19th hole

A worldwide affectionate name given to the bar in the clubhouse. It is considered "good etiquette” to go for a drink with your playing partner after your game. If you have played a matchplay tie it is the winner who should buy the first drink.

9 & 8
5 & 4
3 & 1
etc.

The result of a matchplay tie. i.e. when the amount of holes up exceeds the holes remaining to play. The most you can win by in this sort of match is by ten and eight, as you will have won the first ten holes and only eight remain

Address position

The description of the position you are in when you "set up" to the ball prior to making a swing.

Albatross

Three under the par of the hole... i.e. a score of 2 at a par 5

All weather glove

A glove made of synthetic material which gives a good grip especially when wet

Arc

The path the club head makes during the swing.

Attending the pin

Holding the pin for your playing partner while they are playing a putt, usually to provide a visual aid. When you are attending the pin it is your responsibility to remove it as the ball approaches the hole. If the ball hits the pin your playing partner would incur a penalty.

Back to back birdies

Two consecutive birdies scored by a player

Backspin

The spin delivered onto the ball by the club at impact. Excessive spin will make a ball reverse dramatically towards the player after landing.

Balata

A material used to cover balls to make them feel soft and to provide a high spin rate.

Ball above the feet

When your ball is on a slope where your feet are below the level of the ball.

Ball below the feet

When your ball is on a slope where your feet are above the level of the ball.

Ball spotter

An official hired by the club during competitions. They stand on the course at strategic points to help  players find their balls, this helps the pace of play.

Ball washer

A manual device found on some teeing grounds to clean your ball with

Ballooned

A shot with a very steep trajectory without the normal forward momentum expected. This can be exaggerated and occurs more often when playing into a strong wind

Baseball grip

A grip on the club that does not link the two hands together in any way, similar to the way you would hold a baseball bat handle.

Birdie

A score of one under par on the hole played.

Birdie blitz

A run of more than two birdies scored in a row by a player during a round.

Blade

An iron club that does not have a cavity at the back of its head. A club like this has a very small sweet spot and as a result is used, with more effect by the better swinger. It is easier to shape shots with this type of club.

Block

A shot which starts well to the right of target and continues to fly on that same line missing the target well to the right – for right handed players. For left handed players this would be a Pull. (see push)

Bogey

A score of one over the par of the hole.

Also a game very similar to matchplay but this time you are playing against the course and not another player. You win or lose each individual hole by scoring above or below par. If you score below par then you win the hole, if you score over par then you lose the hole. At the end of the round the player who has the highest aggregate of holes won is the winner. 

If it is a handicap Bogey competition each player will receive a proportion of their handicap at certain holes throughout the round resulting in a net score on these holes.  Where the strokes are taken is determined by the Stroke Index of the course. If you get a stroke at any hole then the win or loss of the hole is calculated on the net score.

Boondie

Very heavy rough where you are likely to lose your ball

Boron

Material used in the manufacture of graphite shafts to make them more durable, especially at the head end, and to determine where the "kick point" will be in the shaft

Bounce game

A casual game played with friends.

Brassie

Old name given to wooden shafted fairway woods. In terms of modern day equipment this would be a number two wood.

Brick

A ball that feels hard when struck. – (also used for building houses!)

Buffer zone

The maximum score you can achieve in a competition which will not effect your handicap.

Buggy

A purpose built vehicle, also called a cart, you can use to travel around the course. It normally takes two people and their clubs.

Buried

When your ball has landed in heavy rough or the sand in a bunker, and has settled down so much that it would be hard to make an easy contact on the shot.

C.S.S (Competition Standard Scratch)

An adjustment to the standard scratch score calculated from a field of golfers in a competition which is used as the measure of  handicap adjustments.

Cack handed

When a right handed golfer holds the club with the right hand at the top of the grip and the left below- Vice versa for a left handed player

Came in too steep

A poor swing which will produce a large divot, it is  caused by the club head approaching the ball at a sharp angle downwards.

