Glossary of Golf
Select a letter below to start viewing terms from our comprehensive golfer's glossary.
Sand Iron
Also called a
Sand Trap
The common name for a bunker
Sand Wedge
An iron with a heavy flange on the bottom that is used primarily to get out of sand traps.
Sandbagger
A golfer who lies about his ability to gain an edge in the game.
Sandy
Making par after being in a bunker.
Scoop
An improper swing in which the club has a digging or scooping action
Scotch Foursome
A match that has partners alternating hitting the same ball. They also alternate driving regardless of who holed out on the previous hole.
Scramble
A team competition where players play the best ball of a team member after every stroke or drive.
Scratch
Par play. A zero handicap.
Scratch Player
A player who has no handicap
Scruff
To misplay the ball by hitting or grazing the ground with the clubhead prior to hitting the ball.
Semi-private Course
A course that has members but is still open to the public.
Set
A full set of golf clubs.
Set Up
To position yourself for the address.
Seven Iron
An iron club used for a distance of 125-160 yards for men's clubs. Also known as a mashie-niblick.
Shaft
The part of the club joined to the head
Shag Bag
A bag for carrying practice balls.
Shagging
Picking up golf balls from practice ranges
Shank
A shot struck by the club's hosel. Travels to the right of the intended target.
Shiperio
Similar to a mulligan where a player is allowed a second shot without penalty but is allowed to choose which ball to play, the first one or the second one.
Short Game
The part of the game that is made up of chip shots, pitching and putting
Short Irons
The highly lofted irons.
Shot Hole
A par three hole.
Shotgun Start
In tournaments when players are to start at different holes; a firing of a shotgun may be used as a signal to start play.
Shotmaker
A player who has the ability to play a great many different shots.
Shotmaking
The ability to play a great many different shots.
Side
Can mean the first 9 holes (front side) or the last 9 (back side) of an 18 hole course. Also two or more players who are partners.
Sidehill Lie
A lie with the ball either above or below your feet.
Sink A Putt
Make a putt.
Six Iron
An iron club that gives a distance of 135-170 yards for men's clubs. Also known as a spade or spade-mashie.
Skins
A golf game that awards the money to the player with the lowest score on a hole. In case of a tie, the game continues until someone wins.
Skulling
Hitting the ball at or above its center causing the ball to be hit too hard and travel too great a distance.
Sky
To hit underneath the ball sending it much higher than intended. Like a pop fly in baseball
Slice
A shot that curves strongly from left to right as a result of sidespin. The converse applies to a left-handed player.
Slope
Adjusts your handicap to the difficulty of the course you play. The more difficult the course, the more strokes you'll need. Under slope, golfers will no longer have a handicap. You will have an index. An average course will have a slope rating of 113. Your index is a mathematical calculation of your playing ability on an average course. Maximum index allowed is 36.4 for men and 40.4 for women. Conversion charts will be located at the first tee.
Slump
A prolonged period of bad play.
Smother
To hit down on the ball so that it travels a short distance on the ground.
Snake
A very long putt that travels over several breaks in the green.
Snake
A three-putt off any green. A game played where the last three-putts of round, occuring on any hole owes the other members of the group the pre-agreed total of all three-putts. Gets pretty exciting the last few holes with some competitors playing snake-avoidance.
Snap-hook
To hit a hot with an acute hook.
Snipe
A ball that is hooked and drops quickly
Sole
The bottom of the club head
Sole Plate
The metal plate on the bottom of woods
Spade-mashie
Old term for a 6 iron.
SPGA
Senior Professional Golf Association.
Spike Mark
Mark made on the green by the cleats of a golf shoe.
Spoon
Old term for a 3 wood.
Spot Putting
A player aims at a spot on the green that will allow the ball to roll into the cup, rather than directly at the hole.
Spray
To hit the ball erratically off line.
Spring
The flexibility of the club shaft.
Square Stance
Placing your feet in a line parallel to the direction you which the ball to travel
SSS
Standard Scratch Score (SSS)
This is a fixed number agreed by the Club with the ruling bodies. This is the score it would be expected a scratch golfer would go round in. This can differ from the course par by anything up to +3 to -3 of the course par.
Stableford
A method of scoring that uses points instead of strokes.
Stance
The position of your feet when addressing the ball
Starter
Person who determines the order of play from the first tee.
Stick
The pin in the hole.
Stimpmetre
Superintendents measure green speed with a stimpmetre. Its readings give a snapshot of the green speed at that time of day. Stimpmetre readings in the five to six range mean slow greens, seven to eight mean medium, nine to 10 fast and above 11 extremely fast - PGA Tournament speeds.
Stipulated Round
The playing of all holes of a course in the correct order
Stony
To hit a ball close to the flagstick
Straight-faced
Refers to a club with little or no loft on the face.
Straightaway
A hole having a straight fairway.
Strike Off
To drive from the tee.
Stroke
The forward motion of the club head made with the intent to hit the ball whether contact is made or not
Stroke Play
A competition in which the total number of strokes for one round, or a pre-determined number of rounds, determines the winner
Stymie
When an opponent's ball is in the line of the other player's putt. Since the ball may now be lifted, the term is used these days to refer to a tree or object in the way of a shot
Sudden Death
When in a match or stroke competition the score is tied after completing the round, play continues until one player wins a hole
Summer Rules
Ordinary play according the Rules of Golf
Supination
The rotation of the wrist so that the palm of the hand faces upward.
Surlyn
Material from which most golf balls are made of.
Swale
A moderately contoured depression or dip in terrain.
Sweet Spot
The dead center of the face of the club
Swing
The action of stroking the ball.
Swing Weight
The measure of a club's weight.