Golf Terms Defined Part 4

These golf terms defined are part of sports gamerisms, Define Your Game!
Part 4 completes golf gamerisms provided for golf players and fans who wish for zingers..

Golf Terms Defined: P - Q

• Pair or Partner: 2 golfers are assigned to play together in a contest.
• Par: refers to the set number of strokes it should take to reach the hole from the tee box for an experienced golfer. Total par figures for all holes=par for a course. Examples are approximate for men and women, Par 3=250 yards or 210 yards for women.
• Penalty Stroke: 1 more stroke added to a player's score due to a violation.
• Pick Up: in this situation, the player who picks up the ball is out of the game or in competition and that hole goes to the opponent.
• Pins: golf terms defined for the flags.
• Pin Placement: refers to the location of the hole on a putting green.
• Pinsetter: game official who monitors pin placement.
• Pitch:  a short swing shot, normally high in the air that doesn’t use a full swing.
• Pitch and Run: golf shot with a decreased arc and no backspin resulting in a roll towards the pin.
• Pitching Wedge: term for the iron that is ideal for pitch shots.
• Pivot: golfer's swing motion involving shoulders, mid-section and hips.
• Play Off: extra holes played to decide a winner after a tie match.
• Play Through: it's just good golf manners to allow the speedier players to move ahead of a slower group.
• Plugged Lie:  a situation where the ball is half covered.
• Plus Handicap: refers to player with a plus handicap who then adds strokes to gross score to calculate the net.
• Pot Bunker: jargon for a steep-sided sand trap—a golfer's challenger to be sure.
• Professional: or pro golfer who either earns a living playing tournaments or giving lessons.
• Pro-am: both pros and amateurs play in competition here.
• Pro Shop: get your golf equipment and supplies here.
• Provisional Ball: substitute golf ball played after one is declared out of bounds or lost.
• Pull: shot that is not straight but wanders off to the left or right depending on the golfer's use of right or left hands.
• Punch: golf ball that is low and hit into the wind.
• Push: opposite of pull shot.
• Putt:  short shot on the green made with a putter.
• Putting Green:  close kept area around the hole.
• Putter:  club with a flat face used to knock the ball into the hole from a short distance.
• Quail High: refers to a distance shot hit low and flat.
  

Golf Terms Defined: R

• Rabbit: jargon for a pro who is required to qualify for tournament play.
• Rap: to hit a putt decisively.
• Read the Green: analyzing the area to decide the putt technique required to sink the ball.
• Recovery Shot: you got out of the rough or hazard and are now back on the right course.
• Referee: chief game official who monitors and calls rule violations for tournaments and matches.
• Reverse Overlap: refers to placement of fingers overlapping for a type of grip.
• Rifle: whoa—beautiful shot hit with the right distance and accuracy.
• Rim: term for the upper edge of the cup where the ball will often roll before —yes, going in!
• Rim Out: golf terms defined for the situation where the ball did not drop in—oh no!
• Range Finder:  tool used to determine the distance between objects on a golf course.
• Rough:  grass adjoining the fairway, kept longer making for a more difficult shot.
• Round: a completed game on the course that can be 9 or 18 holes.
• Round Robin: golf tournament where the winning player is declared based on of the most matches won versus other golfers.
• Run: refers to how long that ball rolls and then lands.
• Run-up: golf shot hit near or trails along the ground upon approaching the hole.
  

