Golf Terms Defined

America’s golfing community is nearly 30 million players strong and, to the outside world, seems to have a language all its own. Here are some definitions of the more colorful terms batted around the links.

The Beach: v  A more appealing term for the ever-dangerous sand

trap.

Drain It: v  When a golfer makes a put, he has “drained it.”

Willie Nelson: v  Taken from his famous song “On the Road Again,”

this happens when you knock a ball onto a paved path.

Duffer/Hacker: v  A player who continuously hits bad shots.

Gimme: v  A putt that rests so close to the hole that players

assume the next shot will easily roll in. The putter does not have to take the next shot but does count it on his scorecard.

Jail: v  When the ball is hit into the deep woods and difficult

to hit out, it is considered “in jail.”