Why does The Open play so differently from The Masters? And what's a "bump-and-run" anyway? Everything you need to follow a broadcast.
The original form of golf, originating on the sandy coastal strips ("links") of Scotland and Ireland. Links courses are firm, fast, and wind-dependent. There are few trees. The ground is undulating, the rough is thick and fescue-based, and the ball bounces and rolls unpredictably on the hard turf.
Examples: St Andrews, Royal Portrush, Carnoustie, Royal Birkdale — all Open Championship venues.
Tree-lined fairways, lush green turf, and soft conditions. The ball doesn't run as far as on links, and the aerial game — hitting the ball high and landing it softly on the green — dominates. Most US courses, and Augusta National, are parkland designs.
Examples: Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Oakmont, TPC Sawgrass.
Built in arid climates with desert scrub and rock replacing rough grass. Fairways are relatively narrow strips of maintained grass; miss them and you're in rock and sand. Common in the American Southwest and increasingly in Middle Eastern venues on the LIV and DP World Tour circuit.
Examples: Scottsdale courses (Phoenix Open), courses in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Golf announcers talk constantly about how the ball curves. Here's what they mean.
Every term you'll hear watching professional golf.
Address: The position a player takes when setting up to hit the ball.
Albatross: Three under par on a single hole (also called double eagle). Extremely rare.
Away: The player farthest from the hole plays first. "You're away" means it's your turn.
Back nine: Holes 10–18 on a standard 18-hole course.
Birdie: One under par on a hole.
Bogey: One over par on a hole.
Bunker: A sand-filled depression (hazard). Not to be called a "sand trap" by purists.
Caddie: The person who carries a player's bag, reads greens, provides yardages, and offers strategic advice.
Chip: A short, low shot played near the green.
Cut: (1) The line that eliminates the bottom half of the field after 36 holes; (2) a shot that moves right-to-left for a left-handed player.
Divot: The chunk of turf displaced by a shot. Proper etiquette requires replacing or filling it.
Dog leg: A hole where the fairway bends left or right, forcing a strategic decision about how to play the tee shot.
Drop: When a ball is unplayable or lost, you take a penalty and drop a new ball in a designated area.
Eagle: Two under par on a single hole.
Front nine: Holes 1–9 on a standard 18-hole course.
GIR (Green in Regulation): Reaching the green in par minus 2 strokes — e.g., in one shot on a par 3, two shots on a par 4. A key stat tracked on tour.
Grain: The direction in which grass on the green grows. Affects how a putt breaks.
Green: The closely cut putting surface surrounding the hole.
Handicap: A numerical measure of a golfer's ability. Lower = better player. Allows players of different abilities to compete fairly.
Hole in one (ace): Holing the ball with the tee shot. Any par 3 is in range; rare on par 4s.
Honor: The privilege of hitting first on a tee box. Earned by having the lowest score on the previous hole.
Lie: Where and how the ball is sitting on the ground. A "good lie" = ball on short grass, easy to hit; "bad lie" = deep rough, tough shot.
Line: The intended path of a putt from the ball to the hole.
Lip out: When a putt rolls to the edge of the cup (the lip) and spins out rather than dropping in. Devastating.
Make the cut: Surviving the 36-hole cut and playing the weekend rounds.
Miss the cut: Finishing in the bottom half after 36 holes and going home without weekend earnings.
OB (Out of Bounds): Outside the course boundary, marked by white stakes. Hitting OB costs one stroke penalty plus distance — you replay from the original spot.
Par: The expected number of strokes for a hole or course.
Pin (flagstick): The pole in the hole with a flag on top. Helps players aim from a distance.
Pitch: A higher, shorter shot to the green, with more spin and less roll than a chip.
Putt: A shot played on the green with a putter, rolling the ball along the ground toward the hole.
Read the green: Assessing the slope and grain of the putting surface to determine how a putt will break.
Rough: The longer grass on the edges of the fairway.
Scramble: Saving par (or better) after missing the green in regulation. "Scrambling percentage" is a key tour stat.
Stance: The position of a player's feet when addressing the ball.
Strokeplay: Total strokes across all holes determine the winner. Used in all four majors.
Wedge: A high-lofted club used for short approach shots and shots from sand.
Yardage book: A detailed course guide used by caddies and players to calculate exact distances.