Cart

A purpose built vehicle, also called a buggy, you can use to travel around the course. It normally takes two people and their clubs.

Carved

A ball hit with an excessive shape to the right missing the intended target to the right (or to the left for a left handed golfer)

Cavity backed club/ Game improvement club

An iron club designed with a cavity at the back of the head having perimeter weighting to make off centre hits more forgiving.

Cavity players club

An iron club with only a slight cavity at the back of the head mainly used by more accomplished golfers.

Chip and run

A short shot played to flight the ball onto the green and produce controlled run on the ball after landing

Cleek

A name given to a type of old fashioned wooden shafted iron club

Closed

When your club is aiming to the left of the target, or your feet aiming to the right, at the set up position. Vice versa for left handed players.

CoNGU

Convention of National Golf Unions

Crouched stance

When your back is rounded and your body appears hunched while addressing the ball. Your spine is not comfortably straight

Cut

A controlled shot when the ball moves from left to right in flight. Also called a Fade. Vice versa for left handed players.

Daisy cutter

An unintentional shot when the is ball flighted with a very low  trajectory hardly leaving the ground

Deep faced

A club normally a wood which has considerable height to the hitting area

Didn’t turn through it

A swing where the player has not turned their body round to face the target to finish

Dipped

When a players stoops during the swing, normally while attacking the ball on the down swing

Divot

The piece of turf removed from the ground as a result of a shot being played. This turf should always be replaced so that the grass has a chance to grow again

Dormy

The position in a matchplay tie where a player is up by the same amount of the holes still to play.. i.e. leading by 5 holes (i.e. 5 holes up) with 5 holes to play

Double bogey

A score of 2 shots above par.

Downhill lie

The position of the ball when a shot is played from a place where the ground is sloping downwards towards the intended target.

Drive

A shot played from a teeing ground

Dropping-

Releasing a ball from shoulder height from your hand to the ground, to establish a new playing position

Duck hook

A low powerful ball flight turning viciously right to left and missing the target to the left. Vice versa for left handed players.

Eagle

A score of 2 under par

Fade

A controlled shot when the ball moves from left to right in flight. Also called a Cut. Vice versa for left handed players.

Fat

A shot where the ground has been struck before the ball

Finish position

The position your body is in at the end of the swing

Flag

Used to mark the position of the hole on the green usually tied to a pole called a pin

It is also a form of strokeplay competition where the very first player who plays in the competition takes a flag with them. Once they have hit the number of shots that equals the maximum allowed for them to play the complete course (including their handicap) they put the flag in the ground.

If any of the following players have not reached their handicap allowance when they pass the flag then they continue until they have played the maximum number of shots they are allowed after which they move the flag to the position of their last shot.

This game can lead to 19, 20 or more holes being played!! The winner is the last person to have moved the flag.

Flat lie

Changing the angle of shaft on a club to suit juniors or smaller people.

Flex

The measurement of bend that a shaft produces.

Flicked

A short shot played predominantly with the hands and wrists

Floater

A high trajectory shot that hangs on the wind appearing to float.

Follow Through

The movement hitting the ball to the end of the swing

Foozle

Part of the fun game of ‘oozles’ played on a par 3. Players must reach the green from the tee. If the closest player to the hole then bogies (or worse) he has foozled and loses.  See Oozle

Foursomes

A form of golf that allows two players to compete as one team. Using only one ball, on each hole they will take turn about hitting the ball until it is holed out. The rules allow one player to start the odd numbered holes and the other player the even numbered holes. 

The name Foursome relates to the need for two teams to play with each other so cards can be marked legally. This type of game can be used in both Strokeplay and Matchplay.

Full cord

A grip with cord knitted into it to enhance adhesion in especially wet playing conditions or for players who have sweaty hands

Gap wedge

A pitching club with more loft than a standard wedge and less than a sand iron.

Gimmie

A short putt in a casual game or match play tie that is conceded by your opponent. There are no putts ever given in stroke play competitions and all putts and shots must be played to a final conclusion

Going down the grip

Holding the club further down the grip than normal to increase control on a shorter shot. Gripping further down the grip narrows the arc of the swing and has the effect of making your club less powerful as a consequence

Golden Ferret

Phrase used to describe holing out from a bunker.

