Glossary of Golf Terms

The following list is a glossary of golf terms .

0-9

19th hole

Joking for the clubhouse when you stop there after 18 holes have been played.

A.

Adidas

Jokingly for three holes in a row without a point in a Stableford competition ("3 lines"). Allusion to the logo of the sporting goods manufacturer adidas .

Albatross

(or Albatross ) Three strokes under par. Also double eagle . (only on par 5)

All square

English term for a tie (in a match game ).

Addressing the ball

Take a standing position on the ball and put on the stick, in the obstacle even without touching down the stick that is not permitted there.

Ass

(American. Ace or English. Hole-in-one ) Stroke that pushes the ball straight from the tee into the hole.

Out

Area at the edge of a fairway marked with white posts (out of bounds). Balls that come to rest in it may not be played from there.

B.

Backspin

English term for the backward spin of the ball.

Bag

English name for the golf bag.

Bag tag

Tag for the bag that shows the club membership .

Baseball grip

A grip position in which all 10 fingers are behind each other.

Serve

Remove the flag after the other player's blow so that he can pocket.

Belly putter

(from English belly = belly) A putter with a long shaft in which the upper end of the handle is pressed against the chest or stomach with one hand.

Benzinger

Jokingly for a failed hit, in which the bat is hit in the ground in front of the ball and the ball only bounces a little forward, also called a fat hit or hit hit (see below).

Better laying

A place rule that can be issued to compensate for bad weather conditions. The ball may be moved (usually about the width of a scorecard , but not closer to the flag).

Birdie

(English for little birds ) One stroke under par .

Blade

A special design of golf clubs .

Bloodsome

A match game variant of golf . Similar to Greensome .

Blue monsters

Nickname of the Doral Resort Course in Miami, which is very difficult due to its many water hazards .

Bogey

One shot over par .

Borrow

The slope of the green.

Bounce

The angle between the front edge of the club head and where the sole touches the ground.

Break

The change in direction of the ball when putting due to the slope of the green.

Broomstick putter

A putter with a very long shaft ("broomstick"), in which the upper end of the handle used to be pressed against the chin, since 2018 the putter handle must not touch the body.

Gross

Result of the game without consideration of the handicap; see. Net .

Bump and run

A flat chip with no backspin .

C.

Caddy

A person who assists the player by carrying the clubs and advising the player.

Carry

The distance the ball travels through the air.

Cart

Vehicle for use on the golf course. Another name for golf cart .

Cavity back

A special design of golf clubs .

Chapman foursome

A variant of golf .

Chipper

Special golf club with little loft as an alternative to chipping with wedges .

Chip-in

A chip that goes straight into the hole.

Chip putt

A short, shallow approach .

Club

English name for a golf club.
Another name for a golf club.

Clubhouse

The club building. Mostly the center of the infrastructure of a golf course.

Club default

Handicap greater than 36.

Condor

Four strokes under par . Another name for Double Albatross .

Course

English term for a golf course.

Course Rating

A value for the difficulty of a golf course.

CR

Abbreviation for Course Rating .

Cut

The maximum number of strokes a tournament player is allowed to have in the first round (s) in order to participate in the final round (s).
Cut shot: Synonym for fade .

D.

Dachshunds

Funny for a topped tee, which therefore has a very flat trajectory.

lady

Another name for a lady .

DGV

Abbreviation for German Golf Association .

Dimple

Name for the small dents on the golf ball.

Divot

A sod that is knocked out with an iron or wedge when hit .

Dogleg

A fairway with a bend to the right or left.

Dormie

Situation in match play when one of the opponents leads with as many holes as there are still to play; so he can no longer lose, because the opponent only gets a draw even if he wins all the remaining holes.

Double albatross

Four strokes under par .

Double bogey

Two strokes over par .

Double eagle

Another name for albatross .

Down

Opposite of Up .

The number of holes a player has played in a match game.
The first 9 holes of a course.

Draw

A golf shot that starts to the right of the target and ends up in the target with a left turn due to the release during the swing / shot (for left-handers of course the other way around). If the goal is not achieved, it is called a hook .

Drive

The tee shot with the driver .

Driver

Another name for a wood 1. Usually only used to tee off the tee .

Driving iron

Synonym for the (mostly obsolete) 1 iron .
Golf club similar to a hybrid (little loft ), but more iron than wood in shape .

Driving range

The practice area in a golf club, or especially the area for long games with full swing (as opposed to chipping , pitching and putting ).

Dropping

Drop a ball with your arm outstretched. Used to bring a new ball into play or a played ball to a different position because it is not playable or has been lost in the position where it landed.

