Golf Vocabulary Terms

Ace---a hole in one
Address---how you position your body and club to the ball when ready to hit.
Aeration---golf courses aerate the greens once or twice a year. Holes are dug to remove some dirt to loosen the soil and allow room for the roots and create more oxygen for the roots. It usually takes 2 weeks for the holes to fill in and grow over. Courses may have a reduced fee during this process or at least let you know of the conditions before you play.
Alignment---position of your body and club in relationship to your target.
Approach---a shot toward the green.
Apron---the closely mowed area surrounding the green. (Also known as the fringe.)
Away---the person farthest from the hole (target) and is the first one to play the next shot.

Back Nine---the last 9 holes of an 18 hole golf course.
Balata---"soft" material that covers a golf ball. Helps better players stop the ball quicker and prevents it from having too much roll.
Ball Mark---an indentation on the green formed from the ball hitting the surface. Repair your ball mark using a special tool to gently lift the grass so the surface may heal. (A tee may be used if no repair tool is available).
Barranca---can be a ditch, gully, or ravine filled with rocks and/or plants and can cross the fairway. Usually is played as a hazard.
Below the hole---when on the green, you are below the hole if your ball is in position that you have to putt uphill to the cup.
Best Ball---a tournament where teams play against each other. Each person on the team counts his/her own stroke and the person who has the lowest number of strokes counts as the team's score for that hole.
Birdie---scoring one less shot than par on a hole.
Bite---when the ball hits the green and stops rolling quickly.
Blind shot---hitting the ball when you can't see the green.
Bogey---scoring one more shot than par on a hole.
Bounce---the measurement of the angle on a wedge from the club's trailing edge (the part resting on the ground) to the leading edge (the front edge). The more bounce a club has, the easier it is to get through sand or tall grass.
Break---The point where the ball starts to curve due to undulations on the putting surface.
Bunker---a hole or depression filled with sand or grass. Sand bunkers are hazards, grass ones are not considered hazards but is considered more like the rough.

Carry---the distance your ball can travel to clear an obstacle.
Casual water---an accumulation of water above ground that is visible. A player may get relief if the casual water interferes with his/her stance, swing, or putt.
Cavity-back---clubs that are partly hollowed out at the back to distribute the weight of the club to the perimeter. This makes for a larger "sweet spot" on the club which helps the golfer on mis-hits.
Chip---a short distance shot near the green where the ball stays low in the air, lands on the green quickly, and rolls to the hole. There's more roll time and less air time.
Chunk (also called fat or chili dip)---hitting the ground before hitting the ball.
Closed face---the toe of the club is more toward the target line than the heel of the club so the entire clubface is aiming more left of the target line.
Compression---how hard or how soft a golf ball is. When a ball is struck it is squashed flat and then springs back. The lower compression will be more easily squashed than a higher compression. Slower swing speeds usually use a lower compression ball; higher swing speeds a higher compression ball.
Course handicap---the number of strokes a golfer can subtract on a particular course.
Course rating---a calculated number which rates the difficulty of a course, necessary to figure out handicaps.
Cup---the plastic lining inside the hole on the putting green. The flagstick is inserted here.
Cut shot---a controlled shot where the player makes the ball go slightly from left to right (fade shot).

Divot---a chunk of turf torn away when the clubhead swings through the ground.
Dogleg---a curve down the fairway where you have to change direction to the left or right to get to the hole.
Double bogey---scoring two more strokes over par on a hole.
Double eagle---scoring three more strokes under par on a hole.
Draw---a controlled shot where the player makes the ball go slightly right to left.
Drive---the first shot on a hole hit from the teeing ground.
Driver---the #1 wood.

Eagle---two strokes more strokes under par on a hole.
Elevated green---the green is located in a higher position from the fairway, making the golfer hitting his/her ball upward to reach the hole.
Even---scoring par on a hole or in a round.
Executive course---a golf course comprised mostly of par 3's, a few par 4's, and maybe a par 5. It is meant to be played quickly and has less pars than a full 18 hole golf course.

