movable pole, often with a flag at the top, that is placed in the hole to show players where the hole is. Also called the “Pin”.

Flier or Flyer – (General) – A type of shot (usually played from the rough) where the ball flies unusually far. It is thought that “Flier lies” cause “fliers” because the ball has significantly less spin due to the blades of grass being trapped between clubface and ball, reducing friction and therefore reducing spin, allowing the ball to travel much further than expected.

Flop Shot – (Slang) – A short, high arc’ing shot, often played around the green. AKA a “Lob Shot”.

Flub – (Slang) – Badly botched chip shots where the player hits the ground first and the ball second. Also called a “chunk”, a “fat shot”, or a “chili-dip”.

Follow Through – (Definition) – The final part of a golf swing, from impact through to the finish.

FORE! – (Definition) – A warning shout given when there is a chance that your ball may hit other players or spectators.

Fore Caddy – (Definition) – A caddy employed by a golfer or group of golfers to walk ahead of the players to watch where their shots go and to find their golf balls. More commonly used in the days of handmade feathery balls when the cost of replacing a ball would be greater than the fore caddy’s fee. Today in professional tournaments, ball spotters are normally placed at each hole for the same purpose.

Fourball – (Definition) – Could be either :

(i) the name given to a group of 4 golfers playing together (the accepted maximum number of players in one group).

or

(ii) In match play, a contest between two sides, each consisting of a pair of players. Each player plays his own golf ball and the best score from each pair, on each hole, is counted as their team score and used to decide who won the hole.

Foursomes – (Definition) – Could be either :

(i) the (incorrectly used) name given to a group of 4 golfers playing together.

or

(ii) A form of play between two sides, each consisting of a pair of players. The pair play one ball, hitting shots alternately until the ball is holed. Furthermore, the pair also tee off on alternate holes as well, eg. The player who tee’d off on hole 1 will only tee off on the odd numbered holes for the rest of the round and the player tee’ing off on hole 2 will only tee off on the even holes for the rest of the round, regardless of which team member holed out on the previous hole. See “Scotch Foursomes” for an alternate form of this game.

Four-Jack – (Slang) – Taking four putts to get your ball in the hole, you four-jacked it.

Fresh Air / Freshie – (Slang) – A miss … an attempt to strike the ball where the player fails to make contact. AKA a “Whiff” and must be counted as a stroke.

Fried Egg – (Slang) – A golf ball that has plugged, or buried, in a sand bunker, so that the top of the ball resembles the yolk in a fried egg. Also see “Embedded Ball”  which is the correct term for a plugged ball.

Fringe – (Definition) – The closely mowed area surrounding the green (the bit between the putting surface and the fairway / rough around the green). AKA “Frog Hair”, the “Apron” or the “Collar”.

Frog Hair – (Slang) – The fringe grass around a putting green.

Front nine – (Definition) – The first 9 holes on an 18-hole golf course.

General Area – (Definition) – A Rules Definition for one of the 5 defined areas that make up the Course. It is that area of the course that covers everything EXCEPT: (1) the Teeing area, (2) all Penalty Areas, (3) all Bunkers, and (4) the Putting Green of the hole the player is playing.

Gimme – (General) – Refers to the concession of a shot where the ball is so close to the hole that the other players in the group agree it could be picked up without needing to be holed out. A stroke is still added to the score for the “shot” even though one wasn’t played. Under the Rules “Gimmies” are not allowed in competition Strokeplay, but they are often practiced in casual matches. They are, however, allowed in Matchplay. AKA a “Give”

Give-Give – (General) – An agreement between two golfers on the green to give each other “gimmes”. Both balls are close enough to the hole that each golfer agrees that the other would definitely hole out their next shot. As in “I’ll give you yours if you give me mine.” AKA “Good-Good”

Giving Shots – (General) – In a match, the player with the lower handicap “gives” the number of shots / strokes equivalent to the difference between his and his opponents’ handicap. These strokes are then taken into account at the relevant holes according to their “Stroke Index” or “Rating”. See also “Receiving Shots”

Goat Track – (Slang) – A golf course in really bad condition. AKA a “Dog Track”.

Golf Professional – (Definition) – Semantics to most people, but a Golf Professional (as opposed to a Professional Golfer) is usually someone who earns his living as a Teaching Pro or one involved in Retail, Custom Fitting, Repairs etc. A Professional Golfer on the other hand is one who plays for a living.

Good-Good – (General) – An agreement between two golfers on the green to give each other “gimmes”. Both balls are close enough to the hole that each golfer agrees that the other would definitely hole out their next shot. As in, “if mine is good, yours is good.” AKA “give-give” as in “I’ll give you yours if you give me mine.”

Grain – (General) – Different types of grass are used on putting greens around the world and some grass types have particularly stiff / strong blades. The direction in which the grass grows can significantly influence the speed and movement / curvature of a ball rolling across the green. Grain refers to either the direction the grass is growing or the direction the ball curves in.

Grand Slam – (General) – Winning all the golf’s major championships in the same calendar year. Sorry Tiger!

