Tiger with a Birdie on the Ninth and an Eagle earlier on at the Seventh looks well placed to make the cut, and continue his run of success at the Masters and Majors this year". If like me, you have no clue what they are talking about, here hopefully, is enough information to bluff your way through a golf conversation, or even inspire you to play the game.........
Lets assume that you have just arrived from Mars. Golf is played on a course, a game consists of 18 holes, a tournament is four rounds or 72 holes. A match is between two or four players, a tournament may be between teams, or individuals playing against each other. Each numbered hole starts at a tee and finishes at the hole. The player or team with the lowest number of shots is the winner.
By now you have either lost interest or are curious to know what they are talking about on the televised games. Below is a shortened list of the more common terms.
SCORING:
Par.The target score for the hole. (based on a first class player score)
Ace. Hole in one
Birdie.One under par
Bogey. One over par
Eagle.Two under par
Albatross.Three under par.(USA -Double Eagle)
MORE:
Carry.Distance the shot travelled in the air
Chip. Short shot,usually to the hole.
Drive.First shot from the tee.
Free drop.Ball moved and dropped without penalty to clear obstruction
Rough.The unmown area surrounding the fairway.
Fairway.The mown strip between tee and hole.
Tee.The peg and close cut area where each hole starts.
Green.Close mown area where hole is
Lie.From good to bad,describes how low the ball has settled into grass in the rough or sand in the bunker.
Divot.Chunk of turf knocked out by golf club.(put it back!)
Bunker.Obstructions built into the course to make game harder.
Links.A low lying course usually with sand dunes near the sea.
Handicap.Enables players to play on equal terms,A player may start with a score of 20,his partner with 24,lowest score wins.
Fourball.4 players, 2 teams 1 ball each.
Foursome.4 players,2 teams,1 ball per team.
Strokeplay. Lowest number of shots to complete course wins.(usual game)
Matchplay.Greatest number of holes won is the winner.
Round Robin.Tournament where everyone gets to play everyone else.
ON TV.
The Cut. A player must score low enough usually over the first 36 holes to qualify for the next 36. (Thats 4 rounds in total) Major Games may start with about 150 players to be "cut" to around 60.
PGA. Professional Golfers Association.
Pro-Am. Team of one prof. golfer and one amateur
Rookie, Player new to the professional golf tour circuit
The Tour. A series of tournaments held over a season.
The Majors. 4 major tournaments, The Masters, US Open, British Open, and PGA.
St.Andrews. Course in Scotland. Home of Golf.
Tiger. Tiger Woods, currently the most famous golfer.
An average 18 hole game should take 4 hours or so, plus perhaps time at the 19th hole a name sometimes given to the clubhouse. In order to play at a private course you would need a handicap of no more than around 36 (45 for ladies), most courses are designed to be about 70 shots for par, so, you need the ability to get round the 18 holes with no more than say 106 shots, or about 6 per hole. An invitation is generally required to play at a private club.Public courses are open to all.
If you have struggled this far, you will be anxious to watch on TV or head to the local driving range to practice a few shots. Follow that with a couple of lessons, and you are probably hooked. Membership and joining fees can range from very reasonable to thousands depending on location and demand. Public courses are pay as you go.
Further:
britishgolfonline.com
golfweb.com
golfonline.com
golf.co.nz
standrewsgolf.com
or use a search engine for thousands of others. | 
