Seven Disputed Terms in Golf

[imsys0042]

  On 9/28/2022 at 12:50 AM, iacas said:

Fighting words: Breaking down the 7 most disputed terms in golf | Golf News and Tour Information | Golf Digest

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Is it OK to use golf as a verb? Is it sand trap or bunker? Open Championship or British Open? We explore golf's most disputed terms … and declare winners

How do you vote on each?

1. Can "golf" be used as a verb (i.e. "I'm golfing right now!")?
2. If you make a 2 on a par five, is it an "albatross" or a "double eagle"?
3. Is a sandy pit area a "bunker" or a "sand trap"?
4. "Tied," "All Square," or "Halved"?
5. "Alternate Shot" or "Foursomes", and "Better Ball" vs. "Fourball"?
6. "British Open" or "The Open"?
7. "Hole Location" or "Pin Location" or "Pin Placement"?

I'll vote after someone else posts so my reply isn't merged into this topic.

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1.  Yes

2.   Albatross

3.   Bunker

4.   All Square
5.  Alternate shot / better ball

6.  The Open

7.   Pin placement 

[saevel25]

1. Yes
2. Albatross
3. Bunker
4. All Square or Halved
5. The Open
6. Hole Location or Pin Location

[Zippo]

  On 9/28/2022 at 8:30 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

I voice type on my phone quite often, when texting.  Especially when I'm rounding up other players for a tee time.  Why is android machine learning of my language so crappy that 9 times out of 10 the word "tea" ends up in my message?  I have probably texted "tee time" 3000 times.  But I have never, ever invited someone to "tea time"!

I have never intended to invite any of my golfing friends to an encounter where you raise your pinkie and daintily pour some Earl Grey into a porcelain cup that you can break just by looking at it.

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Yeah. I'd be teed off if you did that!

[bkuehn1952]

 

1. Can "golf" be used as a verb (i.e. "I'm golfing right now!")? I do not like to use golf as a verb but as some others have said, if you want to say you are golfing, I can handle it.  I play golf.
2. If you make a 2 on a par five, is it an "albatross" or a "double eagle"? I like Albatross in keeping with the feathered creature idea.  If you say "Double Eagle" I understand what you mean.
3. Is a sandy pit area a "bunker" or a "sand trap"? Sand bunker.
4. "Tied," "All Square," or "Halved"? Tied
5. "Alternate Shot" or "Foursomes", and "Better Ball" vs. "Fourball"? I like "Alternate Shot" and "Better Ball" since I immediately understand what game is being played.  I am old and get confused when someone says they are playing "Foursomes."
6. "British Open" or "The Open"? British Open
7. "Hole Location" or "Pin Location" or "Pin Placement"? Hole location but I do not have a strong feeling about it.

Finally, everyone seems to have adopted the term "divot" for pitch marks.  One uses a divot repair tool, not a pitch or ball mark repair tool.  I just don't like using the term that applies to a chunk of sod gouged from the turf interchangeably with a mark on the green (or elsewhere) from a ball striking the turf. And while I am on this stupid rant, you find your ball a divot hole, not in a divot. 😀

[dennyjones]

  On 9/28/2022 at 11:21 PM, bkuehn1952 said:

Finally, everyone seems to have adopted the term "divot" for pitch marks.  One uses a divot repair tool, not a pitch or ball mark repair tool.  I just don't like using the term that applies to a chunk of sod gouged from the turf interchangeably with a mark on the green (or elsewhere) from a ball striking the turf. And while I am on this stupid rant, you find your ball a divot hole, not in a divot. 😀

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+1

[Ty_Webb]

  On 9/28/2022 at 12:50 AM, iacas said:

Fighting words: Breaking down the 7 most disputed terms in golf | Golf News and Tour Information | Golf Digest

---

Is it OK to use golf as a verb? Is it sand trap or bunker? Open Championship or British Open? We explore golf's most disputed terms … and declare winners

How do you vote on each?

1. Can "golf" be used as a verb (i.e. "I'm golfing right now!")?
2. If you make a 2 on a par five, is it an "albatross" or a "double eagle"?
3. Is a sandy pit area a "bunker" or a "sand trap"?
4. "Tied," "All Square," or "Halved"?
5. "Alternate Shot" or "Foursomes", and "Better Ball" vs. "Fourball"?
6. "British Open" or "The Open"?
7. "Hole Location" or "Pin Location" or "Pin Placement"?

