GLOSSARY OF GOLF TERMS

Below is a short glossary of terms you may have always wondered about:

A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • J • K • L • M • N • O • P • Q • R • S • T • U • V • W • X • Y • Z

Albatross or Double Eagle -This is one of those very rare birds in golf that is one shot better than an Eagle. Do you realize that this would take a hole in one on a par 4 or only two shots to the cup on a par five. Of course you can’t even get one of these on a par three because you would have to sink in on zero strokes.

Angular Scatter - In the benchmarking process, this is the angle that your 30-benchmarking balls are scattered over as referenced from the tee. It is defined as the angle between a line drawn from the tee to the right most ball out of the 30 and second line between the tee and the left most hit ball.

Approach - A shot from off the green toward the hole. Generally this is close enough to the green to not be called a fairway shot.

Apron - The closely mown area encircling a putting green; also called "fringe."

Ballooned - A ball fight pattern that takes it on a very high trajectory

Banana Ball - sliced shot that has a equally curved flight pattern shaped liked a banana

Bite - When the ball drops it stops instead of rolls. .

Blast - shot made from a bunker that sprays a large amount of sand in the direction of the ball.

Break - The curve the ball makes as it rolls toward the hole on the green. This can also can refer to how the green slopes.

Buried (Lie) - When a ball is in the sand trap so deep that most of it is below the surface.

Chili-Dip - A shot in which a player hits behind the ball and gets more ground than ball. Generally the ball does not go very far, Other names for this frequently practiced shot is "fat" shot or a "chunk."

Chip - A short, generally lofted shot on or near the green.

Coefficient of Restitution (COR) - A USGA adopted test of measurement of the rate of rebound of a golf ball from a standard collision surface. The current USGA standard is 0.82.

Collar - A closely mown area surrounding the putting green. It may be similar to the green in height (fringe) or it may be higher, similar to rough.

Course Rating - The difficulty of a course as measured by AGU, USGA, R&A
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Course Rating - A numerical rating, that identifies the difficulty of a course. A course rated 72.4 is more difficult than one rated at 68.5. A scratch player should expect to shoot a 68 or 69 on the course rated 68.5.

Cross Wind - A wind blowing right to left or left to right across the course

Cup - The goal of golf.

Cut - Type of shot, played intentionally, which curves from left to right.

Distance Scatter - In the benchmarking process, these are the two balls that have the minimum and maximum distance with a single club during the 30-ball benchmarking.

Drain - To sink a putt.

Draw - A ball that starts straight, or slightly right, and arcs gently to the left. This is a popular shape with low handicappers .

Driving Range - A practice area, either at a course or on its own, where players of all ability levels go to practice their game.

Duck Hook - A shot that starts straight at the target and curves dramatically to the left of target (assuming a right-handed golfer.) One of the most out of control shot types.

Fade - A desirable shot that generally tends to curve to the right in the air (assuming a right-handed player.)

Fairway - The short, mowed grass between the tee and the green. . This is where most players want to be.

Fat - A poor shot where the grass is hit behind the ball resulting in a short shot

Feel - Learning to play a shot without having to think about it.

Flex - The amount the shaft bends or flexes.

Flyer (Flier) - A shot that flies substantially longer than desired, usually as a result of too much grass between the club face and ball. Flyers are more common from the rough than from the shorter fairway grasses.

Fringe - Area of grass that borders a putting green. The fringe is typically higher than the grass on the green, but lower than the grass on the fairway.

GriffmeterT - Another name for the 12" long Mini-StimpT invented by John A. Griffith of Scientific GolferT Designed to measure the speed of a putting green that can not be measured by the longer (3'long) USGA® Stimpmeter®

Heel - The part of the club head closest to the hosel.

Hole - A small cylinder cut into the ground, measuring 4 ¼ inches in diameter and at least 4 inches deep.

Hook - Type of shot, for a right-handed golfer, that often starts to the right of the target and curves dramatically to the left, usually ending much more left of target than desired. A hook is normally considered to be a non-desirable shot.

Hoseled Shot - A shanked that results in a ball flight directly to the right as a result of the ball being struck on the hosel.

Impact - When the club strikes the ball.

Initiation - Fee paid, up-front, prior to joining a private club. An initiation fee may vary between a few hundred dollars to nearly $100,000 at some of the most elite clubs in the world.

Intended Line - The line you think the ball will travel after you hit it.

Lie - How your ball has finished after you hit it. If it is sitting up beautifully in the middle of the fairway, you have a good lie. If it is in the rough or half buried in a bunker, you have a bad lie. It also has another meaning. If your partner asks you how you lie he/she wants to know how many shots you've taken.

Line - The path the ball takes in flight or rolling.

Lip - The rim of the hole.

Lob Shot - A high, soft shot, generally played near the green with a high-lofted wedge

Loft Angle - The angle of the club's face. The wider or more "open" the face, the higher the ball will be lofted on contact

Mulligan - A shot taken if the first one is missed. Mulligans are used frequently in the USA but not other countries.

Mini-Stimp™ -A reduced length Stimpmeter that will fit into your golf bag and is used to measure the speed of a green. This is a Trade Marked and patented product of Scientific Golfer TM

Pitch - The pitch shot that goes high and does not roll very far when it lands. It is needed to play over bunkers close to the.

Pitching - A short shot pulling the ball into the air in a sharp arc.

PocketCaddyTM- A laminated card carried on the golfers bag which describes in detail the expected performance of each club.

Power Fade - A shot, generally from the tee, that combines the control of a left to right fade with the power and distance of a pull. A highly effective shot that is difficult to master.

Pull - A shot that tends to go in a straight line to the left of the target

Punch - A shot, played intentionally low, to avoid wind, trees or other obstacles.

Push - A shot that tends to go in a straight line to the right of the target.

Royal and Ancient (R&A) - Golf Club of Saint Andrews

Rough - Type of grass, bordering fairways, that is higher and generally more coarse than the grass in the fairway.

Run-Up Shot - An intentionally low shot designed to roll on to the green.

Scatter Distance - In the Benchmarking process, this is the overall pattern of the 30-balls hit during the exercise. One-hundred percent of your benchmarking balls will lie within this pattern.

Shank - A shot that is struck in the hosel area of the golf club.

Skull - To strike the top of the ball with an upwards, glancing blow similar to "hitting it thin".

Slice - A shot that tends to start to the left of the target and curve to the right of the target. A slice is the most common shot among amateur golfers.

Slope (Index) - Mathematical formula used in the USA to compare the difficulty of one course to the next. It takes into account length, hazards, terrain, etc. A course with a slope rating of 150 will be far more difficult than one sloped at 100

Snake - A long putt; one that is usually holed from a long distance.

Spot Putting - Aiming not directly at the hole, but a place on the green so the ball will roll into the hole.

Stimp -Term given to the speed of a green after measurement with a specialized piece of equipment (Stimpmeter.) The higher the Stimp reading, the faster the green. Most courses rate at between 6 and 9. You can purchase a Indistinct at this website that fits in your bag. .

Target-Line - A line between the tee and the pin or Target-Point that is the desired path of your ball in flight.

Target-Point - A selected point on the course that you are aiming for.

Toe -The end of the club head most far away from the shaft. Also the term used when a player hits the ball on that area of the club, usually resulting in a shorter shot than desired.

Top - Shot that does not get airborne as a result of a player hitting the top of the ball

Underclub-To take at least one club less than is necessary for the distance of the shot. The result of this shot will invariably be short of the intended target.

Yardage Marker - An object which marks the distance from the hole. Yardage markers are often found at 200, 150, 100 and 50 yard intervals from the center of the green.