Good Form

Proper practice used in golfing circles. i.e. it is good from to have a drink with your playing partners after the game.

Got in front of it

Moving laterally on the follow through resulting in your head moving forward of it's starting position, producing a squint or topped shot. It is more likely that this sort of shot will miss the target to the right as the club head is left behind and the clubface remains open to the right target line

Greensomes

This is very similar to foursomes in that two players compete as one team taking turns to hit the ball until it is holed out. Greensomes differs from foursomes in that both players tee off at each hole, pick the best drive and take turn about from then on.

Hacked

Name given to a crude swinging action producing an unstylish, but sometimes, effective result- ie. "I hacked it out of the heavy rough onto the green”

Half cord

A grip with cord knitted into the back of the length of the grip to increase adhesion especially in wet weather.

Halved

When opponents have the same score at a hole or in a match play tie or neither side win after the round is completed you have halved the hole or halved the game.

Head behind ball

When your head has held it's position slightly to the right side of the ball through impact (As it should do)

Head up

When your head rises too early on the follow through causing a poor result. This has the same result as shortening the club you are using it during your swing and as a result the ball is more likely to be hit on the top and run along the ground.

Headcover

A device to cover your clubs in between shots to protect them from damage especially from the other clubs in your bag clanking against each other.

Heathland Course

Description of the land a course  is set out over, usually undulating with heather, gorse and trees. (see also parkland and links)

Heavy

When the ground is struck before the ball at impact resulting in a poor contact and lack of distance

Hook

A shot shaping dramatically from right to left in flight and finishing to the left of the target.

Honour

The order of playing from the teeing ground. The person who plays first is said to have the “honour”

Hozzel

The part of an iron head where the cavity that holds the shaft meets the hitting area. At the heel area of the face of the club.

Impact

The point in the follow through where the club head strikes the ball.

Inland course

A course which is not adjacent to the sea

Interlock

A description of a type of grip used on the club when the last finger of the right hand interlocks with the first finger of the left hand. (See also baseball and overlap)

Inward nine

The last nine holes you play on any course.

Kick point

The measurement of where individual shafts flex (i.e. High- mid- low) Which affects the trajectory of a shot. A high kick point will give a low trajectory and a low kick point will help put loft onto the clubface and promote a high one.

Knifed it

When the bottom edge or leading edge of an iron club meets the middle of the equator of the ball at impact and it chases along the ground.

Leather glove

A glove made of leather which performs best in dry weather conditions.

Level fours/fives etc.

A means of easy mental counting of your score in a casual game i.e. If you are counting to fives and you have a six at the first hole you are one over fives etc.

Links course

A course laid out next to the sea where the shape of the holes have been formed by the natural undulations of the terrain and sand dunes.

Lob wedge

A wedge more lofted than a sand iron designed to flight the ball very high quickly to enable the ball to stop on the green with limited run.

Loft

The measured angle of degrees on the face of a club versus the line down the shaft.

Losing height

At any point in the swing where the player has dropped in height from their original stature at the address position, i.e. Before the swing started.

Low profile

An iron club with a shallow hitting area and generous weight distribution towards the sole of the club head designed to flight a ball higher than normal.

Major

There are four "Majors", the premier competitions in the golfing calendar. They are The Masters, The US Open, The Open and The USPGA

Marking your ball

This involves applying a unique mark to your ball to make it easily identifiable from other players balls. This can be done with an indelible marker or products that are sold in golf shops which have been designed for this task. It also means marking your ball on the putting surface in between putts with a flat disc directly behind the ball. Your playing partner may ask you to mark your ball on the green if it is interfering with his line to the hole.

Matchplay

A contest between to sides based on winning more holes than the opposition during the round.

Mulligan

When you get to take a shot again without adding a penalty. This only allowed in a non competitive round.

