bite club action of putting backspin on a ball. blade a type of putter.
bladesman name used to describe a superior putter.
blast to launch huge cascades of sand when playing a ball out of a sand trap. Also known as to explode.
blind hole a putting green that cannot be seen by a player who is about to approach.
bogey scoring one stroke over par at a particular hole.
bold a stroke that is too strong.
borrow sloping a ball to compensate for a slight rise or curve in the putting green.
brassie No. 2 wood, used when long-distance strokes are needed (originally named for its brass sole plate).
bunker a depression in bare ground, usually covered with sand; a sand hazard.
bunt a short shot.
bye the unplayed holes left after a match has been won.
caddie the person who carries the player's clubs and assists during a match.
can to make a putt and get the ball in the hole.
cap the top part of a club shaft.
carry the distance between where the ball is struck and where it makes its first bounce on the ground.
casting a poor swing technique in which the hands are used too much to control the start of the downswing. Also known as hitting from the top.
casual water a temporary pool or puddle of water or a bank of snow not considered part of a course's official hazards; a player is allowed to remove his ball from casual wear without penalty. Also known as a casual lie.
chipping iron an iron used for making chip shots.
chip shot a short, low shot, frequently with over- spin, taken near the putting green.
choke to move the grip further down on the handle of a club. Also to psychologically collapse under pressure and blow an easy shot.
chop to hack the ball with a club to give it extra spin.
chump an opponent who poses little or no competition.
cleek No. 4 wood with a face angle similar to a No. 1 or No. 2 iron.
closed stance a stance in which the left foot is placed over the line of flight with the right foot back.
clubbing a player advising another player which club to use on a particular shot.
club head the portion of the club that strikes the ball.
clubhouse collective term for lockers, restaurant, bar, and meeting rooms.
clubhouse lawyer a person who knows even the most obscure golf rules and who generally makes a pain of himself by advising everyone.
collar the edge of a sand hazard.
course rating a scale defining the playing difficulty of a particular course in comparison to other courses, expressed in strokes and fractions of a stroke.
cup hole.
cut shot a high, soft shot that stops rolling almost immediately after hitting the green.
dead imparted with so much backspin that a ball stops without rolling after hitting the green.
deuce a hole made in two strokes.
dimples the indentations on a golf ball.
divot a slice of turf hacked out by a club during a stroke.
dogleg a curve in the fairway to the right or left.
dormie a situation in which the opponent must win every remaining hole to tie a match.
double bogey scoring 2 over par at a particular hole.
double eagle a score of 3 under par. Also known as an albatross.
down the number of strokes a player is behind his opponent.
draw an intentional hook shot. drive to hit the ball from a tee.
driver No. 1 wood, used for the maximum distance shot.
dub a poor shot; a missed shot.
duck hook a severe hook hit low to the ground, sometimes causing people on the sidelines to "duck."
duffer a poor golfer. Also known as a hacker. dunk to hit a ball into a water hazard. eagle scoring two strokes under par at a hole. explode see blast.
face the hitting surface of a club's head.
fade a ball that "fades" to its left or right at the end of its flight.
fairway the manicured terrain between the tee and the putting green.
fan to swing the club and miss the ball completely. Also known as to whiff.
fat shot a shot in which the club has partially struck the ground before hitting the ball, resulting in a high, low, or weak flight.
feather hitting a long, high shot that curves slightly from left to right and then settles with little roll.
flagstick the flagpole placed in a hole to show its location from a distance.
flash trap a small sand bunker, usually shallow.
flier a ball without spin that travels farther than expected.
floater a ball that is hit high and appears to float lightly across the sky.
fore the word shouted to warn players downfield of the impending flight of a ball.
forecaddie a person whose primary responsibility is to mark the position of a player's ball on the course.
fringe see apron.
frog hair the short grass around the edge of the green.
front side on an 18-hole course, the first nine holes.
gimme a short putt easily made.
go to school to learn the lay of a green by watching the roll of a putt from another player.
grain the direction in which the grass on a putting green lies after being cut.
grasscutter a low, line-drive shot that skims the grass.
green the whole golf course. (The putting greens are where the holes are located and are frequently referred to as the "green" as well.)
greens fee the fee paid to play on a golf course.
gross a player's score before a handicap is subtracted.
hacker a poor golfer.
halfswing a swing in which the club is brought only halfway back.
halve to make a hole in the same number of strokes as the other player(s).
handicap a stroke or strokes given to a player of lesser ability than his opponent to help even out a match.
handicap player a player who usually plays above par and is thus given a handicap.
hanging lie a ball that comes to rest on a downhill slope.
hazard a bunker or water trap.
heel to hit the ball from the top of the club head near the shaft, resulting in the ball taking off at right angles to the line of play.
hole-in-one a hole made in one stroke. Also known as an ace.
hook a ball that curves to the left.
iron any club with a metal head.
lateral hazard a water hazard running alongside or parallel to the line of play.
lie the place where the ball comes to rest after a shot.
links originally a name for a seaside golf course but now describing any course.
lip the rim of the hole.
loft the height a ball reaches in the air. Also the angle a club face is set at in order to give a ball more lift or "loft."
marshal a person who keeps spectators in line and orderly in a golf tournament.