Choose a tab above to find words that begin with that letter.
Or enter the word in the form below. If the word you're looking for cannot be
found it will automatically be suggested to the Glossarymaster (MB) for review and inclusion.
backdoor
the rearmost edge of the hole from the perspective of the player
Example: I thought I had missed the putt, but it fell in the backdoor.
back nine
(also "back side") the last 9 holes (10-18) of an 18 hole golf course
Example: She played much better on the back nine than on the front.
backspin
(also sometimes called "juice") reverse rotation on the ball
Example: A ball that is struck below it's equator with a lofted club will usually have backspin.
backswing
the backward movement of the body and club (away from the ball and target) in the golf swing in preparation for the downswing
Example: If you can get to the top of the backswing correctly the downswing will almost happen by itself.
baffing spoon
(also "baffie, baffy") archaic term for an approach wood or lofted wood
Example: She knocked it stiff with a baffing spoon/baffie/baffy.
bag
the container (usually made of some kind of fabric or leather) in which a player carries their clubs
Example: She had a full complement of fourteen clubs in her bag.
bag drop
a place where golfers unload their bags from cars, etc., before parking at golf courses
Example: The bag drop at Bushwood is near the left side of the clubhouse.
bailout
the location or direction or position to which one bails out, or plays away from trouble (see "bail out")
Example: I figured my bailout was into the left rough when I saw nothing but trouble down the right side.
bail out
to play or aim away from trouble (usually extreme)
Example: I was afraid of the water hazard on the right side of the fairway, so I decided to bail out into the left rough.
balata
rubber like material (dried juice of a tree) used for making soft golf ball covers (outermost layer of the ball)
Example: Balata covered golf balls yield a high spin rate and lots of feel, but don't offer much durability.
ball in pocket
(also "B.I.P.") when a player has picked up his ball and does not intend to complete a hole with a valid score
Example: Ted was ball in pocket/B.I.P., as he had already taken 5 strokes on the par 4 hole and his partner had a short birdie putt.
ball mark
(also "pitch mark") the depression that a ball makes when it strikes the ground (usually, but not always, associated with the putting green)
Example: A ball mark/pitch mark should be repaired to the best of the player's ability to be as smooth as before the ball impacted the ground.
ball marker
(also "marker") usually a small, flat object (like a dime) used to mark the ball's position (usually, but not exclusively) on the green while other players putt and/or the ball is cleaned
Example: When you're on the green you may mark the position of your ball with a ballmarker.
ball position
the position of the ball relative to a player's stance and the target at address
Example: The ball position is considered to be "forward" if the ball is nearer the front foot (relative to the target), "back" if it is closer to the rear foot and "middle" if it is centered
between the feet.
ball striker
usually used in reference to a player whose strong suit is consistently solid contact and the ability to control the trajectory, distance and direction of full golf shots
Example: Gonzo was a great ball striker but was under-appreciated for his short game.
ball striking
1. a statistical category comprised of 2 others: total driving (which is a combination of distance and accuracy) and greens in regulation 2. can also be used to refer to the long game in general, or play from tee to green Example: 1. Ball striking is the total of a player's rank in total driving and greens in regulation 2. His ball striking was not as good today as it
usually is.
ball washer
A mechanical device for scrubbing golf balls clean, usually found near the tee of every hole
Example: It is a common exaggeration for people to compliment short game wizardry by saying, "That guy could get it up and down from the ball washer."
ball-bound
excessive fixation on the ball, diminishing or eliminating body and/or target line awareness
Example: Carmine was so ball-bound he had no idea that his swing through the ball was different than his practice swing.
balloon
(more commonly "ballooning", also "upshooter, upshooting") excessive climbing or lifting of a shot beyond its normal trajectory, usually into the wind and usually causing the shot to fall short of the intended distance
Example: Ballooning/upshooting is usually thought of as a bad thing, but it can be used to advantage in some situations, if predictable.
baseball grip
(also "full finger, ten finger" grip) a method of holding the club using all ten fingers on the grip with no overlapping or interlocking fingers
Example: The relative position of the hands to the club's face is the same in a baseball/full finger/ten finger grip as it is in the other more popular overlapping and interlocking grips.
be right
(also "be the number") an expression popularized by tour players on television, usually indicative of a well-struck shot that is proceeding in the desired direction with the only question being the distance that the ball will travel;
a plea or wish, short for "be the right club" or "be the right distance"
Example: Cougar yelled "be right/be the number" as his ball headed straight toward the flag.
beach
any sand-filled hazard
Example: Is my ball on the green or the beach?
beginner set
(also "starter set, half set") a partial set of golf clubs usually consisting of either the odd or the even numbered irons, a putter and a reduced number of woods
Example: A common configuration for a beginner set/half set/starter set might be 4, 6, 8, PW for the irons, a 3 wood and a putter; but sets vary.
below the hole
when the ball is in a position lower than, or downhill from, the hole on ground that is not level
Example: As a general rule, particularly in the short game and on faster greens, it is easier to play from below the hole than from above the hole.
bent grass
a very smooth, fine-bladed grass usually (but not exclusively) used for putting greens
Example: Bent grass creates an extremely smooth, though relatively delicate, putting surface and is mainly found in cooler weather areas.
