Golfing Dictionary

Terms in Golf

C

caddie (caddy) Someone who carries a player's club during play and offers him assistance in accordance with the rules.

caddie master The golf course employee in charge of managing the caddies.

caddie-car A golf car or car.

Calamity Jane The name that Bobby Jones gave to his putter. Also putters modeled after his hickory-shafted blade putter

can In slang, to hole a putt.

cap The top end of a club grip and shaft

card A card used to record scores in stroke play. Also, to make a record of your score.

carpet A slang term referring to the putting green or fairway.

carry The length of travel by the ball after it is hit to the place where it first hits the ground

cart A two-wheeled trolley on which a golf is fitted and pulled around the course. In some cases trolleys are battery powered. Can also refer to a golf car.

casual water Any temporary accumulations of water that are visible before or after a player takes his stance and is not a hazard or in a water hazard. A player may lift his ball from casual water without penalty

center shafted Putter in which the shaft is joined to the center of the head.

charge To surge from behind and display superior play. Also to play or putt aggressively.

chart the course Pace each hole so that you know how far you are from the green.

chili-dip To hit the ground before the ball, producing a weak lofted shot.

chip shot A short approach shot of low trajectory usually hit from near the green. It is normally hit with overspin or bite.

chip-and-run A chip shot including the run of the ball after landing. Also known as 'bump and run'

chip in A holed chip shot.

choke To grip down farther on the club handle.

choke A slang term used to indicate a collapse under pressure

chop To hit the ball with a hacking motion

claggy As in "I've got a bit of a claggy lie". A lie that is a bit wet and muddy - of British origin - almost a claim for casual water but not quite!

claim The term used in match play to denote a protest by a player regarding a possible breach of the rules.

cleek Any one of many narrow-bladed iron clubs used for long shots through the green from the rough or sand. Another name for the # 1 iron. Also, a shallower faced lofted wooden club. Another name for the #4 wood.

closed stance The left foot extends over the balls line of flight while the right foot is back

cleat The spike on the sole of a golf shoe.

closed face When the clubface is pointed to the left of the target when you address the ball.

closed stance A stance taken with the right foot pulled back, away from the ball.

club The implement used in golf to strike the ball. Consists of a shaft, grip and a clubhead of wood or metal.

club head The hitting area of the club.

clubhouse The main building on the course.

clubhouse lawyer A self-appointed caller or arbiter of the rules

cock To bend the wrists backwards in the backswing.

collar The grassy fringe surrounding the putting green.

colorball A team game with teams of 3 or 4 players in which one player uses a colored ball. Team score comprises the score with the colored ball plus the best of the other 2 or 3 players. Players alternate holes playing with the colored ball.

come back shot The shot you make after you have overshot the hole.

committee The collective name for those in charge of a competition or a course.

compression The flattening of the ball against the clubface at impact. Also the degree of resilience of a ball.

condor A four-under par shot. A hole-in-one on a par 5 for example. Has occurred on a hole with a heavy dogleg, hard ground and no trees. Might also be called "a triple eagle".

confusion a game in which a point is awarded to the first player of the group to get to the green, one for the players closest to the pin and one for the first player to hole out. The winner is the player with the highest number of points.

control shot A shot that is played with less than full power

core The center of the golf ball.

course The playing area which is usually made up of 9 or 18 holes with each hole having a tee off area, fairway and green

course rating The comparison of playing one course as opposed to another in terms of difficulty. It is expressed in strokes or decimal fractions of strokes. The yardage of the course and the ability of a scratch golfer are the basis for determination

crack To allow one's good play to suffer when under pressure.

cross-bunker A lengthy bunker that is situated across the fairway.

cross-handed grip A grip where your left hand is below the right.

cup The container in the hole holds the flagstick in pace.

cuppy A deep and enclosed lie.

cut The score that reduces the field to a pre-determined number and eliminates players in a tournament. Usually made after 36 of a 72 hole tournament.

cut shot A controlled shot that results in the ball stopping almost immediately on the green without roll.