Gallery
spectators at golf event
Gap wedge
a lofted wedge that is usually designed to fill in the distance between the pitching wedge and sand wedge (also: AW, GW, )
Garden spot
the ideal location for placing a tee shot, usually thought of in terms of an ideal angle and lie from which to approach the green
Gator grip
an unusual method of gripping the putter, popularized by PGA Tour player Chris Dimarco, where the fingers of the bottom hand are on top of the grip rather than on the bottom (also "Claw grip, Psycho grip")
Gear effect
the tendency of a ball hit on the toe or heel of the club (usually thought of in terms of woods) to spin in the opposite direction from the twisting of the club face (visually reminiscent of two adjacent gears turning)
GHIN
(Golf Handicap & Information Network) handicap service begun in 1981 maintained by the USGA
Gimme
refers to a putt that the players agree can count automatically without actually being played (under the tacit assumption that the putt would not have been missed). "Gimmes" are not allowed by the rules in stroke play, but this is often practiced in casual matches. However, in match play, either player may formally concede a stroke, a hole, or the entire match at any time, and this may not be refused or withdrawn. A player in match play will generally concede a tap-in or other short putt by his or her opponent
Go to school
to learn from another players shot (most commonly associated with putting - seeing how a putt on a similar line to your own will break)
Golf
a game played with a small ball and a set of clubs, the object being to hit the ball into each of a series of holes with the smallest possible number of strokes -- of uncertain origin but may have originated with a game called chole, is supposedly the Celtic word for "ball" and also may come from the Old Dutch or Old German word "kolb" or "kolven" meaning "club" or "clubs"
Gorse
spiny European shrubs with yellow flowers, found off the fairway on some (usually European) courses and sometimes loosely included in the term "rough"
Grain
the direction the grass is growing (usually only of consequence with coarser grasses, e.g., bermuda)
Grand slam
the four major championships in golf are considered the "Grand Slam" events (Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, PGA) 2.to win all four major championships in one calendar year is called the ("Holy Grail") Grand Slam
Grass bunker
a depression in the ground, generally shaped like a sand-filled bunker but with grass (usually rough) instead
.
Green
the most closely mown and smooth area on the course, which is specifically prepared for putting and on which the hole is placed (also "putting green, putting surface, dance floor")
Green fee
the fee paid to play a course
Green grass
used to indicate a retail golf shop operation on the premises of a golf course
Green in regulation / GIR
playing one's ball onto the green in the prescribed number of strokes as determined by par (equal to par for the hole minus two strokes for putting) (also: greenie) **a green is considered hit "in regulation" if any part of the ball is touching the putting surface
Greenie
generally thought of as being on the green in regulation, but also used in betting games to indicate the person on the green in the lowest number of strokes or closest to the hole on a Par 3 after tee shot
Greenskeeper
an other term for an individual involved in maintaining and caring for a golf course and grounds
Greenside bunker
a bunker surrounding, or in close proximity, to the putting surface
.
Greensome
an alternate shot tournament format with two two-man teams in each foursome, each player hits a tee shot, then the best tee shot of each two-man team is selected and the other ball is picked up, the player whose tee shot was not selected hits the second shot and all subsequent even numbered shots, the player whose tee shot was selected plays all remaining odd numbered shots until the ball is holed
Grind
1. maintaining or intensifying one's mental focus, similar to the expressions "bear down" or "stay focused" -- generally meaning to concentrate on every shot and not get distracted 2. (also "Custom Grind") generic label referring to some proprietary iron head or sole shape, usually on forged irons -- could also refer to the fact that some players alter their own clubs (swing weight, flange shape, etc.) using a grinding wheel
Grip
1. the handle of a golf club (usually covered with rubber, leather, etc.) 2. the holding, or method of holding, a golf club
Groove
markings (usually horizontal and linear) etched into the face of a golf club to enhance spin direction and decrease hydroplaning (grooves come in different types based on their shape or appearance, e.g., V grooves, square or box grooves, U grooves, etc. and are regulated by the rules of golf (also "score line, scoring")
Gross
the raw, actual or unadjusted score (strokes) before a handicap has been applied (also "unadjusted")
Ground
the act of touching the club to the ground after assuming your stance (also "ground the club, grounding the club") **Grounding the club is prohibited in sand bunkers or when playing from any marked water or lateral hazard
Ground under repair / GUR
any area of the course undergoing repair (usually circled with a white line) **a free drop is allowed if the ball lands in an GUR marked area