Glossary
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Ace
A score of 1 in any hole, also known as "Hole-in-one".
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Approach
A shot into the green from the fairway.
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Backswing
Backward movement of the club allowing the golfer to store up energy that will be used to propel the ball forward.
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Backspin
The backward rotation of the ball in flight when the clubface makes contact with the lower part of the ball.
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Best ball
A match-play game in which a single golfer plays against the best ball of a two- or three-person team.
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Birdie
A score on any individual hole that is one stroke below par.
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Bogey
A score of one over par on any individual hole.
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Bunker
Hazard, such as a hole or depression, that has been filled with sand.
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Caddie
Person who carries a golfer's clubs.
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Chip shot
A shot typically played from very close to the green.
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Chipping green
Practice green for short approach shots.
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Club
There are three types of golf clubs: woods, irons and the putter. A complete bag may contain up to 14 different clubs.
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Course
The entire area in which play is permitted.
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Cup
Plastic support of the hole holding the flagstick.
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Dogleg
The design of a golf hole that bends sharply to the left or to the right between the tee and the green, usually at the position a drive is designed to land.
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Driver
The #1 wood used for teeing off and designed to hit the ball long distances.
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Driving range
A golf practice facility.
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Eagle
A score of two strokes below par on any individual hole.
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Face
The face of the club-head that hits the ball.
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Fairway
Closely mown part of a golf course between a tee and a green, free from hazards.
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Fore!
Warning yelled to people in front that a player is about to hit a shot.
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Four ball match
Match pitting two teams of two players against each other using best ball scoring.
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Foursome
Competition format in which teams are comprised of two players each, and the players alternate hitting the same ball.
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Gobble
Clumsy shot that ends up in the hole purely by chance.
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Green
Smooth area of lawn surrounding a hole.
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Green fee
The amount of money a club charges to play a golf course. It may refer to a half-day, a full day or multiple fees of varying duration, as well as nine, eighteen or more holes.
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Grip
The area where you hold the club.
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Gross
Total score obtained by a player without adjustments for handicap.
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Half shot
A shot hit with less than half a swing.
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Handicap
System of scoring that allows players of different abilities to compete on equal terms. The lower a golfer's abilities, the more strokes he/she is allowed to deduct from his/her final score.
The lower a golfer's handicap, the better the golfer is. Professional golfers have a 0 handicap.
Also abbreviated "Hcp". -
Hazard
Obstacle. Can be water, sand or other obstacle on the course.
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Head
The part of a club that strikes the ball.
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Honour
The privilege of hitting first from the tee, given to the player with the lowest score on the preceding hole. On the first tee, honours can be assigned by lot or to the player with the lowest handicap.
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Hook
A trajectory or ball flight in which a ball starts out to the right before curving severely to the left.
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Irons
Golf-clubs with an iron head.
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Line
Direction you intend your ball to travel.
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Match play
Competition format in which the result is based on the number of individual holes won.
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Medal play
A round of golf in which the score is kept by counting strokes.
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Mixed foursome
Game between two pairs, with one man and one woman in each pair.
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Net
A player's adjusted gross score, minus handicap strokes.
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Par
Number of strokes considered necessary for a scratch player to complete a hole or course, always comprising two putts and a number of strokes it should take to play each hole.
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Pin
Flagstick
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Pitch
Shot that goes a short distance with a high trajectory, played into the green.
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Putt
Gentle stroke that lets the ball roll across the green towards or into a hole.
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Putter
Club used on the green.
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Putting green
A practice putting area, usually near the clubhouse, with nine, eighteen or more holes.
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Rough
Areas outside the fairway featuring higher, thicker grass.
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Sand wedge
An iron with a higher loft designed especially to get out of sand traps.
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Sand trap
A bunker filled with sand.
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Score
The number of points collected by the end of the course. In a wider sense also the card used to record hole-by-hole scores for each competitor.
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Scramble
A type of game, played as a team, in which all players play from one position. For example, a team of 4 players all hit drives. The next shot is played, again by all 4 players, from the position of the best drive. Play continues in this manner until the ball is holed.
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Scratch player
Player without a handicap, who shoots par or better.
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Slice
A ball that bends dramatically to the right of the target (the opposite of hook).
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Square
A match play in which no one is winning.
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Stableford
A method of keeping score. Instead of counting strokes, points are awarded to each player based on the outcome of each hole. Typically used for amateur competitions, to avoid too long games.
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Stance
The setting of the player’s feet before making a stroke.
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Stroke play
A round of golf in which the score is kept by adding the cumulative total of strokes taken throughout the round.
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Swing
The movement of body and club to strike the ball.
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Tee
Specially shaped piece of wood or rubber on which the ball is placed before the player drives. In a wider sense, "teeing ground" - or simply "tee" - is the area where every hole starts.
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Three ball match
Game played by three persons, each with his/her own ball, with each member of the group playing individual matches against the other two.
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Threesome
Game played by three persons with two balls, in which one golfer plays against a team of two golfers with each side playing one ball. The team-side players alternate shots.
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Woods
Long-shafted clubs with a larger and deeper head than irons, typically made of carbon composites, used to cover great distances.