Nailed

Expression used for the perfect powerful straight shot which does exactly what the golfer wants it to do and flies directly to the target.

Neck

The part of an iron head where the cavity that holds the shaft meets the hitting area.

No Return

In a strokeplay event when the competitor does not finish the round subsequently not completing the card of the course. You must mark on the card "NR" which stands for no return and sign it, both by the player and the marker.

Off the back foot

When a shot is deliberately played with the ball positioned opposite the foot further away from the intended target to reduce loft on the clubface and produce a low penetrating trajectory.

Off the front foot

When a shot is deliberately played with the ball positioned opposite the foot nearest to the intended target to increase loft on the clubface and produce a high trajectory

Off the heel

An off centre hit coming out of the heel end of the club face i.e. Closest to the shaft

Off the toe

An off centre hit coming out of the toe end of the club face i.e. Further away from the shaft 

Open

When the clubface meets the ball and the face of the club is aiming to the right of the intended target or at any point in the swinging action where this may have occurred through faults

Out of bounds

When your ball has come to rest beyond the deemed boundaries of the golf course identified by white markers it is out of bounds. You will then play another ball from where you played your last shot and add one penalty shot

Outward nine

The first nine holes you play on the course in any round

Over par

The amount of strokes over the par of the course

Over the top

When the shoulders have turned too early, towards the target, in the forward swing causing the club head to swing in the wrong direction through the ball

Overlap

This is the name given to a specific type of grip of the club. The point in the grip where the pinkie of your top hand sits on top of the nearest cleft of the lower hand hence joining the hands together. This grip is also known as the Vardon grip, named after it's inventor Mr Harry Vardon

Ozzle

Fun "par three" challenge in a non competitive round where the winner in the group players the ball onto the green and closest to the hole then converts this achievement by one or two putting

Par

The set out amount of strokes deemed to be achievable on any hole allowing for two putts  

Parkland course

A course laid out on parkland i.e. gentle rolling terrain with mature trees.

Pegged down

Using a shorter tee on a drive to promote the ball being stuck nearer the bottom of the face of the club to produce a lower trajectory

Pitch

A short lofted shot played in and around the green area designed to get the ball up quickly and to stop abruptly on landing

Playing on the by

A fresh game produced, in a non competitive matchplay tie, after the game is concluded and played over the remaining holes on the course. You would say to your partner "would you like to have a game on the by?"

Plugged

When a ball has landed on soft ground and comes to rest in the hole it made on landing. It is most important that you repair any plug marks you make on the greens by prising the turf using a "pitch fork repairer" tool 

Poached egg

When a ball has landed in a bunker and has come to rest in the hole that made in the sand on landing. In this situation only part of the ball will be visible but you should play the ball as you find it. You can declare the ball unplayable in a bunker but the ball will have to be dropped into the bunker for the next shot to be played and a penalty of one stroke added on.

Position at top

The setting or position you are passing through at the top of your back swing and the description of that position. This is a very important part of the swing as it can explain a lot about where your poor shots stem from. In recent years coaches have found these faults easier to explain to pupils with the use of "state of the art" digital visual imagery

Post

After a competitive round on completion and scrutiny of your card it will be "posted" in the competition box normally found in the clubhouse or match secretary's office

Posture

The description given to the way a player sets with their body configuration, good or bad, prior to hitting a shot

Power trolley

Name given to a motorised caddy car or trolley that you put your bag on to assist you in getting it around the course

Practice ground

The area of land found at most golf clubs designated for practising your game. Some players like to warm up by hitting a few shots prior to their round. You will normally have to take your own practise balls there and retrieve them yourself. Practising on the course prior to an official strokeplay event, on the same day, is not allowed and will lead to disqualification from the event. You are however allowed to practise on the course on the same day of a matchplay event.

Pro

Abbreviation of the word “Professional”

Pull

A shot which starts on a line to the left of the target and stays on that same line in flight and misses the target to the left

Pull-hook

A shot starting on a line left of intended target and curving in flight further left. This is also known as a double cross as it usually happens when a golfer is trying to fade the ball.

