Learn How to Speak "Golf"!

If you've never golfed before, and are thinking you might like to try, in preparation it might be handy to know some lingo before heading out to the greens as it can seem like a little bit of a foreign language. We've put together a small list (yes, there are more) of golf terminology that may help you out.

Ace: You are said to make an 'ace' when you sink your ball in one shot on a par 3 hole.

Amateur: Golf players who play competitive golf but who do not play for prize money. In order to earn prize money from golf tournaments, a player has to compete as a professional.

Approach Shot: A shot which aims to place your ball on the green area.

Away: You are said to be 'away' when you are the farthest distance from the hole.

Baby Shot: A shot which is much shorter and softer than would normally be expected from a club which is ordinarily used for that shot.

Back Nine: The second half, or last 9 nines holes, of an 18-hole course.

Ball In Play: A ball is in play as soon as a player makes a stroke on the teeing ground and remains in play until it is holed, except when it is lost, out of bounds or lifted, or another ball has been substituted, whether or not the substitution is permissible. A ball which is substituted becomes the ball in play.

Birdie: You are said to make a 'birdie' when you sink your ball in one less shot than the par for a specific hole. For instance, if the hole is a par 4 and you sink your ball in only 3 shots then you have made a birdie.

Bogey: You are said to make a 'bogey' when you sink your ball in one more shot than the par for a specific hole. For instance, if the hole is a par 4 and you sink your ball in 5 shots then you have made a bogey.

Bunker: A bunker is a hazard area which is filled with sand in his usually sited near the green or on the fairway.

Caddie: Caddies are individuals who are paid to carry your golf clubs around the course for you and who are also able offer advice on how to play the course.

Carry: The carry is a term which refers to how far your golf ball flies through the air.

Chip: The chip is a shot that is normally played from just off the green.

Closed Face: A club face is described as being 'closed' when it points to the left of the target (This term is normally applied to right handed golfers).

Collar: The collar, which is similar to a fringe, is the strip of grass which runs around the green and which is usually longer in length than the grass on the putting surface.

Dogleg: A 'dogleg' refers to the curved pathway (right or left) from the tee to the cup.

Double Bogey: You are said to make a 'double bogey' when you sink your ball in two more shots than the par for a specific hole. For instance, if the hole is a par 4 and you sink your ball in 6 shots then you have made a double bogey.

Double Eagle: The double eagle describes the completion of a hole in 3 shots under par.

Driver: The driver is the longest club in your golf bag and is the club which gives you greater distance than any other golf club.

Duff: To duff is simply to miss or totally mess up a shot.

Eagle: You are said to make an 'eagle' when you sink your ball in two less shots than the par for a specific hole. For instance, if the hole is a par 5 and you sink your ball in only 3 shots then you have made an eagle. You can also 'eagle' a par 3 hole but, in this case, you are said to have made an 'ace'.

Explosion Shot: An explosion shot is a bunker shot which sends an 'explosion' of sand flying through the air.

Fairway: The fairway is the entire in-bounds distance which runs from the tee to the green and which is kept neatly trimmed.

Fat: A 'fat' occurs whenever your clubface strikes the ground before hitting the ball.

Fore: The word 'fore' is shouted loudly as a warning signal when a ball is hit and heading in the direction of another player.

Fringe: The fringe is a collar of grass which surrounds the green in which the length of this grass is typically shorter than that of the fairway but longer than the green itself.

Front Nine: The first half, or first 9 nines holes, of an 18-hole course

Gimme: A 'gimme' occurs when your ball lies on the green so close to the hole that your playing partner does not require you to actually hit the ball in.

Green: The green area is a closely mowed area on which the hole is situated. It is also referred to as the putting surface.

Greens Fee: This is the sum of money charged for playing a round of golf.

Handicap: A handicap is a system of adjustment to the score system so that golfers of different skill levels can compete with one another without the better players dominating the game.

Hard Pan: Hard pan refers to areas of ground on the golf course that are extremely hard-packed.

Hazard: Hazards are area of the golf course (typically sand and water) which are designed to make life difficult for players.

Hole: The hole (or cup) is the ultimate target for the golf ball on each hole.

Line of Play: The line of play is the direction which a player wants his ball to take after playing a stroke, together with a reasonable distance on either side of the intended direction. The line of play is considered to extend vertically upwards from the ground, but does not however extend beyond the hole.

Out-of-Bounds: This is the area which is outside of the course and which is often marked with white stakes.

Par: The number of strokes a player should take to complete a round with good performance. Par for each hole is given on the scorecard.

Penalty Stroke: A penalty stroke is one which is added to the score of a player or side as specified within the rules. When playing in a threesome or foursome, penalty strokes do not affect the order of play.

Provisional Ball: A provisional ball is a ball played for a ball which may be lost outside a water hazard or which may be out of bounds.

Putting Green: The putting green is all of the ground surrounding the hole being played which is specially prepared for putting or otherwise defined as such by the Committee. A ball is said to be on the putting green when any part of the ball touches the putting green.

Rub of the Green: A rub of the green is said to occur when a ball which is in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency.

Stance: A player is said to be taking his stance when he places his feet in position for and in preparation of making a stroke.

Stroke: A stroke is the forward movement of the club made with the intention of striking at and moving the ball. Should a player check his downswing voluntarily before the clubhead reaches the ball then he has not made a stroke.

Tee: A tee is simply a device which is designed to raise the ball off the ground. A tee must not be longer than 4 inches and it must not be either designed or manufactured in a manner which would enable it to indicate the line of play or to influence the movement of the ball.

Teeing Ground: The teeing ground is the starting point for each hole. It is a rectangular area of ground two club lengths in depth the front and sides of which are defined by two tee-markers.

Water Hazard: A water hazard is any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other open water course (whether or not it contains water) and anything of a similar nature on the course.