GOLF VOCABULARY

Ace: A hole-in-one. Hitting the ball into the hole in one stroke.
Albatross: A score of three less than par.
Apron: The shorter grass directly in front of the green.

Away: Furthest away from the hole. The player furthest away typically hits first.
Beach: Slang term for a sand trap.
Birdie: A score of one less than par.

Bogey: A score of one more than par.
Bunker: A concave area, often filled with sand.

Casual Water: An accumulation of water on the golf course which is not part of a water hazard. The player is allowed to move the ball without penalty.

Chip:A low-trajectory, short golf-shot made from just off the green.
Cup: The 4.5" diameter hole on the green.
Dance Floor: Slang term for the green.
Divot: The turf displaced by a club head hitting the ground during the swing.

Draw: A golf shot in which the ball gradually moves right to left (for a right-handed golfer).

Drive: The first shot taken at the tee box at each hole.

Duff: A bad shot.

Eagle: A score of two less than par.
Etiquette: The rules governing a golfer's behavior.

Fairway: The center portion of a golf hole in between the tee box and the green.
Fat: The club hits the ground (more so than intended) prior to striking the ball.
Fore: A warning shouted when the ball is heading toward a person.
Forward Tees: The tee boxes located closest to the green.
Fringe: The shorter grass surrounding the green.
Gimme: A short distance putt, which is assumed that the player will make.
Honors: The right to tee off first based on having the best score on the last hole.
Hook: When a right-handed player strikes the ball such that it curves sharply from right to left.
Lie: The position or location of the golf ball while in play.
Loft: The degree or angle of the face of the club.
Mulligan: A replacement shot without counting the stroke toward the score for the particular hole.
O.B.: Out of bounds.
Pin: The flagstick standing inside the cup on the green.
Pitch: A high-trajectory golf shot made near the green.
Provisional: A second ball struck in the event that the first ball is lost or out of bounds. If the first ball is playable, the provisional ball is picked up. If the first ball is not playable, the provisional ball is played and penalty strokes apply. Hitting the provisional ball often speeds up the pace of play.
Ranger (Player Assistant): The golf course staff member that provides player assistance on the golf course.
Rough: Long grass bordering the fairway.
Sand Trap: A bunker filled with sand.
Sandy: Hitting the ball out of a sand trap and hitting (usually putting) the ball into the cup on the very next shot.
Sit: A term shouted at the ball to encourage it to stick very close to where it lands.
Skull: A golf stroke in which the top of the ball is hit.
Slice: When a right-handed player strikes the ball such that it curves sharply from left to right.
Tee Box: The area on a golf hole where the ball is first struck.
Thin: The club strikes the center of the ball, typically causing a low trajectory.
Tips: The furthest most tee box from the green.
Up and Down: Chipping or pitching the ball onto the green and putting it into the cup on the very next shot.
Worm Burner: A golf shot (not a putt) in which the ball never rises off the ground.