The Proper Golfer

As in many pastimes/obsessions, over the years golf has developed its own language. For the uninitiated, words like worm burners, snowmen, and aces go in one ear and out the other. In this article, we'd like to introduce another twenty-six words in the golf vocabulary. We hope you find a few new ones that will be useful out on the links.

Albatross: A double eagle (three under par) on a hole.

Ball Mark: The indentation the ball often leaves on the green. A.k.a, something a good golfer always fixes.

Chili-dip: To mishit the ball by hitting the ground first, resulting in very weak lofted shot.

Double-D putt: A putt which uses all of the cup. Same as a victory lap.

Economy golf: Getting the price of the round down (on a per stroke basis) through bad play.

Foozle: A badly mishit shot.

Gimme: An agreement between two people who can't putt.

HOS or Haas: Hands Of Stone (nickname for a big hitter, but with no touch).

In the linen: In my pocket (used by stylish dressers).

Jose Maria: I-lost-a-ball (Olazabal)

Knockoff: A club that is a clone or forgery of (and also much cheaper than) an orginal design.

Lawrence of Arabia: Nickname a golfer earns when they've been in the sand all day.

Mick Jagger: A major lip-out putt.

Nineteenth hole: The bar of a golf club or course.

One-time: Exclaimed as the ball approaches the hole on a chip or putt. Actually known to have a positive influence on a ball's trajectory.

Pele: Nickname for the golfer who has a tendency to give the ball a little kick forward.

Quail-high: A shot hit on a low and flattish trajectory.

Rush Limbaugh: A shot that is fat, ugly, and to the right.

Stoneage golf: Someone who swings as hard as possible on every shot "me hit ball, me hit ball far."

Tee it high, let it fly: Salutation to a fellow golfer on the tee.

UBU: Ugly But Useful. Said of a bad shot that has a good result.

Vardon grip: The overlapping grip.

Where bears go to die: Said of a ball hit deep into the woods.

Xtreme golf: When it is windy, rainy, icy, and all the holes feel like they are over 600 yards long.

You da man: Exclaimed to a golfer after a beatiful drive.

Zibbit: A punch shot that bounces several times to end up on the green.


Have suggestions for our golf glossary? Send us an email. Although often uttered on the course, no offensive or foul language, please.