ace : A hole-in-one.
approach : A shot taken with the intention of reaching the green.
apron : The closely mown area located in front of the putting surface.
away : The player whose ball is farthest from the hole is considered to be “away” and should play his
             or her shot before all others who are closer to the hole.
back nine : Usually the holes numbered 10–18 on a golf course, or the last nine holes played in a
competitive round. : Some courses start players off on the tenth tee, making holes 10–18 the front nine
                                    and holes 1–9 the back nine.
backswing : The first portion of the swing, in which the club moves from address to the top.
balata : A soft, rubber-like material once commonly used as the outer surface of a golf ball.
bent grass : A type of grass used on putting greens.
Bermuda grass : A type of grass used on putting greens. It is more resistant to heat than bent grass
                               and also reflects more grain, which affects the way you read a green: If you are putting against the
                               grain, the grass will look darker; if you are putting with the grain, the grass will look shiny and the ball
                               will roll more quickly.
best ball : A commonly used format in which the lowest score, or best ball, of a foursome counts as
the team’s score for the hole. Best ball is different from a scramble because every player plays his or
her own ball from tee to green throughout the round.
birdie : A score of one stroke less than the assigned par for a hole—for example, if you take four
strokes to get the ball into the hole on a par-five, you score a birdie.
bite : The way a ball lands on the green and stops suddenly due to backspin.
blind shot : A shot in which you cannot see your intended landing area.
bogey : A score of one stroke more than the assigned par for a hole—for example, if you take six
strokes to get the ball into the hole on a par-five, you score a bogey.
break : The amount of movement, or curvature, between your ball and the hole. The topography of a
putting surface can force the ball to move in different directions.
bunker : A depression in the ground usually filled with sand (though sometimes with grass), found
mostly around greens but also in and along fairways. Bunkers are intended to trap errant shots.
caddie : A person who carries a player’s golf clubs during a round (and is usually paid for the effort).
A caddy can also keep your clubs clean, provide yardages for shots, rake bunkers, and help you read
greens.
carry : The distance a ball travels in the air.
cast : A type of clubhead made by pouring metal into a mold.
casual water : Standing water on the course that is outside a normal water hazard; typically a temporary
situation, normally the result of rain or a sprinkler system.
chip A low, rolling shot that travels farther on the ground than it does in the air. This shot is used to
advance the ball a short distance (35 yards or less) onto the green from the fairway or the fringe
around the green. You can also chip from the rough if you have a good lie there.
choke down To move your hands from the end of the grip downward toward the lower portion of
the grip.
closed A position in which the clubface can end up when it impacts the ball. A closed clubface usually
causes the ball to move left. The term closed can also refer to a type of stance.
clubface The surface of the clubhead that is designed to make contact with the ball.
clubhead The part of the club that hits the ball; it is connected to the shaft by the hosel.
clubhouse The central building at a golf facility where you pay green fees; the clubhouse usually
includes the pro shop, locker rooms, and restaurant.
concede To allow your opponent to pick up the ball during match play when he or she has a short
putt that you do not believe will be missed. By conceding the putt, you do not require your opponent
to actually make the putt.
cup The cylindrical hole in the green that supports the flagstick.
dimples Small indentations found on the surface of a golf ball.
divot A portion of turf torn from the ground by a golf swing; also refers to the mark left in the ground
as a result.
dogleg A par-four or par-five hole that bends dramatically to the right or left.
downswing The portion of the swing where the club moves from its highest point to impact with
the ball.
draw A shot that curves from right to left in a controlled manner.
drive The first shot on a par-four or par-five hole for which a driver is used. If the player uses a club
other than a driver, this is called a tee shot.
drive the green A very rare situation in which a tee shot reaches the green on a par-four or par-five.
If you can do this, you probably don’t need to be reading this book!
driving range A place to hit practice shots. A driving range can be a stand-alone facility or located at
a golf course.
drop area A designated area on a golf course where you can drop a ball after hitting it into a water
hazard or an environmentally sensitive area; the drop area is usually identified by a sign.
eagle A score of two strokes less than the assigned par for a hole—for example, if you take three
strokes to put the ball into the hole on a par-five, you score an eagle.
fade A shot that curves from left to right in a controlled manner.
fairway The closely mown turf that stretches between the tee and the green.
false front A deceptive design feature used by course architects to make a green appear closer than
it really is. The false front extends into the fairway, usually in a downward fashion, often causing golfers
to misjudge the distance and hit balls short of the proper landing area.
fat See “hit it fat.”
first cut The portion of rough immediately adjacent to the fairway; on the opposite side of the first
cut is higher rough.
