Sand and seed
a mixture of sand and grass seed (sometimes also including soil and/or fertilizer) used to fill in divots (also "divot mix")
Sand iron
a lofted club with a flange specifically designed for (but not limited to) use in the sand (also "sandwedge, sand wedge")
Sand save
getting the ball in the hole in just two shots from a green side bunker (usually assumes making par or better) (also "sandy, sandie")
Sand trap
another commonly used term for a sand-filled bunker - a depression in the ground filled with a prepared surface of sand or similar (also "trap, bunker, sand bunker")
Sand wedge
a lofted club with a flange specifically designed for (but not limited to) use in the sand (also "sandwedge, sand iron")
Sandbagger
a golfer who lies about their ability in order to gain an advantage in a match or wager, or posts (submits/enters/turns-in) artificially high scores in order to inflate their handicap (euphemism for "liar, cheater")
Scoop
erroneously attempting to get the blade of the club under the ball so as to lift up on it, usually by actively flipping the low hand/wrist
Score
the number of strokes taken on a hole or course
Scorecard
the card (usually stiff paper) used to record and tally scores during and after a round of golf (also "card")
Scoring
1. the markings (grooves, dimples, scratches, etc.) on the face of a golf club 2. the act of keeping one's total strokes taken to a minimum 3. the act of recording scores or running the scoreboard
Scramble
1. a tournament format in which all players in a group (foursome or otherwise) hit a shot from the tee, and each subsequent location, always playing from the position of the best or preferred ball until the ball is holed 2. to extricate oneself from trouble, or recover, after an errant shot well enough to salvage a decent score
Scratch
1. zero handicap, no handicap strokes deducted 2. a player with (approximately) a 0 handicap
Screws
the sweetspot, usually refers to hitting a wood, or driver in particular, right in the center (many woods originally had an insert in the center of the face that was attached with screws, thus the expression) (also "on the screws")
Seagoer
a long putt, usually used in reference to making such a putt
Semi-private course
a course that has members but is also open to public play
Set
1. a collection of clubs taken as being together 2. when the wrists are cocked at the top of the backswing
Set up
the position that the player assumes when preparing to make a stroke (also "setup, address, address position")
Shaft
the part of the club that extends from the grip (actually all the way to the top of the club inside the grip) to the clubhead
Shag bag
a bag or container for carrying practice balls
Shamble
a tournament format that is a variation of a scramble, where each member of a team (usually a foursome) hits a tee shot on each hole, the best tee shot on the hole is selected, each team member then completes the hole with their own ball from that chosen location and is awarded a given number of points (usually based on a Stableford-type system) for their score (e.g., par = 1 point, birdie = 2 points, etc.) -- the benefit of this system over a scramble is that scoring can be done on both a team and an individual basis (also "Texas scramble")
Shank
when the ball is contacted by, and ricochets off, the hosel or neck before it hits the clubface causing an errant direction and trajectory (low and to the right for a right-handed player) Note: not usually much fun (also "lateral, pitch out, hosel rocket")
Shoot
1. the act of playing a golf shot 2. another way to refer to one's score for a round of golf, or tournament
Shooter
1. a shot that flies further than desired as a result of decreased backspin, usually resulting from long grass (but also could be water) between the ball and clubface at impact (also "flyer, flier, jumper") 2. a lie that causes the ball to fly farther than intended 3. colloquial term for a golfer or player
Shootout
1. a match play format in which one player is eliminated at the conclusion of each hole based on having the highest score or, in cases of a tie for the highest score, a sudden death type playoff (called a "shootout") decides which player is eliminated 2. generic term for a playoff or on some golf tournament titles (e.g., "The Shark Shootout")
Short game
the part of the game that consists of short range (usually not full swing) shots (i.e., putting, chipping, pitching, greenside bunker shots, etc.)
