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

Major (Championship)

One of four of the most prestigious professional golf tournaments in the world for male golfers. Played every year, the Majors include the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA. For female players, the Majors include the U.S. Open, The MacDonald's LPGA, the DuMaurier and the Dinah Shore.

Make the Cut

To qualify for the final rounds of a tournament by scoring well enough in the beginning rounds.

Mallet

A putter that has a head that is much wider and heavier than that of a blade putter.

Maraging Steel

Extremely hard alloy commonly used in woods as face inserts.

Marker

A person who records a fellow competitor's score in stroke play. Also, a coin or similar object used to indicate the location of a competitor's ball on a putting green. "Marker" is also the term used to identify the boundaries of the teeing area.

Marshall

A volunteer, usually at professional tournaments, who job it is to keep the members of the gallery under control so that players can easily play shots, walk from tee to green, and so on.

Mashie

Lofted iron club that was introduced in the 1880's and is no longer in use. Used for pitching with backspin. Another name for the number 5 iron.

Mashie-Iron

An iron club that had less of a loft than a mashie. Used for driving and full shots through the green. Another name for the number 4 iron.

Mashie-Niblick

An iron club, no longer in use, with a loft somewhere between that of a mashie and a niblick. Club was used for pitching. Another name for the number 6 iron.

Match Play

Type of competition, typically among 2 individuals or two teams, in which the score is kept by the number of holes won and lost. The winner of a match play competition is the side who wins the most holes. A match play score may look like this: "3 and 2". This indicates the winning team was three holes up (ahead) with only two to play. "5 and 4" indicates 5 up with 4 to play, and so on.

Matched

As in a matched set of clubs. Clubs designed and made in a graded, numbered series and with consistent specifications and swing-weights.

Meadowland

A lush grassland course

Medal Play

Strokeplay competitions,where the lowest score wins.

Medal Play

Type of competition in which the lowest total score (number of strokes) wins. The same as stroke play.

Medal Tees

The competitions tees at a golf club, where the hole is played from the distance where the tees were originally designed.

Medalist

The golfer with the lowest score in the qualifying round of a tournament.

Member's Bounce

Any favorable bounce of the golf ball that improves what initially appeared to be an errant shot.

Members Tees

Tees set a a few or more yards ahead of the medal tees for friendly play.

Mickey Mantle

Making a score of 7 on a hole.

Mid-Iron

An iron club, no longer in use, with more loft than a driving iron. Another name for a 2 or 3 iron.

Mid-Mashie

Another name for the number 4 iron.

Mid-Spoon

An obsolete wooden club with a loft between that of the long spoon and the short spoon.

Mis-Club

To use the wrong club for the shot.

Mis-Read

To putt wrongly. To not read the green correctly.

Mixed Foursome

Two men and two women.

Model Swing

Perfect swing!

Muff

To mis-hit a shot.

Mulligan

A shot taken if the first one is missed. Mulligans are used frequently in the USA (and not really in many other countries) but are not allowed under the rules of golf.

Municipal Course

Type of golf course, usually city or county managed, allowing play by the public, subject to tee time availability.

Muscleback

Extra material added to the back of an iron to deliver more solid hits.

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