THE LANGUAGE OF GOLF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 253, 24 October 1936, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE LANGUAGE OF GOLF.

Origin Of Its Various Terms.

HOW SPECIAL VOCABULARY DEVELOPED.

4C/"iOLF, a game peculiar to Scotland." Ij This is the definition given in one old dictionary. The golfer accepts his golf vocabulary as he accepts his shaving water in the morning—as a matter of course. Seldom, does it enter his head to wonder where, when and how such terms came into use. The name of the game itself —gowf, gowff, or golf—is a Scottish word meaning a stroke. So a game in which a consecutive number of strokes were played became "golf." To realise the antiquity of the game, one' must recall the fact that as far back as 1457 a measure was passed by the Scots Parliament forbidding the playing of golf, because its widespread popularity was interfering with the practice of archery, necessary for defence purposes against the English. North of the Tweed the word "links" is associated with the older type of golf course, such as Leith Links, St. Andrews Links and Musselburgh Links. Any undulating stretch of ground beside the sea is commonly referred to as the links. The term alludes to the windings of a river. Inland courses are comparatively recent in their construction. The x modern luxurious club and clubhouse have materialised to meet the requirements of modern society. On the old links all and sundry are welcomed on the payment of a small fee, and the formality of introduction is unnecessary if one does not make use of the clubhouse. The- reason for this ig that in Scotland the links belong to the burgesses and not to private individuals. / "Shot" is a very controversial word, and there was a day when the old-time golf reporter would not dream of using it. A "shot" is not made with a club, any more than it is made frith a cricket bat. "Shot" in English should be reserved for shooting. The Scotticism "shot" is continually used in the north to denote a move in any game where strength and skill of hand and eye are involved. When the Sassenach adopted golf he also imported this terminological inexactitude. Curlers use the expression "Shot." to show their appreciation of a well-thrown stone. Tee and Putt. On reaching the teeing ground it is customary to take advantage of the privilege allowed, and "tee" the golf ball on a "point of vantage." The word "tee," during its travels, has lost its first form of "sted," meaning to place or establish. Like "putt," tee is not confined to golf alone, but stands for the goal in curling and the mark set up in the sea of mud by the players of quoits. That most tantalising of strokes, the "putt," has its origin associated with other games and pastimes besides golf. In the Highlands there is a game popular among young men called "Putting the stane" or "Putting the hamnjßr. The object of this is to see who will throw a stone farthest from the hand raised over the head. The expression "putting-bull" is used to describe an animal that is given to pushing with its horns: but, strictly, speaking, putting 011 a golf course is not a push but a "follow through," after the actual act of hitting. " , "Colonel Bogey" is a man of tireless oneroy. He never grows any younger: but he keeps his youth and vigour, and plavs the same consistent game as in his' far-off vouth. The colonel never -ives anything away, neither does lie make mistakes. The spectjjp of the golf course derives his name from "Bengal," a. species of hobgoblin.

Children at bed-time used to be subdued by the threat of a visit from the Bogey-man. - If a Scottish ploughman says he is going to put up a "bogey" lie intends to set up a scarecrow, and the colopel is the spectre at the feast" to many golfers. In domestic speech a bunker is a chest for holding coal, and as being bunkered often causes black depression to the golfer this seems quite a feasible explanation of its absorption into the game. The correct history of the word as used in the golfing sense—meaning a "slough of despond" —is to be found in the Scots vernacular. Originally bunker was "bu-kow," signifying anything frightful. "Bu" is an expression used in some districts to frighten children. "Kow" also conveys the idea of fear, as well as to overbear. "Kowe," the noun, is used to describe a frightful object. When the country folk gathered round the fireside on winter nights and told stories to one another about the goblins, witches, the witch was said to ride on her "kowe." "Fore!" and the Stymie. On hearing the warning shout of "Fore!" one instinctively ducks one's head. Few know the correct meaning of this golf ejaculation. Some believe it refers to the fore-caddy sent on in front to see if the way is clear. But the more probable explanation is that "Fore!" has been Anglicized, and the spelling altered. In the Doric of the fifteenth century, when golf was extensively played in Scotland, there was a word "Foor," signifying "hasten." It denoted a desire on the golfer's part that the worthy burgess, promenading the links, shouid hasten and remove himself from the line of play and danger. The links being common ground, the burgess had a right primary to that of the golfer, and had the privilege of