Thin blow

Another name for top .

E.

eagle

(English for eagles ) Two strokes under par .

Eclectic

A variant of golf .

EDS

Abbreviation for Extra Day Score .

iron

Racket made of iron. Typically there are iron 1 (little loft ) to 9 (a lot of loft).

Even

English term for tie or par .

Extra day score

Target-effective private round.

F.

Fade

A golf shot that starts to the left of the target and ends up in the target with a right turn due to the release during the swing / shot (the other way around for left-handers, of course). If the goal is not achieved, it is called a slice .

Fairway

English name for the fairway.

fairy

Fee. See also range fee and green fee .

Big blow

A failed stroke that hits the ground first, then the ball, also known as Benzinger (see above). Opposite of top .

FIR

Abbreviation for fairway in regulation. A statistical value that indicates the percentage of strokes that come to rest on the fairway before reaching the green . Compare also GIR .

fitting

Adjusting golf clubs to a person (shaft length, lie , grip, etc.).

Flight

In everyday language, a group of golfers playing together. However, if the language is correctly used, this group is a player group, a game or a match. The term Flight is used in the original English for a rating class in an individual or team competition. So are z. B. in a match game the players who play for places 1-8, the first flight and the players for places 9-16 the second flight.

Floating mulligan

Impunity repetition for any stroke (not just the first tee).

Flop

A very high, short blow .

Fore

Warning call that is used to warn other players.

Four ball

English for four ball .

G

Gap wedge

Rackets for approach shots. Closes the gap between the Lob Wedge and the Pitching Wedge .

GIR

Abbreviation for Green in Regulation . Reach the green under par in two strokes .

Gimme

(English short for give me , pronounced "gimmi") A ball that is so close to the hole that the teammates or opponents trust the player that the putt will definitely fall can be given . The theoretical next putt is therefore considered made (is counted, but not executed). Is officially only allowed in match play , but is also often granted in private rounds to speed up the game.

giraffe

Funny for a high tee shot, for example because the ball was tied too high . Opposite of dachshund slayer .

Girlie

Another name for lady .

Goldie

A variant of golf .

Grain

Direction of growth of the grass on the green.

Green

The English name for a green .

Green fee

Game fee to be paid by guests.

Greenkeeper

English term for the groundskeeper.

Greensome

A match game variant of golf .

Grooves

Name for the grooves on the club face.

green

(English: Green ) The area around the hole that is only putted on.

GUR

Abbreviation for Ground under repair (English for ground under repair )

Gurgly

A variant of golf .

H

hacker

Funny for a bad golfer who "hacks" his way down the track.

Handicap

Another name for default .

Handicap protection

Colloquial term for a golfer who presumably deliberately keeps his handicap high (ie not "playing himself down" in tournaments) in order to have a better chance at certain tournaments of the net prices.

HCP

Abbreviation for handicap .

Heel

(English for heel ) The part of the club face that is connected to the shaft. Opposite of toe .

Obstruction

All artificial objects on a golf course, both movable (e.g. waste paper baskets, yellow / red / blue marker posts, equipment of other players, bottles, paper, cigarette butts) as well as immobile (e.g. streets, shelters, cover of the sprinkler system).

obstacle

(English: Hazard ) A bunker or pond.

Hogans

A variant of golf .

Hole-in-one

Tee directly into the hole. Also ace or ace (American).

Wood

Long distance racket made of wood (so-called wood-wood) or iron (so-called iron-wood).

Hook

A blow in which the ball flies a curve to the left (right-handed).

Hybrid

A type of club that looks like a wood , but plays like an iron .

I.

In

Opposite of out

Holes 10 to 18 of a course, see also Up
Term for a ball that is not out of bounds.

Interlocking grip

Grip posture in which the little fingers are interlaced.

K

Cannon launch

When the cannon starts, the participants are distributed on all holes of the course and start the competition at the same time. The start time is determined by a certain time or by a generally audible noise (“cannon”).

Potato field

Jokingly for a (poorly maintained) golf course.

Tie

Funny for a ball that, when putting, goes around the hole on the lip before it falls.

L.

lady

Jokingly for a botched tee from a male golfer who doesn't even get to the ladies tee.

Lake Balls

Used balls, e.g. B. salvaged from ponds on golf courses.

Launch Monitor

Device that can measure golf swing and ball flight data.

Leather wedge

Funny for the golf shoe when it tries to move the ball at rest to a better position. This process should remain hidden from the eyes of the teammates, because according to golf rule 18-2 (ball moved at rest) it would result in a penalty stroke.

