a game in which clubs with wooden or metal heads are used to hit a small, white ball into a number of holes, usually 9 or 18, in succession, situated at various distances over a course having natural or artificial obstacles, the object being to get the ball into each hole in as few strokes as possible.
a word used in communications to represent the letter G.
1425–75; late Middle English; of uncertain origin
Golf is a game that involves using a club to hit a small ball into a series of cups laid out on a course. If golf seems too difficult, you might try taking up miniature golf — with a short course and whimsical obstacles — instead. Scotland is famous for its golf courses, and in fact the game was invented there during the 15th century. Golf comes from the Scottish gouf, an alteration of the Middle Dutch colf, "bat or club." The first known printed use of the word golf was in a statute banning the game — King James II believed that archery was more important and that golf was a distraction. Later monarchs enjoyed the game and lifted the ban.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I've played the golf course a lot, but I can't put my finger on what necessarily is needed," said the 2022 US Open winner.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
"The changes they've made to the golf course over the last few years, I think it's going to be a great golf tournament that tests all aspects of the game."
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
The stately, 9,694-square-foot residence overlooks the 17th fairway of The Governors Club golf course.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
But when he saw Mexican and Venezuelan army medics giving free services at a refugee camp the government set on a golf course here, he decided to bring his whole family by for a checkup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
How big it is and all the malls and tanning salons and even an indoor miniature golf course.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
Les Mielles Golf & Country Club was put on the market last month with a guide price of £9.95m.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Smith settled on Back Nine Golf, an indoor golf-simulator franchise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
The spinoff would be the second such move by Comcast, which last year completed the spinoff of its cable assets such as CNBC, USA Network and Golf Channel into a new entity called Versant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
The president went on to say he planned to renovate a "dilapidated, worn out, and very dangerous" golf course in Washington called East Potomac Golf Links, located on an island in the Potomac River.
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
And then one of the women from the Silver Springs Golf Club approaches.
From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti
He frequently golfs at his courses in Florida or Virginia on weekends, and he keeps in touch with golf personalities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 13, 2025
“It’s still hard, but that’s natural because a lot of players like golfing on the weekend,” said Jongseo Joseph Lee, president of the SoCal Dream Golf Club, who golfs twice a month on city courses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2025
She also golfs frequently and is reported to be playing off a handicap of low single figures.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 8, 2022
Ms. Benefield was diagnosed with asbestosis and has been on supplemental oxygen full-time since 2015, though she still golfs and bowls, she says.
From New York Times ● Feb. 25, 2022
Some parts, de wild golfs run 'roun' so thick a man hardly kin plough his fiel', 'thout carryin' six or eight shotguns on de plow.
From Lady Luck by Wiley, Hugh
In March of this year, Trump golfed with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in West Palm Beach, partnering in a club tournament Trump said the two men won.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2025
For years after the campaign, the two men golfed together, and as vice president Mr. Biden had Mr. Burris and his granddaughter into the White House.
From New York Times ● May 2, 2024
But his 0-1 curveball was golfed over the right-field fence.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2024
He golfed in Scotland, belonged to the Newport Beach Yacht Club, and flew his plane to tailgate at Notre Dame before football games.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 29, 2023
They no longer walked together, golfed together, and played tennis on the same side of the net.
From The Man with Two Left Feet And Other Stories by Wodehouse, P. G. (Pelham Grenville)
The two men were never best friends or golfing buddies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
In addition to teaching and writing, he enjoyed golfing, horseback riding, fighting City Hall over an environmental issue, volunteering in soup kitchens and speaking to youth organizations, according to his bio.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
While Hull embraces all-out aggression, Korda - who is firmly on track for golfing greatness - took a more pragmatic approach to winning her fourth major title.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
A few weeks afterward, I saw him golfing again and realized the friendship had quietly ended.
From MarketWatch ● May 27, 2026
Golfing with Eisman wasn’t like golfing with other Wall Street people.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