Grass Bunker – (General) – a depression or hollowed-out area on the golf course that is filled with grass (usually in the form of thick rough) rather than sand. Although golfers often call these areas grass bunkers they are not, in fact, bunkers or hazards under the Rules of Golf. They are treated like any other grassed area of the golf course. So, for example, grounding a club – which is not allowed in a sand bunker – is OK in a grass bunker.

Green – (Definition) – Abbreviation for the “Putting Green” – the Rules Definition for the area on the hole the golfer is playing that is specially prepared for putting, or that The Committee has defined as the putting green (such as when a temporary green is used).

Green Fee – (General) – The charge made for a round of golf.

Greensomes – (Format) – A variation of foursomes, where both players on the team play a tee-shot, then choose which is the more favourable of the two ball positions and play alternate shots with that ball until the ball is holed.

Green in Regulation (GIR) – (Definition) – Hitting your ball onto the green in at least two shots fewer than the par for the hole, thus allowing yourself the chance to putt for birdie or better (eg. on in 2 on a par 4, on in 3 on a par 5 etc.)

Green-reading – (General) – Interpreting the conditions (slopes, undulations, grass condition etc) of the putting green so as to decide where to aim and how hard to putt your ball.

Gross Score – (General) – The total number of strokes taken for a hole and then, when added together at the end of the round gives the total gross score for the round.

Grounding the Club – (General) – Allowing the clubhead to touch the ground. In most cases this is not a problem, but certain situations, such as when playing from a bunker, grounding the club before taking your stroke will incur a penalty.

Grooves – (Definition) – The lines cut into the face of a club. They are in place to allow the grass and grit somewhere to go so as to reduce the negative effect of the poor quality of strike on the ball (much like a tread on a car tyre gives the water somewhere to go to reduce the danger of aquaplaning and losing control when driving in wet weather). Very often thought that the grooves are what gives the ball backspin, they do not.

GUR (Ground Under Repair) – (Definition) – An area of the golf course that is being repaired.

Hacker – (Slang) – A poor golfer.

Half or Halve – (Definition) – A tie. In Matchplay, a hole is halved when both players or teams have made the same score. If a match is tied after 18 holes it is not continued, and is “halved”, with each team receiving half a point.

Handicap – (General) – A numerical measure of a golfer’s ability / potential that is used to enable players of varying abilities to compete against one another.

Hand Wedge – (Slang) – The “club” a golfer uses when he cheats by picking up the golf ball and tossing it into a better spot. Sometimes called a “hand mashie.”

Halfway House or Halfway Hut – (General) – A building, generally between the 9th and 10th holes, providing light snacks and refreshments for golfers during their round.

Hard-pan – (General) – Hard, usually bare, ground conditions.

Hazard – (General) – The term formerly used to define bunkers and permanent water areas on a golf course. From 1^st January 2019 Water Hazards are now referred to as “Penalty Areas”.

Heel – (Definition) – The part of the club-head nearest the shaft.

Hit the Fairway – (General) – A fairway is considered hit if any part of the ball is touching the fairway surface.

Hogies / Hogans – (Format) – A betting game where money is won if a player hits his tee shot onto the fairway, his approach shot onto the green and then 2 putts for his par. See the separate page for Games to Play on Course.

Hole – (Definition) – Either :

A circular hole in the ground which is also called “the cup”, must be 4.25 inches (108 mm) in diameter and at least 4 inches (101.6mm) deep;

Or

The part of the course associated with a particular Teeing area, Putting Green and hole.

Hole in One – (General) – Hitting the ball from the tee into the hole, using only one stroke.

Holed – (Definition) – When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke and the entire ball is below the surface of the putting green it is deemed “holed”.

Honour – (General) – The right of a player to play first from the teeing area.

Hook – (Definition) – A shot that, for a right-handed golfer, curves (violently) from right to left in flight and finishes a long way left of the target line; A “draw” is a gentle right to left shot and is defined above.

Horseshoe – (Slang) – when the ball goes into the hole a little off centre, runs round the lip and spits back out towards you, it “horseshoe’d” the hole.

Hosel – (Definition) – The part of the club-head where the shaft is attached.

Hosel-Rocket – (Slang) – a shot where the ball is hit off the hosel of the club. AKA a “shank”, a “lateral”, a “pipe” or an “unmentionable”.

Hybrid – (Definition) – A type of club, increasingly popular in the 21st century, that in the broadest sense combines the mechanics of a long iron with the more forgiving nature and distance of a fairway wood.

Immovable Obstruction – (Definition) – Any obstruction that cannot be moved without unreasonable effort or without damaging the obstruction or the course, and otherwise does not meet the definition of a “movable obstruction”.

Integral Object – (Definition) – An artificial object defined by the Committee as part of the challenge of playing the course and from which free relief is not allowed.

Interlocking Grip – (Definition) – A style of grip in which (for right-handed players) the baby finger on the right hand links in between the index and middle fingers of the left hand.

Inward Nine – (Definition) – The back nine holes of a golf course, so named because older links courses typically had 9 holes going away from the clubhouse (outward 9 or playing “out”) and then 9 hole coming back to it (inward 9, playing “in”).

Iron – (Definition) – A club with a flat-faced solid metal head shorter and more lofted than the woods.

