Golf Terminology: Part 1 “A-E”

Ace – An “Ace” is made when you sink your ball in one shot on a par 3 hole.

Alignment – The way in which you position the clubface and line up your body at the address.

Approach Shot – Your shot into the green from the fairway.

Attack Wedge – Another name for gap wedge. An attack wedge fits between the pitching wedge and sand wedge in a golfer’s set of clubs.

Away – (Also referred to as “out”) When playing in a group, the golfer who is furthest from the hole, is said to be away.

Back nine- The second half, or last nine holes of an 18-hole course.

Backspin – When the ball hits the green and spins back toward the golfer.

Backswing – The initial part of the golf swing which finishes as the club stops moiving above your head in preparation for the downswing.

Baffie – An old name for a 5-wood.

Bail out – For example: you hit the shot way to the right to avoid trouble spots on your left.

Ball in play – As soon as a player makes a stroke on the teeing ground, the ball is “in play” and remains in play until it is holed. Except if it is out of bounds, lost or has to be substituted for another ball. A ball which has been substituted becomes the ball in play.

Ball marker – Any small flat object that is used to mark the position of the ball on the green.

Ball marker repair tool – A fork-shaped tool which is used to fix divets made by the ball landing on the green.

Ball retriever – A long pole with a scoop on the end used to retrieve balls from hazards, water or under trees.

Ball washer – A device for cleaning balls found at many tees throughtout the course.

Birdie – A score of one under par on a hole.

Bisque – Handicap stroke given by one player to another. Receiver may choose which hole it is applied to.

Blast – Aggressive shot from a bunker that displaces a lot of sand.

Blind shot – A shot made when you can’t see where you want the ball to land.

Bogey – A score of one stroke over par on a hole.

Borrow (also known as the “Break”) – The amount of curve you must allow for a putt on a sloping green.

Boundary – The edge of the course usually marked by white stakes.

Brassie – An old name for a 2-wood.

Bulge – The curve across the face of a wooden club.

Bunker – A hazard filled with sand, often referred to as a sand trap.

Caddie – The person carrying your clubs during your round of golf.

Carry- The distance between the ball’s takeoff and landing.

Casual water – Water other than a water hazard on the course from which you can lift your ball without penalty.

Charting the course – To pace each hole so that you always know how far you are from the hole.

Chip – a very short, low flying shot to the green.

Choke down – To hold the club lower on the grip.

Closed face – When the clubface is pointed to the left of your target at impact. Also when the clubface is pointed skyward at the top of your backswing. May lead to a shot that goes left of your target.

Closed stance – When a player sets up with the right foot pulled back away from the ball.

Compression – The flattening of the ball against the clubface.

Course rating – The difficulty of the course determined by a formula by the USGA.

Cross-handed – a grip with the left hand below the right.

Cut – a score which eliminates a percentage of the players or field from a tournament. It is usually made after 36 holes of a 72 hole event.

Cut shot – A Shot that curves from left to right.

Deuce – A score of two on a given hole.

Dimple – A depression on the cover of a golf ball.

Divot – When the turf is displaced by the clubhead during a swing.

Dogleg – A hole in which the fairway curves one way or the other.

Dormant – Grass on the course which is alive, but not actively growing.

Double bogey – A score of two over par on a hole.

Double eagle – A score of three under par on a hole.

Downhill lie- When your right foot is higher than your left when you address the ball. (Opposite for left-handed players)

Downswing – The part of the swing where the clubhead is moving down, toward the ball.

Drain – To sink a putt.

Draw – A shot that curves from right to left.

Drive – A shot from teeing ground other than par-3 holes.

Drop – Procedure by which you put the ball back into play after it’s been deemed unplayable.

Eagle – A score of two under par for a hole.

Embedded ball – A portion of the ball is below ground.

Etiquette – code of conduct while on the golf course.