Sports tend to be filled with a host of slang terms and jargon. Golf is no different in this way. With a history that dates back hundreds of years, golf has seen a unique amount of time to develop its lexicon, both in official terms and the less-so-official ones. But being apart of the golf community means understanding and using these slang terms.
In the last post, The Peninsula on the Indian River Bay tackled some of these golf slang terms you should know on the golf course, but there are far too many to fit into a single blog post. So, today’s post will tackle some more of the common golf slang terms you should know out there on the golf course.
The Peninsula on the Indian River Bay is one of the finest, most exclusive golf communities on the East Coast, nestled along the gorgeous Indian River and featuring a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course. This par-72, 7,200-yard course is one of the finest in the country, awarded the Best Private Club by Golf, Inc. It’s both scenic and challenging and includes a PGA-certified staff.
Contact Insight Homes today to build your beautiful home on this amazing course and join The Peninsula on the Indian River Bay’s exclusive golf community!
Executive Course
An “executive” golf course simply refers to a smaller golf course intended for beginners and junior golfers. These courses, also known as par-3 courses, and significantly shorter and generally only feature par 3s. This is a great way to introduce kids to the sport or beginning golfers who don’t yet have the length in their shots to tackle a full-sized golf course.
Flyer
One of the more challenging aspects of golf can be shots taken from the rough. There are varying lengths and types of grass, and this can even be adjusted day-to-day by the course managers. Shots from the rough can make unpredictable flights, so when a player hits a shot longer than intended from the rough, this is known as a “flyer.”
Foot Wedge
Essentially every amateur golfer on the planet has utilized this “club” out on the golf course at some point in their life. Using your “foot wedge” refers to a player using their feet to move the ball into a better position. For instance, a player might kick the ball out from under a tree after an errant tee shot or use their foot to move it onto the fairway from the rough. While generally accepted as tolerable in casual play, this would incur a penalty in tournament play as a player is never allowed to improve the lie of their ball. This is not a sporting behavior.
Gimme
One of the most common golf slang terms you’ll hear during a round is a “gimme.” When you hit a shot or putt so close to the hole where only a short remaining putt is required (generally within a few inches or so), and the others players agree, a player can count the next shot as in without actually taking it. This often increases the pace to keep players from slowing down groups behind them.
Get Up!
Another of the commands golfers tend to bark at their balls after the ball is in flight toward the target, a golfer will yell “get up!” when they think the shot is going to land short of the intended target. They’re essentially hoping for the ball to receive a nice bounce on contact so that it hops forward for a little more distance, in other words, getting up.
Honors
Recognized in actual tournament play, but not always in friendly competition, “honors” are given to the player who recorded the best score on the previous hole. This means they are allowed to tee off on the next hole first. This can also sometimes mean the same thing after the tee shots are hit. The player furthest from the hole (or “out”) goes first.
Juicy Lie
While the rough is made up of thick, deeper grass than the rest of the hole, a player is not always punished as severely with a little luck. Sometimes the ball comes to rest on top of the tall grass, almost as if it was on a tee, which makes it easier to hit. This is called a “juicy lie” because the player can still strike the ball without the interference of the thick grass, which oftentimes causes the clubhead to slow down and the ball to travel a shorter distance when the lie isn’t “juicy.”
Kick
No golf shot is complete simply be the end of the flight of the ball through the air. Balls land and strike the ground and react differently. For longer irons and drivers, which create less backspin, the ball bounces farther. This extra bounce is known as a “kick.” Sometimes the ball bounces forward and other times a player is looking for the ball to kick to the left or right depending on the spin of the ball and angle of the ground where it lands. A good kick can take a bad shot and produce a good result —- or vice versa.
Lip Out
Ask any golfer and they’re likely to tell you this is one of the most frustrating occurrences out on the golf course. A “lip out” is when the ball hits the lip of the hole, but doesn’t go in. Usually, it clips the lip and bobbles away from the hole or circles around the edge of the hole before shooting out instead of dropping in. Thanks for nothing, physics.
Mulligan
Another popular golf slang term when playing a casual round among amateur players is a “mulligan.” A mulligan is a second shot from the tee box after a poor first shot. It’s not uncommon for players to agree on the number of mulligans they get per round (sometimes divided up by a number of mulligans on each nine) that they can use at any time when stating they’re taking a mulligan. These are not the same as a provisional shot, which is a second shot taken from the tee box when a player is uncertain if their first shot is in bounds or not to avoid having to go back to the tee box to take another stroke if the ball is indeed unplayable.
Play at The Peninsula on the Indian River Bay Today!
Look for more golf slang terms and definitions to come! To take advantage of the gorgeous golf course here at The Peninsula on the Indian River Bay, contact Insight Homes today to purchase or build your own beautiful home and play the Jack Nicklaus-designed course any time you want!