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Ace: Hole-in-one.
Albatross: When a player is three strokes under par for any given hole. For example, an eagle on a par 5. Also known as a double eagle.
All square: When two players are tied in match-play competition.
Approach: When a player attempts to hit the ball onto the green on a par 4 or par 5, either from the fairway or fairway rough.
Away: The player whose ball is farthest from the hole is considered to be away. He putts first except in certain, rare circumstances.
Back Nine: The final nine holes on an 18-hole golf course.
Ball-marker: What a player uses to mark his or her ball on the green. It is usually a metal or plastic ball-marker or something similar, like a coin.
Birdie: When a player is one stroke under par for any hole. For example, a 3 on a par 4.
Bogey: When a player is one stroke over par for any hole. For example, a 5 on a par 4.
Bunker: A hazard, which is usually filled with sand, and borders the edge of the fairway or green. They can also be filled with grass, crushed shells or other materials.
Caddie: The person who carries a player's clubs. This person also assists in club selection, reading the greens and other tactical decisions.
Captain's pick: Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup teams consist of 12 players. 'Captain's picks' refer to the final two (or four as in the U.S. Ryder Cup team) players, outside the 10 players who automatically qualify, whom the captain feels will contribute to the team's success.
Chip: Hitting a ball, from off the green, with enough force that it becomes airborne, before rolling to a stop.
Choke: When a golfer makes a poor shot, or just plays badly on a particular hole, in a pressure situation. Usually the shot/hole is not a relatively difficult one.
Choking down: When a golfer moves his hands down the grip of the golf club; usually done to add control and reduce shot length.
Concede: When a player or a team concedes a putt, the opponent or opponents do not have to finish out the hole.
Course: The land or venue on which golf is played. It consists of 9 or 18 holes, with greens and fairways.
Cup: What players putt their ball into to complete play on a hole.
Cut: The reduction of a tournament's field, after a predetermined number of rounds, to all players with a predetermined score.
Divot: A piece of grass, which is raised when the ball is struck.
Dogleg: A hole where the fairway hooks to either the left, in a dogleg left, or to the right, in a dogleg right.
Dormie: Dormie is the term used when the lead in match-play competition is equal to the number of holes left to be played. The team or player leading is said to be dormie and can do no worse than halve the match.
Double bogey: When a player is two strokes over par for any given hole. For example, a 6 on a par 4.
Down: You are said to be down when you are behind an opponent in a match play. For instance, two down with four holes to play.
Draw: When a player's ball moves from right to left in the air (for a right-handed player). Some players have a natural draw, while other times, a draw will be employed as a tactical move on a shot.
Eagle: When a player is two strokes under par for any given hole. For example, a 2 on a par 4.
Fade: When a player's ball moves from left to right in the air (for a right-handed player). Some players have a natural fade, while other times, a fade will be employed as a tactical move on a shot.
Fairway: On a hole, the narrow area of shorter grass between the tee box and the green. It is flanked on both sides areas of longer grass called rough.
Field: The players who have confirmed that they will play in a tournament.
Forecaddie: A caddie who doesn't carry clubs, but instead walks ahead of a group of golfers and keeps track of where each player's ball goes.
Four-ball: Two teams of two golfers competing in a best-ball format. Each golfer plays his own ball and the best score of the two counts for the team.
Foursomes: Two teams of two golfers competing in an alternate shot format. One player tees off on the odd holes, the other on even. They alternate shots until the hole is completed. Also known as Better-ball or Best-ball.
Front nine: The first nine holes on an 18-hole golf course.
Green: The area at the end of a hole, where a player putts their ball into the cup. It usually features shorter, smooth grass.
Green in Regulation: Also known as GIR. The number of strokes a player is expected to take before they put their ball on the green. This number is always two strokes less than the hole's par value.
Halved: In match play, a hole is halved if each side finishes in the same number of strokes.
Handicap: A way to provide competitive golf for all, each golfer gets a certain amount of shots deducted from their round, depending on their level of play and the hole difficulty. An 18-handicapper will receive one shot per hole, while a 9-handicapper will only get a shot on the nine toughest holes.
