Golf Terminology - S

S

Sandbagger

A golfer that carries a higher official handicap than his skills indicate, e.g., carries an eight, plays to a two. Sandbaggers usually artificially inflate their handicaps with the intent of winning bets on the course, a practice that most golfers consider cheating. Also known as a bandit.

Sand save

When a player achieves par by getting up and down from a green-side bunker. Sand save percentage is one of many statistics kept by the PGA Tour.

Sand trap

See bunker. Golfers with a deep knowledge of the game rarely refer to a bunker as a sand trap.

Sand wedge

A lofted club designed especially for playing out of a bunker. The modern sand wedge was invented by Gene Sarazen. Although sand wedges were designed for bunker shots, they are actually used for all types of shots within 100 yards.

Sandy (or Sandie)

A score of par or better that includes a bunker shot. Sandys are counted as points in some social golf games. If a par or better is achieved after hitting two or three bunker shots on the same hole, the terms double sandy or triple sandy are used, respectively. See Funnies.

Scotch foursomes

In scotch foursomes teams of 2 players compete against each other. Players alternate hitting the same ball. The first player tees off, the second player hits the second shot, the first player hits the third shot, and so on until the ball is holed. To this point, the definition of ‘scotch foursomes’ is the same as that of ordinary ‘foursomes’; however, players do not alternate hitting tee shots as they would in foursomes. If Player A teed off on the first hole and Player B holed the final putt, Player B would not tee off at the second, meaning that Player A could, in theory, play every tee shot on the round. The team with the lowest score wins the hole.

Scramble

When a player misses the green in regulation, but still makes par or better on a hole. Scrambling percentage is one of many statistics kept by the PGA Tour. Also a two or four man format, similar to Best Ball, except in a scramble, each player strikes a shot, the best shot is selected, then all players play from that selected position.

Scratch golfer

A player's whose handicap equals zero.

Shamble

A format, similar to a scramble, where every player hits from the tee, the best tee-shot is selected, and each player holes-out from the selected tee-shot.

Shank

A horrible shot in which the golf ball is struck by the hosel of the club. On a shank, a player has managed to strike the ball with a part of the club other than the club-face. A shanked shot will scoot a short distance, often out to the right, or might be severely sliced or hooked.

"Shanks"

A condition in which a golfer suddenly cannot stop shanking the ball; novice and experienced golfers can be affected.

Shrimp

A severe hook, named because it resembles the shape of a shrimp.

Shoot your (my) age

A round of 18 holes where a given player has a score equal to, or less than, a player's age. For example, an eighty-year-old man who scores an 80 has shot his age.

Shoot your (my) temperature

A round of 18 holes where a given player has a score equal to 98 or 99. Since this is not a good score, it is usually used to deride an opponent.

Short game

Shots that take place on or near the green. Putting, chipping, pitching, and green-side bunker play are all aspects of the short game.

Sit

Telling the ball to drop softly, and not roll after landing.

Skin

A skins game pits players in a type of match play in which each hole has a set value (usually in money or points). The player who wins the hole is said to win the "skin", and whatever that skin is worth. Skins games may be more dramatic than standard match play if it is agreed by the players that holes are not halved. Then, when any two players tie on a given hole, the value of that hole is carried over and added to the value of the following hole. The more ties, the greater the value of the skin and the bigger the eventual payoff.

Skull

To skull the ball means to contact the ball with the leading edge of the iron, often resulting in a low shot that goes further than expected with little to no spin. A skulled shot is almost always due to a mishit by the golfer. The terms "blade" and "thin" are also used interchangeably with skull.

Slice

A shot that initially takes a trajectory on the same side of the golf ball from which the player swings but eventually curves sharply back opposite of the player. Under normal circumstances, a slice is unintentional; however, good players can use a slice to their advantage in certain situations. Slices are often the most common miss for below-average players. A shot that follows the same trajectory but to a lesser degree is referred to as a 'cut' or 'fade'. A cut or fade is often intentionally used by above-average players to achieve a certain type of spin. The curved shape of the ball-flight is the result of sideways spin. For that reason a "slice" does not refer to a putt.

Slope rating

Slope Rating is a number, from 55 to 155, used to determine the level of difficulty of a golf course for a bogey golfer. An "average" course has a slope rating of 113.

Snap hook

A severe hook that usually goes directly left as well as curving from right to left, for a right-handed golfer. A snap hook is when a sever left to right hook occurs for a left-handed golfer.

Snowman

To score an eight on a hole is to score a snowman. So-named because an eight (8) looks similar to the body of a snowman.

Society

An organized group of golfers, usually not affiliated with any individual golf course. Members are often drawn from the same workplace, profession, alma mater, or other association.

Span

Move your marker when in the way of another persons line of putt.

Speed

The pace of a putt. Proper 'speed' of a putt will either hole the putt or leave it about 18 inches beyond the cup. Furthermore, the speed of the putt will often determine the amount of curve, or break, in a putt.

Sprachle

Generally, this refers to playing badly. Sprachle is a Scottish term.

Spray

To hit the ball with a grossly inconsistent direction, compared to the intended target, in a seemingly random manner.

Stableford

A points based scoring system. The number of strokes taken on each hole relative to par translates into a set number of points, with the winner being the player who accumulates the highest number of points.

Stimpmeter

A device used to measure the speed of putting greens.

Stroke Play

See Medal Play

Stymie

To block another player's putting path to the hole with one's own ball. Now an anachronism since the rules of golf permit marking the spot of the ball on the green, thus allowing the other player to putt into the hole without obstruction. Also, if a ball marker impedes the line of another player's putt, the marker is allowed to be moved in length-increments of one putter-head in either direction.

Sweet-spot

The location on the club-face where the optimal ball-striking results are achieved. The closer the ball is struck to the sweet-spot, the higher the Power transfer ratio will be. Hitting it in the sweet-spot is also referred to as hitting it in the screws.

Swing

The movement a golf player makes with his/her body and club to hit the ball. A golf swing is made up of a series of complex mechanical body movements. A perfect golf swing is regarded as the "holy grail" of the sport, and there are many approaches as to how to achieve "perfection". Although there is only one "textbook" golf swing, a perfect golf swing is unique to every individual, and, in fact, it is impossible for a human to perfectly duplicate the textbook golf swing.