I'll vote after someone else posts so my reply isn't merged into this topic.

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1. No

2. An albatross

3. A bunker

4. All square while the match is ongoing and halved after it's over

5. Foursomes and fourball

6. The Open

7. Pin Placement I think, but this one I'd have a struggle over

[WillieT]

  On 9/28/2022 at 12:50 AM, iacas said:

Fighting words: Breaking down the 7 most disputed terms in golf | Golf News and Tour Information | Golf Digest

---

Is it OK to use golf as a verb? Is it sand trap or bunker? Open Championship or British Open...

How do you vote on each?

1. Can "golf" be used as a verb (i.e. "I'm golfing right now!")?
2. If you make a 2 on a par five, is it an "albatross" or a "double eagle"?
3. Is a sandy pit area a "bunker" or a "sand trap"?
4. "Tied," "All Square," or "Halved"?
5. "Alternate Shot" or "Foursomes", and "Better Ball" vs. "Fourball"?
6. "British Open" or "The Open"?
7. "Hole Location" or "Pin Location" or "Pin Placement"?

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1. Use it as a verb.  My fave excuse is that “I am golfing at the moment.”

2. Albatross - rare bird indeed! 

3. Bunker.

4. Halved or all square. 

5. Best ball or alternate shot (watching recent match play in the President’s Cup reminded me how confusing it can be with the other terms).

6. Grew up hearing it as the British Open. 

7. Pin Location. 

 

[jlbos83]

How do you vote on each?

1. Can "golf" be used as a verb (i.e. "I'm golfing right now!")? - I'm not losing sleep over it, I have to confess that I have said, I am golfing.  Though I prefer "playing golf".
2. If you make a 2 on a par five, is it an "albatross" or a "double eagle"? - It's darn good.  Call it whatever you want!  You earned it!
3. Is a sandy pit area a "bunker" or a "sand trap"? - Neither.  The way I play them, they are hell.
4. "Tied," "All Square," or "Halved"? - They all work for me.  I kind of like the traditional "AllSquare", but I do't have any problem with the other terms.
5. "Alternate Shot" or "Foursomes", and "Better Ball" vs. "Fourball"? - I get the "Alternate Shot" and "Better Ball" are more descriptive, but over time, I prefer the traditional.
6. "British Open" or "The Open"? - Either, it's the same thing.
7. "Hole Location" or "Pin Location" or "Pin Placement"? - Probably "Hole Location", thought who cares?  The problem is getting the ball to the bottom of said hole!

[NM Golf]

1. Can "golf" be used as a verb (i.e. "I'm golfing right now!")? NO!! It actually drives me crazy when people use golf as a verb. It sounds ridiculous. You play golf just like you play tennis, play pickleball, play baseball, play football, etc, etc. It's even more ridiculous sounding when people say, "I golfed my ball."
2. If you make a 2 on a par five, is it an "albatross" or a "double eagle"? It's both to me, although I say double eagle. 
3. Is a sandy pit area a "bunker" or a "sand trap"? It's a bunker. When I teach junior lessons in the summers we actually correct the kids if they say sand trap.
4. "Tied," "All Square," or "Halved"? I like "all square" when referring to the match, and we use that term in our group when we play. I like "tied" when talking about a single hole.
5. "Alternate Shot" or "Foursomes", and "Better Ball" vs. "Fourball"? I use "alternate shot" and "best ball", although foursomes and fourball sound classier.
6. "British Open" or "The Open"? The British Open, I don't care if its been around the longest, we have an Open and its a pretty big deal as well.
7. "Hole Location" or "Pin Location" or "Pin Placement"?. I use "hole location" when I am playing. I use "pin placement" when I am setting the pins for a competition.  

Edited October 13, 2022 by NM Golf

[iacas]

  On 10/13/2022 at 4:41 PM, NM Golf said:

1. Can "golf" be used as a verb (i.e. "I'm golfing right now!")? NO!! It actually drives me crazy when people use golf as a verb. It sounds ridiculous. You play golf just like you play tennis, play pickleball, play baseball, play football, etc, etc. It's even more ridiculous sounding when people say, "I golfed my ball."

