Glossary/Terms M-O

MAKE THE CUT - To qualify for the final rounds of a tournament by scoring well enough in the beginning rounds.

MALLET PUTTER - A putter that has a head that is much wider and heavier than that of a blade putter.

MARKET - A small object, like a coin, that is used to mark the spot of the ball when it is lifted off the putting green.

MARKERS - The objects placed at the teeing round that indicate the area in which players must tee their balls.

MARSHAL - A person appointed by a tournament committee to keep order and handle spectators.

MASHIE - Lofted iron club that was introduced in the 1880's and is no longer in use. Used for pitching with backspin. Another name for the number 5 iron.

MASHIE-IRON - An iron club that had less of a loft than a mashie. Used for driving and full shots through the green. Another name for the number 4 iron.

MASHIE-NIBLICK - An iron club, no longer in use, with a loft somewhere between that of a mashie and a niblick. Club was used for pitching. Another name for the number 6 iron.

MATCHED - As in a matched set of clubs. Clubs designed and made in a graded, numbered series and with consistent specifications and swing-weights.

MATCH PLAY - A competition played with each hole being a separate contest. The team or player winning the most holes, rather than having the lowest score, is the winner. The winner of the first hole is "one up". Even if the player wins that hole by two or three strokes, he is still only "one up". The lead is increased every time the player wins another hole. The winner is the one who wins the most holes. This was the original form of golf competition.

MEADOWLAND - A lush grassland course.

MEDALIST - The player with the lowest qualifying score in a tournament.

MEDAL PLAY - A competition decided by the overall number of strokes used to complete the round or rounds. Same as "stroke play".

MID-SPOON - An obsolete wooden club with a loft between that of the long spoon and the short spoon.

MID-IRON - An iron club, no longer in use, with more loft than a driving iron. Another name for a 2 or 3 iron.

MID-MASHIE - Another name for the number 4 iron.

MIS-CLUB - To use the wrong club for the shot.

MIS-READ - To putt wrongly. To not read the green correctly.

MIXED FOURSOME - A foursome with each side has a male and female player.

MODEL SWING - A totally professional swing.

MUFF - To mis-hit a shot.

MULLIGAN - A second shot that is allowed to be taken in friendly play when the player has "muffed" (see above) the first one. Not allowed by the rules.

MUNICIPAL COURSE - A public course owned by local government.

OBSERVER - A person who is appointed to assist the referee in a match, to decide questions of fact and report any breach of rules.

OBSTRUCTION - Any artificial object that has been left or placed on the course with the exception of course boundary markers and constructed roads and paths.

OFF-CENTRE - A poor hit.

OFFSET - A club with the head set behind the shaft.

ONE UP - Used in match play to mean having scored one hole more than your opponent. Also, the score of the player who is one up.

ONE-IRON - An iron club with a loft of approximately 17 degrees, lie of approximately 56 degrees and length of 39 inches. Men's clubs give a distance of between 185 and 220 yards. Also called a driving iron.

ONE-PUTT - To hole the ball using only one shot on the green.

ONE-WOOD - Alternate name given to the driver. open A tournament in which both amateurs and professionals are allowed to play.

OPEN STANCE - The left foot is dropped behind the imaginary line of the direction of the ball. This allows the golfer to face more in the direction the ball is going to travel.

OUT - The first nine holes of an 18 hole course. The second 9 holes is going "in".

OUT OF BOUNDS - The area outside of the course in which play is prohibited. A player is penalized stroke and distance. That is he must replay the shot with a penalty of one stroke.

OUTSIDE AGENCY - Anyone who is not part of the competitors side in stroke play or not part of the match. Such as observers, forecaddies, referee etc.

OVERCLUB - To use a club that gives to much distance.

OVERLAPPING GRIP - As used by a right-handed player having the little finger of the right hand overlapping the space between the forefinger and second finger of the left hand. The opposite for a left-handed player.

OFF-GREEN PUTTING - When a player elects to putt from off the green rather than chip.

NASSAU - A three part bet in which separate wagers are made on the first nine, last nine and complete round.

NECK - The tapered projecting part where the shaft of the club joins the head.

NET SCORE - A player's final score after he subtracts his handicap.

NIBLICK - An obsolete deep-bladed more steeply lofted than a mashie, used especially for playing from sand and from the rough. Old term for a 9 iron.

NINE - A nine hole course or the sequence of 9 holes of an 18 hole course.

NINE IRON - An iron club giving a distance of between 105 and 140 yards for men's clubs. See "Niblick".

NINETEENTH HOLE - The bar at the clubhouse.

NOSE - The toe of a wooden club.