ACE: Hole in one.
ADDRESSING THE BALL: Taking your stance and getting ready to hit the ball.
ALBATROSS: A score of two on a par five.
ARTIFICIAL OBJECTS: Bottles, packets, cans and such like foreign objects that can be moved without penalty.
BALL: The round object that you hit.
BIRDIE: Scoring one under par.
BOGEY: Scoring one over par.
BUGGY: Motorised or wheeled vehicle that carts the player's clubs.
BUNKER: A sand filled hazard placed on a fairway or near greens.
CADDIE: Person responsible for carrying a player's gear and entrusted with providing advice.
CART: As for buggy.
CASUAL WATER: Temporary water not marked as a hazard. Relief may be obtained by dropping the ball.
CHIP: A shot normally played from a short distance from the green.
CLEANING THE BALL: A ball may be cleaned whenever it is picked up legally.
CLUBS: A maximum of 14 of any variation may be carried in a competition.
COURSE: The area owned or leased by the golf club for the purpose of playing golf.
CUP: The 10.8cm hole in the putting green.
DIVOT: The piece of turf sometimes cut from the ground when you hit the ball. The turf should be replaced and filled with sand to promote regrowth.
DOUBLE BOGEY: Two over par.
DOUBLE EAGLE: See Albatross.
DRIVER: The longest club in the bag, usually a 1 or a 1 and a half wood.
DROPPING THE BALL: Hold the ball at shoulder height and arm's length to drop it correctly. The ball can be redropped if it still infringes the rules. If it still infringes the rules after being dropped a third time, then it must be placed on the spot it landed on the third drop.
EAGLE: Two under par.
FAIRWAY: The area from tee to green, usually defined by being closely mown.
FLAGSTICK: Supports the flag on the green.
FORE: Yell this loud and clear if it appears your ball may hit another player.
GREEN: The carefully mown area of a fairway surrounding the hole. Only use a putter on this surface.
GRIP: The way the hands interlock when holding the club. Also used to describe the leather or rubber handle on the end of a club.
GROSS SCORE: The total number of shots (including penalties) taken for a round.
GROUNDING THE CLUB: The placement of the club behind the ball at address. Not allowed in a hazard.
GUR: (Ground under Repair): Areas marked by the greens staff or a committee from where a drop can be taken without penalty.
HANDICAP: A handicap is allocated to a player according to their ability allowing all players a chance to win. The lower the handicap the better the player's ability. In club play the highest men's handicap is 27 and for women 45.
HAZARD: A bunker or area on the course marked by the club as a hazard is designed to make the course more difficult as it penalises poor play.
HOLING OUT: Getting the ball into the hole.
HOLE IN ONE: Hitting the ball into the hole from the tee with one shot. Every golfer's dream.Usually only happens on par threes but has occurred on par fours.
HONOR: The player with the best score on the previous hole has the honour and is normally the first to tee off. This can be waived in agreement with other players.
IDENTIFYING THE BALL: Each player has the responsibility to know the make and number of the ball and identically marked balls should not be used in the same group. Some players mark their balls with special marks so that the ball can be clearly identified with theirs on the course.
IRON: Those clubs other than woods or the putter. Irons have different lofts and lengths with the 9 iron hitting it shorter and higher than a 6 iron.
LIE: Where the ball is sitting. This usually cannot be interfered with except when indicated by the club. (see Preferred Lies)
LIGHTNING: All play is allowed to stop legally when storms and lightning occur. Hurry to the clubhouse.
LOST BALL: Any ball that cannot be found within 5 minutes of the search commencing must be declared lost.
MARKER: The person who marks the card of a player.
NET SCORE: The total number of shots taken after the handicap is deducted from the gross score.
OUT OF BOUNDS: The area outside the course usually indicated by stakes or fences.
OVERHANGING BALL: A ball which comes to rest sitting on the lip of the hole. Ten seconds are allowed before another stroke must be played to get it into the hole.
PAR: The number of shots allocated by the club for each hole and for the full round.
PENALTY: One or two shots added to the gross score for infringement of the rules.
PIN: (see FLAGSTICK)
PLUGGED BALL: Ball imbedded in its own pitch mark in the ground. It may be dropped without penalty no closer to the hole.
PREFERRED LIES: The local rules may allow you to improve your lie because of the condition of the course. You are usually allowed to clean the ball and more it no more than one card length from the original position.
PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: Usually earns his living from golf. Is licensed to give lessons for money.
PROVISIONAL BALL: A second or more ball hit from the same spot as the last shot when the first ball may be lost or out of bounds.
PUTT: A stroke played on the green - usually with a putter.
PUTTER: A club designed for use on the green.
PUTTING GREEN: (see GREEN)
ROUGH: The area outside the closely mown fairway on each hole.
SAND WEDGE: An iron designed specially to get the ball out of a sand bunker.
SCORE: The number of strokes taken on each hole.
SEARCHING FOR A BALL: Players are allowed five minutes to search for a ball before declaring it lost.Groups behind should be called through if they are ready to play.
SLOW PLAY: You are required to keep up with the group in front of you at all times. Slow play can be penalised.
STANCE: Placing your feet firmly and getting ready to play the ball.
STROKE: The forward movement of the club to hit the ball is counted as a stroke. If there is an intention to hit the ball and the player misses, that is also counted as a stroke.
SWING: The movement of the club along an arc, away from the ball and then following through.
TEE: A peg on which to place the ball/ the area set aside at the beginning of the hole to indicate the starting point.
TEE MARKERS: The coloured markers placed on the teeing area to indicate the starting line.
WATER HAZARD: An area of water permanently on the course which is marked with stakes or oil lines.
WEDGE: A specially designed iron used close to the green for high, short shots.