Golf Terms You May Not Know
Golf has some of the most unique words in the sporting world.
Most people are aware of the birdie, bogey, and snowman, but what about the albatross or the buzzard?
What does an Army have to do with golf, and what is the true meaning of a sasquatch?
Golf analysts, weekend hackers, and professional players have created some of the most creative words out on the links.
Especially when playing with companions, the course can get a little exciting.
Many terms have simply developed over a period of time, yet other terms have actual meaning and significance of the game.
When scoring, it’s important to be able to tell your score without digits.
Of course, depending on your score, you may “inadvertently” slip in a few less than colorful words.
You’re already familiar with most of the terms, but you may not know about the albatross or the buzzard.
Albatross
The albatross is used to define 3 under par on a hole. This means you got an ace on a par 4 or a 2 on a par five.
Buzzard
The buzzard is a synonym for the double bogey.
If you want to impress your buddies after making a double, you may just want to tell them you had a buzzard.
It may help to take the sting out of the score and their comments.
Army Golf
Playing Army golf means that you’re hitting shots left to right and left again.
As the Army calls out, “Left, right, left.”
The sand traps are also called bunkers, which also has to do with the military theme.
Someone going from bunker to bunker may be “Richy”.
This is a play on the ostrich.
This animal is known for digging holes in the sand to use as nests.
Sasquatch
Sasquatch, Bigfoot, and Yeti are just some of the names for mythical creatures that roam in wilderness areas around the world.
The term “Sasquatch” can be used two different ways on the course.
The word is used to describe the myth that you actually found your ball in the woods.
Few things are more frustrating than discovering that the ball you found isn’t yours, it was just a Sasquatch.
You didn’t actually see what you thought you saw.
The term can also be given to the player who is constantly in the woods. A similar term for this person is the Lumberjack…Lumberjill for the ladies.
Teel Putt
A “Teel Putt” is a dreaded occurrence.
It’s bad enough to three-putt, but when that one doesn’t fall, you have the Teel Putt.
This is named after Kevin Teel.
Lego
After the “Teel Putt” you may want to consider making your next putt to get a “Lego”.
This term is used because of the inevitable pain one feels when stepping on a Lego.
The term came about during a Pro-Am when the golfer said, “The four-putt hurt worse than stepping on a Lego.”
Dog Track
If the course you’re playing on is run down and not properly cared for, it can be referred to as the dog track.
Velcro
To continue with course descriptions, the word Velcro can be used to describe some greens that are very slow.
These greens usually only run between 5-7 on the stimpmeter.
PPK Hole
Many football enthusiasts also love to hit the sticks, so it’s no wonder that football has some roots in golf.
For any short par 3 hole, it may be called a “PPK hole”.
This refers to “Punt, Pass, or Kick.” In most instances, this is about a 100-yard hole and is in reference to the ways football players cover 100 yards.
The terms used in golf are not all standard.
Many names have been proposed by individuals throughout the history of the game, but few have actually stuck around for generations to enjoy and use.
From the chili dip to the dance floor, you can count on a variety of words to be used for just about any occurrence. Regardless, golf continues to evolve and golf terms will continue to be created.
Now that you know some new golf terms, why not download our Golf Career Guide and see what Golf Jobs there are that you may not have thought about.
For questions on how you can learn more about golf, give us a call at 888-355-4465.
