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-A-

albatross Every golfers daydream – also known as the "Double Eagle", it means 3 under par.

amateur In competitive sports, it’s the difference between making the big bucks, and not.

angle of approach – In the downward swing, it’s the angle at which the club head approaches the ball. It ultimately determines the trajectory of the ball (hook, straight, high, low, etc…).

approach shot The last shot from the fairway aimed at the green.

apron Also known as the "fringe" – it’s the slightly taller grass around the edge of the putting green.

-B-

back door The far side of the hole (relative to the golfer).

back lip Refers to the side of the bunker furthest from the green.

back nine Holes 10 through 18.

backspin A spin applied to a ball (usually by a wedge) which causes it to role backwards once it hits the turf.

backswing Also known as the "upswing" – it’s the first half of a complete swing (the recoiling of the club from the ground to the top of the swing).

ball marker Usually a small flat object – anything from a quarter to a plastic token - used to mark the position of the ball on the green (placed behind the ball).

ball retriever A golfers best friend - a long pole with a trapping device on one end used to retrieve balls from water hazards.

baseball grip A method of holding the club where all ten fingers are in  contact with the grip.

beach Slang for a "sand trap".

bent grass A type of grass used on most golf course greens.

best ball A style of play in which a team of golfers each play their ball from the best position of the preceding shot - from tee to green – usually used in tournament games.

birdie One stroke under par.

bite Term referring to the balls backspin kicking in upon hitting the turf, such that the ball ceases to roll forward.

blade The striking surface of a golf iron.

blind hole A hole in which the green is not visible to the golfer.

bogey One stroke over par.

boundary The outer limits of the legal playing area on a golf course.

break The way in which a ball follows the contours of a putting green.

breaking of wrists The bending of the wrists during the backswing.

bump and run Also referred to as "chip and run" – a shot approach where the ball rolls forward after the first bounce.

bunker Also referred to as a "sand trap". A large pit filled with sand (usually situated in locations where you’ll likely end up in them!)

bunt Similar to in baseball, it refers to a short shot.

bye A term generally used in tournaments – any player who draws a "bye" can advance to the proceeding round without playing an opponent.

-C-

caddie A person who is permitted to offer advice and carry equipment for a golfer during play.

card Also know as a "scorecard" – it’s the sheet on which scores are recorded for a round of golf.

carpet Slang for grass.

carry Refers to the distance in the air traveled by the ball from impact to where it first lands.

casual water Any water not defined as a water hazard (usually occurring from rain flooding or poor drainage).

chip shot A short shot usually hit from the fringe where the ball travels with a large degree of backspin and little height.

chip-and-run See "bump and run".

chip in To sink a ball with a chip shot.

choke To grip the club further down the shaft of the club (usually to gain control of the direction of trajectory).

chop A method of striking the ball abruptly with little to no follow through.

cleat The plastic grips on the sole of a golf shoe (usually replaceable).

closed face Refers to the clubface pointing to the left of the target prior to impact, resulting in a draw.

closed stance A stance taken with the golfers body aligned slightly to the right of the target.

club head The striking part of a golf club.

cock See "breaking of wrists".

collar See "fringe".

condor Almost as great as an ace! Four-under par.

course rating A rating system developed to rate the playing difficulty of a course based on yardage and the playability of the course by a scratch golfer.

cross-handed grip A method of holding the club where the left hand is positioned below the right on the club.

cup Another term for ‘hole".

cut In tournaments, it is the cut-off score which will be used to eliminate players to a pre-determined number.

-D-

dance floor Slang for putting green.

deuce A hole completed in only two strokes.

divot The small piece of turf taken with the club during the stroke.

dogleg A left or right bend in the fairway – a hole is said to be "dogleg right" or "dogleg left".

double bogey Two strokes over par.

double eagle See "albatross".

downhill lie As the name suggests, the ball is positioned on a decline towards the green.

downswing The motion of the club before impact (opposite of upswing or backswing).

drain Slang for sinking a putt.

draw shot A strategic shot that curves from the outside inwards (right to left for right-handed players).

drive The initial stroke on a hole – usually applies to long holes which require the use of a driver or a 3-wood.

driver The longest hitting club in the golf bag. Also referred to a the "1 wood".

driving iron Usually the 1 or 2 iron.

driving range An open area reserved for practicing golf shots.

drop The practice of dropping the ball from a set height after the ball has been deemed unplayable or lost.

duff To screw up a shot.

duffer A novice golfer.

-E-

eagle Two strokes under par.

extra hole A final hole played in sudden death to determine a tie breaker.