Fade---a controlled shot where the player makes the ball go slightly left to right. (Also known as a cut shot.)
Fairway---the closely mown area between the tee box and the green.
Fat---hitting the ground before hitting the ball, making the ball go a shorter distance than expected. (Also called chunk or chili dip.)
Finishing hole---the last hole the golfer plays.
First cut---the grass that is alongside the fairway. It grows higher than the fairway but is not as high as the primary rough.
Flagstick---the marker which shows where the hole on the green is located. The flag can be set up to show if the hole is at the front, center, or back of the green by: color coding (red/front, yellow/center, blue/back) or flag location on the stick (low/front, middle/center, high/back).
Fore---the word you should yell if your ball is in danger of hitting someone.
Foursome---a group of four players, normally the maximum number of players allowed to play together.
Fried egg---a ball buried in the sand of a bunker.
Fringe---the closely mown area surrounding the green. (Also called the apron.)

Gimme---a very short putt your opponent concedes to you. Not played under the official rules of golf.
Grass bunker---a slight depression in the ground that is filled with grass. It is not considered a hazard and is played much like the rough.
Green---the very closely mown area where the player will putt the ball to end the hole. (Also called the putting surface.)
Green fee---the amount charged to play a golf course.
Greenside bunker---a sand-filled area near or next to the green.
Gross score---your true total score before any adjustments are made.
Ground under repair---an area that is being fixed or tended to by the maintenance crew and is usually clearly marked. Relief is given if your ball comes to rest or is touching this area.

Hacker---a person who plays golf badly. (Also known as a duffer.)
Handicap---a number which represents a player's golfing ability. The lower the number, the better the golfer. (A 2 handicap is better than a 10 handicap.)
Handicap index---a number, figured to one decimal place, which is used to figure a golfer's scoring potential. (A handicap of 10.5 means the golfer will most likely score 10 or 11 strokes over par on his/her best days.)
Hazard---an obstacle on a golf course, usually marked by yellow or red stakes.
Hole---the place on the green where the flagstick stands and where the golfer putts his/her ball.
Holed---when the entire ball is below the lip of the cup, the golfer is finished with that hole.
Honors---the person who has the right to tee off first. Usually the person with the lowest score on the previous hole has honors to tee off first on the next hole.
Hook---an uncontrolled shot where the ball severely curves from right to left.
Hosel---the part of the clubhead where the shaft is inserted.

Immovable obstruction---an obstacle that cannot be moved. Free relief is given if it interferes with the golfer's stance or his/her ball lies in or on the obstruction.
Irons---part of a set of golf clubs, usually ranging from the 3 iron to the pitching wedge, made of steel or iron with a narrow sole.

Kick---another word for bounce. (Kick left or kick right)
Kickpoint---the point along the shaft of the club where it bends the most. (Also known as flex point.)

Lag putt---a putt intended to get the ball to stop close to the hole.
Lateral water hazard---a hazard, which may or may not be filled with water,that is adjacent to or alongside the line of play. Red stakes or lines mark the area.
Lay up---a shot played to a particular location in order to make the next shot be to the golfer's advantage.
Leading edge---the front edge of the clubhead.
Lie---has two definitions: 1. the position in which the ball sits on the ground. 2. how many strokes it took to get the ball where it sits.
Links---originally referred to seaside courses but can mean any golf course. Most likely is an exposed, windswept course with sand dunes and few trees.
Lip---the front edge of a bunker or the rim of the hole.
Lob---a very high shot intended to land softly on the green with little roll.
Loft---the angle of the clubface or the trajectory of a shot.
Loose impediments---any natural object that is not fixed or growing.

Match play---a competition where the goal is to win the hole. The lowest number of strokes wins the hole; each hole is one point. If each player has won the same number of holes, you are "all square". If you have won 3 holes and your opponent has won 2 holes, you are "1 up" and your opponent is "1 down".
Medal play---a competition where the player with the fewest strokes wins. (Also called stroke play.)
Mulligan---a second try at hitting the ball, usually after an unsuccessful first attempt. Not legal under official golf rules.
Municipal courses---a course run by a city or county.

