Golf Terminology I to Q

The moment when the ball strikes the club.

In

The second nine holes as opposed to out - the first nine holes inland - in play Within the course (not out of bounds).

Inside

Being nearer the hole than the ball of your opponent.

Interlocking Grip

A type of grip where the little finger of the left hand is intertwined with the index finger of the right hand for a right handed player. The converse applies to a left hander.

Intended Line

The line you expect the ball to travel after hit.

Iron

Any one of a number of clubs with a head made of iron or steel. See definitions for individual clubs "two iron" etc.

Help, I'm in jail! Stated when you are faced with a very difficult shot.

Jerk

To hit the ball from a bad lie, rough or sand, with a downward cutting motion causing the clubhead to dig into the ground beneath the ball.

Jigger

An iron with moderate loft and a short shaft. No longer in use. Present equivalent is the 4 iron.

Jungle

A slang term for heavy rough.

Another term for bounce. Usually an unpredictable or erratic bounce.

Kill the ball

To hit a long shot.

To putt the ball with the intention leaving it short to ensure being able to hole out on the next stroke.

Lateral Hazard

Any hazard running parallel to the line of play.

Lay up

To play a shorter shot than normally might be attempted. Would be done to achieve a good lie short of a hazard rather than trying to hit the green in one less shot.

Layout

The manner in which the holes are placed on the golf course when designed.

Leader Board

Sign where scores are posted during a tournament.

Lie

The position in which the ball rests on the ground. The lie can be good or bad in terms of the nature of ground where is rests, the slope, and the level of difficulty in playing it. The number of strokes a player is to have played during the hole.

Line

The correct path of a putt to the hole when putting. Also when on the fairway, the correct direction in which the ball to be played toward the putting green.

Line up

To study the green in order to determine how the putt should be played.

Links

Originally meaning a seaside course, it is now used to mean any golf course.

Linksman

A golfer.

Lip

The top rim of the hole or cup.

Lob Shot

A shot that goes straight up and comes almost straight down with very little spin or forward momentum. Useful when there is not much green to play to.

Local Rules

A set of rules for a club determined by the members.

Loft

The elevation of the ball in the air. Also means the angle at which the club face is set from the vertical and is used to lift the ball into the air. It is measured precisely as the angle between the face and a line parallel to the shaft.

Lofter

An obsolete highly-lofted club that was the predecessor of the Niblick.

Long Game

Shots hit with the woods and long irons.

Long Irons

The relatively straight-face and longer hitting irons.

Loose Impediments

Any natural object that is not fixed or growing. This can include loose stones, twigs, branches, molehills, dung, worms and insects.

Low Ball and Total

A four-ball team bet in which the best ball of each team wins a point and the lowest total of the partners wins another point.

LPGA

The Ladies' Professional Golf Association.

To qualify for the final rounds of a tournament by scoring well enough in the beginning rounds.

Mallet

A putter that has a head that is much wider and heavier than that of a blade putter.

Marker

A small object, like a coin, that is used to mark the spot of the ball when it is lifted off the putting green.

Markers

The objects placed at the teeing round that indicate the area in which players must tee their balls.

Marshall

A person appointed by a tournament committee to keep order and handle spectators.

Mashie

Lofted iron club that was introduced in the 1880's and is no longer in use. Used for pitching with backspin. Another name for the number 5 iron.

Mashie-iron

An iron club that had less of a loft than a mashie. Used for driving and full shots through the green. Another name for the number 4 iron.

Mashie-Niblick

An iron club, no longer in use, with a loft somewhere between that of a mashie and a niblick. Club was used for pitching. Another name for the number 6 iron.

Matched

As in a matched set of clubs. Clubs designed and made in a graded, numbered series and with consistent specifications and swing-weights.

Match Play

A competition played with each hole being a separate contest. The team or player winning the most holes, rather than having the lowest score, is the winner. The winner of the first hole is "one up". Even if the player wins that hole by two or three strokes, he is still only "one up". The lead is increased every time the player wins another hole. The winner is the one who wins the most holes. This was the original form of golf competition.

Meadowland

A lush grassland course.

Medalist

The player with the lowest qualifying score in a tournament.

Medal Play

A competition decided by the overall number of strokes used to complete the round or rounds. Same as "stroke play".

Mid-Spoon

An obsolete wooden club with a loft between that of the long spoon and the short spoon.

Mid-Iron

An iron club, no longer in use, with more loft than a driving iron. Another name for a 2 or 3 iron.

Mid-Mashie

Another name for the number 4 iron.

Mis-Club

To use the wrong club for the shot.

Mis-Read

To putt wrongly. To not read the green correctly.

Mixed Foursome

A foursome with each side has a male and female player.

Model Swing

A totally professional swing.

Muff

To mis-hit a shot.

Mulligan

A second shot that is allowed to be taken in friendly play when the player has "muffed" (see above) the first one. Not allowed by the rules.

Municipal Course

A public course owned by local government.

A three part bet in which separate wagers are made on the first nine, last nine and complete round.

Neck

The tapered projecting part where the shaft of the club joins the head.

Net

A player's final score after he subtracts his handicap.

Niblick

An obsolete deep-bladed more steeply lofted than a mashie, used especially for playing from sand and from the rough. Old term for a 9 iron.

Nine

A nine hole course or the sequence of 9 holes of an 18 hole course.

