Golfing Dictionary

Terms in Golf

P

pair Two golfers playing together in a stroke competition. Also to assign players to play together in a competition.

pairings Groups of two players.

par The number of strokes a player should take to complete a round with good performance. Par for each hole is given on the scorecard.

par competition A game in which play is against a fixed score for each hole (called the par or bogey). Scoring is as in match play with plus 1 if the player scores better than par, equal if he scores par and minus 1 if more than par. The player with the highest aggregate score is the winner.

parkland A course laid out in grassland with little rough.

partner A golfer who plays together with another in a match.

pawky Old Scottish term meaning cunning or tricky.

peg A tee.

penalty stroke An additional stroke added to a player's score for a rules violation

persimmon Wood with a distinctive grain used in many clubs.

PGA Professional Golfers Association

pick up To take up one's ball before holing out. In match play this concedes the hole or in stroke play incurs disqualification.

pill Nickname for the ball.

pin Same as "flagstick"

pin-high A ball even with the pin but off to one side. Same as "hole high"

pin placement (pin position) The position of a hole on a putting green on any given day.

pinehurst A variation of play in which a partner plays the other partner's drive. One ball is then selected to finish the hole

pitch A short shot lofting the ball into the air in a high arc and landing with backspin

pinsetter The official responsible for pin placement>

pitch and putt A short golf course designed primarily for approaching and putting.

pitch and run The same as a pitch shot but hit with a lower-numbered club to reduce loft and backspin. This allows the ball to run after it lands on the putting green.

pitcher Former name for a 7 or 8 iron.

pitching irons The short irons.

pitching Niblick Old name of an 8 iron.

pitching wedge An iron club designed for making pitch shots

pivot The rotation of the shoulders, trunk and pelvis during the golf swing.

placement Accuracy in the targeting of a shot.

play To strike the ball with a club. The action of playing the game of golf.

play club An obsolete ancient driver.

play off To determine a winner in a tie match by playing further holes or a further round.

playing professional A professional golfer who primarily competes in tournaments.

playing through Passing another group of players who are playing ahead

plus handicap The number of strokes a player gives to adjust his ability to the common level

pop up A short, high shot.

pot bunker A small, deep sand trap with steep sides.

practice green Green set up for putting practice.

preferred lie Local rules which allow a player to improve his lie in a specific manner without penalty

professional A player who receives payment for teaching or playing in tournaments. Usually shortened to Pro.

pro-Am A competition which pairs professional players with amateurs.

pro shop The golf course shop operated by the head professional where equipment is sold.

provisional ball A ball played if the previously played ball may be lost or out of bounds.

public links A course open to the public.

pull A ball that goes to the left of the target with little curve as hit by a right-handed player. The converse applies to left-handed players.

punch Low, controlled shot into the wind. It is made by slamming the club down into the ball with a short swing

push A ball that goes to the right of the target with very little or no curving for a right handed player. Or the converse for a left-handed player. As opposed to "pull"

putt The shot made on the putting green. From a Scottish term meaning to push gently or nudge.

putt out To hole the ball with a putt.

putter A short-shafted club with a straight face for putting.

putting green The surface area around the hole that is specially prepared for putting.