Online Golf Dictionary: P
This is a list of golf terms beginning with the letter P
This is part of our glossary of golf terminology, with the meaning of every golf word.
Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
| Golf Terms, Letter P | |
| pair | Two golfers playing together in a stroke competition. Also to assign players to play together in a competition. |
| pairings | Groups of two players. |
| par | The number of strokes a player should take to complete a round with good performance. Par for each hole is given on the scorecard. |
| par competition | A game in which play is against a fixed score for each hole (called the par or bogey). Scoring is as in match play with plus 1 if the player scores better than par, equal if he scores par and minus 1 if more than par. The player with the highest aggregate score is the winner. |
| parkland | A course laid out in grassland with little rough. |
| partner | A golfer who plays together with another in a match. |
| pawky | Old Scottish term meaning cunning or tricky. |
| peg | A tee. |
| penalty stroke | An additional stroke added to a player's score for a rules violation |
| persimmon | Wood with a distinctive grain used in many clubs. |
| PGA | Professional Golfers Association |
| pick up | To take up one's ball before holing out. In match play this concedes the hole or in stroke play incurs disqualification. |
| pill | Nickname for the ball. |
| pin | Same as "flagstick" |
| pin-high | A ball even with the pin but off to one side. Same as "hole high" |
| pin placement (pin position) | The position of a hole on a putting green on any given day. |
| pinehurst | A variation of play in which a partner plays the other partner's drive. One ball is then selected to finish the hole |
| pitch | A short shot lofting the ball into the air in a high arc and landing with backspin |
| pinsetter | The official responsible for pin placement> |
| pitch and putt | A short golf course designed primarily for approaching and putting. |
| pitch and run | The same as a pitch shot but hit with a lower-numbered club to reduce loft and backspin. This allows the ball to run after it lands on the putting green. |
| pitcher | Former name for a 7 or 8 iron. |
| pitching irons | The short irons. |
| pitching Niblick | Old name of an 8 iron. |
| pitching wedge | An iron club designed for making pitch shots |
| pivot | The rotation of the shoulders, trunk and pelvis during the golf swing. |
| placement | Accuracy in the targeting of a shot. |
| play | To strike the ball with a club. The action of playing the game of golf. |
| play club | An obsolete ancient driver. |
| play off | To determine a winner in a tie match by playing further holes or a further round. |
| playing professional | A professional golfer who primarily competes in tournaments. |
| playing through | Passing another group of players who are playing ahead |
| plus handicap | The number of strokes a player gives to adjust his ability to the common level |
| pop up | A short, high shot. |
| pot bunker | A small, deep sand trap with steep sides. |
| practice green | Green set up for putting practice. |
| preferred lie | Local rules which allow a player to improve his lie in a specific manner without penalty |
| professional | A player who receives payment for teaching or playing in tournaments. Usually shortened to Pro. |
| pro-Am | A competition which pairs professional players with amateurs. |
| pro shop | The golf course shop operated by the head professional where equipment is sold. |
| provisional ball | A ball played if the previously played ball may be lost or out of bounds. |
| public links | A course open to the public. |
| pull | A ball that goes to the left of the target with little curve as hit by a right-handed player. The converse applies to left-handed players. |
| punch | Low, controlled shot into the wind. It is made by slamming the club down into the ball with a short swing |
| push | A ball that goes to the right of the target with very little or no curving for a right handed player. Or the converse for a left-handed player. As opposed to "pull" |
| putt | The shot made on the putting green. From a Scottish term meaning to push gently or nudge. |
| putt out | To hole the ball with a putt. |
| putter | A short-shafted club with a straight face for putting. |
| putting green | The surface area around the hole that is specially prepared for putting. |