Short grass
another phrase for the fairway (in contrast to "long grass" which would be the rough)
Short iron
any of the more lofted, shorter-shafted irons (usually considered the 8 through all wedges)
Short side
1. the side of the putting green closest to the position of the cup 2. (short-side) when hyphenated, the act of playing one's ball into a position off the short side of the green, (commonly but not always) making the next shot very difficult
Shot
1. a stroke in golf and its result (assumes contact with the ball) 2. the act (past tense) of playing a stroke 3. another way (past tense) to refer to one's score for a round of golf, or tournament
Shotgun
a method of starting a round of golf (usually, but not exclusively, a tournament) where a group starts on each hole at the sound of a shotgun, or simply at a specified time (also "shotgun start")
Shotmaker
1. a golfer with a very high skill level and wide variety in terms of controlling trajectory, shape and distance on full shots
Shotmaker's course
1. a golf course that tends to demand a wide variety of full shots in terms of controlling trajectory, shape and distance
Side
another term for each 9 holes of an 18 hole course (also "back side, front side")
Side-hill lie
when the ball lies on an uneven slope, with either the ball above the feet or below the feet (also "uneven lie")
Sidesaddle
a putting stance where the legs and feet are, more or less, facing the hole and the stroke is made to the side of, rather than in front of, the body
Signature hole
a hole that that uniquely identifies a course by its characteristics or style
Skins
a type of competition or wager format where only a uniquely low score can win a hole (also "skin game, skins game")
Skull
when the ball is contacted with the leading edge instead of the face of the club, producing a low trajectory shot with less than the usual amount of spin (also "blade, thin, belly")
Sky
when a shot is hit off the top edge of the clubface resulting in a much more vertical shot than the club was designed to produce or you had intended (also "skyball, pop up, rainmaker")
Sleeve
a container (usually a rectangular box) of (usually 3) golf balls
Slice
a wildly curving shot from left to right for a right-handed player (scourge of many a beginner) (also "banana ball")
Slide
an excessive lateral move toward the target in the downswing with either the hips or the entire body, commonly causing a push and or slice
Slider
a slight curve from left to right for a right-handed player (usually thought of in terms of tee shots or long shots) (also "power fade")
Slinger
a shot that curves gently from right to left (right-handed player), usually used in reference to a shot that starts to the right of the intended target line and then bends back toward the target (also "draw, turn over, turn it over")
Slope
the relative playing difficulty of a course for players who are not scratch golfers -- slope ratings are determined by teams of players/evaluators representing state or local golf associations -- the formula for slope rating is course bogey rating minus course rating times a set factor (of 5.381 for men, 4.24 for women), e.g., if course rating is 72 and bogey rating is 95 the slope for men would be 95 - 72, or 23 X 5.381 = (rounded to a whole number) 124 (also: slope rating)
Slot
a position reached in the downswing in which the pelvic girdle has shifted onto the forward foot, the arms and hands have come down in close to the body and the club head is still substantially behind the hands and on the correct plane (also "the slot")
Slow play
not keeping up with the pace of play as determined by the committee (also "undue delay")
Smile
a cut in the cover of a golf ball which, because of the spherical shape of the ball, appears as a curve similar to a smiling mouth
Smother
a shot that either doesn't leave the ground or flies very lowly because the clubface contacted the ball in a position that was much to closed and hooded (delofted)
Snake
a long putt with multiple breaks (curves) in opposite directions
Snap hook
a shot that curves abruptly and severely right to left (right-handed player) (also "duck hook, snapper, quacker")
Snowman
a score of 8 on a hole (most commonly a quadruple bogey on a par 4)
Sole
1. the bottom surface of the clubhead 2. to rest the clubhead on the ground
Sole plate
metal plate on the bottom of wooden clubs to improve wear
Spade mashie
archaic term for a 6 iron
Spike
sharp tong(s) on the bottom of golf shoes to help keep a player's feet from slipping ("soft spikes", a fairly recent innovation, are typically made of plastic, consist of a circle of smaller spikes rather than one large spike and usually leave less severe marks on putting greens) (also "cleat, soft spikes, spider cleat")
Spin out
usually thought of as the leading side of the body (left side for a right-handed player), especially the pelvic girdle, turning too early in the sequence of the swing (many times before the weight has been transferred to the front foot)
Spoon
archaic term for a 3 wood or more lofted wood
Spray
hitting the ball wildly in all directions with no consistency
Spring-like effect
the "bouncing back" of a club's face contributing force to the shot, limited by the rules of golf (see also COR) (also "trampoline effect")
Square
1. at a right angle to (i.e., perpendicular, 90°) 2. also can mean parallel to 3. tied or even (as in a match)
Stableford