Lie

Angle of inclination of the club shaft.

Left

A special type of golf course on the coast. The course is located in the strip of land that connects the sea with the agriculturally usable mainland (English "to link"). Some inland courses copy the design of such courses with high chains of hills (dunes) to the right and left of the fairways. Generally links have few trees and are rather sandy.

lip

The top of the hole between the hole sleeve and the top edge of the hole. If a ball is played too fast, it can happen that a ball "flips", ie it runs along the lip and out of the hole again.

Praise wedge

Racket with a lot of loft .

hole

Hole (e.g. "Hole 7" = seventh hole on the golf course).
Hole on the green into which the golf ball is to be carried.

Match game

(English Match Play) A variant of golf .

Loft

Angle of inclination of the face of a club.

Long hitter

Term for a golfer who can hit the ball particularly far.

M.

Mary Stuart

Funny for a perfect but too short putt .

Mashie

An old name for a 5 iron .

Match play

English for match game .

Medal play

English for stroke play .

MOI

Moment of Inertia = mass moment of inertia. The term is used in golf clubs for two different things:

1.) MOI for the driver head describes how much the driver head can twist if the ball is not hit in the center. The level of the MOI depends on the extent of the peripheral weighting and its placement.

2.) MOI for the entire golf club describes how much effort is required for this club to swing golf, ie how difficult or easy it is to swing.

MOI fitting

With the MOI fitting, the golf clubs are adapted to the body dimensions and swing skills of the golfer.

MOI matching, MOI harmonization

Describes a club design in which all clubs in a set of irons, regardless of their length, can be swung with the same amount of force. With increasing club length - from wedge to long iron - lighter head weights are used.

Moshammer

Another name for a Sedlmayr .

Moving Day

The third day of a four-day tournament.

Mulligan

Repetition of a failed first tee with impunity, not provided for by the rules and only common in private rounds without evaluation.

N

Nassauer

A variant of golf .

net

Game result taking into account the handicap; see. Gross .

O

ÖGV

Abbreviation for Austrian Golf Association.

One ball

A variant of golf .

Ostrich

Engl. For African ostrich . Five under par . Extremely rare, as only possible with a hole-in-one on a par 6 hole.

Out

Opposite of In

Holes 1 to 9 of a course.
Name for a ball outside the fairway.

Overlap grip

A grip position in which the little finger lies over the other hand.

P

par

Abbreviation for Professional Average Result. The number of strokes a professional player should take to complete a hole. The par depends on the length of a hole.

PE

Abbreviation for space permit .

PGA

Professional Golfers' Association. Association of Professional Golfers .

Pin high

Describes a ball that is on an imaginary horizontal line through the hole over the green, i.e. exactly at the level of the flag, offset to the right or left.

Pitch

High approach strike .

Pitch fork

Tool for touching up pitch marks .

Pitching wedge

Clubs for pitching or shots around 100 meters with full swing. From the loft between 9 iron and gap wedge .

Pitch mark

Impression of the ball on the green.

Place permit

Another name for the golf license .

Handicap

In-club exam that is required to be able to play on a course in the club.

Playing Pro

A pro who gets his income from participating in tournaments, in contrast to the teaching pro . See also professional golfer .

Prague

A variant of golf .

Per

A professional golfer as a Playing Pro or Teaching Pro . See also professional golfer . Pros have no handicap, ie they play " off scratch ".

Pro shop

Golf article shop.

Proette

A female pro .

Pull

A hit that goes straight to the left (as opposed to the hook ).

Punch

A long, flat shot in a headwind or from difficult locations (e.g. under branches of a tree).

Push

A blow that directly (as opposed to slice ) goes to the right.

Putt

A golf swing where the ball just rolls.

putter

Golf clubs with very little loft .

R.

Rabbit

(English for rabbit ) Joking name for a beginner, because the way of playing corresponds to the run of a rabbit (zigzag).

Range fee

Fee for the use of the practice facility.

Rescue

Another name for a hybrid .

Rough

The area with longer vegetation next to the fairway .

S.

Sand Save

Play a par or better after the ball is in the bunker .

Sand wedge

Bat to play a ball out of a bunker .

Sandy

(also Sandie) A variant of golf .

shaft

The part of the golf club between the club handle and head.

Snowman

Funny for a score of eight strokes on a hole.

schnitzel

Jokingly for a (big) divot .

Scots Lady

Jokingly for a failed men's tee, which still comes over the women's tee, but comes to rest on the women's tee. In contrast to a lady , the gentleman saves himself the round in the clubhouse .

