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Glossary of Golfing Terms - W

This page of our glossary of golfing terms is for golfing terms which begin with the letter 'W'.

• Waggle - Some players move the club backwards and forwards before playing a stroke. This can either be a nervous habit, or to rehearse the feel of the stroke or to help keep the muscles from becoming tense.
• Walk-over - When an opponent fails to appear at an arranged time, a golfer receives a walk-over and proceeds to the next round of a match play competition.
• Water hazard - These include sea, lakes, rivers, streams, ditches, or anything ruled to be a water hazard, regardless of whether it contains water.
• Wedge - A pitching club with more loft than a nine-iron, varying between different models of club. The sole is usually broad but, unlike the sand iron, the leading edge is lower than the trailing edge.
• Weight transfer - Movement of the weight backwards and forwards during the golf swing.
• Whipping - On a wooden club, thread wound round the point where the shaft fits into the head in order to strengthen the joint and support the wooden neck.
• Whippy - Used of a club shaft which flexes more than the norm.
• Width - Used of a swing with a wide arc.
• Winter greens - Prepared surfaces, sometimes of fairly poor quality, for putting on when it is desirable not to play on the normal greens. Usually brought into play when the ground is very wet or frosted.
• Winter rules - These usually permit a player to clean his ball through the green and move it a short distance to a more favorable lie.
• Winter tees - Tees provided to rest the normal tees while there is little or no growth of grass.
• Wood - A club which is normally used for distance shots such as the tee shot. The head was traditionally made of wood, but is now often made of metal, or graphite.
• Wry-necked - The name given to putters with a pronounced curve in the neck designed to improve the playing qualities of the club.