Golf Talk ...

know what everyone is talking about!

ACE: Into the hole in one stroke. Also a Hole-In-One.

APRON: The grass around the edge of a green.

BIRDIE: When score is one less than par.

BOGEY: When score is one more than par.

BUNKER: Sand filled traps made to make life difficult.
CHIP: A short shot leading to the green.

DANCE FLOOR: Slang for green.

DIVOT: Turf displaced by a clubhead during swing.

DRIVE: The first shot taken off the tee at each hole.

DUFF: A bad shot. Player can also be called a "duffer".

EAGLE: Two strokes less than par.

ETIQUETTE: The rules governing the behavior of golfers.

FAIRWAY: The area of grass (cut shorter than the stuff at the edge) between the tee and the green.

FAT: When your club hits the ground before the ball. The word Chunk also works.

FORE: What you shout when your ball is heading towards someone's head.

FOOZLE: To make a complete mess of a shot.

FRIED EGG: Ball is semi-buried in the sand.

GIMME: A short putt that your opponent doesn't ask you to hit assuming you can't possibly miss. (A time-saver.)

GREEN: The super short grassy area surrounding the flag and cup. Putters only. No carts.

HOOK: When the ball drives sharply from right to left.

LINKS: A seaside course, no trees.

LOFT: The degree a club faces upward.

MULLIGAN: A second attempt at a shot usually played on the first tee. Highly illegal.

ROUGH: Long grass beside fairway.

SHANK: A miss hit where the ball goes off to one side.

SIT: What you yell at your ball when you want it to stop quickly. (It seldom listens.)

SKULL: When you hit the top of the ball (also called topping) and it creates a "warm burner" shot. Ouch.

SLICE: Shot that curves sharply from left to right. Also known as a "banana ball".

SWEET SPOT: Perfect point on the clubface to hit the ball.

WHIFF: When you miss the ball entirely.

WHO'S AWAY?: The question you ask your group to figure out who is further away from the hole. This gives them the right to hit or putt first.

WHO HAS THE HONOR?: The question asked to decide who's on the tee first. Decided by who had the best score on the previous hole.

Source: Canadian Women Golfer, Fall 1998.