Golf dictionary and terminology Back to golf dictionary
P
pair Two
golfers playing together in a stroke competition.
Also to assign players to play together in a competition.
pairings Groups
of two players.
par The number
of strokes a player should take to complete a round
with good performance. Par for each hole is given
on the scorecard.
par competition
A game in which play is against a fixed score for
each hole (called the par or bogey). Scoring is as
in match play with plus 1 if the player scores better
than par, equal if he scores par and minus 1 if more
than par. The player with the highest aggregate score
is the winner.
parkland A course
laid out in grassland with little rough.
partner A golfer
who plays together with another in a match.
pawky Old Scottish
term meaning cunning or tricky.
peg A tee.
penalty stroke
An additional stroke added to a player's score for
a rules violation
persimmon Wood
with a distinctive grain used in many clubs.
PGA Professional
Golfers Association
pick up To take
up one's ball before holing out. In match play this
concedes the hole or in stroke play incurs disqualification.
pill Nickname
for the ball.
pin Same as "flagstick"
pin-high A ball
even with the pin but off to one side. Same as "hole
high"
pin placement (pin
position) The position of a hole on a putting
green on any given day.
pinehurst A variation
of play in which a partner plays the other partner's
drive. One ball is then selected to finish the hole
pitch A short
shot lofting the ball into the air in a high arc and
landing with backspin
pinsetter The
official responsible for pin placement>
pitch and putt
A short golf course designed primarily for approaching
and putting.
pitch and run
The same as a pitch shot but hit with a lower-numbered
club to reduce loft and backspin. This allows the
ball to run after it lands on the putting green.
pitcher Former
name for a 7 or 8 iron.
pitching irons
The short irons.
pitching Niblick
Old name of an 8 iron.
pitching wedge
An iron club designed for making pitch shots
pivot The rotation
of the shoulders, trunk and pelvis during the golf
swing.
placement Accuracy
in the targeting of a shot.
play To strike
the ball with a club. The action of playing the game
of golf.
play club An
obsolete ancient driver.
play off To determine
a winner in a tie match by playing further holes or
a further round.
playing professional
A professional golfer who primarily competes
in tournaments.
playing through
Passing another group of players who are playing ahead
plus handicap
The number of strokes a player gives to adjust his
ability to the common level
pop up A short,
high shot.
pot bunker A
small, deep sand trap with steep sides.
practice green
Green set up for putting practice.
preferred lie
Local rules which allow a player to improve his lie
in a specific manner without penalty
professional
A player who receives payment for teaching or playing
in tournaments. Usually shortened to Pro.
pro-Am A competition
which pairs professional players with amateurs.
pro shop The
golf course shop operated by the head professional
where equipment is sold.
provisional ball
A ball played if the previously played ball may be
lost or out of bounds.
public links
A course open to the public.
pull A ball that
goes to the left of the target with little curve as
hit by a right-handed player. The converse applies
to left-handed players.
punch Low, controlled
shot into the wind. It is made by slamming the club
down into the ball with a short swing
push A ball that
goes to the right of the target with very little or
no curving for a right handed player. Or the converse
for a left-handed player. As opposed to "pull"
putt The shot
made on the putting green. From a Scottish term meaning
to push gently or nudge.
putt out To hole
the ball with a putt.
putter A short-shafted
club with a straight face for putting.
putting green
The surface area around the hole that is specially
prepared for putting. |
