The language of golf is somewhat mystifying to the uninitiated, and harsh to all but those who speak with the tongues of golfers. Those who would read succeeding pages with understanding may well pay heed to the following explanations of golfing terms:

Addressing the ball. Taking up a position for striking the ball.

Approach-shot. One in which the ball is not debarred from reaching the putting-green by reason of distance.

All square. When neither side leads the other in holes.

Baffy. A wooden or aluminium club with a laid-back face for playing high shots.

Brassey. A wooden driving club soled with a plate of brass.

Bent. Wiry grass, bent grass.

Bogey. An imaginary player who never makes a mistake and is equivalent to "scratch" on the handicap list.

Bulger. A wooden club with a convex face.

Bunker. Rough ground, or a trench or pit filled with sand, guarding a hole.

Bye. The holes remaining after a match is decided. This is usually played out as a short match; if the conclusion of the "Bye" is effected before the round is finished, the remaining hole or holes are familiarly known as the "Bye-bye."

Caddie. A carrier of the bag of clubs; his value is increased when he is competent to give good advice to the player.

Carry. The amount of flight of the ball; the distance covered after it strikes the ground is called the "run."

Casual water. Water of a temporary kind, such as is found after a fall of rain. See Rules 1 and 14.

Chip. A short, sharp stroke with the iron or mashie.

Cleek. An iron-headed club used generally for long strokes, and often for putting.

Course. The series of spaces between the different "holes."

Cup. A small depression on the course in which the ball sometimes lies. It is often the result of a stroke by another player who has failed to replace the turf.

Cut. An underspin given by a club to a ball.

Dead. When a ball lies so near the hole as to be a dead certainty of its being "holed" in the next stroke. When a ball is pitched so as to have no "run" after alighting, it is said to fall "dead."

Divot. A piece of turf taken in the act of striking. See Etiquette of Golf, Rule 9.

Dormy (Fr. dormir). A player is said to be "dormy" when his advantage in holes is equivalent to the number of holes remaining to be played; he is therefore certain not to lose the match.

Driver. A wooden club used for full driving shots (from the "tee" usually).

Duff or Daff. To foozle a shot.

Face. That part of the head of a club which comes in contact with the ball.

Flat. When the angle between the shaft and the head of a club is very obtuse the club is said to be flat; with a much less obtuse angle the club is said to be "upright."

Fog. Coarse or luxuriant grass.

Foozle. A miss-hit.

Fore. A contraction of "Before." A cry uttered to warn players or other persons likely to be struck by the ball.

Foursome. A match played by four persons, two a-side, one ball to each side. When each player plays his own ball, the match is called a four-ball foursome. See Defini-tions in Rule 1 and also note "threesome."