Tiger Woods really helped grow the game of golf. One day while visiting my aunt, I found out that she was an avid golf fan. She diligently watches golf on tv and admits that it’s because of Tiger Woods. Now, this was a shocker to me because I didn’t think she gave two hoots about the game. My whole family plays golf and I’ve never heard her talk golf to us before. Her sudden interest in the game is experienced by many others. Suddenly I have friends asking me “what is a birdie?” or “how do you keep score?”
Knowing golf terminology is definitely a must if you want to understand the game. There’s a vast array of golfing terms and therefore, can be quite puzzling to a new comer. Here’s a list of golf terms frequently used. It’s not an absolute list, but it is sufficient enough for you to understand golf conversations or golf reports on the news.
1. Par
Refers to the number of strokes required to put the ball in the hole. There are 18 holes on the golf course and each are of different lengths. Each hole is assigned a par depending on it’s length. Generally, a hole is either a Par 3, 4 or 5. If it’s a par 3, it would be a short hole and you are expected to put the ball in the hole by the 3rd stroke. Par 5’s are the longest holes on the course. If you put the ball in by the 5th stroke, you are said to have made par. The par value is given not only to the individual holes but also to the entire course. Generally, if you add up the par value of all the holes, it would come up to a total of 72.
2. Bogey
This is a term used when your score exceeds par by one point. For example, if it took you 4 strokes to hole a ball on a par 3, you are said to have bogeyed the hole. So, if you’re on a par 4 and you scored a 5, that would be bogey.
3. Double Bogey
If bogey means one stroke above par, double bogey simply means two strokes above par. For example, a score of 5 on a par 3 is a double bogey.
3. Birdie
When someone made a birdie, it is a good thing. Birdie means the score is one stroke below par. So on a par 3, a birdie would mean it only took 2 strokes to sink the ball in the hole. On a par 5, a score of 4 is a birdie. Just remember, in golf, you want to see smaller numbers on the score card.
4. Over par
This has two references: the score for a specific hole or for the whole course. For a specific hole, a score of 5 on a par 4 is termed 1-over par (or +1). Subsequently, a 6 on a par 4 is 2-over par (+2). You could also mention how many over par you are for the entire round. For example, you could say you are 6 over par (+6) after playing 9 holes. Or at the end of the game, you could say you finished 12 over par (+12). So, if the course is a par-72, that would mean your total score is 84.
5. Handicap
This is not referring to any physical disabilities you may have but rather an indication of a person’s general playing capacity. Men beginners generally start with a handicap of 24, whereas women start with a handicap of 36. The idea is to level the playing field and allow inferior players to fairly compete with better players. Think of an adult racing with a child. Obviously the adult is at the advantage. To give the child a chance of winning, the adult allows the child to begin the race a few paces ahead. Handicap, therefore, is akin to giving weaker players a “headstart”. It refers to the number of “extra strokes” allocated to the player. So, a 24-handicapper is permitted 24 extra strokes above par. The lower the handicap (the smaller the number) indicates the better the playing skills of the person. A person’s handicap is by and large calculated based upon three things: the last several scores played, the course rating and the slop ratings that accompany the courses.
6. Gross score
This refers to the actual number of strokes made on the golf course.
7. Nett score
The score when you minus your handicap from the gross score. Here are two examples:
– Gross score = 96. Player’s handicap is 20. Nett score = 76.
– Gross score = 80. Player’s handicap is 3. Nett score = 77
According to the gross score, the 3-handicapper is the outright winner. However, if you consider the nett scores, the less experienced 20-handicapper has won the game with a lower score. So, can you see how a handicap helps to level the playing field?
8. Back Nine
A set of 18 holes is divided into two sets of nines. Sometimes you begin the game on the 1st hole, sometimes you begin on the 10th. if you start playing on hole 1, the back nine would refer to holes 10-18. On the other hand, back nine would mean the holes 1-9 if you start off playing from the 10th hole.
9. Sand trap or bunker
If you look at the golf course, you will spot certain areas that are sandy. These sand areas are not easy to hit out of and requires a different technique of hitting. They are also know as hazards, and it’s best to avoid going into one. You’ll see them beside the greens to catch wayward shots. There are also some along the fairways to make the game more challenging.
10. Green
This is where you will find the flagstick. The grass is very much shorter then the fairway, which allows you to roll the ball into the hole. In other words, you putt the ball here.
11. Out of Bounds or O.B.
Certain parts of the course are marked as Out of Bounds. If your ball lands in that area, you are penalized 2 strokes and you have to hit again from your last position.
12. Rough
The parts of the course where the grass is longer and thicker. The goal is to keep the ball on the fairway where the grass is closely mowed. The rough lines the side of the fairways and are more difficult to hit out of.
