Golf Glossary
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| Ace | |
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Score of 1 on any hole. Also called a hole-in-one. | |
| Address | |
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Golfer's stance above the ball when the club is grounded and they are ready to hit. | |
| Approach | |
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Shot from the fairway to the green. | |
| Apron | |
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Closely mowed area around a putting green. | |
| Back nine | |
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Final nine holes plays. Usually the last nine holes on an 18-hole course. | |
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| Backspin | |
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Backward rotation of a golf ball in air. Also used to describe wedge shots that roll backwards after hitting the green. | |
| Backweight | |
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Weight attached to the back of the head of a golf club that makes it easier for drivers to hit a ball into the air and prevents putters from twisting. | |
| Ball retriever | |
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Metal pole and scoop used to retrieve balls from water hazards. | |
| Ball washer | |
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Device that uses bristles and soapy water to clean golf balls. | |
| Belly putter | |
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Type of putter that has a longer shaft than a traditional putter. | |
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| Birdie | |
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Score one stroke below par on a hole. | |
| Blade | |
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Type of iron with a thin top line and full smooth back. | |
| Bogey | |
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Score one stroke over par on a hole. Bogey golfers average a bogey per hole. | |
| Bore-through | |
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Type of club with a shaft that goes through the club head and sole of the club. | |
| Bounce | |
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The angle measured from the front edge of a wedge's sole to the point that rests on the ground at address. | |
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| Bunker | |
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Hazard made up of a sand-filled hole. Also called a sand trap. | |
| Caddie | |
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Person who carries a player's golf bag. | |
| Cavity back | |
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Type of game improvement iron. Its club head has a thin face and hollow area on the back that distributes weight around the perimeter of the club, creating a larger sweet spot. | |
| cc | |
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Cubic Centimeters: Volume of a club head. Larger numbers denote a larger sweet spot. | |
| Centre of gravity | |
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Perfectly balanced point in a club head. | |
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| Club head | |
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Part of a golf club used to hit a ball. | |
| Compression | |
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Density of a golf ball. | |
| Course | |
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Area where golfers play regulation golf. | |
| Course rating | |
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Difficulty of a course. | |
| Dimple | |
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Indentation on a golf ball. | |
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| Double bogey | |
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Two strokes over par for a hole. | |
| Double eagle | |
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Three strokes under par for a hole. | |
| Drive | |
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First shot on a hole hit off a tee. | |
| Driver | |
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Ball used to hit the bar farthest. Also called the 1-wood. | |
| Driving range | |
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Large open field that allows golfers to practice their drives. Facilities usually allow you to rent buckets of balls to hit. | |
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| Eagle | |
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Score two strokes below par on a hole. | |
| Face angle | |
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Angle of a club's face relative to its target. | |
| Fairway | |
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Area between the tee box and green. | |
| Flange | |
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Part of a putter that sticks out from the back of the club head. | |
| Flex | |
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Ability of a club's shaft to bend. | |
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| Grass bunker | |
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Depression in a golf course filled with grass. | |
| Green | |
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Putting surface of a golf course. | |
| Green fee | |
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Amount of money you have to pay to play golf on a course. | |
| Handicap | |
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Golfer's playing ability in relation to a course. | |
| Hole | |
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Area from the tee to the fairway and green on a course. Also describes a hole on the green where a player putts. | |
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| Hook | |
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Ball severely curving in air. | |
| Hosel | |
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Place on a club where the shaft and club head come together. | |
| Iron | |
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Club with a thin grooved face used to hit balls on the fairway. | |
| Loft | |
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The angle of the face of a club that determines how far and how high a ball will travel. | |
| Maraging steel | |
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Hard steel alloy used in driver club heads and some irons. | |
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| Muscleback | |
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Blade-style iron with a full back. | |
| Offset | |
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Distance on a club from the front of the hosel to the front of the club head. | |
| Par | |
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Expected number of strokes it should take to play a hole. | |
| Perimeter weighting | |
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Club design used in cavity-backed clubs that has weight distributed around the outside of the club head, enlarging the sweet spot. | |
| Pitch | |
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Shot taken with a high-lofted club that goes a short distance and has a high trajectory. | |
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| Progressive offset | |
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A set of irons that contains clubs with different offsets. | |
| Putter | |
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Golf club used to hit a ball a short distance into a hole. | |
| Round | |
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A complete 18-hole game of golf. | |
| Sand trap | |
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Term used by some golfers to describe a bunker filled with sand. | |
| Scratch golfer | |
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Person who scores par or better for a course. | |
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| Shaft | |
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Golf club handle. | |
| Slice | |
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Mis-hit where the ball curves dramatically left for right-handed players or right for left-handed players. | |
| Stainless steel | |
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Heavy metal used in club construction. Stainless steel clubs have smaller club heads and sweet spots than titanium clubs. | |
| Stance | |
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How a golfer stands and holds a club in relation to the ball and hole. | |
| Stroke | |
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Swinging a golf club with the intention of putting a ball into play. | |
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| Sweet spot | |
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Centre of the face of a club. | |
| Tee | |
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Small plastic stand that elevates a ball off the grass. | |
| Tee box | |
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Starting point where a golfer puts a ball into play for a hole. | |
| Titanium | |
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Lightweight metal used in club construction, allowing for larger club heads. | |
| Torque | |
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A shaft's resistance to twisting during a swing. | |
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| Trap | |
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Common name for a bunker. | |
| Wedge | |
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Type of iron with a broad low-angled club head and high loft. | |
| Wood | |
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Club used for long-distance shots. | |
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