Balata A rubber-like substance used as a cover material for golf balls. Pure balata is rarely, if ever, used today. Instead, manufacturers use blends or synthetic material. Many players prefer balata or balata-like covers because it provides a softer feel. And can provide increased spin. (Most of the players in the championship played with balata-covered balls).
Cambered Sole A rounding of the sole of the club to reduce drag. A four-way cambered sole is one that is rounded at every edge of a wood. (The 5-wood had a cambered sole to help it slide through the deep rough).
Cavity-back A type of iron in which a portion of the back of the clubhead is hollowed out and the weight distributed around the outside edges of the clubhead. (The cavity-back irons were far more forgiving that his old blades).
Cleek A fairway wood with the approximate loft of a 4-wood that produces high shots that land softly. (He played a beautiful shot with his cleek that almost rolled into the cup).
Compression A measure of the relative hardness of a golf ball ranging from 100 (hardest) to 80 (softest). (Like most powerful players, he preferred a 100-compression ball).
Deep-Faced Driver A driver with greater-than-standard height on its face. (His PGA Professional suggested trying a deep-faced driver).
Flange A portion of the sole of a club such as a sand wedge or putter. (The wedge?s wide flange made it an effective club from the deep, powdery sand).
Grip (Equipment) That part of the golf club where the hands are placed. (After a disappointing round, John?s PGA Professional suggested that he have his grips replaced).
Groove (equipment) The horizontal scoring lines on the face of the club that help impart spin on the ball. (Before teeing off on the par 3 12th, Jack Nicklaus cleaned out the grooves of his 8-iron with a tee.)
Heel The part of the clubhead nearest the hosel. (Fuzzy Zoeller addresses the ball off the heel of his driver). A shot hit off the heel is said to be ?heeled.?
Heel and Toe Weighted A club design where weight is distributed towards the heel and toe of a club, usually an iron, to reduce the effect of mis-hits. (When he played with heel-and-toe weighted irons, his scores improved).
Hosel The part of the club connecting the shaft to the clubhead. (When the PGA Professional studied Tom?s 5-iron, he saw that it was bent at the hosel.)
Iron Byron A testing device modeled after Byron Nelson's swing. It is used to test clubs and balls. (After tests using Iron Byron, the new balls were measured to be longer.)
Kinesiology The scientific study of man's movement and the movements of implements or equipment that he might use in exercise, sport or other forms of physical activity.
Kinetic Energy The form of energy associatedwith the speed of an object. Its equation is: KE=1/2mv2(squared); or kinetic energy= ? mass x velocity squared. (It is obvious from the formula that increasing clubhead velocity has more potential for producing distance than increasing the clubhead weight.)
Long Irons The 1-4 irons. (The long irons are often difficult for people to hit, so PGA Professionals often recommend replacing them with fairway woods.)
Middle or Mid-irons The 5-7 irons. (He was very accurate with his middle irons, which helped set up a lot of birdies.)
Pistol Grip A grip, usually on a putter, that is built up under the left or top hand. (He had a pistol grip placed on his new putter).
Scoring Clubs The driver, putter and sand wedge. (He devoted much of his practice to the scoring clubs.)
Short Irons The 8 and 9 irons and the pitching wedge. The sand wedge is considered a scoring or specialty club. (He wanted flatter-than-standard lies on his short irons).
Sole When referring to equipment, it is the bottom of a club. (The sole of his wedge had become rusty over the winter). When referring to the swing, it is the point when the sole of the club touches the ground at address. (When he soled his club, the ball moved and he called a penalty on himself).
Sole-Weighted A design, usually for fairway woods, that incorporates additional weight along the sole of the club. This makes it easier to get the ball into the air and is also effective from the rough. (Many players in the PGA Championship had sole-weighted clubs in their bags because of the deep rough.)
Spoon A term for a 3-wood that is seldom used today. (He reached the par 5 with a driver and a spoon).
Straight-Faced The description of a club with very little loft, such as a driving iron, or a driver that lacks the standard bulge and roll. (Because of the strong winds, he often drove with a straight-faced iron).
Sweet Spot The point on the clubface where, if it is struck with an object, the clubface will not torque or twist to either side. (To find the sweet spot on his putter, he held the grip with his thumb and forefinger and let it hang vertically. Then he tapped the face of the putter with the eraser-end of a pencil until the putter head moved back without any torquing or twisting).
Swingweight A measure of the effective weight of a club. (His driver had a D-8 swingweight, which is heavier-than-standard).
Swingweight Scale A device for measuring swingweight. (Every PGA Professional knows how to use a swingweight machine).
Vector A quantity or measure related to force that has both magnitude and direction. An important factor in determining the distance and direction a ball travels.
