Golf: Terms to Know

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.