Scots Tea

A small mound, the beating with the bat on the tee area, a tea to save plastic or wood. Sometimes also used for the broken tees that the predecessors left on the tee.

Swabia

German synonym for “Scots”, for example Swabian Lady, Swabian tea.

Score

The number of strokes required for a hole.

Scorecard

The card on which the course of the game, in particular the score per hole, is documented. In Germany the official name is "counting card".

Scramble

A variant of golf .

Scrambling

Percentage that indicates how often a player misses a GIR and still plays par or better.

Scratch player

Player with handicap 0.

Sedlmayr

Funny for a laxly executed putt (by a male golfer).

Semi rough

The area between the fairway and the rough .

Shank

A failed golf swing where the ball is hit with the heel .

Shorty

The opposite of a long hitter .

Signature hole

An important and / or particularly beautiful fairway on a golf course , so to speak the flagship of the course. For example hole 17 of TPC Sawgrass with the famous island green.

Skin game

A variant of golf .

Slice

A stroke in which the ball flies in a curve to the right (right-handed).

Slope

A value for the difficulty of a golf course.

Socket

A failed golf swing where the ball is hit with the club's heel.

sole

The bottom of the golf club .

fried egg

Funny for a ball that is buried deep in the sand in the bunker and looks like the egg yolk from the egg white of an egg from the sand.

SSS

Abbreviation for Standard Scratch Score .

Stableford

A variant of golf .

Master default

Another name for default .

Standard scratch score

The score expected from a scratch player in a round. Can vary from par of a course by −3 to +3 .

Stimpmeter

An aluminum rail with a length of about 90 cm (1 yard) with a profile from which a ball can be rolled over the green from a uniform height in order to measure its roll length. It is used for orientation about the condition of the course maintenance.

Stinger

An aggressively flat-played ball named after Tiger Woods .

floor

Another name for the flag.

Stroke play

English for stroke play .

Sweet spot

The ideal point of contact for the ball on the club face.

T

Tap-in

A short putt .

Teaching Pro

A teaching pro , as opposed to playing pro . See also professional golfer .

tea

Pen made of wood or plastic, from which the ball can be played on the tee.
The area to be chopped off.

Texas Wedge

Name for the putter when it is used outside the green (e.g. on the foreground ).

Texas Scramble

A variant of golf .

tiger

Funny for an advanced player. Opposite of Rabbit .

Tiger line

A blow to the shortest, but risky way to the hole (for example, over an obstacle or on the bounds along).

Toe

(English for toe ) The tip of the club face. Opposite of the heel .

Top

A stroke that hits the ball at the top, resulting in a low trajectory or a rolling ball.

Top dressing

Spreading sand to maintain the greens .

Tour wedge

Rackets for approach shots.

TPC

Abbreviation for Tournament Players Club . An association of American golf courses.

Triple bogey

Three strokes over par .

Triple eagle

Four strokes under par . Another name for Double Albatross .

Trolley

A handcart for your golf bag.

U

Up

Opposite of Down

The number of holes a player is in the lead in a match game .
Holes 10 to 18 of a course

Up and down

To pocket the game situation with 2 strokes, whereby the first stroke (usually a pitch , chip or a bunker stroke ) takes place outside the green ("Up"). The second shot then goes into the hole ("Down").

Utility

Synonymous with hybrid .

V

Four ball

A variant of golf .

four

A variant of golf .

Vorcaddy

A caddy showing the position of the ball.

specification

A value that indicates the skill level of a player. See also handicap .

Pre-green

The area around the green .

W.

Leg bite

Funny for putts between 1 m and 1.5 m in length that miss despite the short distance.

Wedge

A club type with more loft than a 9 iron . See also sand wedge , pitching wedge , gap wedge, and lob wedge .

Sweet peas

Funny for a tee that ends up in the bushes. Named after the vetch plant .

X

X-out ball

A golf ball with a marked “x” brand name that has only passed the quality test to a limited extent and is therefore not approved for competitions but only for private games.

Y

Yips

Term for a reflexive and unintentional movement of the arms or hands while putting, which results in the ball not being hit as intended by the player.

Yardage book

Manual for a golf course in which the individual fairways (holes) are graphically displayed. The distances between the tees and the green or the individual obstacles are shown and the special features and challenges explained.

Z

Stroke play

(English Stroke Play or Medal Play ) A variant of golf .

credentials

Golf glossary (English)
Golf lexicon at golf.de
Hamster, Robert: Golf license

Individual evidence

↑ golf.about.com accessed 31 August 2011
↑ Declaration on Triple Eagle (English)