Punched

A shot played further back in the stance to promote a steeper angle of attack onto the ball to promote a lower trajectory

Push

A shot which starts on a line to the right of the target and stays on that same line in flight and missing the target to the right (see block)

Range

A driving range is a facility where you can go to practise. Some golf clubs have a range as part of their facility but this is not the norm. You will have to pay for the balls you hit at most ranges however you will not have to pick the balls up.

Ranger

A person hired by a club to overview and manage golf on the course paying particular attention the pace of play

Rock

A ball that has a very hard feel when struck

Rub of the green

When your ball is diverted to a position outwith your control ie. Your ball on landing out of bounds lands on a rock and bounces back into play on the course, it is no longer out of bounds

Sandies

A fun challenge in a non competitive round where the winner produces a par on a hole having played one of the shots from a bunker

Scooped

When at impact the clubface has stayed with the ball beyond the initial strike and into the follow through resulting in the ball being sent forward with a weak steep trajectory

Scramble

A fun team event where you play in a team of four players. You all play your tee shots then select the best one and then all play from that position. You continue with this format, including putting, until the hole is played out. In the round you all have to have three counting drives each. The handicap of your team is ten percent of the combined total with a maximum of six allowed

Secretary/Manager

The person employed by the club to look after the daily running of business on behalf of the committee or management committee

Set Make-up

What your set of clubs is composed of.

Set Up x2

The position you are in when you address the ball

Shallow faced

A club head with a shallow depth to the hitting area

Shank

A shot which uncontrollably takes a forty-five degree line to the right of the intended target as a result of the ball meeting the extreme heel of an iron club (At the inside edge of the hozzel)

Shot under the wind

A shot deliberately played on a low trajectory into the wind to avoid resistance and producing increased control

Sky shot

A shot played with a wood where the ball has been struck off the top of the club rather than the hitting area. This causes the ball to have a very steep trajectory without considerable forward momentum

Slice

A shot which starts on a line to the right of the intended target and then curves in flight further to the right 

Soft spikes

Screw in plastic or rubber cleets which give traction to golf shoes and minimalise damage to greens

Soft wedge

A pitching club with more loft than a standard wedge and less than a sand iron

Solid ball

A sold ball has a solid core covered with differing outer covers, in terms of feel, with a dimple pattern impregnated

Specials

General terminology for fringe challenges during non competitive rounds i.e. Sandy pars etc.

Spoon

Old name given to wooden shafted fairway wood. In modern terms this would be a number three wood

Stableford

A competition round where the player is awarded one point for a net bogey, two for a par, three for a birdie and so on. The winner of the event has the highest total over the rest of the field

Stance

The description given to the way a player sets up to the ball, good or bad, before a shot is played with an emphasis on the positioning of the feet

SSS - Standard scratch score

On a card you will see "SSS" and a number next to it. This number is the basis of calculating your handicap, not the "PAR" of the course. For example, if the SSS total is one more than the PAR of the course and you go round in one over par you will have played off a zero handicap on that round. On easier courses you may have to play well under the PAR of the course to have played off zero, as their SSS will be lower than the PAR of the course. As a result of this system handicaps are made universal for all golfers playing easy courses and more demanding courses as SSS depicts the degree of difficulty of all courses set against each other

Starter

The person employed by the club to look after the daily running of starting players from the first tee. This could be from the Professionals shop or from a purpose built office sighted at the first tee

Staying behind it

When your head has held it's position slightly to the right side of the ball through impact

Stiff shaft

A shaft that has been designed not to have much give in it in terms of flex. This is advantageous for strong players to maintain accuracy while swinging firmly throughout he impact area. Over flex due to a strong swing can cause wayward results, even if the swing has been technically good

Stimey

An old matchplay rule that is no longer used where you were allowed to play a strategic shot or putt to deliberately block your opponents clear route to the hole by getting your ball in the way. In the modern rules your opponent will ask you to mark your ball in this event which is compulsory 

Straight faced

The measured angle of degrees on the face of a club versus the line of the shaft depicts the loft of the club. A straight faced driver has minimal loft showing on the face normally eight degrees or less. This is not a club that a beginner will find easy to play to get the ball air born

Stroke Index

Each hole on the course is rated on id difficulty relative to the others. This is shown on the scorecard as the “Stroke Index”. The stroke index indicates which holes golfers will receive a stroke at in matchplay or stableford competitions.