-F-

face The hitting area or surface of the club head.

fade Opposite of a "draw". A strategic shot that curves from the inside outwards (left to right for right-handed players).

fairway The short-grassed area of the course between the tee box and the green.

fan See "airball".

fat shot A shot where the club strikes the ground well before the ball (usually resulting in a large divot).

flag (flagstick) The tall marker used to identify the hole location from afar.

flub See "fat shot".

fluff To improve the ball lie (usually by placing the ball atop a patch of grass).

follow-through The final motion of the golf swing after impact.

fore A term called out loudly to warn other players of a dangerously close approaching ball.

foursome Two pairs of golfers in which each twosome play alternate shots with one ball.

free drop To drop the ball without penalty.

fringe See "apron".

front nine The first nine holes of an 18 hole course.

-G-

gallery Spectators.

gimmie A short putt which need not be made as determined by an opponent (usually to save time).

green The short grass which constitutes the putting surface.

green fee The fee charged at courses to play on the course.

grip The padded portion of the club furthest from the head by which the club is held.

grounding the club To place the clubhead behind the ball when addressing it.

ground under repair Any area of the course which has been identified as being under repair. Any ball in these areas may be moved without penalty.

-H-

hack See "chop".

hacker See ‘duffer".

handicap In general, it is the number of strokes a player may deduct from his or her score to match the score of a professional, or "scratch" golfer.

handicap index Different from a handicap, it is a number which is determined with the course rating, slope rating, and handicap. See "slope".

hanging lie A ball resting on a downhill slope.

hazard Refers to sand traps, water, etc...

head The striking part of the club.

heel The part of the head closest to the shaft.

hog's back A stretch of elevated ground on a fairway or green.

hole The final resting place for every golfball - It measures exactly 4 1/2"in diameter. Also refers to the individual stations at a course (1 to 18).

hole high A ball on the green which is positioned beyond the hole (relative to the tee box).

hole in one See "ace".

hole out To complete a hole by hitting the ball into the hole.

hook An exaggerated "draw".

-I-

impact The instant that the club face makes contact with the ball.

in Holes 10 to 18.

interlocking grip A method of gripping the club where the right pinky wraps around the left index finger (for right–handed players).

intended line The expected line of ball trajectory.

-J-

jungle Slang for "rough".

-K-

-L-

lag To intentionally putt short of the hole to ensure a sure hole out for the subsequent shot.

lateral hazard A hazard which runs parallel to the direction of the line of play.

lay up A safe shot where the ball is hit short of the green (usually to avoid a hazard).

lie The condition of the positioning and surroundings of a balls location on the course.

links A term referring to golf courses.

lip The rim of the hole.

lob shot Usually played with a wedge, it is a shot with a near vertical trajectory, with little to no forward role.

loft The angle of the clubface relative to vertical.

long game Shots which require the use of woods or long irons.

long irons Irons 1 through 5.

loose impediments Any natural object found on the course that is not fixed to the ground – such as stones, branches, insects, etc…

LPGA Ladies' Professional Golf Association.

-M-

marker Differently colored objects at the tee-box which mark the different levels of yardage difficulties.

marshal A person appointed by a tournament committee to keep order and handle spectators.

match play A type of game where the winner is declared for each hole based on who has the lowest score. The player with the most "holes" upon completion of the round wins the match.

mis-read To misinterpret the line of a putt.

mixed foursome A foursome with both men and women.

muff See "duff".

mulligan A shot taken over without adding it to ones score.

-N-

Nassau A wager in which bets are placed on the first and last nine, as well as on the complete round.

neck The section of the head into which the shaft is inserted.

net score The gross score minus the handicap.

nineteenth hole Slang for the clubhouse.

-O-

offset Refers to the backward displacement of the head relative to the shaft.

one-putt To hole out with a single putt.

open stance For right-handed players, it is a type of stance where the golfers body is aligned to the left of the target.

out Holes 1 to 9.

out of bounds See "boundary".

overlapping grip See "interlocking grip".

-P-

par The number of strokes a player is expected to complete a hole.

peg See "tee".

penalty stroke A stroke added to a player’s score for a violation of the rules.