James Joyce – (Slang) – A putt that is hard to read. (Can be any author known for dense, challenging prose.)

Joe Pesci – (Slang) – A difficult 5-foot putt. A tough 5-footer, in other words. Same as a Danny DeVito, Dennis Wise etc.

Jungle – (Slang) – The worst, deepest rough. “You’ve hit that so far in the jungle, even Lions and Tigers wouldn’t go in there”.

Kitty Litter – (Slang) – The sand, or a sand bunker.

Knee-knocker – (Slang) – A challenging short (or shortish) putt – one you should make but are scared you might miss.

Knock-down Shot – (Definition) – A type of shot usually played in windy conditions, intended to have a lower than normal trajectory. The term has also been used to describe approach shots where slightly less than full power is used (in an attempt to be more accurate).

Lag – (Definition) – Could be either:

(i) A long putt designed to simply get the ball close to the hole. No specific intention to hole it, but more so to ensure that the next one is a tap-in.

or

(ii) During the downswing, how far the club-head “lags” behind the hands prior to release. Note from Shaun (April 2020) – please, please, please do not let yourself get caught up in this nonsense!

Lateral – (Slang) – A shot off the hosel of the club, so-called because the mis-hit typically sends the ball off laterally to the intended target. AKA a “Shank”, a “hosel-rocket”, a “pipe” or an “unmentionable”.

Laurel and Hardy – (Slang) – When you hit a thin shot followed by a fat one.

Lay-up – (General) – A stroke deliberately played with a shorter range club than to reach the green (usually to avoid the risk of winding up in a trouble spot / a penalty area), and therefore to position the ball in a favourable spot from which to play the next shot.

Leather wedge – (Slang) – Similar to the “Hand wedge” except that the golfer cheats by using his shoe to kick his golf ball into a better spot.

Lie – (Definition) – Could be either:

(i) How the ball is resting on the ground (on the fairway grass / in the rough / bunker etc), which may add to the difficulty of the next stroke;

or

(ii) The angle between the center of the shaft and the sole of the club-head.

Line – (Definition) – The path the ball is expected to take following a stroke. This is of particular importance on the putting green.

Links – (Definition) – A type of golf course, usually located on coastal sand dunes.

Lip – (General) – can refer to a bunker or to the hole cut in the putting green:

Bunker lip – a well-defined edge of sod or turf around the bunker that acts as a rim. It therefore requires the golfer to get the ball airborne out of the sand quickly in order to clear the bunker’s edge;

or

Hole lip – the rim of the hole on the putting green, its edge, is called the “lip”.

Lip-out – (General) – when the ball catches the side of the hole and runs around the edge, ultimately staying out.

Lob or Lob Shot – (Definition) – A short, high arc’ing shot, often played around the green. Same as a “Flop Shot”.

Local Rule – (Rule) – An addition to the Rules of Golf applying to abnormal conditions that may be found on a particular golf course.

Loft – (Definition) – The angle / amount that the clubface “leans back” from vertical.

Lost – (Rule) – The status of a ball that is not found in THREE minutes after the player or his or her caddie (or the player’s partner or partner’s caddie) begins to search for it.

Loose Impediment – (Definition) – Any unattached natural object such as stones / leaves / twigs.

LPGA – (General) – The Ladies Professional Golf Association, based in the U.S.

Lumberjack – (Slang) – A golfer who keeps hitting into the trees.

Lunch Ball – (Slang) – a do-over, usually claimed after a visit to the halfway house where the food + the break can be used an excuse for a bad shot when you get going again. Similar to a “Mulligan”.

Major or Majors – (General) – The most prestigious golf tournaments. In the modern game the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship are considered the men’s major golf championships. The Kraft Nabisco Championship, LPGA Championship, U.S. Women’s Open, Women’s British Open and The Evian Championship are currently considered the women’s major golf championships.

Mark – (Rule or General) – Could be either :

To show the spot where a ball is at rest by either:

(i) Placing a ball-marker right behind or right next to the ball,

or

(ii) Holding a club on the ground right behind or right next to the ball.

This is done to show the spot where the ball must be replaced after it is lifted.

or

To draw an identifying mark on your golf ball so as to be sure which one is yours.

Marker – (Rule) – Could be either:

(i) A small metal or plastic disk used to mark the position of a ball on the green if it has to be lifted for cleaning etc.

or

(ii) In stroke play, the person responsible for entering a player’s score on the player’s scorecard and for certifying that scorecard. The marker may be another player, but not a partner;

or

(iii) A person appointed by the Committee to record a competitor’s score.

Mashie or Mashie Niblick – (General) – An old fashioned name for an iron club with the loft similar to a modern 7 or 8 iron. The term became redundant with the introduction of numbered clubs.

Matchplay – (Definition) – A format where players or teams compete against each other on a hole-by-hole basis. The match is won when a player or side leads the opponent or opposing side by more holes than remain to be played.

Medal Play – (Definition) – Same as Strokeplay.

Member’s Bounce – (Slang) – any favourable bounce of the golf ball that improves what would have otherwise been a terrible shot.

Mid-amateur – (General) – Term used to describe a (usually low handicap) amateur golfer who is over a certain age but is not yet old enough to qualify for the senior ranks.

