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