Strokeplay

Most golf competitions played around the world, whether by amateurs or professionals, uses strokeplay. This is the simplest way to play. All you have to do is count the number of times you hit the ball (including penalty shots) during your round of golf and the player with the lowest total is the winner. Certain competitions give prizes for the total score (called scratch or gross score) but most club competitions will take your handicap off your total giving a net score. Prizes are then awarded for the lowest net scores.

Sub par

Alternative terminology for "under par"

Swing paths

The route the club head takes through the ball relative to the line to the target. I.e. From inside the line to out side the line (The line being the line from the ball to the target)

Swing Plane

The description of the circle, and it's angle relative to the player, that the shaft of the club makes during the swing as seen while looking at the player and beyond down the target line

Take Away

The initial movement away from the ball in the swing

Taking a drop

When you have to move your ball from a hazard or unplayable lie you will have to “take a drop” to get into back into play

Tee

The term tee refers to two things. The first is the teeing ground that you play your first shot on each hole from and secondly the wooden or plastic platform object that you balance your ball on to play this shot from

Tee holder

A product that some golfers use to hold tees in that normally can be attached to the outside of your golf bag

Tee markers

The markers that you play from on the teeing ground. They are colour coded to depict different areas of play for different days players or events. You should always confirm before your round which tees the club would like you play from 

Texas Scramble

See “Scramble”

The Captain

The Captain is the figurehead at any golf club who heads the management committee. This person on route to becoming captain will have worked towards this position over years of being involved in most departments  in the running of the club

The Committee

The group of people who manage the club and look after each department of the workings of the club

The grip

The way a player positions their hands on the club. It is also the word to describe the replaceable rubber or leather handle at the top of the shaft

The R&A

The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews are the governing body of the game of golf. They are based in St Andrews, Scotland, the home of golf. They make the rules of the game and any adjustments to the rules. They verify the equipment that can be legally used to play the game.

The Vice Captain

The Vice-Captain is the Captains "right hand man" and will be "Captain elect" as per the clubs constitution. This person will stand in for The Captain in the event of his or her absence

Thin

When the bottom edge or leading edge of an iron club meets the middle of the equator of the ball at impact producing a low powerful uncontrollable running shot. This shot can cause the shaft to vibrate and give the player a stinging feeling in their hands (see daisy cutter)

Topped

When the bottom edge or leading edge of an iron club meets the ball above it's equator at impact. In varying degrees this can make the ball bounce upwards and without much forward momentum it will roll forward with the forward spin you have imparted

Torque

The flex of graphite shafts is measured in terms of torque. Manufacturers can tailor the amount of torque they allow in a shaft during manufacture. A strong player should use a shaft with limited torque and the opposite applies to the slow swinger. The stronger swinger playing with over torque would result in the clubface arriving at the ball in an open position causing the ball to miss the target to the right, even if the swing was good

Under par

Alternative terminology for sub par. It is when you have scored lower than the par of the course

Uphill lie

A shot to be played from a position where the ground is sloping upwards towards the intended target

Upright stance

When a player is standing too tall to the ball in terms of the posture position. This will be indicated by the lack of clearance between the top of the inside of the left thigh (If you are right handed). The clearance measurement should be around five to six inches

Whippy shaft

A shaft that has been designed to have considerable give in it in terms of flex. This is advantageous for slower swingers to increase their club head speed through the ball

Woodland course

A course laid out in mature woodland area

Wound ball

A wound ball has a liquid centre with elastic windings around it. It is covered on the outside with a surlyn or balata cover with a dimple pattern impregnated on the surface