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Golf 101: Glossary

Golf 101: Glossary
Posted at 12:37 PM, Mar 10, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-16 13:31:04-04

Ace: A hole in one.

Albatross or Double Eagle: A score of three under par on a given hole.

ANA Inspiration: One of the five major championships in women's professional golf. It is held annually at the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.

Approach: A shot hit towards the hole or the green.

Backswing: The motion where a golfer torques his/her body and club away from the ball to generate momentum to swing through the ball.

Birdie: A score of one under par on a given hole.

Bogey: A score of one over par on a given hole.

Break: The curve on a putt caused the slope or grain on a green that affects the trajectory of the ball. Wind can also impact the break on a putt.

Bunker: A pit filled with sand that exists as an obstacle for the players.

Caddie: The person that carries clubs and provides advice to a golfer on the course.

Cut: A shot that is purposefully hit with a curve that goes from right to left.

Divot: A small hole left in the ground after a player's club strikes it while making contact with the ball.

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

Driver: A type of club generally used to strike the ball the farthest. The club is usually used off of a tee, but is occasionally used in the fairway.

Eagle: A score of two under par on a given hole.

The Evian Championship: One of the five major championships in women's professional golf. The tournament takes place at the Evian Resort Golf Club in France.

Fade: A shot that is purposefully hit with a curve that goes from left to right.

Fairway: This part of the course is the mowed part of any hole between the tee and the green.

Grand Slam: The name for when a man wins all four major championships or a women wins all five major championships in the same calendar year. A career Grand Slam is when a player wins all four major championships over the course of his/her career.

Greens: The putting green is area at the end of a fairway with very short grass in which the hole is placed.

Hazards: An area on a course that provides a difficult obstacle, such as a water hazard or a bunker.

Hook: A shot that curves from right to left unintentionally.

Hybrid: A more forgiving replacement club for long range irons, used for medium to long distance shots from the fairway.

Iron: A type of club that is made of solid iron or steel that has a large, flat, angled face.

Majors: The most prestigious annual tournaments in men's or women's golf. There are four majors for men and five majors for women.

The Masters: One of four major championships in men's professional golf, The Masters is played at Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Georgia.

Pace: The speed at which a player or group is moving through the course.

Par: The score a player is expected to earn on a given hole.

PGA Championship: One of four major championships in men's professional golf.

Pitching wedge: This club has a face angle of more than 50 degrees and is used for short, arcing shots.

Putter: Generally used on the green, this club is utilized to putt the ball into the hole. It features a flat-faced mallet-esque head.

Sand wedge: This club is a a lofted iron used to hit the ball out of bunkers.

Slice: A shot that curves from left to right unintentionally.

Stance: The position of a player's feet before striking the ball.

Stroke play: A form of competition based on score amassed from the number of strokes played in a given round or multiple rounds. The Olympics are played in a stroke play format.

Tee box: The area where players hit the ball from at the start of a hole.

U.S. Open: One of four major championships in men's professional golf. The location of the U.S. Open varies annually.

U.S. Women's Open: One of the five major championships in women's professional golf. The location of the U.S. Women's Open varies annually.

Women's British Open: One of the five major championships in women's professional golf. The location of the Women's British Open varies annually.

Women's PGA Championship: One of the five major championships in women's professional golf. While the location of the Women's PGA Championship changes, it was played at the Sahalee Country Club in 2016.

Wood: A type of club that propels the ball with a lower trajectory and longer distance than an iron. There are multiple types of this club, including a driver.

Yips: A condition that causes involuntary wrist spasms when a golfer is attempting to putt. It is generally believed to be a psychological affliction.