Golf Terms
Address: The manner in which a golf player positions his or her body right before hitting the ball. Everyone has a unique address.
Alignment: The alignment describes the manner in which you aim the club face and line up your body at address.
Amateur: Amateurs are golf players that compete but do not play for price money. In order to earn money from winning golf tournaments, a player must compete as a professional.
Approach Shot: This describes any shot that sends your ball onto the green area.
Away: Away describes when you are the farthest distance from the hole.
Baby Shot: Describes a shot that is much shorter and softer than usual, and from a specific club that is normally used for that shot.
Back Nine: The second half of an 18-hole course (the last 9 holes).
Backspin: A backspin is the reverse spin on the golf ball that has been hit towards a target.
Backswing: The first part of the golf swing, which ends as the club stops moving, right above your head, and before the downswing portion.
Balata: This is a type of tree sap. It used to be used in the making of golf ball covers.
Ball Marker: A small-sized, flat object, that is used to mark the specific location of your ball when it is on the green.
Ball Mark Repair Tool: This is a forked-shaped tool which is used to fix any marks on the green that are left behind by your ball.
Baseball Grip: A specific grip that is used to hold the club. When used properly, all 10 of your fingers will remain in contact with the club grip.
Best Ball: This term describes a golf game that uses the best score to be counted from a 2-person team.
Birdie: This is when you make the ball in one less stroke than the total par of the specific hole you are playing. For example, if the hole is a par-4, and you sink the ball in only 3 shots, you have yourself a birdie.
Blade: The term blade is used in golf as both a noun, and a verb: The first is to describe the club head of an iron. The second is a verb for hitting the ball on its equator with the bottom of the blade.
Blocked Shot: The blocked shot refers to the ball being hit straight ahead but then sweeps to the right of the intended target (right handed golfers).
Bogey: A bogey describes what happens when a golf player hits the ball into the hole in one additional shot higher than the par. For example, if a player gets the ball into the hole in 4 swings on a par-3, he scored a bogey.
Break: When a putt shot is made on the green and starts to turn, the term break refers to the amount of turn that occurs.
Breaking Down: This term refers to the movement of your wrists as they bend during a putt shot.
Bump & Run: As the name insinuates, the bump and run describes a ball is hit into the air flies towards the target, then “bumps” into the ground and rolls rolls the rest of the way.