Golfing Terms
Given the nature of the Conference venue at Celtic Manor, you might be interested in this selection of golfing terms.
Albatross: a score given for a hole that has been completed three strokes under par (the term par is explained below).
Birdie: a hole played one stroke better than the expected standard (one under par).
Bogey: a hole played one stroke over par. Or you could end up with a double bogey (two over par), a triple bogey (three over) or worse – it is not uncommon to suffer from a bogey five!
Chip: a short shot intended to play the ball onto the green and as near to the hole as possible.
Drive: usually a long tee shot played with a wood or driver.
Eagle: a hole completed in two strokes under par.
Fairway: exactly where golfers should aim to keep to – the short grass between the tee and the putting green.
Flag: the marker of holes on the course – there should be 18.
Fore: a shout made by golfers to warn others when it is possible that a ball may be about to hit other players or spectators.
Green: the specially prepared grass surface surrounding the hole, where golfers attempt to putt the ball.
Hole-in-one: a rarity but not impossible. This is where a player hits the ball directly into the hole from their first (tee) shot.
Iron: the metal clubs in your bag (but not your woods or putter). These are numbered two to nine and generally the lower the number, the longer the distance the ball will travel.
Par: abbreviation for ‘professional average result'. This is the standard score for a hole or an entire course, which state the number of shots a professional is expected to take to hole the ball or complete the round.
Pitch: a short shot (but longer than a chip) played with a higher numbered club with less than a full swing – to flight the ball towards the target with accuracy.
Putt: a shot played on the green, usually with a putter – with the intention of getting the ball in the hole.
Putter: a flatter edged golf club intended to make the ball run smoothly along the green into the hole.
Rough: the longer and coarser grass at either side of the fairway that is best avoided.
Round: the act of playing on a course, usually consisting of 18 holes.
Sand wedge: a heavily angled club designed for playing out of a sand bunker.