Misread – (General) – To misread the green … to misinterpret the line of the putt.

Mouth Wedge – (Slang) – That guy who just won’t shut up on the golf course … who knows everything about everything and talks way too much, or is always needling other players. “That guy needs to put his “mouth wedge” back in the bag”.

Movable Obstruction – (Definition) – An obstruction that can be moved with reasonable effort and without damaging the obstruction or the course.

Moving Day – (General) – The 3^rd day of a four-day tournament, so called because it is the day where competitors either play well and move up the leaderboard or play badly and move down it.

Mud Ball – (General) – A golf ball that has soil or other debris stuck to it.

Mulligan – (General) – Replaying the shot without counting the one you just hit. It is not allowed by the Rules but is common in casual rounds.

Nassau – (Format) – A type of betting game that is essentially three separate bets. Money is wagered on the best score for the front 9, the back 9, and overall total for the 18 holes.

Nearest Point of Complete Relief – (Rule) – The reference point for taking free relief from an abnormal course condition (Rule 16.1), dangerous animal condition (Rule 16.2), wrong green (Rule 13.1f) or no play zone (Rules 16.1f and 17.1e), or in taking relief under certain Local Rules.

Nett (Score) – (Definition) – The number of strokes taken for a hole (or round) after deducting the player’s handicap.

No Play Zone – (Definition) – A part of the course where the Committee has prohibited play. A no play zone must be defined as part of either an abnormal course condition or a penalty area. The Committee may use no play zones for any reason.

No Return (NR) – (General) – Failing to submit a score / scorecard for a competition round.

Obstruction – (Rule) – Any artificial object except for integral objects and boundary objects. An Obstruction is either a Movable Obstruction or an Immovable Obstruction. If part of an Immovable Obstruction (such as a gate or door or part of an attached cable) meets the definition of Movable Obstruction, that part is treated as a Movable Obstruction.

Off the Deck – (Slang) – a shot played when the golf ball is sitting on the ground, as opposed to a tee. This phrase is typically used when talking about hitting one’s driver off the fairway — “hitting driver off the deck” (a notoriously difficult shot to execute well).

Open (Clubface) – (Definition) – When the clubface is aimed to the right of where the player is swinging (for a right handed player), or to the left for a lefty.

Open (Stance) – (Definition) – Opposite of a “closed” stance. When a player’s target-side foot (or hip or shoulder) is set further back from the target-line than his trail foot (or hip or shoulder).

Outside Influence – (Definition) – Any people or things that can affect what happens to a player’s ball or equipment, or to the course.

Outward Nine – (General) – The front nine holes of a golf course, so named because older links courses typically had 9 holes going away from the clubhouse (outward 9 or playing “out”) and then 9 holes coming back to it (inward 9, playing “in”).

Out-of-Bounds (OB) – (Definition) – All areas outside the boundary edge of the course as defined by the Committee. The boundary edge is defined by the line between the course side of the stakes / fence posts / line (the line itself is out of bounds). All areas inside that edge are “in bounds”. Boundary stakes or lines should be white.

Overlapping Grip – (General) – Same as Vardon grip. A style of grip in which (for right-handed players) the right pinkie finger rests on top of the left index finger. It is named after Harry Vardon, a champion golfer of the early 20th century.

Pace – (General) – Could be :

The speed at which a ball rolls across the putting surface, AKA Green Speed. Pace and break are two components of green-reading;

or

The speed at which golfers play. AKA Pace of Play

Par – (Definition) – Could be either:

(i) The score a Scratch golfer would be expected to make on a given hole (usually a derivative of the hole’s length and difficulty)

or

(ii) The sum of all the holes’ pars on a course.

Path – (Definition) – The direction the clubhead is travelling in when it makes contact with the ball, relative to the target. AKA “Swing Path”

Penalty Area – (Definition) – One of the 5 Defined Areas of the Course, and what was formerly defined as Water Hazard. It is an area (any body of water on the course, including a sea, lake, pond, river, ditch etc) or any part of the course that the Committee defines as a Penalty Area, from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there. There are two different types of Penalty Areas, marked by either Red or Yellow lines or stakes (see the Rules of Golf for further description).

PGA – (General) – The Professional Golfers’ Association.

PGA Tour – (General) – The world’s leading men’s professional golf tour, played predominantly in the U.S.A.

PGA Tour Champions – (General) – A men’s professional golf tour for male golfers age 50+, operated by the PGA Tour and held mostly in the U.S.A.

Pin – (Slang) – The Flag-stick.

Pin-high – (Definition) – Term referring to a ball that is in line with the flagstick. Could be on or off the putting surface.

Pipe – (Slang) – a shot where the ball is hit off the hosel of the club. AKA a “shank”, a “lateral”, a “hosel-rocket” or an “unmentionable”.

Pipeline – (Slang) – a tee shot that runs straight down the middle of the fairway, just like the (irrigation) pipe that runs underneath it.

Pitch – (Definition) – A short shot (typically less than 80 or 90 yards) played with a higher lofted club that is intended to fly the majority of the distance to the hole and stop within a few yards of landing.