Net score---your gross score minus your handicap.

Obstruction---any object, movable or immovable, that gets in the way of advancing the ball toward the hole.
Offset---on a clubhead, the leading edge is set back from the hosel. An offset club helps the golfer square the clubface at impact than a club with no offset features.
Open face---a clubface aiming to the right of the intended target.
Open stance---the feet aim to the left of the intended target.
Out-of-bounds---the areas that are not part of the course, usually marked with white stakes. You are not allowed to play any ball that is OB, the penalties being stroke and distance.

Par---the number of strokes it would take a scratch golfer to play a hole or course.
Par 3 course---a course consisting of only par 3 holes, usually with only 9 holes to play.
Pin---another name for the flagstick.
Pin high---the ball is hit onto the green and comes to rest even with the hole. (It's not in front of the hole, it's not behind the hole, it's even with the hole.)
Pitch---a fairly lofted shot that gets the ball up into the air and land fairly softly and roll a short distance to get close to the hole.
Play through---letting a faster group of players go ahead of a slower group of players.
Plugged ball---a ball embedded in the ground.
Preferred lies---rules, when in effect, allow the player to lift, clean, and replace the ball within a few inches from the first lie, no closer to the hole. (Also called winter rules.)
Primary rough---the thickest, highest places of grass sometimes bordering the fairway. Some courses have a "first cut" between the primary and fairway grasses.
Provisional ball---a second ball is played when the player thinks his/her first one may have gone out of bounds or is lost. (If the first ball is found, the player continues with it. If it cannot be found or is OB, the provisional is used with a one stroke penalty.)
Pull---a shot that starts left of the target without curving.
Push---a shot that starts right of the target without curving.
Putting---rolling the ball on the green with a putter in an effort to get the ball into the hole.
Putting surface---the closely mown surface where the hole is located. (Also called the green.)

Ready golf---an action to speed up play where the players in the group hit their ball whenever they are ready.
Rough---the areas beyond the fairway that have taller, thicker grass.
Round---the completion of 18 holes of golf. (Also can be for 9 holes.)

Sand trap---another term used for "bunker", however, bunker is the official golf word.
Scramble---a team format where all players teeing off choose the best shot and then hit from there. This procedure continues until the ball is holed.
Scratch golfer---a golfer with a zero handicap or one who shoots par for a round of golf.
Shank---a ball hit from the neck or hosel of the club causing the ball to go to the right at a severe angle.
Short game---the part of shot making that consists of short swings (chip, pitch, putt)
Shotgun start---a method of starting a tournament where golfers are set up at each hole and start golfing at the same time so everyone will finish approximately at the same time.
Skull---hitting high on the ball causing it to fly low and roll rather than get it into the air. (Also called topping the ball, hitting it thin, or blading.)
Skyball----hitting way under the ball causing it to severely fly very high with little forward distance.
Slice---a ball that severely curves from left to right.
Slope rating---a number ranging from 55 to 155 that represents the difficulty of the golf course, used to compute a handicap. The higher the number the more difficult the course.
Stance---setting your feet before you take your stroke.
Stroke play---a competition where the player with the fewest total strokes wins.
Surilyn---a hard material which covers a golf ball which promotes distance and durability.

Target---the object to which you set up and aim your ball.
Tee---the peg on which to set your ball when playing your first shot.
Tee shot---the first shot of each hole.
Tee time---the time at which you are assigned to start playing the course.
Tempo---the pace of your swing.
Threesome---three players in a group.
Tight lie---the ball sits on dirt or on an area with very little grass.
Topping the ball---same as skull.
Twosome---two players in a group.

Unplayable lie---a situation where the player has determined that his/her ball cannot be played and opts to take a penalty stroke to move it within two club lengths no closer to the hole.
Up and down---taking two shots to get the ball into the hole from off the green. (You get it up to the green and down into the hole.)

Waggle---a movement before you address the ball to get a feel for the club and to keep you loose.
Whiff---swinging and missing the ball completely.
Winter rules---same as preferred lie.