being on the linlo where and when he liked. On the St. Andrews Slinks the burgess still lias the right to dry his shirt on washing days, and before steps could be taken to regulate the movements of spectators during the open championship in 1033 a special Act of Parliament had to be passed. If a Scottish child has a small tubercle on the' eyelid, he tells you lie has a "stye on his eye." Many golfers consider a "stymie" an eyesore, and the two words are from the same source. Authorities on the Scottish dialect tell us that "stymie" means "One whose vision is indistinct," and further, that it denotes "the awkward movements of one who sees indistinctly." In other words an obstruction to clear vision. This definition is singularly appropriate and descriptive, when we recollect the antics and attitude struck by some people when confronted by the dreaded nemesis of the putting green. The Driver and the Brassie. Who would think of associating the Vikings with golf? These enterprising gentlemen came to Scotland's shores as uninvited guests, equipped with a clublike weapon. Those ancient clubmakers believed in "works of art _ studded with nails. With this useful implement some of them drove themselves forcibly into and made their homes permanently Scotland. This possibly would be the origin of the 'ceremony observed annually by the Royal and Ancient Club, where the new captain celebrates his election by driving himself into office from the first tee. The accomplished fact is announced by the firing of a cannon. Besides their clubs, the Norsemen brought with them a word, drit-a, (riving the definite idea of something forcibly driven. In this manner the driver, as golfers know it to-day, can claim a long pedigree. Many people use a brassie instead of a driver. This club does not get its name from the metal which guards the sole, because the earliest clubs were protected with bone. France has supplied the root in "brase, brass" —to bind or tie. The number one iron was originally called a "cleek," before the idea of numbering clubs came into fashion. Primitive clubs were made of wood, till some bright golfer invented an iron club. This implement closely resembled, an iron hook, and naturally the user found it easier to get the ball off the ground with it. Now a Scotsman of the old school would say that he would "howk" or hook a ball out of an indifferent lie,

and the Scottish term for hook is "deck." If you go into a butcher's shop in practically any part of Scotland, the butcher will tell you that lie "eleeks up" his meat, meaning that he hooks it up out of the way. The spoon gets its name from the fact that tho first clubmakers were carpenters to trade, and to get the necessary loft they first made the wooden club, and then took thin shavings off the face to suit the tastes of individual golfers. Tho word "spon" means shavings of wood, and is derived from the Icelandic "sponn," and must have come into Scotland from the Orkney and Shetland Islands. In Scottish country districts there lingers a word "nib," meaning to pincli or press. Tho Highland shepherd uses a walking stick called his "nibbie," which has an iroji hook; this he uses for pulling stray members of his flock out of awkward positions. There is an old Scots phrase, "Gin I get hand of my nibbie, I'se reesle your riggin for ye"; this translated is, "If I get hold of my niblick I'll Any your skin for you." The golfer has often in jest threatened to use his "nibbie" 011 a friend when he has had an unexpected reverse. The baflie goes abroad to find a birthplace, and is derived from the French "baff"—a stroke or blow. Like so many other French words, it was absorbed into the Scottish language through the two countries having 11 common pact against their hereditary foe, England. Tho masliie is a club all golfers possess, either in single blessedness or supported by other members of the masliie family. Invariably this kind of club is used for rough work. Many homes where the Doric is spoken have a culinary implement named the "tattiemasher." This is used not only for pounding the homely potato, but under stress of circumstances it has become a weapon of aggression or defence for the housewife. A "masli-liammer" is a heavy hammer used for breaking stones, and tho masliie enters tho field as a heavy club for playing off stones. When the first golfer, in his enthusiasm, raised an ample piece of "terra flrma" into the air, he naturally wished to call tho lump of mortification something, and turned to the homely term "divot." This is a thin, flat, oblong of turf, used for covering the roofs of the crofters' cottages in the Highlands of Scotland. It is also used for fuel, and in ite natural state, before being stacked and dried, is called peat.—D. Park in "John 0' London's Weekly."