Golf Terms Defined: S

• Sand Trap:  hazard or bunker full of sand, typically close to the hole.
• Sand Wedge:  club used to knock the ball out of the sand.
• Scare: jargon for the area where the head and shaft meet on a wood club.
• Scratch: very skillful golf player with a 0 (as in zero) handicap.
• Scruff: occurs when the course turf is hit with a club before the ball.
• Set: refers to all the clubs and now you are golf-ready.
• Shaft: golf terms defined for section of the club joined to the head.
• Shag: lingo for gathering the balls shot from the practice tee.
• Shag bag: term for practice balls holder.
• Shank:  striking the ball with the hosel, ending with a bad shot.
• Short Game: term for a game focusing more on accuracy than distance.
• Side: refers to playing partners for the game.
• Sidehill Lie: positioned above or below the player's feet, this ball is on a hill.
• Single: match that consists of 2 golfers in competition.
• Skull: jargon for a hit above the golf ball center, resulting in a long shot.
• Sky: this shot is hit under the ball resulting in a high, shorter-than-average shot.
• Skywriting: a weak shot wherein the club head circles resulting in a shank.
• Slice or Banana Ball:  poor shot traveling left to right, usually hit with the wrong angle of club.
• Slider: lingo for a low shot with a 'crazy' bounce.
• Smother: shot hit down resulting in a short-distance ball.
• Snap Hook: refers to a shot that bends right to left or with a left-handed player from left to right.
• Snipe: jargon for a hook shot that drops rapidly.
• Snowman:  scoring 8 strokes on one hole, referring to the shape of the number resembling a snowman.
• Socket: located in the area of the iron neck where the shaft fits.
• Sole: term for the bottom of the club head.
• Spot Putting: occurs when a golfer uses a spot on the green as an aiming point.
• Spray: golf terms defined for golf ball hit way off line.
• Square: term for a tied golf match.
• Stance: refers to the feet position during the address.
• Starter: game official who monitors tee-off times and correct playing sequence.
• Stick: refers to the flagstick.
• Stipulated Round: golf played in the correct order from number 1 hole to 18.
• Stony: golf terms for a close hit near the flagstick.
• Stroke: refers to a swing and hit of the golf ball.
• Stroke and Distance: refers to player's loss of a stroke and distance on a penalty that must be replayed.
• Stroke Play: contest based on number of strokes and rounds with the win going to the lowest score.
• Stymie: lingo for an obstruction between the ball and flagstick.
• Sudden Death: the first golfer to sink a hole is the winner and the game is over.
• Swale: term for a dip in the course.
• Sweet Spot:  spot on the club where it is optimal to hit the ball.
• Swing:  the act leading up to striking the ball.
  

Golf Terms Defined: T

• Takeaway: refers to the start of a backswing as the club comes off the ground.
• Tap In: occurs when the ball just requires a tap of the putter to go in the hole.
• Tee: small piece of wood where the ball is placed to strike with the driver.
• Tee Box:  the beginning of a hole where the golfer tees off, usually with his driver.
• Teeing Ground: marked section of the course where golfers must tee off.
• Thin: shot hit above ball center—not a good thing!
• Thread: sending that shot right between the trees.
• Three Ball: refers to 3 golfers=1 contest.
• Toe: golf terms defined for the tip of the club.
• Top: shot hit above the ball center resulting in a hop.
• Topspin: ball movement forward.
• Touch: skillful player who can place shots accurately—the magic touch!
• Touch Shot: refers to a challenging shot hit with precise accuracy.
• Tournament: golf contest that is either match or stroke play.
• Triple Bogey: jargon for a score that is 3 over the par for a hole.
• Trouble Shot: a shot from a tough position and lie.
• Turn: moving on to the last of the 9 holes, this player is at the 10th.
• Twosome: 2 golfers playing a round.
  

Golf Terms Defined: U - Z

• Underclub: choosing a club that won't go the distance required.
• Underspin: refers to backspin.
• Unplayable Lie: can't be done, resulting in a 1-stroke penalty for the unfortunate player.
• Up: tally of strokes/holes that a player is ahead of competitors.
• Upright Swing: occurs when the club swings back and up from the ball directly.
• Waggle: golf terms defined for club head motion behind and over the ball.
• Water Hole: jargon for that water hazard up ahead.
• Wedge:  high angled club used to hit short, high, lofty shots.
• Whiff:  missing the ball completely with a full stroke.
• Whippy: lingo for a flexible shaft.
• Wind Cheater: golf shot that carries backspin into the wind.
• Wood:  a club used to hit the ball a greater distance, although typically made of some sort of light metal now, instead of wood as they were originally made.
• Worm Burner:  hard shot hit at a low trajectory.
• Yardage Rating: calculated by the distance from tee to green.
• Zinger:  a shot hit very hard and with great trajectory.
  

From Golf Terms Defined, you can return to sports gamerisms
Other Sports Clicks
Basketball Game Terms
Soccer Quiz
Tennis Game Terms