Hook: A hook is a mishit that results in the ball going either extremely left (for right-handers) or extremely right (for left-handers).
Honor: The honor goes to the last player or team to win a hole. The player with the honor tees off first.
Immovable obstruction: An obstruction that cannot be moved - bleachers for instance. If the ball lies in, or on, the obstruction, free relief may be taken.
Lateral water hazard: A water hazard is deemed lateral when there is no place to drop behind it. For example, a lake that runs alongside a fairway.
Lay up: When a player cannot reach the green in one shot, he must lay up by hitting short of the green and then playing to the green.
Lie: Where the ball comes to rest on the course, in relation to the pin.
Majors: The golf season has four major tournaments. These are, arguably, the most significant events in the gold year. They are: The Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship.
Match play: This is a form of competition where each hole is won, lost or halved. The winner is whoever won the most holes. A winning score of 3 and 2 means that the winner won by 3 holes with 2 left to play.
Medalist: Another name for the winner of a stroke-play event. Normally used when referring to a qualifying event of some kind, i.e. Q-school or stroke play rounds to seed for match-play, as in many USGA amateur events.
Movable obstruction: A moveable obstruction is one that impedes a golfers swing, yet can be removed without any delay in play or undo effort. An example of a movable obstruction would be a cable or golf cart.
Mulligan: A player is said to take a 'mulligan' when they replay a shot without penalty. This is not allowed in competitive golf.
Observer: An 'observer' is one who is appointed by the Committee to assist a referee to decide questions of fact and to report to him any breach of a Rule.
Out of bounds: Areas on a golf course which are designated to be out of play. If a player hits into these areas they are penalized one shot and must play again from the previous spot.
Par: The predetermined number of strokes that a player is expected to require to complete a hole/ the course. Example: A par-72 course is expected to be played in exactly 72 strokes. If a player takes more than 72 strokes, they are considered over par. If a player takes less than 72 strokes, they are considered to be under par.
Pin: Pin is another term for the flagstick.
Provisional ball: A ball played when a player fears his initial shot may not be found. If the initial ball is found, the player can pick up his provisional ball.
Pull: Another name for a hook.
Rough: The rough is the area beyond the fairway. It is usually characterized by higher, thicker grass than the fairway.
Round: A round, in tournament golf, is the amount of time it takes the entire field to complete 18 holes of golf.
Sandie: When a player successfully gets up and down from a bunker.
Sand trap: Another term for a sand-filled bunker.
Scrambling: The statistic that tracks players' abilities to get up and down when they miss the green.
Shank: When a a player 'shanks' the ball, they hit it with the heel of the club. This results in a ball that goes almost directly to the right (for a right-handed player).
Skin: A skin is awarded when a player wins a hole in the version of golf called Skins by having the least amount of strokes on a hole. If no-one wins a hole, the skin (or sometimes skins) is carried over to the next hole until someone wins a hole outright.
Singles: One player versus another in head-to-head competition. The player who takes the least number of strokes wins the hole.
Slice: A slice is a mishit that results in the ball going either extremely right (for right-handers) or extremely left (for left-handers).
Split tees: Split tees refer to, in a tournament, when half of the field begins on the first hole, and the other half begins on the 10th hole. This usually only happens prior to the cut, and is intended to make play move quicker.
Stableford scoring: In Stableford scoring, a player earns points for each birdie, eagle or double eagle he makes. Pars are worth nothing, and points are subtracted for bogeys or worse.
Stadium course: A course designed with the fans in mind. Usually features high mounds alongside the fairways and around the greens. Usually associated with TPC courses.
Stimp meter: A tool used to measure the speed of greens. Basically just a ramp that a ball is released down at a certain angle.
Stroke: A stroke consists of any swing of the club, which is made with the intent of striking the golf ball.
Stroke play: In stroke play, scoring is cumulative and based on the number of 'strokes' a player takes to complete each hole.
Tee time: A player's tee time is the assigned time for their round of golf to begin.
TPC: Stands for Tournament Players Club or Course. These courses, either resort or daily fee, are owned by the PGA Tour.
Up and down: When a player misses the green but manages to get up onto to green and make his first putt.