Pitch-and-Putt – (Definition) – a Course that (usually) only has holes under 100 yards in length, thus demanding a “pitch” to get on the green and a “putt” to get the ball in the hole. Great for short-game practice, and for beginning golfers.

Pitch Mark – (Definition) – A divot / indentation on the green caused when the ball lands. It is good etiquette to repair your pitchmark as soon as you get to the green (and one other if time permits).

Play Through – (General) – When a slow-moving player / group of players invite a faster-moving group of players to pass them on the course. It is good etiquette to speed up as soon as you notice the group behind you has caught up, or to “call them through” and stand aside straight away.

Plugged Lie – (General) – A bad lie where the ball is partially buried in the ground / sand. The correct definition is “Embedded ball”. A ball is plugged (embedded) when it sits in its own pitch-mark made as a result of the player’s previous stroke and where part of the ball is below the level of the ground. AKA a “buried lie” or in a bunker a “fried egg”.

Plus Handicap – (Definition) – A handicap better than Scratch / zero. A ‘plus’ handicap golfer adds his handicap to his gross score whereas most golfers will subtract their handicap, to achieve their nett score.

Point of Maximum Available Relief – (Definition) – The reference point for taking free relief from an abnormal course condition in a bunker (Rule 16.1c) or on the putting green (Rule 16.1d) when there is no nearest point of complete relief.

Pole Dancer – (Slang) – when your shot into the green hits the flagstick, it’s a pole dancer.

Popeye – (Slang) – a shot with lots of “spinnage” (lots of spin).

Preferred Lies – (Definition) – A Local Rule that allows the ball in play to be lifted, cleaned and placed in a better position on the fairway, as long as it is not closer to the hole.

Pre-shot Routine – (General) – The process a player goes through to get ready for his or her shot. It usually involves visualizing the intended shot, taking a practice swing, aiming etc.

Professional Golfer – (Definition) – Semantics to most people, but a Professional Golfer (as opposed to a Golf Professional) is usually someone who earns his living by playing / competing for money. A Golf Professional on the other hand, is one who typically earns his living from Teaching or Retail, Custom Fitting, Repairs etc.

Pro Shop – (General) – A golf shop at a Course, usually run by the Club Professional.

Provisional Ball – (Definition) – Another ball played in case the ball just played by the player may be Out of bounds, or Lost outside a penalty area.

Public Course – (General) – a golf course that primarily serves the general public. For example, municipal courses or daily fee courses.

Pull – (Definition) – A type of shot that (for a right handed player) unintentionally travels left of the target without curving very much. To the right for a left handed player.

Punch Shot – (Definition) – A shot played with a very low trajectory, usually to avoid interference from tree branches or when it is windy (especially when playing into the wind)

Push – (Definition) – A type of shot that (for a right handed player) unintentionally travels right of the target, without curving very much. To the left for a left handed player.

Putt – (Definition) – A shot played on the green, usually with a putter.

Putting Green – (Definition) – The area on the hole the player is playing that is specially prepared for putting, or The Committee has defined as the putting green (such as when a temporary green is used). AKA the “Green”.

Putter – (Definition) – A special golf club with a very low loft, designed to make the ball roll along the green rather than lift into the air.

Q-School – (General) – “Qualifying School”, a qualifying tournament that players compete in in order to earn their playing privileges for one of the professional tours, such as the PGA Tour, European Tour, or LPGA Tour.

R&A – (General) – Formed in 2004 and based in St Andrews, The R&A organises and runs events like “The Open” and several big amateur tournaments as well as engages in and supports activities undertaken for the benefit of the sport of golf. Despite deriving its name from the members’ golf club, The R&A is separate and distinct from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.

Rainmaker – (Slang) – a golf shot with a very high trajectory. Usually applied to pop-ups, skies or other mis-hits, but can be applied to a shot played intentionally high.

Range Finder – (General) – A measuring device used (in golf) to determine how far a player is from his intended target or an obstacle he intends to avoid.

Receiving Shots – (Definition) – in Matchplay, the player with the higher handicap “receives” the number of shots / strokes equivalent to the difference between his and his opponents’ handicap. These strokes are then taken into account at the relevant holes according to their “Stroke Index” or “Rating”.  See also “Giving Shots”

Release – (Definition) – could be either:

(i)The point in the downswing at which the clubhead overtakes the handle (some also refer to this point as that when the wrists uncock).

or

(ii) The forward motion of a ball (when on the green) after the braking effect of backspin has finished.

Relief Area – (Definition) – The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule. Each relief Rule requires the player to use a specific relief area.

Reload – (Slang) – To play a provisional ball after hitting your first one into trouble.

Reverse Bounce Back – (Slang) – Scoring a bogey or worse on a hole immediately following a birdie or better.

Ringer – (Slang) – Someone who plays / scores much better than their handicap. Ringers usually artificially inflate their handicaps with the intent of winning bets on the course, a practice that most golfers consider cheating. AKA a “Bandit” or a “Sandbagger”.

Rock Iron – (General) – An old club you carry for playing shots off stones, so you don’t damage your normal clubs. AKA a “Rutter”

Rough – (Definition) – The grass that borders the fairway, usually taller and coarser than the fairway.