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• "I'm fishing right now."
• "We're hunting in Perkins Forest."
• "Let's golf on Tuesday."
• "He's bicycling in the race."
• Etc.

I don't use golf as a verb very often, but it's not "wrong" to use it that way.

[NM Golf]

  On 10/13/2022 at 4:50 PM, iacas said:

• "I'm fishing right now."
• "We're hunting in Perkins Forest."
• "Let's golf on Tuesday."
• "He's bicycling in the race."
• Etc.

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and bowling. 😝 I realize there are some activities where it's used as a verb, but golfing sounds very, very wrong to me. It's even been changed to a verb in the dictionary... stupid Webster!!!

[Double Mocha Man]

  On 10/13/2022 at 4:56 PM, NM Golf said:

and bowling. 😝 I realize there are some activities where it's used as a verb, but golfing sounds very, very wrong to me. It's even been changed to a verb in the dictionary... stupid Webster!!!

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My Seahawks are footballing on Sunday... the Mariners are baseballing today.  Neither is winning...

[NM Golf]

  On 10/13/2022 at 5:27 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

My Seahawks are footballing on Sunday... the Mariners are baseballing today.  Neither is winning...

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The reason being they are doing it wrong! If the Seahawks were PLAYING football and the Mariners were PLAYING baseball they would win more!

[iacas]

  On 10/13/2022 at 5:27 PM, Double Mocha Man said:

My Seahawks are footballing on Sunday... the Mariners are baseballing today.  Neither is winning...

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He's in a weightlifting competition.

She's a golfer. She golfs.

He's fishing with his grandpa.

They're bowling in a league.

He's racing his model airplanes.

Bob is exercising.

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Clearly there are two different categories of the words, and golf is clearly allowed to be a verb. It's not in the same category as "baseballing."

[NM Golf]

  On 10/13/2022 at 6:16 PM, iacas said:

He's in a weightlifting competition.

She's a golfer. She golfs.

He's fishing with his grandpa.

They're bowling in a league.

He's racing his model airplanes.

Bob is exercising.

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Clearly there are two different categories of the words, and golf is clearly allowed to be a verb. It's not in the same category as "baseballing."

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Perhaps the issue is in the fact that no one has ever played weightlift or played fish, or played race, or played bowl. Bowling, weightlifting, fishing, and racing are both nouns and verbs in their -ing form whereas golfing is really just a verb and golf is the noun? Golf is the only word I can think of that can be used as both "play golf" and "golfing." Does that even make sense? I don't know, I just know "golfing" hurts my ears.

Anyway, I will never say golfing and I will still correct my children when they ask me "if I am going golfing." I will forever answer them with, "No, I am going to play golf."

Then again I wear a white belt A LOT so maybe my personal choices aren't what they should be... 😜

[iacas]

  On 10/13/2022 at 6:56 PM, NM Golf said:

Perhaps the issue is in the fact that no one has ever played weightlift or played fish, or played race, or played bowl. Bowling, weightlifting, fishing, and racing are both nouns and verbs in their -ing form whereas golfing is really just a verb and golf is the noun? Golf is the only word I can think of that can be used as both "play golf" and "golfing." Does that even make sense? I don't know, I just know "golfing" hurts my ears.

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I mean… you're literally arguing against the dictionary at this point.

[Big C]

I am replying before I look at anyone else's answers.

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1. Yes

2. Double Eagle (too many people don't know what an albatross is)

3. Bunker

4. "All Square" (when referencing the state of the match). "Halved" when referencing the result of a specific hole

5. "Alternate Shot" and "Best Ball" (I know it's not technically an option but outside of talking about the Ryder Cup, I've never once said fourball or better ball)

6. The Open Championship

7. Hole Location

[iacas]

  On 10/13/2022 at 7:07 PM, Big C said:

2. Double Eagle (too many people don't know what an albatross is)

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But calling -3 on a hole a double eagle shows you don't know what a double eagle is. 😉

And as a Rules official, I miss "dormie" and "halved" and so on, but those words are gone, so I've been working to remove them.

Just as "rub of the green" used to have a specific definition, but now that it doesn't, the popular "bad luck" definition is free to take complete hold.