Golf Vocabulary

Ace - a hole in one
Approach shot - a shot taken when the ball is within reach of the green
Apron - the short clipped grass surrounding the green
Away - the player whose ball is farthest from the hole; they play next
Birdie - one stroke under par
Bogey - one stroke over par
Blind shot - a shot taken when the green is out of sight
Break - the slope of the green
Bunker - a sand trap; a hazard
Chip - a low, short shot to the green
Cup - the plastic lining of the hole
Divot - the grass and ground most of us pick up instead of the ball, and which the pros pick up on purpose
Dog leg - a fairway that turns left or right
Double bogey - two strokes over par
Draw - for a right handed golfer, a shot that gently curves to the left
Drive - the first shot on each hole
Duffer - an unskilled golfer
Eagle - two strokes under par
Fade - for a right handed golfer, a shot that gently curves to the right
Fairway - the neatly mowed area from tee to green
Fat shot - hitting too much ground before hitting the ball
Flight - the path of the ball in the air
Follow through - the part of the swing after the ball has been contacted
Fore! - a warning call when the ball is headed for another human
G.A.S.P. - grip, address, stance, and posture; your set up to the ball before the swing
Gimmie - a very short putt that your partner concedes to you
Grain - the direction the grass grows on the green
Green - the putting surface
Grip - where, and how, you hold the club
Gross score - your actual score before deducting your handicap
Hacker - another variety of unskilled golfer
Halve - to tie a score on a hole
Handicap - a number figured to rank a players ability; the difficulty of each hole in comparison to the others
Hazard - a sand trap, pond, stream or other strategically located obstacle of nature
Honor - the right to tee off first, earned by having the lowest score from the previous hole
Hook - a ball that curves hard from right to left (or left to right for left-handers)
Inside-out - the direction of the club head when it travels from inside to outside of the correct club path
Irons - metal clubs, usually numbered from 1-9
Lag - putting close to the hole from a distance
Lie - where the ball rests
Links - the golf course
Lip- the edge of the hole
Loft- the angle of the club face, and the angle of the flight of the ball
Marker - out of bounds stakes; the colored pieces of wood or rock that mark the various tee areas; small pieces of plastic that mark the spot of your ball on the green when you pick it up to get out of the way of your playing partner's putting line.
Mulligan - a second drive taken in a recreational round when your first drive was lousy; before play begins players usually agree to one mulligan per round of 9 holes
Net - a player's score once their handicap has been deducted
Outside-in - the direction of the club head when it travels from outside to inside of the correct club path
Over clubbing - using a longer club than needed for the shot
Pace - the speed of play (or the lack thereof)
Par - the standard number of strokes designated for each hole based on the length of the hole from tee to green
Pin - the flag stick
Pin high - a ball that lies even with the hole but off to one side
Playing through - when the group ahead of you is slow, they should allow you to go ahead of them; often done when a group is looking for a lost ball
Pull - a shot hit straight, but off-line to the left
Punch - hitting the ball hard and low, usually out from under the branches of a tree
Push - a shot hit straight, but off-line to the right
Rough - the deeper and heavier grass that surrounds the fairways and greens
Sand trap - a hazard filled with sand
Set up - your preparatory routine before starting your swing (see GASP above)
Shank - a mis-hit ball that flies hard left or right
Sky - a tall, thin shot
Slice - a ball that curves hard left to right, usually a mis-hit
Summer rules - the ball must be played as it lies and moved or lifted only when the rules allow
Sweet spot - the center of the club face where we all wish we could hit the ball every time; when you hit the ball on the sweet spot, you hardly feel like you hit anything
Take away - taking the club back behind you; the first part of the swing
Target - the place on the course you are actually aiming for, as opposed to the place you actually hit to
Tee - the small wooden peg onto which you place your ball for the first shot of each hole; the area from where you take your first shot Thin shot - not hitting any ground or grass when you've intended to
Top - hitting the top half of the ball which causes a low or rolling shot
Under clubbing - using a shorter club than needed for the shot
Unplayable lie - a ball that cannot be played from where it sits; a player takes a penalty stroke for moving it and taking a drop
Water hole - a hole that has a water hazard on it
Whiff - swinging at the ball with the intention of hitting it, but missing it completely; it counts as a stroke!
Winter rules - the ball can be moved an inch or two to improve its lie, but usually only in the fairway when there is standing water or damage due to weather
Woods - the longest clubs, whose heads used to be made of wood, but are now often made of metal; usually numbered 1,3, & 5--menu--

Etiquette

1. Make sure you have enough golf balls, tee, a ball marker, and a scorecard before you start your round.
2. Warm-up before you get to the first tee.
3. Before you start to play, decide if you are going to allow mulligans and whether summer or winter rules are being enforced.
4. Never drive electric carts onto the tee area or within 30 feet of a green.
5. Make sure you are playing a different brand or number ball than your opponent.
6. Make sure all players in the group ahead of you are out of your hitting range before hitting.
7. Stand away from a person swinging, or preparing to swing, and never talk when another player is preparing to swing a club.
8. Keep a spare ball in your pocket. You never know when you'll need one!
9. Watch every shot you hit until the ball comes to rest. If you cannot see where the ball has stopped, pick a landmark out to help you walk toward the approximate spot where you think your ball has stopped. Help your playing partners watch their balls, too.
10. After all players have teed off, the player farthest from the hole hits or putts first each time.
11. Play at a decent pace and be ready to hit when it is your turn. There are few things more frustrating than playing behind, or with, a group that is playing too slowly. You do not have to play fast, but play at a good pace.
12. Keep your clubs out of your swinging range, but close to you so that it is easy to get them and move on to your next shot.
13. Replace your divots.
14. Yell "FORE!!" if your ball is traveling toward another golfer and has any chance of hitting them or coming very close.
15. If your ball is close to the green, take your chipping club and your putter to your ball. When you have chipped onto the green, place your club in a line between the hole and your golf bag so you don't leave it!
16. Repair your ball mark, and one other, as you play on the greens.
17. When preparing to putt, place your clubs off the green and in line with the next tee for ease of moving on.
18. The player closest to the hole should tend to the pin; either pull it out or 'tend' it while your partner putts. Make sure your shadow is not crossing the line of the putt.
19. Do not step in anyones putting line while playing or lining up your putt. When appropriate, you should line up your putt while others are putting to expedite play.
20. Mark your ball on the green if you are not the first player to putt.
21. When everyone in your group has putted out, replace the pin, walk toward your clubs, and move on. Record your scores on the next tee.
22. Carry your rule book in your bag so you can refer to it during play.
23. Be aware of your surroundings. Do not swing a club if anyone if near. Play with the safety of all in mind.--menu--

GOLF SHOTS


Point of Contact


Left to Right:
A duck hook is just ugly. If this is a regular occurrance, pick another game to play.
A hook is a ball that clearly spins off to the left.
A pull is a ball hit straight, just off-line to the left.
A draw is a ball that spins gently left on purpose. If you can do this, join the tour.
A ball hit up the middle is my definition of Heaven!
A fade is a ball that spins gently right on purpose. Again, it's a dream for some of us.
A push is a ball hit straight, just off-line to the right.
A slice is a ball that clearly spins off to the right.
A pull is usually caused by an outside-in swing, and a push is usually caused by an inside-out swing. Both of these are often helped by correcting the path of the club head.
Hooks and slices have numerous origins, resulting in a club face that is open or closed at contact.
Draws and fades are advanced skills developed over time (or in another life).
**Regardless of HOW you hit the ball, it is wise to visually follow it until it stops, and pick out one or two physical landmarks to help you find it!--menu--