Rub of the Green – (Definition) – Basically, luck (good or bad). Occurs when the ball is deflected or stopped by a third party/object, e.g. if a ball is going out of bounds and is deflected in bounds by hitting a spectator or a tree, or hits a spectator / tree and goes out of bounds.

Run – (Definition) – The distance a ball bounces and rolls once it lands.

Rutter – (General) – An old fashioned term for a small headed niblick (iron), used for hitting the ball off a cart track or some other stoney / rough surface. AKA a “Rock Iron”

Sandbagger – (Slang) – Someone who plays / scores much better than their handicap. Sandbaggers usually artificially inflate their handicaps with the intent of winning bets on the course, a practice that most golfers consider cheating. AKA a “Bandit” or a “Ringer”.

Sand Save – (General) – Scoring a par or better by getting up and down from a greenside bunker.

Sand Trap – (Definition) – Same as “bunker”.

Sand Wedge – (Definition) – A lofted club designed originally for playing out of a bunker, but was difficult to use effectively from the grass. Nowadays they are much more adaptable and can be used from the sand and the grass with relative ease.

Sandy (or Sandie) – (Format) – A score of par or better that includes a bunker shot.

School Fees – (Slang) – Adjusting your shot based on what you have learned from the person who just played (ie “going to school” on their outcome) and then holing out / playing a good shot as a result. Either “you owe me school fees for that one” or “I owe you school fees for that one”.

Scotch Foursomes – (Format) – Similar to normal “Foursomes” except that players do not alternate hitting tee shots. If Player A teed off on the first hole and Player B holed the final putt, Player A would tee off on the 2^nd hole as well, not Player B as would be the case in normal Foursomes.

Scramble – (General or Format) – Could either be

(i) When you miss the green with your approach shot but still score a par or better.

or

(ii) An abbreviation for “Texas Scramble” a popular game format (see Texas Scramble for details).

Scratch Golfer – (General) – A player whose handicap is zero.

Senior – (General) – An older golfer, usually age 50+

Shank – (Definition) – Could be either:

(i) Another name for the Hosel of the club;

or

(ii) A shot where the golf ball is struck by the hosel of the club. AKA a “lateral”, an “unmentionable”, a “pipe” or a “hosel-rocket”.

Sheep With No Legs / Legless Sheep – (Slang) – What you say to a friend when he’s played his shot and is still the furthest from the hole, ie. it’s “still ewe” (still him to play).

Short Game – (Definition) – Shots that take place on or near the green. Putting, chipping, pitching, and green-side bunker play are all aspects of the short game.

Short Grass – (Slang) – The fairway. “Keep it in the short grass.”

Short Side – (General) – The area (off the green) that is on the same side of the green that the hole is cut on. If you hit a shot that misses the green on the short side you are said to have “short-sided” yourself. This typically results in a difficult next shot with very little area on the green to land and stop the ball before it will pass the hole.

Shotgun / Shotgun Start – (General) – Getting all competitors started at the same time, historically by firing a shotgun into the air to signal that play was underway. Groups are allocated a starting hole and make their way out onto the course ahead of time so they can be ready to start at the appointed hour. Nowadays is much more common to use a type of electric or gas canister type horn called a Klaxon rather than a shotgun itself. Popular way of running a Charity Golf Day or certain Corporate events because everyone starts and finishes at similar times.

Silly Season – (Slang) – That part of the year after the PGA Tour schedule has ended, when unofficial money tournaments are played (such as the Skins Games or mixed-tour team events) and the players are competing for “silly money” as a way to entice them to play when it effectively counts for nothing in terms of ranking points.

Sit! – (General) – Telling the ball to stop rolling.

Skins – (Format) – A game format where each hole has a set value (usually in money or points). The player who wins the hole is said to win the “skin”, and whatever that skin is worth. Typically if any two players tie on a given hole, the hole is considered “halved” and the value of that hole is carried over and added to the value of the following hole.

Sky / Skyshot – (General) – A mis-hit shot that comes off the top part of the Driver / 3 wood head (leaving a nice little scratch on the top of the club) and flies straight up in the air, and not very far forwards. Also called a “Rainmaker”.

Skull – (Slang) – A mis-hit where the club-head strikes on top of the ball, causing the ball to roll or bounce rather than fly. AKA a “Topped” shot.

Slice – (Definition) – A shot that, for a right-handed golfer, curves (violently) from left to right in flight and finishes a long way right of the target line; A “fade” is a gentle left to right shot and is defined above.

Slope Rating – (Definition) – A number, from 55 to 155, used to indicate the “measurement of the relative playing difficulty of a course for players who are not scratch golfers, compared to scratch golfers”.

Snakey – (Slang) – A 3-putt.

Snap Hook – (Definition) – A severe hook that usually goes directly left as well as curving from right to left, for a right handed golfer (severe left to right for a left handed golfer).

Snowman – (Slang) – Scoring an 8 on a hole.

Society – (General) – An organized group of golfers, usually not affiliated with any individual golf course. Members are often drawn from the same workplace, profession etc.

Sole – (Definition) – The bottom or underside of a golf club.