flagstick The stick placed in the hole on each green. A flag is attached to the top of the stick to help
players see the position of the hole from far away.
flop shot A high, arcing shot that lands very softly with little roll. It is used mainly around greens to
fly over bunkers or to reach a short-sided pin position (where the pin is close to the near edge of the
green).
follow-through The portion of the swing that occurs after the clubhead makes impact with the ball.
fore The term shouted by golfers after they hit an off-target shot to warn other players of the
approaching ball.
forged The clubhead-making process in which a block of solid metal is shaved down to a certain
shape; forged clubs are usually the most expensive type.
four ball A format of play in which a foursome is divided into two-person teams. Each players hits
his or her own ball, with the lower of the two scores (the “best ball”) counting as the team’s score for
that hole. In match play, the team with the lower score on a hole wins the hole.
foursome A group comprised of four golfers. Golf facilities typically prefer that people play in groups
of four, especially when the course is busy.
free drop A situation in which you can move the ball and drop it without penalty—for example, if
your ball ends up in an area marked as ground under repair.
fringe A portion of closely mown turf that encircles the putting surface; fringe grass is slightly higher
than the green itself.
front nine Usually the holes numbered 1–9 on a golf course, or the first nine holes played in a competitive
round. Some courses start players off on the tenth tee, making holes 1–9 the back nine.
gallery The people watching a golf tournament in person.
gimme A short putt that is expected to be made.
green The designated putting surface of each hole, where the flagstick and cup are located.
green fee The amount a facility charges for playing a round of golf.
ground the club To rest your club on the ground prior to making a swing. Grounding your club in a
bunker is not permitted.
ground under repair An area on a golf course usually marked by a sign or by lines painted on the
ground. If your ball ends up inside such an area, you are allowed to pick it up and drop it outside of
the area, but no closer to the hole, without incurring a penalty stroke.
halve To record the same score as another player on a hole in match play; that hole is said to be
halved. This term also refers to a match that ends in a draw and does not continue to sudden death.
handicap A number created by converting your established Handicap Index into an appropriate
Course Handicap (a number that indicates a golfer’s ability level—the better you are, the lower this
number will be) for each course you play.
Handicap Index According to the USGA, “The number issued by your golf club, which represents
your potential scoring ability; it is expressed as a number taken to one decimal place (i.e., 10.4).” This
index enables golfers with different scoring abilities and skill levels to play one another and have a
competitive match. Use the chart available at the course you are playing to convert your Handicap
Index into a Course Handicap.
hazard An obstacle on the course, such as water (pond, lake, stream) or sand (bunker), that can add
extra strokes to your score, either via a penalty stroke or because additional shots are needed to exit
the hazard.
head cover An item typically found on drivers and woods that protects both the clubhead and the
shaft of the club.
heel The portion of the clubface that is closest to the shaft.
hit it fat To hit the ground first and then the ball, causing the ball to travel a shorter distance than
planned.
hit it thin To strike the middle or equator of the ball with the leading edge of the club, causing it to
stay low to the ground with very little spin. Sometimes a thin shot reaches the target.
hole The 41⁄4-inch circle located on every green of a golf course.
hole-in-one The rare situation in which you take a total of one stroke from the tee to get the ball
into the hole. Also known as an “ace,” it almost always happens on a par-three.
hole out To finish a hole by knocking the ball into the cup.
honors The right to tee off first. Whoever has the lowest score on a hole is assigned the “honors” of
teeing off first on the next hole.
hook An errant shot that curves sharply from right to left in an uncontrollable manner.
hosel The part of the golf club that connects the shaft with the clubhead; sometimes referred to asthe “neck” of the club.
hybrid A golf club that blends elements of an iron and a fairway wood.
impact The moment the clubhead makes contact with the ball.
iron The name for a club other than a driver, wood, or putter, numbered 1–9, plus the pitching
wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge.
lag A long putt not expected to be made, but that finishes close enough to the hole that the following
putt is very makeable.
lateral water hazard Defined by red stakes, a hazard found to the side of a fairway or green.
lay up To hit the ball short of the target rather than try to cover the entire distance. A golfer typically
makes this shot selection when facing a long distance to cover in order to decrease the margin of error.
leader board A chart posted during a golf tournament to show which players are leading the event.
lie The position of your ball on the ground.
lift, clean, and place A rule applied during a round in which bad weather conditions are in effect; it
allows players to pick up the ball, clean it, and place it on a better lie without penalty.
links course A wide-open, usually treeless style of golf course; an authentic links course is built on
sandy soil very close to the sea.
