The 2018 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open has decided to call Adelaide home until 2021 and will be storming the fairways of Kooyonga Golf Club this week, bringing with it the best female golfers from around the globe. To help everyone get into the swing of things we’ve compiled a list of terms that everyone should know, so before you head on down to see these amazing women in full swing, be sure to brush up on your golf terminology!
A Address
The act of taking a stance and placing the club-head behind the ball.
B Bunker
A hazardous area of ground, often a hollow, from which turf has been removed and replaced with sand.
C Caddie
The person who carries a player’s bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support.
D Drive
The first shot made on each long hole.
E Eagle
A hole played in two strokes under par (a birdie is one under par).
F Fairway
The closely mown area between the tee and green.
G Greens
The area of specially prepared grass around the hole, where players putt.
H Hole In One
When a ball hit from a tee shot finishes in the hole.
I Iron
A club with a flat-faced solid metal head generally numbered from 1 to 9 indicating increasing loft.
J Jumper
Flier, flyer, shooter; a shot that flies farther than intended or a lie that causes the ball to fly farther than intended.
K Knockdown
A shot played with less than a full swing, mainly to control distance, trajectory and spin.
L Lag
A putt that is intended to stop close to the hole but not expected to be holed.
M Majors
The biggest tournaments in professional golf. There are four in the men’s game (The Masters, US Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship) and five in the women’s game (ANA Inspiration, Women’s PGA Championship, US Women’s Open, Women’s British Open and The Evian Championship.
N Nineteenth Hole
The bar or lounge frequented by players after their rounds of golf.
O Open
A tournament in which any eligible competitor can play if they qualify.
P Putt
A shot played on the green as the player attempts to complete the hole.
Q Quit
Not following-through completely with momentum during the swing, decelerating through impact.
R Rough
The grass that borders the fairway, which is usually taller and coarser than the fairway.
S Slice
A type of golf shot in which the golf ball curves dramatically in flight from left to right.
T Tee
A small peg, usually made of wood or plastic, placed in the ground upon which the golf ball may be placed prior to the first stroke on a hole; may also refer to the teeing ground, from which players begin play on a hole.
U Under par
When the number of shots taken is fewer than the par for the hole or the course.
V Vardon grip
A common grip style in which (for right-handed players) the right pinkie finger rests on top of the left index finger. Also known as the overlapping grip, it is named for Harry Vardon, a champion golfer of the early 20th century.
W Waggle
Part of a player’s pre-shot routine; a motion with the wrists in which the hands stay pretty much steady over the ball and the clubhead moves back a foot or two as if starting the golf swing.
X X
One way to record a score that cannot be determined, as play on a hole was not completed (applies to certain forms of amateur competition golf only; often referred to as a wipe or an out).
Y Yip
A tendency to twitch during the putting stroke; some top golfers have had their careers greatly affected or even destroyed by the yips.
Z Zaharias
There’s no golf terminology that starts with Z, but World Golf Hall of Fame member Babe Zaharias won 10 LPGA major championships to supplement her two gold medals in track and field at the 1932 Summer Olympics!
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