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Golf Glossary



Ace

Score of 1 on any hole. Also called a hole-in-one.
Address

Golfer's stance above the ball when the club is grounded and they are ready to hit.
Approach

Shot from the fairway to the green.
Apron

Closely mowed area around a putting green.
Back nine

Final nine holes plays. Usually the last nine holes on an 18-hole course.
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Backspin

Backward rotation of a golf ball in air. Also used to describe wedge shots that roll backwards after hitting the green.
Backweight

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

Metal pole and scoop used to retrieve balls from water hazards.
Ball washer

Device that uses bristles and soapy water to clean golf balls.
Belly putter

Type of putter that has a longer shaft than a traditional putter.
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Birdie

Score one stroke below par on a hole.
Blade

Type of iron with a thin top line and full smooth back.
Bogey

Score one stroke over par on a hole. Bogey golfers average a bogey per hole.
Bore-through

Type of club with a shaft that goes through the club head and sole of the club.
Bounce

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

Hazard made up of a sand-filled hole. Also called a sand trap.
Caddie

Person who carries a player's golf bag.
Cavity back

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

Cubic Centimeters: Volume of a club head. Larger numbers denote a larger sweet spot.
Centre of gravity

Perfectly balanced point in a club head.
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Club head

Part of a golf club used to hit a ball.
Compression

Density of a golf ball.
Course

Area where golfers play regulation golf.
Course rating

Difficulty of a course.
Dimple

Indentation on a golf ball.
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Double bogey

Two strokes over par for a hole.
Double eagle

Three strokes under par for a hole.
Drive

First shot on a hole hit off a tee.
Driver

Ball used to hit the bar farthest. Also called the 1-wood.
Driving range

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

Score two strokes below par on a hole.
Face angle

Angle of a club's face relative to its target.
Fairway

Area between the tee box and green.
Flange

Part of a putter that sticks out from the back of the club head.
Flex

Ability of a club's shaft to bend.
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Grass bunker

Depression in a golf course filled with grass.
Green

Putting surface of a golf course.
Green fee

Amount of money you have to pay to play golf on a course.
Handicap

Golfer's playing ability in relation to a course.
Hole

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

Ball severely curving in air.
Hosel

Place on a club where the shaft and club head come together.
Iron

Club with a thin grooved face used to hit balls on the fairway.
Loft

The angle of the face of a club that determines how far and how high a ball will travel.
Maraging steel

Hard steel alloy used in driver club heads and some irons.
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Muscleback

Blade-style iron with a full back.
Offset

Distance on a club from the front of the hosel to the front of the club head.
Par

Expected number of strokes it should take to play a hole.
Perimeter weighting

Club design used in cavity-backed clubs that has weight distributed around the outside of the club head, enlarging the sweet spot.
Pitch

Shot taken with a high-lofted club that goes a short distance and has a high trajectory.
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Progressive offset

A set of irons that contains clubs with different offsets.
Putter

Golf club used to hit a ball a short distance into a hole.
Round

A complete 18-hole game of golf.
Sand trap

Term used by some golfers to describe a bunker filled with sand.
Scratch golfer

Person who scores par or better for a course.
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Shaft

Golf club handle.
Slice

Mis-hit where the ball curves dramatically left for right-handed players or right for left-handed players.
Stainless steel

Heavy metal used in club construction. Stainless steel clubs have smaller club heads and sweet spots than titanium clubs.
Stance

How a golfer stands and holds a club in relation to the ball and hole.
Stroke

Swinging a golf club with the intention of putting a ball into play.
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Sweet spot

Centre of the face of a club.
Tee

Small plastic stand that elevates a ball off the grass.
Tee box

Starting point where a golfer puts a ball into play for a hole.
Titanium

Lightweight metal used in club construction, allowing for larger club heads.
Torque

A shaft's resistance to twisting during a swing.
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Trap

Common name for a bunker.
Wedge

Type of iron with a broad low-angled club head and high loft.
Wood

Club used for long-distance shots.
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