Nine

Iron An iron club giving a distance of between 105 and 140 yards for men's clubs. See "Niblick".

Nineteenth Hole

The bar at the clubhouse.

Nose

The toe of a wooden club.

A person who is appointed to assist the referee in a match, to decide questions of fact and report any breach of rules.

Obstruction

Any artificial object that has been left or placed on the course with the exception of course boundary markers and constructed roads and paths.

Off-Centre

A poor hit.

Offset

A club with the head set behind the shaft.

One up

Used in match play to mean having scored one hole more than your opponent. Also, the score of the player who is one up.

One-Iron

An iron club with a loft of approximately 17 degrees, lie of approximately 56 degrees and length of 39 inches. Men's clubs give a distance of between 185 and 220 yards. Also called a driving iron.

One-Putt

To hole the ball using only one shot on the green.

One-Wood

Alternate name given to the driver. open A tournament in which both amateurs and professionals are allowed to play.

Open Stance

The left foot is dropped behind the imaginary line of the direction of the ball. This allows the golfer to face more in the direction the ball is going to travel.

Out

The first nine holes of an 18 hole course. The second 9 holes is going "in".

Out of Bounds

The area outside of the course in which play is prohibited. A player is penalized stroke and distance. That is he must replay the shot with a penalty of one stroke.

Outside Agency

Anyone who is not part of the competitors side in stroke play or not part of the match. Such as observers, forecaddies, referee etc.

Overclub

To use a club that gives to much distance.

Overlapping Grip

As used by a right-handed player having the little finger of the right hand overlapping the space between the forefinger and second finger of the left hand. The opposite for a left-handed player.

Two golfers playing together in a stroke competition. Also to assign players to play together in a competition.

Pairings

Groups of two players.

Par

The number of strokes a player should take to complete a round with good performance. Par for each hole is given on the scorecard.

Par Competition

A game in which play is against a fixed score for each hole (called the par or bogey). Scoring is as in match.

Play with Plus 1

if the player scores better than par, equal if he scores par and minus 1 if more than par. The player with the highest aggregate score is the winner.

Parkland

A course laid out in grassland with little rough.

Partner

A golfer who plays together with another in a match.

Pawky

Old Scottish term meaning cunning or tricky.

Peg

A tee.

Penalty Stroke

An additional stroke added to a player's score for a rules violation.

Persimmon

Wood with a distinctive grain used in many clubs.

PGA

Professional Golfers Association.

Pick up

To take up one's ball before holing out. In match play this concedes the hole or in stroke play incurs disqualification.

Pill

Nickname for the ball.

Pin

Same as "flagstick".

Pin-High

A ball even with the pin but off to one side. Same as "hole high".

Pin Placement

The position of a hole on a putting green on any given day.

Pinehurst

A variation of play in which a partner plays the other partner's drive. One ball is then selected to finish the hole.

Pitch

A short shot lofting the ball into the air in a high arc and landing with backspin.

Pinsetter

The official responsible for pin placement.

Pitch and Putt

A short golf course designed primarily for approaching and putting.

Pitch and Run

The same as a pitch shot but hit with a lower-numbered club to reduce loft and backspin. This allows the ball to run after it lands on the putting green.

Pitcher

Former name for a 7 or 8 iron.

Pitching Irons

The short irons.

Niblick Old name of an 8 iron.

Pitching Wedge

An iron club designed for making pitch shots.

Pivot

The rotation of the shoulders, trunk and pelvis during the golf swing.

Placement

Accuracy in the targeting of a shot.

Play

To strike the ball with a club. The action of playing the game of golf.

Play Club

An obsolete ancient driver.

Play Off

To determine a winner in a tie match by playing further holes or a further round.

Playing Professional

A professional golfer who primarily competes in tournaments.

Playing Through

Passing another group of players who are playing ahead.

Plus Handicap

The number of strokes a player gives to adjust his ability to the common level.

Pop Up

A short, high shot.

Pot Bunker

A small, deep sand trap with steep sides.

Practice Green

Green set up for putting practice.

Preferred Lie

Local rules which allow a player to improve his lie in a specific manner without penalty.

Professional

A player who receives payment for teaching or playing in tournaments. Usually shortened to Pro.

Pro-Am

A competition which pairs professional players with amateurs.

Pro Shop

The golf course shop operated by the head professional where equipment is sold.

Provisional Ball

A ball played if the previously played ball may be lost or out of bounds.

Public Links

A course open to the public.

Pull

A ball that goes to the left of the target with little curve as hit by a right-handed player. The converse applies to left-handed players.

Punch

Low, controlled shot into the wind. It is made by slamming the club down into the ball with a short swing.

Push

A ball that goes to the right of the target with very little or no curving for a right handed player. Or the converse for a left-handed player. As opposed to "pull".

Putt

The shot made on the putting green. From a Scottish term meaning to push gently or nudge.

Putt Out

To hole the ball with a putt.

Putter

A short-shafted club with a straight face for putting.

Putting Green

The surface area around the hole that is specially prepared for putting.

A shot hit on a low and flat trajectory.

Qualifying

School Where would-be professionals attempt to qualify for the PGA and LPGA tours.

Quarter Shot

A shot made with a reduced swing, less than that for a half shot.

Quitting on the Ball

Not hitting through your shot with complete effort.