SANDBAGGER - A golfer who lies about his ability to gain an edge in the game.

SAND IRON - Also called a sand wedge. A heavy, lofted club that was used for playing from bunkers. No longer in use.

SAND TRAP - The common name for a bunker.

SAND WEDGE - An iron with a heavy flange on the bottom that is used primarily to get out of sand traps.

SANDY - Making par after being in a bunker.

SCOOP - An improper swing in which the club has a digging or scooping action.

SCORECARD - The scorecard tells you the length of each hole from each tee box as well as the "par" rating for the hole. Golfers keep track of their score on these cards.

SCOTCH FOURSOME - A match that has partners alternating hitting the same ball. They also alternate driving regardless of who holed out on the previous hole.

SCRAMBLE - A team competition where players play the best ball of a team member after every stroke or drive.

SCRATCH - Par play. A zero handicap.

SCRATCH PLAYER - A player who has no handicap.

SCRUFF - To misplay the ball by hitting or grazing the ground with the clubhead prior to hitting the ball.

SEMI-PRIVATE - A course that has members but is still open to the public.

SET - A full set of golf clubs.

SET UP - To position yourself for the address.

SEVEN IRON - An iron club used for a distance of 125-160 yards for men's clubs. Also known as a mashie-niblick.

SHAFT - The part of the club joined to the head.

SHAG BAG - A bag for carrying practice balls.

SHAGGING - Picking up golf balls from practice ranges.

SHANK - A shot struck by the club's hosel. Travels to the right of the intended target.

SHAPE - To curve a shot to fit the situation. The word is also used to describe the flight of the ball. (The usual shape of his shots was a fade.)

SHIPERIO - Similar to a mulligan where a player is allowed a second shot without penalty but is allowed to choose which ball to play, the first one or the second one.

SHORT GAME - The part of the game that is made up of chip shots, pitching and putting.

SHORT IRONS - The highly lofted irons.

SHOTGUN START - In tournaments when players are to start at different holes; a firing of a shotgun may be used as a signal to start play.

SHOT HOLE - A par three hole.

SHOTMAKER - A player who has the ability to play a great many different shots.

SHOTMAKING - The ability to play a great many different shots.

SIDE - Can mean the first 9 holes (front side) or the last 9 (back side) of an 18 hole course. Also two or more players who are partners.

SIDEHILL LIE - A lie with the ball either above or below your feet.

SIGHTLINE - A line on the flange of a putter to aid in alignment.

SINK A PUTT - Make a putt.

SIX IRON - An iron club that gives a distance of 135-170 yards for men's clubs. Also known as a spade or spade-mashie.

SKINS - A golf game that awards the money to the player with the lowest score on a hole. In case of a tie, the game continues until someone wins.

SKULLING - Hitting the ball at or above its center causing the ball to be hit too hard and travel too great a distance.

SKY - To hit underneath the ball sending it much higher than intended. Like a pop fly in baseball.

SLANT NECK - Putter design with an angled hosel that provides a more unobstructed look at a ball.

SLICE - A shot that curves strongly from left to right as a result of sidespin. The converse applies to a left-handed player.

SLOPE - Adjusts your handicap to the difficulty of the course you play. The more difficult the course, the more strokes you'll need. Under slope, golfers will no longer have a handicap. You will have an index. An average course will have a slope rating of 113. Your index is a mathematical calculation of your playing ability on an average course. Maximum index allowed is 36.4 for men and 40.4 for women. Conversion charts will be located at the first tee.

SLUMP - A prolonged period of bad play.

SMOTHER - To hit down on the ball so that it travels a short distance on the ground.

SNAKE - A very long putt that travels over several breaks in the green.

SNAKE - A three-putt off any green. A game played where the last three-putts of round, occuring on any hole owes the other members of the group the pre-agreed total of all three-putts. Gets pretty exciting the last few holes with some competitors playing snake-avoidance.

SNAP-HOOK - To hit a hot with an acute hook.

SNIPE - A ball that is hooked and drops quickly.

SOLE - The bottom of the club head.

SOLE PLATE - The metal plate on the bottom of woods.

SPGA - Senior Professional Golf Association.

SPADE-MASHIE - Old term for a 6 iron.

SPIKE MARK - Mark made on the green by the cleats of a golf shoe.

SPOON - Old term for a 3 wood.

SPOT PUTTING - A player aims at a spot on the green that will allow the ball to roll into the cup, rather than directly at the hole.

SPRAY - To hit the ball erratically off line.

SPRING - The flexibility of the club shaft.

SQUARE STANCE - Placing your feet in a line parallel to the direction you which the ball to travel.

STABLEFORD - A method of scoring that uses points instead of strokes.

STANCE - The position of your feet when addressing the ball.

STARTER - Person who determines the order of play from the first tee.

STICK - The pin in the hole.

STIMPMETRE - Superintendents measure green speed with a stimpmetre. Its readings give a snapshot of the green speed at that time of day. Stimpmetre readings in the five to six range mean slow greens, seven to eight mean medium, nine to 10 fast and above 11 extremely fast - PGA Tournament speeds.

STIPULATED ROUND - The playing of all holes of a course in the correct order.

STONY - To hit a ball close to the flagstick.

STRAIGHTAWAY - A hole having a straight fairway.

STRAIGHT-FACED - Refers to a club with little or no loft on the face.

STRIKE OFF - To drive from the tee.

STROKE - The forward motion of the club head made with the intent to hit the ball whether contact is made or not.

STROKE PLAY - A competition in which the total number of strokes for one round, or a pre-determined number of rounds, determines the winner.

STYMIE - When an opponent's ball is in the line of the other player's putt. Since the ball may now be lifted, the term is used these days to refer to a tree or object in the way of a shot.

SUDDEN DEATH - When in a match or stroke competition the score is tied after completing the round, play continues until one player wins a hole.

SUMMER RULES - Ordinary play according the Rules of Golf.

SUPINATION - The rotation of the wrist so that the palm of the hand faces upward.

SURLYN - Material from which most golf balls are made of.

SWALE - A moderately contoured depression or dip in terrain.

SWAN NECK - S-shaped bend around the putter neck creating more face-balance and less toe flow.

SWAYING - An exaggerated lateral movement of the body on either the backswing, forward swing, or both, which results in inconsistent shotmaking.

SWEET SPOT - The dead center of the face of the club.

SWING - The action of stroking the ball.

SWING PLANE - An imaginary surface that describes the path and angle of the club during the swing.

SWING WEIGHT - The measure of a club's weight.

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