Dictionary of Golf Terms

Caddie A person who carries a players clubs. Assists a player on deciding distances and club selection. Helps player when deciding on the line of a putt.
Carry The distance that the ball travels in the air after being struck.
Cart Powered buggy used to transport golfer and equipment around the course.
Cart Fee Buggy hire fee changed for use on the course.
Cart Path Designated carriageways for carts.
Casual Water Water on the course that is not a water hazard (such puddles after rain). Relief maybe taken when in casual water or if having to play over when on the green.
Championship Tournaments regulated by a golfing authority recognised by the R&A.
Cavity Backed Design of irons with hollowed out back which assists Perimiter Weighting and thus good for beginners.
Chili Dip When the top of the ball is struck by the bottom of the club, causing it to jump straight up and plonk back down.
Chip Hitting the ball into the air with enough flight to land on the green and roll across the green towards the hole.
Chip and Run A shot played like a chip over a greater distance.
Chip Shot A chip with the application of some spin.
Chipping Iron An iron used to chip the ball onto the green.
Choke When a golfer looses his nerve and therefore plays an important or hard shot badly.
Chunk When the club strikes the ground well behind the ball.
Cleek Another name for a 2 iron.
Closed Face Turning the club face slightly inward in order to hook the ball or prevent a slice.
Closed Stance Leading foot is nearer to the ball at address. Position normally adopted in order to hook the ball or prevent a slice.
Club Used as a shorten name for a golf course or the equipment used to strike a ball. Golf Club, refer to the Rules for full specifications and restrictions.
Club Face That part of the club head which comes into direct contact with the ball.
Club Head The end of the club that includes the club face.
Club Loft The angle of the club face - affects the flight and distance of the ball when struck.
Clubhouse A golf club's administration, recreational and facilities building.
Collar The edge around a green or bunker.
Committee Elected management of a golf club.
Competition Scratch Score The number shots used to recalculate handicap after a competition. The range is one below or three above the Standard Scratch. The CSS is calculated by using all the scores recorded in the competition.
Compression The softness (Usually 90 compression) of a golf ball. Harder balls (100 compression) are normally used in windy conditions.
Consecutive Nine-Hole Scores To combine the score of two nine holes rounds played consecutively within seven days to arrive at a score suitable for handicap adjustment.
Course A golf course, made up of usually 9 or 18 holes, please refer to the rules for full definition and restrictions.
Course Handicap A handicap awarded a player based the courses SSS or CSS when playing in a competition.
Course Handicap Conversion Chart The stroke index of each hole on the course.
Course Handicap Table The CSS used to recalculate your handicap.
Course Rating Used by organisations to rate the degree of difficulty of a course.
Cup The hole in the green into which the ball is eventually putted.
Cut When a tournament's field is reduced after each qualifying round. Striking the ball causing it to move from inside to out of your stance.
Cut Shot To put a backspin onto the ball when striking it onto the green causing to stop quicker on impact.


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