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These are the old standard terms, golf speak that everyone needs to understand when they play the game!
Ace
hole in one
Amateur
playing for fun!
Approach Shot
a short or medium shot played to the putting green or pin
Attend the flag
hold and then remove the flag while another player putts. (don’t let his ball hit the flag)
Back tees
usually the championship tees, makes for the longest course
Best ball
best score on a hole by two or more partners in a best-ball match.
Birdie
one stroke under par on a hole
Bogey
one stroke over par on a hole.
Break
describes the curve on the putting green. Maybe you can figure out which way the ball will go.
Bunker
what they used to call sand traps.
Caddie
guy who hefts your club around the course.
Chip
hopefully a short lofted shot onto the green.
Course Rating
USGA fills you in on how hard the course is by handicap or slope compared to another course.
Distaffer
Female Professional Golfer
Divot
The piece of grass you just lifted with your golf club and that you need to put back and step on so next guy’s ball doesn’t get stuck in that hole!
Dog leg
left or right curve or turn on fairway.
Eagle
two under par on a hole.
Fore
What you yell when your ball was hit, and it looks like you’re going to hit someone..
Gimme
short putt very close to the hole, sometimes your opponents won’t make you drop it in.
Green
the beautiful short green grass surrounding the little hole you putt you ball into.
Greens fee
what it costs to play the golf course.
Grip
top of golf club, covered in leather where you grip the club.
Gross score
the high score before you deduct your handicap.
Handicap
what holds you back from being a “pro”. The number of strokes allowed to be deducted from score,
based on your past games.
Hazard
lakes, bunkers, fences, or anything that makes your ball hard to get to.
Hole
that little 4 x 4 x4 opening that’s up on the green waiting!
Hole in one
everybody’s dream shot! getting your ball into the above little hole with just one shot!
Hook
golf shot that flies off to the left (the dread of many golfers).
Lie
what you learn to do after you take up the game of golf – no seriously it’s the position of your ball after your shot.
Links
golf course with holes strung out in a line rather than side by side. Based on Scottish courses that stretch out along the ocean.
Lip
metal rim that surrounds the cup that makes up the hole on the green.
Marker
usually a dime to mark position of your golf ball on the green, ball is then removed so someone else can putt.
Nassau
gambling on the golf course! Betting on the front nine, the back nine and the whole 18.
Ob
Short for Out of Bounds. You’ll know it when you get there.
Par
the number of strokes it’s supposed to take to get the ball in the hole!
Penalty stroke
additional stroke added to a player’s score when you break the rules (it pays to know those rules!)
Pin
nickname for the flagstick
Pitch
pitch shot – a little half swing to get your ball on the green (longer than a chip shot). We have known players who have picked up their ball and actually pitched it onto the green – very baaad!
Play through
what you like to do when you get stuck behind a very slow foursome.
Plunker
the ball that’s is under that lip on the bunker you just go into.
Professional
you know these guys, they get paid for doing what you try to do, sometimes they teach as well.
Putter
usually the shortest club in your bag (unless it’s a belly putter, then it’s the longest) and always the most feared.
Rough
area of golf course that has dead leaves, tall grass and other stuff to hide your ball.
Shank
The ball flies off to the side – a lateral shot. Worst shot to make unless you consider it missing it entirely.
Slice
Opposite of “hook”. Usually beginners to this, the ball goes totally right instead of straight.
Tee
the little wooded item you pick up out of bowls in the pro shop. It’s to stick in the ground and raise your ball higher to give you an edge when teeing off!
Whiff
You have just missed your ball completely and almost screwed yourself into the ground!
Worm Burner, you have just hit the ball and it burns up the fairway, just scooting along
Whoosher
you’ve just hit your ball so hard that the air whooshes from the impact.
Yips
nerves, because you have missed all those little short putts!
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