As you gain even more excitement in preparation for the Black Enterprise Golf & Tennis Challenge this Labor Day Weekend (Sept 3-) at the Palm Beach Gardens Resort and Spa, Blackenterprise.com would like to ensure that you’re knowledgeable and right on the money about “golf speakâ€.
The BE Golf & Tennis Challenge invites you all, at any level of golf, to take advantage of what the course has to offer from networking, to learning, to acquiring new skills while improving others, to fun! Here is a brief list of terminology for you newcomers to brush up on and veterans to be reminded of as you prepare for good ol’ golfing fun in the sun.
Approach – The shot a player takes from the fairway to the green.
Bogey – When the number of strokes it takes to sink the ball in a hole exceeds the par by one. On a par three hole, a score of four is called a bogey, and the golfer scores one over par on that hole. A double bogey is two over par and a triple bogey is three over par.
Bunker (Sand trap) — Pits of sand situated throughout the course—often placed as hazards on the course.
Cup (or Hole) – The round hole on each green (4 1/4†diameter)
Drive – Term describing a golfer’s first stroke from the tee box on every hole.
Drop Ball – If a ball lands in a water hazard, is lost, or needs to be repositioned in its lie on the course, the golfer takes a drop ball. From an outstretched hand, the golfer drops the ball on the course in a position no closer to the hole than where the original ball landed.
Fat — You’ve hit more of the ground and less of the ball.
“Fore!†– A warning shouted by players who fear a hit golf ball may strike another person on the course.
Green – The short grassy surface where the cup is located.
Hazards – Obstacles including ponds, streams, lakes, swamps, sand, that are strategically placed on a golf course to make play on each hole more difficult.
Hole-in-one (Ace) – This rare score occurs when the golfer’s tee shot goes into the hole.. Most hole-in-one shots occur on the shorter par three holes.
Lie – The position in which the ball lies on the course after a stroke. Players may not move or lift their ball in any way that may improve their lie – except if the ball rests on an obstruction or in a spot where a stroke is not playable, and a drop ball is required.
Mulligan – Used only in casual play (never in tournaments), it is when players permit each other one free shot per round without incurring a “penalty stroke.â€
Par – The number of strokes per hole it should take a player to sink the ball in the cup. Holes measuring up to 250 yards are called par threes; from 251 to 475 yards are par fours; and any hole above 475 yards is considered a par five.
Penalty Stroke – If a golf ball lands in water; rests in a lie where it cannot be played; is lost; or goes out-of-bounds; a one stroke penalty is incurred by the golfer. The golfer must replay another ball near the original spot where the ball was hit or near to where the ball was lost or went out of play.
Pitch Shot – A short approach shot similar to a chip, except that the ball is struck in such a way as to cause it to spin backward when it lands on the green.
Provisional Ball – When a golf ball is presumed lost, a second (replacement) ball is allowed to be played from where the first ball was struck at the expense of a penalty stroke. If the original ball is found, the provisional ball is picked up.
Rough — Unkempt grass—often designed to be more difficult to play from.
Stroke/Shot — Every time you swing the club with the intent of hitting the ball.
Tee – The small stick used to hold the ball off the ground on drives. A tee may only be used when in the tee box. This is where you begin playing each hole.
Keep in mind that this is just a short list and there is much more to learn. Be sure to check back with us here at BlackEnterprise.com as we continue to share tips and valuable information as you ready for the Golf & Tennis Challenge 2015.
For registration, information, and updates visit https://blackenterprise.com/events/golf-tennis-challenge/. For social media updates, follow hashtag #BEGT.