Speed – (Definition) – The “pace” of a putt or expected pace of a putting surface. The speed of the putt will often determine the amount of curve, or break, in a putt.

Splash Shot – (General) – A bunker shot where the sand appears to “splash” out onto the green when the shot is played.

Spinach – (Slang) – The rough. “Don’t hit it left, the spinach is really thick over there.”

Stableford – (Format) – A points based scoring system. The number of strokes taken on each hole relative to par translates into a set number of points, with the winner being the player who accumulates the highest number of points.

Stance – (Definition) – Rules Definition for the position of a player’s feet and body in preparing for and making a stroke.

Sticks – (Slang) – The incorrect (although now more humorously) used term for golf clubs.

Stimp / Stimp-rating – (Definition) – A numerical value that represents how fast, or easily, the golf ball rolls on the putting surface and therefore how hard golfers have to putt the ball to reach the hole. AKA the “Green Speed”

The greenkeeper / tournament official will typically find a flat area of the putting green and take readings from 3 or 4 different angles by rolling a ball down an instrument called a Stimpmeter (named after it’s inventor Edward Stimpson Snr) in order to get an average of how far the ball has rolled, in feet, from the Stimpmeter, therefore obtaining the green’s  Stimp or Speed.

The lower the stimp, the slower the greens, the higher the stimp, the faster the greens.

A green speed of 7 is generally considered very slow, 9 is moderate and 13 or 14 is considered lightning-fast. Most PGA Tour venues have green speeds of around 12.

Stimpmeter – (Definition) – A device used to measure the speed of putting greens (named after it’s inventor Edward Stimpson Snr).

Stoney – (Slang) – As in “Stone Dead” – could be used to describe a shot where the ball stops very close to the target (“I hit that one stoney” or “my ball is stoney”), or a poor shot where the ball finishes right behind an obstacle / in trouble where the only viable option is to play sideways / backwards or to take a penalty drop in order to continue playing the hole – “I’m stone dead behind that tree”

Stop the Bleeding – (Slang) – To end a stretch of poor play. “I’ve made three bogeys in a row, I really need to stop the bleeding.”

Stroke – (Definition) – The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.

Stroke and Distance – (Definition) – The procedure and penalty when a player takes relief under Rules 17, 18 or 19 by playing a ball from where the previous stroke was made (see Rule 14.6).The term stroke and distance means that the player both

(i) Gets one penalty stroke,

and

(ii) Loses the benefit of any gain of distance towards the hole from the spot where the previous stroke was made.

Stroke Index – (Definition) – Loosely, a number between 1-18, assigned to each hole, and printed on the score card, to indicate the easier and more difficult holes (1 being most difficult and 18 least). SI is then used for different scoring formats to show which holes handicap strokes can be taken on. For example, a golfer with a handicap of 15 would (for scoring purposes) be allowed an extra stroke on holes with a SI between 1 and 15, but nothing on SI 16-18. A golfer with a handicap of 26 for example would have an allowance of 2 extra strokes on SI 1-8 and 1 extra stroke on SI 9-18 (where handicaps exceed 18 the extra stroke allowances come from lower SI first).

Stroke Play – (Definition) – Style of scoring in which every stroke is counted and the player with the fewest strokes wins. Most professional tournaments are stroke play.

Stymie – (General) – Putting your ball into a position between the hole and your opponent’s golf ball, such that you block his / her ball’s path to the hole. Historically Stymie’ing was used as a tactic but nowadays The Rules do not allow it.

Sunblock – (Slang) – A golfer who spends a lot of time in bunkers (therefore, at the beach).

Sunday Bag – (General) – A small, lightweight golf bag.

Sweet-spot – (Definition) – The point on the club-face you want to use, to hit the ball with – it is the spot where you get maximum transfer of energy to the ball and the least vibration in your hands.

Swing – (General) – The movement you make when you try to hit the ball. The Rules of Golf define this as a “Stroke”.

Swing Path – (Definition) – The direction the clubhead is travelling in when it makes contact with the ball, relative to the target.

Taking Aerials – (Slang) – What you say to a mate when your tee shot flies further in the air than his went in total distance. Follow up with “6 by 9’s or larger?” (what size prints would he like?)

Tap-in – (General) – A very short putt.

Target-line – (Definition) – An imaginary (straight) line from the ball to the target.

Tee – (General) – A small peg, usually made of wood or plastic, that you can place the ball on to play your first stroke on a hole. Confusingly it may also refer to the “Teeing Area”.

Teeing Area – (Definition) – The area the player must play from in starting the hole he or she is playing. The teeing area is a rectangle that is two club-lengths deep. AKA the “tee” or the “tee box” or the “teeing ground”.

Tee Box – (General) – The common, but incorrect definition for Teeing Area.

Tempo – (General) – The smooth motion of a player’s swing, typically attributed to the smoothness between backswing and downswing.

Temporary Water – (Definition) – Any temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the ground (such as puddles from rain or irrigation or an overflow from a body of water).

Ten-finger grip – (Definition) – A way of holding the club, with all ten fingers in contact with the handle. AKA the “Baseball Grip”.

Texas Scramble – (Format) – A system of team play whereby each player takes a tee shot and then the ball in the best position is selected and everyone plays their next shot from that spot. The process is repeated until a ball is holed out.