lip The edge of the hole.
lob wedge A highly lofted club (at least 58 degrees or more) used to hit the ball a short distance
with great height.
loft The angle of the clubface relative to the ground, measured in degrees. The greater the degree of
loft, the higher the trajectory and the shorter the distance of that club.
loose impediments Natural objects not deemed to be an integral part of the course—pine cones,
twigs, leaves, and so on. A golfer may remove loose impediments that affect the shot or stance without
penalty unless in a bunker or hazard.
marker An object used to mark the position of the ball on the green. You use a marker when your
ball is in the way of another player’s putt, or when you want to pick up the ball to clean it.
marshal The person whose job is to monitor the play of a particular hole, usually during a
tournament.
match play A competitive format in which one player competes against another, with individual
scores determining who wins each hole. When one player has won more holes than there are holes
left to play (e.g., the player is up five holes with four left to play), that player wins the match.
misread To fail to understand the topography of the green, resulting in a missed putt.
movable obstruction According to the USGA’s The Rules of Golf, “Something (except for objects
defining out of bounds or objects out of bounds) that may be moved without unreasonable effort,
without unduly delaying play, and without causing damage to the course.” Such objects include rakes,
coffee cups, trash cans, and benches.
mulligan An unofficial tradition of taking another shot if the first one is not to a player’s liking.
Mulligans are not accepted under the official rules of golf and cannot be taken during competition.
nassau A form of betting that usually involves separate wagers on the front nine score, the back nine
score, and the overall score.
offset A clubhead whose leading edge is positioned behind the hosel.
open A position in which the clubface can end up when it impacts the ball. An open clubface usually
results in the ball moving to the right.
pairing The person or people with whom you are assigned to play.
par The number of strokes a scratch golfer (one with a Course Handicap of zero) should take to
complete a hole.
pin Also known as the flagstick, the pin is the target placed in each hole on the course. A flag is
attached to the top of the pin to help players see the location of the pin from a distance.
pin-high An approach shot that comes to rest perpendicular to the pin. A pin-high shot can be on or
off the green.
pitch A shot hit from around or close to the green that travels more through the air than it does on
the ground. This shot helps your ball fly over bunkers, water, or rough to get close to the hole. Because
you use a high-lofted club to play this shot, the ball retains extra spin, giving it both height and the ability
to stop quickly once it lands instead of rolling along the green as a chip shot would.
play through To step to the side and allow the player or group of players directly behind you on the
course to move ahead on a hole to improve the pace of play; proper etiquette calls for faster players to
play through.
practice green A putting surface that is not part of the course where you can practice putts prior to
or after your round.
press A second wager often used with a nassau bet; typically a point in time when a player requests
that a separate wager begin. For instance, if one player gets to the 6th tee down four holes, that player
can ask to “press.” Holes 7, 8, and 9 then become a separate match for an additional wager. An “automatic
press” must be agreed upon prior to play beginning.
private course A golf course that requires membership to play.
pro-am An event, usually held the day before a tournament begins, in which professionals play with
amateurs who have paid to participate.
pro shop A golf course facility, often located within the clubhouse, where you pay green fees, reserve
tee times, pay for practice balls, and buy food and merchandise.
provisional ball A second ball hit when you think your original ball may be lost or out-of-bounds.
public course A golf course that is open to the public and does not require membership to play.
pull A shot that veers sharply left after impact.
punch out To use an abbreviated backswing to move the ball into a better position and out of trouble.
Punching out is often required when the ball is in heavy rough, underneath a tree, or in tall grass.
push A shot that veers sharply right after impact.
putt A stroke you take when the ball is on the green.
range A term used to describe the driving range, where players go to hit practice shots.
range finder A device used to calculate the yardage of a shot.
ranger The person whose primary job is to ensure the proper pace of play on a golf course and oversee
the needs of the players. Also called a marshal.
read the green To analyze the shape and topography of the putting surface in order to control the
speed and accuracy of a putt.
red stakes Indicate a lateral water hazard located to the side of a fairway or green.
regulation The number of strokes required to land the ball on the putting surface within par minus
two strokes (in one shot on a par-three, in two shots on a par-four, or in three shots on a par-five).
release When the ball hits the ground and moves forward; or to rotate the right hand over the left
hand during the swing, which helps square the clubface.
relief Depending on the situation, a player can obtain relief with or without a penalty (for example,
when a ball stops on a cart path or lands behind a tree).
rough High and often thick grass that borders the fairway and surrounds the green.
round 18 holes of golf (or nine holes on a nine-hole course).
