“I've never played a full round, but I've been to the driving range.”
B1 · Intermediate10 minPhrases
When you need this
A coworker invites you out for nine holes, or a friend in Austin starts telling you about her weekend round. Golf has its own small dictionary, and people use it without explaining. If you know a dozen words, you can follow almost any golf story and ask the right questions.
The words fall into three groups. Places on the course: the tee, the fairway, the rough, the green. Shots: a drive, a chip, a putt. And scores, which are all measured against par, the number of shots a good player should need on a hole. One under par is a birdie; one over is a bogey. That's why golfers sound happy about a birdie and a little annoyed about a bogey.
Phrases
one full game, usually eighteen holes
half a round, the quick version after work
the spot where each hole starts
hit the first shot of a hole or of the day
the short grass between the tee and the green
the longer grass along the sides
a hollow full of sand; "sand trap" is the everyday American word
the very short grass around the hole, where you putt
a gentle shot that rolls the ball toward the hole
the number of shots a good player needs for a hole
one shot under par, one shot over par
the ball goes in with the very first shot
a place to practice long shots with a bucket of balls
the warning you shout when your ball might hit someone
Say it out loud
Tap a sentence to hear it. Say it after the voice.
Practice · 3 min
Say the golf word that fits the description.
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Say it today
Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.