Thin Shot – (General) – Usually an unintentional mis-hit where the club-head strikes too high on the ball causing a low flight and plenty of vibrations in your hands. AKA “blading” the ball / a “worm burner” / a “zinger”.

Three-jack – (Slang) – Taking three putts to get your ball in the hole, you three-jacked it.

Through Line – (Definition) – When putting, the imaginary path that a ball will travel on if it goes past the hole.

Through the Green – (Definition) – The area of the course that covers all of the course except for the other four defined areas: (1) the teeing area the player must play from in starting the hole he or she is playing, (2) all penalty areas, (3) all bunkers, and (4) the putting green of the hole the player is playing.

Tiger Line – (General) – Playing a (risky) shot over the corner of a dog-leg or some trouble on a golf hole. N.B. I don’t know the origins of the phrase but it was being used before Tiger Woods came to prominence so is unlikely to be attributed to him / his style of play.

Tiger Tees – (General) – The tee markers that are the furthest back. AKA the “Tips”

Tips (playing from) – (General) – The tee markers that are the furthest back. The Championship tees on a golf course are known as “the tips”.

Toe – (Definition) – The end of the club-head farthest from the hosel.

Tony Blair – (Slang) – British slang for a shot that started off a little to the left (Blair was the leader of the leftist Labour Party) but who knows where it is now…

Topped – (General) – A mis-hit where the club-head strikes on top of the ball, causing the ball to roll or bounce rather than fly. AKA a “Skull”.

Triple bogey – (General) – A score of three strokes more than the par for the hole. Also simply called a triple.

Unplayable – (Definition) – When you think that your golf ball is in a situation that means there is no way to play a shot. You have options under the Rules (Rule 19) for what to do, but you must add a penalty of 1 shot to your score for the hole in doing so.

Up and Down – (General) – Getting the ball into the hole in 2 shots from next to the green. Usually one shot to get the ball “up” onto the green and the second to putt it “down” (into the hole). AKA an “up and in”.

USGA – (Definition) – The United States Golf Association. The governing body of amateur golf for the U.S.A. and Mexico.

U.S.G.A. – (Slang) – What you say to a buddy who is reloading – stands for “ugly shot, go again”.

USPGA – (Definition) – The Professional Golfers Association of America. More commonly called the “PGA of America”.

Vardon Grip – (General) – A style of grip in which (for right-handed players) the right pinkie finger rests on top of the left index finger. Also known as the overlapping grip, it is named after Harry Vardon, a champion golfer of the early 20th century.

Velcro – (Slang) – Greens that are fluffy and slow, in terms of speed. “These are some Velcro greens.”

Victory Lap – (Slang) – When a golf ball catches the cup and spins around the rim before falling into the hole, it’s taking a victory lap. Also called an “all round” good putt.

Waggle – (General) – A pre-shot habit where a player adjusts his body and moves the club around before settling and playing the shot.

Wall Street – (Slang) – The bailout area on a hole.

Waste Area – (Definition) – An area on a golf course that is typically sandy, usually very large, that might also have rocks, pebbles, shells or various types of vegetation in it, but is neither a penalty area nor a bunker. They look like bunkers but aren’t.

Water Ball – (General or Slang) – Either :

A shot that has just been hit into the water;

or

More commonly, an old / cheap / scuffed up golf ball you substitute for a good ball when hitting over a water hazard because you don’t want to risk losing the good one.

Water Hole – (General) – Any hole on the golf course on which water comes into play, but especially those with a lot of water – e.g., where the golfer has to hit a shot over a large pond / lake.

Wedge – (Definition) – A type of club; a short iron / irons. Designed for short range shots, and have the highest lofts.

Whiff – (Slang) – An attempt to strike the ball where the player fails to make contact. AKA a  “fresh air” or a “freshie”. A whiff must be counted as a stroke.

Winter Green – (General) – Typically an area of fairway used as a temporary putting green to prevent damage to the normal green during inclement winter weather.

Winter Rules – (Definition) – When adverse conditions have damaged the course / prevented use of the equipment to maintain the course, the Committee can choose to adopt a Local Rule for “preferred lies” (also known as “winter rules”) to allow fair play or help protect the fairways.

Wire-to-Wire – (General) – Leading a tournament after every round.

Wood – (General) – A type of club where the head is generally (except for the club-face) bulbous in shape; so named because the head was originally made of wood, although almost all are now metal. Woods typically have faces with the lowest loft.

Worm Burner – (Slang) – A mis-hit shot that doesn’t lift too high off the ground, ie it’s going to scorch any worms that lift their heads up. AKA a “zinger” (because the vibration from the contact stings your hands / fingers), a “bladed” shot or a “thin”.

Yank – (General) – a shot or a putt that is pulled left (for a right-handed golfer) of the target. “I yanked it.”

Yips – (General) – A tendency to twitch during the stroke (most commonly during a putting stroke).

Zinger – (Slang) – A mis-hit shot that doesn’t lift too high off the ground and the vibration from the contact stings your hands / fingers. AKA a “Worm Burner”, a “bladed” shot or a “thin”.