Best-Ball
a match where an individual plays against the better ball of two, or the best ball of three, players -- commonly and mistakenly thought of as two-man teams playing their best ball against each other, which is actually called a "Four-Ball" match
(more on tournament formats and games)
Example: Best-Ball matches are less common than Four-Ball matches.
better ball
the best score for a team (more on tournament formats and games)
Example: Better ball matches are where an individual or team pits their (best) score, for a hole and/or round, against another team's best score.
birdie
a score of one under (less than) par for a hole
Example: She made a birdie 4 on the par 5 15th hole.
bite
(also sometimes "check, grab, hold, sit, sit down, hit a house" and so on) 1. a command* issued to the ball by a player who believes their ball is going too far or too fast 2. the act of the ball stopping quickly as a result of backspin
* some players feel that issuing commands to their ball during its movement can alter its final resting point Example: I was really hoping my ball would bite when I saw it heading toward the deep forest.
blade
1. (also "leading edge") the leading (lowest/forward-most) edge of a club's head, where the sole and face meet 2. (also "skull, thin, belly") when the ball is contacted with the leading edge instead of the face of the club, producing a low
trajectory shot with less than the usual amount of spin 3. a style of iron head that is (usually) smaller and thinner along the bottom but especially along the top edge, resembling a blade
Example: 1. Hitting the ball on the sweet spot is preferrable to hitting it with the the blade. 2. He hit a good drive, but then
bladed/skulled/thinned/bellied his wedge shot. 3. His irons were old blades; whereas mine were bigger, thicker and perimeter-weighted.
blast
(also "blast shot, explosion, explosion shot") a shot that removes a large amount of sand or earth in addition (hopefully) to the ball, as from a buried lie in a bunker
Example: A(n) blast shot/explosion shot back into the wind can be unpleasant.
block
1. (also "block shot, push") a shot that is pushed (to the right for a right-handed player), usually thought of as severe rather than mild 2. tee block or marker
Example: A block shot commonly results from a swing that is too flat and inside. 2. Be sure not to tee your ball in front of the blocks.
bloodsome
(also "bloodsome scramble") same as a scramble but the worst shot is selected each time rather than the best shot, and each player in the group must hole the ball (more on tournament
formats)
Example: A bloodsome / bloodsome scramble might take a lot longer than a scramble.
bogey
a score of one over (more than) par for a hole
Example: She played the hole fairly well, but still only managed to make a bogey.
bogey golfer
a player whose handicap is about 20 for men (between 17.5 and 22.4) and about 24 for women (between 21.5 and 26.4), according to USGA standards at the time of this writing
Example: The slope rating of a course is based on the ability of the bogey golfer.
bogey rating
like a course rating but based on the ability of a bogey golfer rather than a scratch golfer (the bogey rating is a number used to calculate the slope rating of a course)
Example: The course rating and bogey rating of a course are set by teams of players/evaluators that represent a state or local golf association.
borrow
the allowance for the break or curve of a shot (usually associated with putts or chips)
Example: If you borrow a certain amount in your alignment away from the hole, one would assume that you anticipate it being repaid by the break of the putt.
bounce
("bounce sole, bounce angle") the angle of the club's sole in relation to level/horizontal, or the amount that the leading edge of the club is higher than the part of the club's sole that is lowermost (usually used in reference to irons -- wedges
in particular -- and measured in degrees)
Example: Many sand wedges have a large flange and significant bounce.
bowed
indicates a wrist position where the palm is closer to the underside of the forearm (technically called "flexion") -- see also cupped Example: Some golfers have a bowed left wrist at the top of the backswing, which could cause pain from overuse.
brassie
archaic term for a 2 wood
Example: He always favored the brassie no matter how tight the hole.
break
the curve of a putt or running shot due to the slope of the terrain and gravity
Example: As you gain experience in golf your ability to read the break on putts improves.
bulge
(also "horizontal bulge") the curve of the face of a wood (across, from heel to toe) which helps shots hit toward the heel or toe curve back in the direction of the center
Example: Horizontal bulge helps toed shots draw or hook and heeled shots fade or slice.
bump and run
(also "chip, chip and run, chip and roll") A shot that is designed to roll (run) farther than it flies (usually, but not always, from near the green)
Example: Bump and run shots are simpler and safer than pitch shots.
bumping it
(also "improving your lie, preferred lies, winter rules") altering the ball's position, or the way it rests (lies) on the ground, so as to make the it easier to contact cleanly -- mainly put into effect when course conditions are not acceptable
for playing the ball down, usually due to wet, soggy conditions)
Example: Bumping the ball is not allowed within the rules unless the committee has invoked winter rules/preferred lies.
bunker
a depression in the ground usually (but not always) filled with sand
Example: Bunkers are hazards commonly situated so as to demand accuracy on shots.
buried elephant
a particularly large mound or hump, usually used in reference to the surface of a putting green
Example: I'm not sure where the term buried elephant originated, but if I find out I'll include it.
The ABC's of Golf 
