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Check out our Glossary of Golfing Terms

Address: The position taken before swinging the golf club.

Airshot: Swinging the club and missing the ball. Counts as one stroke.

Back Nine: The final nine holes of an 18 hole golf course.

Bunker : Indented area of the golf course, filled with sand. 

Birdie: One stroke under the par for the hole.

Bogey: One stroke over the par for the hole.

Clubhead: The base of the golf club where it impacts the ball.

Divot: Turf removed from the ground when a golfer's swing hits the grass.

Dog-leg: A hole that follows an angled line from the tee to the golf green.

Drive: The longest type of stroke made during play, usually with a wood or low numbered golf iron.

Eagle: Two strokes under par for a hole.

Fairway: Closely mown grass area (usually one-half to three-quarters of an inch) between the tee and the green.

Flag: A movable pole with a small flag on top centered in the hole to show its position.

Fore: A shout to warn other golfers that a golf ball is headed in their direction.

Green: Extra shortly mown area of grass where the hole or pin is.

Handicap: A numerical measure of a player's ability. The lower the handicap, the better the golfer. Less skilled golfers are allowed to deduct strokes when playing against better golfers. (Hence, the latter are 'handicapped'.)

Hook: A stroke causes the golf ball to curve the left of the target, if made by a right handed golfer, and to the right if made by a left handed golfer.

Iron: A metal golf club numbered 1-9, with a flat, thin, angled face. The lower the number, the less steep the loft. Lower numbered irons are suitable for longer shots.

Loft: The angle of the clubhead, measured with respect to the shaft.

Match Play: A type of competition in which each hole is a separate contest. (compare "Stroke play") The lowest number of strokes on a given hole, wins that hole.

Net Score: Total strokes played minus your handicap.

Par: The number of strokes a hole is designed to be completed in. Also describes the number of strokes in which the golf course should be played. 

Pin: The hole/flag being aimd at

Pitching Wedge: A golf club with a steeper face, used when close to the hole. (See "Sand Wedge".)

Putter: A golf club with a vertical face designed for use on or near the green.

Sand Wedge: A golf club with a steeper face, used to hit the golf ball out of a bunker (See "Pitching Wedge".)

Slice: A golf ball flight which curves to the right of the target. (If made by a right handed golfer; to the left if made by a left handed golfer.)

Stroke Play: Competition based on the total number of strokes taken. (See "Match play".) The lowest number of strokes over the entire golf course wins the game.

Tee: A small device designed to raise the golf ball off the ground. Also more generally the area the golfer starts from for the hole.

Wood: A club with a large, rounded head (not always made of wood!), used to hit the golf ball from the tee over long distances.

 

 

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