a system of scoring where a player's score is based on points earned rather than absolute number of strokes taken (e.g., in The International tournament on the PGA Tour, par = 0 points, birdie = 2, eagle = 5, double eagle = 8, bogey = -1, double bogey or worse = -3)
Starter
the person in charge of controlling play at a golf course ("tee master, master of the tee")
Starter set
a partial set of golf clubs usually consisting of either the odd or the even numbered irons, a putter and a reduced number of woods (also "beginner set, half set")
Starting time
a reservation or appointment to tee off or play golf at a specific time 9:32am (also "tee time, time")
Step
ridges or creases commonly seen around the circumference of steel shafts, creating a terraced taper in the shaft rather than the smooth continuous taper seen in most graphite shafts
Stick
1. another name for the flagstick or pin 2. (also "stiff, stoney") to put a shot close to the hole
Stiff
to hit an approach shot close to the hole (also "stick it, stoney, stuck")
Stimpmeter
a small, short ramp down which a golf ball rolls to give it a constant initial velocity so that the speed of greens can be measured uniformly
Stinger
a low penetrating long shot, usually with a long iron or wood (term mainly used in reference to tee shots) played with the hands forward and ball position back farther than normal to decrease trajectory
Stoney
a shot that stops close to the hole (also "stick it, stiff")
Straight-faced
a club that has a relatively steep (not much loft) clubface
Stripe
to hit a tee shot solidly and straight, implying that it finds the center stripe of the fairway (the direction of mowing and subsequent leaning of the grass blades has the visual effect on the fairway of making it appear striped: grass that is mown and leans in the direction away from the tee appears lighter in color than areas mown toward the tee)
Stroke
1. the act of swinging a club with the intention of striking the ball (also "shot") 2. the qualitative aspect of the swing (most frequently associated only with putting)
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Stroke and distance
counting one stroke for the stroke itself and one stroke for the distance travelled by the ball (meaning the ball must be replayed from the original point) (also "2-stroke penalty")
Stroke hole
a hole on which a player's handicap strokes fall in net scoring match play situations (e.g., a 1 handicapper only gets a stroke on the number 1 handicap hole, whereas an 18 handicapper gets a stroke on every hole)
Stroke play
scoring by the total number of strokes (also "medal play")
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Strong (grip or hand position)
where the hands are rotated into a position of more physical advantage on the grip and, all else being equal, the club face has a tendency to close during the swing (e.g., for a right-handed player the hands would be in a strong position if the "V" formed by the thumb and forefinger pointed more to the player's right than the right shoulder; the grip might generally be referred to as strong if either the left hand or both hands were in a strong position -- what constitutes strong or weak may vary between players and opinions may vary slightly between experts)
Stymie
1. term referring to another player's ball (usually on the putting green) blocking one's path to the hole -- obsolete since the practice of marking the ball on the green 2. general term for a situation where the desired line of play to the hole is blocked by an object or obstruction
Summer rules
another way some people use to indicate that the ball will be played "down" or "as it lies" (as opposed to "lift, clean and place," "preferred lies" or "winter rules")
Sunday bag
an extremely lightweight golf bag, usually very small in diameter and easy to carry
Sunday ball
taking a second attempt (replay, "do over") at a shot when one doesn't like the result of the first (also "lunch ball, Muligan")
Superintendent
the person in charge of overseeing the golf course maintenance and crew (also "head greenkeeper or greenkeeper")
Swale
a depression, valley, or low portion of undulation on a course
Sway
generally considered to be an excess of lateral (side to side) body motion in a golf swing
Sweet spot
the center of mass of the club (the solid spot on the clubface) (also "sweetspot, screws, nut")
Swing
1. to make a stroke 2. a significant change in the score (as in a scale, or the balance, shifting)
Swing path
the direction the clubhead is traveling (generally referred to through the impact area and in relation to the target line) (also "path")
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Swing plane
(also "plane") most easily visualized as the plane that the shaft of the club or the clubhead's arc describes during the swing
Swing weight
the relative weight of a clubhead's leverage (usually measured on a scale with a 12 or 14-inch fulcrum), technically - moment of inertia, or the tendency of a body to resist angular acceleration; swing weights are comprised of a letter followed by a number, e.g., D-3 (the closer to the beginning of the alphabet the letter the lighter the swing weight and for each letter the lower the number, from 0-9, the lighter the swing weight), most golf clubs' swing weights fall between the letters C and E, the majority of ladies clubs are in the C range and the majority of men's clubs are in the D range