sand wedge A highly lofted club (54 to 57 degrees) used to hit shots out of bunkers, short-distance
shots from the fairway to the green, or shots from heavy rough.
sandie The act of taking one shot out of a bunker and then one putt on the green.
scramble A competitive format in which each player in the group hits a tee shot and all the players
in the group use the best tee shot for the next shot; play continues in this fashion, with everyone in the
group hitting shots from one location, until a putt is made.
scratch golfer A player with a zero handicap—that is, a really good player.
second cut A type of rough that is adjacent to the first cut but is higher and often thicker.
semi-private course A course that is open to the public but also offers memberships.
shaft The part of the club that connects the grip with the clubhead. It can be made of graphite or
steel.
shank An errant shot hit off the hosel of the club; it usually travels almost 90 degrees to the right.
short game A term that describes the shots made close to or around the green, mainly during pitching
and chipping.
short-sided A term used to describe a player who has missed the green to the side that gives him or
her the least amount of putting surface on which to land a pitch shot.
shotgun start A format used during a golf outing in which foursomes are assigned to various holes
and start play at the same time: For example, you may begin on the 13th hole, which means that you
conclude your 18-hole round on the 12th hole.
skins A format of play that puts a prize (“skin”) on each hole, with the lowest score on the hole winning
the skin. If no player has the single lowest score, that skin carries over to the next hole, and so on.
Whoever ends up with the most skins at the end of the round wins the predetermined reward.
sleeve A box of golf balls (usually three balls).
slice An errant shot that curves sharply from left to right in an uncontrollable manner.
spin An important factor affecting the trajectory, distance, and accuracy of a golf shot. The angle of
the club’s impact imparts spin on the ball.
starter The person positioned near the first tee at a golf course who assists players in beginning their
rounds in a timely manner; also acts as the caddy master.
stroke A swing taken with the intention of advancing the ball.
stroke play A widely used competitive format in which a player’s score equals the total number of
strokes he or she has taken; the player with the fewest strokes wins. Also known as medal play.
superintendent The person responsible for the maintenance of the course and grounds at a golf
facility.
sweet spot The center of the clubface.
swing plane The path along which your club travels during the swing.
tap-in A short putt that requires a simple tap to knock the ball into the hole.
tee The closely mown, often raised section of a hole from which you hit your first shot on the hole.
Also, a small object with a point at the bottom that is used to raise the ball up off the surface of the tee
box.
tee markers A pair of items that define the proper teeing area on each hole. You must tee up your
ball between the markers or no more than two club lengths behind them.
tee shot The first shot on a par-four or par-five hole for which a club other than a driver is used. If
the player uses a driver, this shot is called a drive.
thin See “hit it thin.”
tight Close to the hole.
top To strike the top half of the ball with the leading edge of the club, causing topspin and forcing
the ball to fall to the ground immediately rather than travel up into the air.
turn The point at which you have completed the first nine holes of a course (the “front nine”) and
are ready to begin the second nine holes (the “back nine”).
unplayable lie A lie in which the ball has come to rest in a position (such as behind a large rock)
from which it cannot be hit.
up and down A two-shot sequence that typically occurs around the green after the approach shot
has missed the green or landed in a bunker. The first shot is hit “up” onto the green, and the first putt
then goes “down” into the hole. Also referred to as a “save.”
USGA The United States Golf Association, the governing body for the sport of golf in the U.S.; based
in Far Hills, New Jersey.
waggle The process of moving the club back and forth just prior to hitting the ball, which helps
loosen up your arms and shoulders.
water hazard A pond, stream, or other body of water on a golf course defined by a yellow or red
stake.
wedge A lofted club used for short-distance shots approaching the green.
whiff To swing a club with the intention of hitting the ball but to miss it completely. A whiff counts as
a stroke.
white stakes Indicate an area that is out-of-bounds.
winter rules A local rule put into effect when conditions require preferred lies without penalty
(usually implemented during the winter months).
wood A club with a large head made of wood or metal that is used for tee shots and long fairway
shots. Woods are numbered 1, 3, and 5; 7 and 9 woods with greater loft are also available.
yardage marker Indicates the distance, in yards, from a certain point to the green. A yardage
marker may reflect the distance to the front, middle, and back of the green; if only one number
appears, it refers to the center of the green. Yardage markers are placed on the fairway or on the
cart path; yardages can also be marked on sprinkler heads. Common distances noted by markers
are 200, 150, and 100 yards to the green.
yellow stakes Indicate a water hazard on the course.
yips A largely psychological condition that afflicts players who can’t keep their hands and arms
steady while putting (and sometimes chipping), resulting in consistently poor shots.