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    • Golf dictionary

    Glossary of golf terms

    Our golf dictionary covers the main terms used in golf. The first step in demystifying the game is to understand the language and terminology that golfers commonly use.

    Term

    Definition

    GCSAA
    Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
    Gene Sarazen Cup
    Presented to the winner of the WGC Championship (sponsored by American Express). (See Tournaments section in Encyclopedia).
    get down
    To putt the ball into the hole, as in "my opponent got down in two from the bunker."
    Goodwill Cup
    Presented to the winner of the annual 2-day match between two teams of mens professionals, one representing the Ryder Cup countries (Europe / USA), the other a Rest of World team. Inaugural year - 2006. Each team comprises 8 players. (See Tournaments section in Encyclopedia).
    gorilla
    Colloquial term for a player who hits the ball prodigious distances, especially with the driver.
    graphite (carbon fibre)
    Carbon based substance that when bonded in layers produces an exceptionally strong but very light material ideal for golf-club shafts and increasingly also employed in the manufacture of club heads
    grass bunker
    A hollow in the ground, which occurs naturally or is designed into the course. Bunkers are usually filled with sand but can be left as areas of grass, where the grass in the hollow is of longer length than fairway grass.
    Great Triumvirate
    Name given collectively to three outstanding British professionals who were active before the First World War: James Braid, J.H. Taylor and Harry Vardon
    green
    The area of closely mown grass surrounding the hole, where the ball is struck using the putter. It is separated from the fairway by the "apron", a fringe of grass longer than on the green but shorter than the fairway cut. Originally the term "green" was used for the whole course.
    green fee
    What you pay to play a round of golf, which can be a visitor's fee, member's guest fee or replay (second round) fee.
    Green Jacket
    Presented to the winner of The Masters (one of the four Mens' Majors), a tradition that dates back to 1949. This tournament is played annually at Augusta National. (See Tournaments section in Encyclopedia).
    greenkeeper
    The person responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of a golf course. In the USA usually called the Course Superintendent.
    greenkeeping

    The occupation of maintaining the golf course to a standard prescribed by the Greenkeeping Committee, Captain or owner of a golf club. The work is supervised by a greenkeeper (or greenskeeper or course superintendent) and carried out by the greenkeeper and his/her greenkeeping assistants.

    Greensome
    See "foursome (greensome)".
    grip
    The part of the golf club that is held by the golfer. Grips can be made of leather, cord, rubber or commonly a mixture of the three.
    grooves
    Indented lines cut into the face of a golf club that create spin on the golf ball.
    gross score
    The actual number of shots taken by a player or team, before any handicap allowance is deducted.
    grounding the club
    The act of placing the clubhead head on the ground when addressing the ball, which comes prior to starting the backswing.
    Ground under Repair (GUR)
    A part of the golf course where the ground or surface has been temporarily taken out of play. The designated area is usually marked by stakes or a painted line, and relief is taken by the player from this marked area (i.e. the ball is moved and then played from a point outside the marked area).
    guttie (ball)
    The Gutta Percha ball (or Guttie) was introduced in 1848 by Rev Adam Paterson of St. Andrews. The ball was made of gutta percha, a rubber like substance obtained from the latex of gutta trees which grew in the tropics. The ball was cheap to produce and eventually killed off the handcrafted and more expensive "featherie" ball.

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      Tournaments

      124th US Open: the No.2 Course at Pinehurst once again plays host to this most illustrious championship (June 13-16). Wyndham Clark defends his title, having won at Los Angeles CC in 2023.

      79th Women’s US Open: the second women’s major championship of the season gets underway at Lancaster CC in Pennsylvania. It’s the second time the championship has been held here.
      (May 30-June 2).

      Who's Who

      Nelly Korda: won the Mizuho Americas Open (May 16-19) at Liberty National GC, continuing her extraordinary form in LPGA events. This was her sixth win in seven starts in 2024.

      Xander Schauffele: recorded his first major championship win, and second record-equalling low score of 62 in a major. Only he, Branden Grace, Rickie Fowler and Shane Lowry have achieved this feat in a men’s major championship.

      Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

      Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

      Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

      Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

      Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

      Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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