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
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