PGA Professional Golfers Association.

pin See "flag".

pin-high See "hole high".

pinehurst A type of play whereby each player play each others drive. The hole is completed by selecting one ball with which to play.

pitch A short shot with a high loft and some backspin.

pitch and putt A short golf course which only requires a wedge and a putter.

pitch and run Similar to a pitch, except the ball rolls forward after landing.

pitching wedge A short iron designed for pitching the ball short distances.

placement The accuracy of a shot.

play off A tie breaker.

playing through To pass slower playing golfers.

practice green A green set aside for practice putting.

preferred lie A rule which permits a player to improve his or her balls lie without penalty.

professional A player who makes a career by playing and/or teaching golf.

pro-am A golfing competition in which professional players and amateurs play as partners.

pro shop The golf shop operated by the course where equipment is sold and where tee times are booked.

provisional ball A second ball which may be played if the first ball is considered to be lost or out of bounds.

punch A low loft shot, usually played to reduce the effect of drag during windy conditions.

putt A shot made with a putter on the green.

putt out Similar to "hole out", it means to complete the hole with the putter.

putter A flat faced club for use on the putting green.

-Q-

qualifying school Where amateurs compete to qualify for professional status.

-R-

reading the green Observing the contours of a putting green.

release The instant during the downswing where the wrists break forward.

reverse overlap A putting grip whereby the left index finger overlaps the right little finger (for right-handed players).

rifle To play a long and accurate shot.

rim To role the ball around the rim of the hole.

rough The long grass adjacent to fairways. See "jungle".

round A full 18 holes.

round robin A tournament format wherein every player must compete with one another.

run The forward rolling motion of the ball after it has landed.

-S-

sand trap See "bunker".

sand wedge A high lofting iron used primarily for hitting balls out of sand traps.

scotch foursome A style of play whereby partners alternate in hitting a single ball. Before the round, the partners must decide who will drive the even or odd numbered holes.

scratch (-golfer) Every duffers goal - a zero handicap.

scruff See "duff".

shaft The long part of the club to which the head and grip are attached.

shank A poor shot where the ball is hit with the club neck instead of the clubface.

short game Shots which require the use of short irons, wedges, and putters.

short irons Irons 7 through 9.

shotgun start A method of starting a tournament whereby all the players are assigned a different hole, and continue to play through the holes in ascending order.

shot hole A par three hole.

sidehill lie As the name suggests, the ball is positioned on a slope which runs roughly parallel to the direction of play.

sink To hole out.

skins A wagering game where the winner of each hole is awarded a pot. Any ties carry through the pot until a winner is declared.

skulling To strike the top half of the ball causing it to fly too far and low.

sky Opposite of "skulling".

slice An exaggerated "draw".

slope A number by which your handicap is adjusted to reflect the difficulty of the course. The average slope rating is about 113. Players may calculate a "handicap index" using the course rating and slop rating – the maximum index allowed for men is 36.4, and 40.4 for women.

sole The bottom part of the clubs head.

SPGA Senior Professional Golf Association.

spike mark A small mark left by the cleats on golf shoes.

spray To slice or hook the ball in any direction.

square stance A stance where the heels of the feet line up with the target.

stance The positioning of the feet relative to the ball.

starter A course employee who determines the order of play at the first tee.

stick See "pin" or "flagstick".

stony A shot which has been hit very close to the pin.

stroke The units by which a golfers score is calculated.

stroke play A method of play where the total number of strokes (minus handicaps) determines the winner of the round.

stymie Where your ball is in the path or line of your opponents. It could also mean that an object such as a tree is in your way.

summer rules Official rules of golf as dictated by the governing association (USGA).

sweet spot Slang for the center of the club face.

-T-

tap in A short putt.

tee A wooden or plastic peg used to elevate the ball from the grass. Allowed to be used only in the first shot.

tee-shot The first shot played on a hole.

teeing ground The area designated for teeing off. The levels of playing difficulty are marked with colored markers. See "marker".

temporary green A temporary patch of short grass usually used when greens are under repair.

thin See "skulling".

thread Like threading a needle, it refers to a shot directed through a tight fairway or opening.

three-putt To complete a hole in three putts.

tight fairway A narrow fairway.

toe The section of the club head furthest from the shaft.

topspin Opposite of "backspin".

trajectory The angle and direction of flight of a ball.

triple bogey Three strokes over par.

turn To start holes 10 to 18.

-U-

underspin See "backspin".

unplayable lie A lie where it is impossible to play a ball (besides from a water hazard).

USGA United States Golf Association.

-V-

-W-

waggle The gentle swinging of the club prior to taking a shot (usually to release tension in the wrists).

wedge A short iron used for chips or pitches.

winter rules Rules that apply in winter which will allow golfers to improve their ball lie in certain circumstances.

wormburner A low trajectory shot that either just clears the ground or rolls.

-X-

-Y-

yardage rating See "course rating".

yip See "aliss".