From Augusta’s fairways to your next metaphorical mulligan, the language of golf has reached far beyond the course. In this witty and word-rich episode of Lexiconned, we explore the origins, myths, and double meanings behind 18 iconic golf terms—from par and birdie to duff, shank, and mulligan.

Whether you're a scratch golfer or a vocabulary duffer, this episode tees up the surprising ways golf talk has made its way into everyday speech—and culture at large.

Warning: May cause spontaneous whispering and sudden urges to wear pastel.

#podcast #language #golf #Masters

Sources

• Oxford English Dictionary – Entries for “par,” “bogey,” “mulligan,” “fore,” and more
• Online Etymology Dictionary – Golf term origins, including “hook,” “slice,” “duff,” and “drive”
• The USGA and R&A – Official rules and definitions of golf terms
• “The Historical Dictionary of Golfing Terms” by Peter Davies
• Atlantic City Country Club Archives – Birdie origin story
• The New York Times & Maclean’s Magazine – First printed use of “eagle”
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (re: albatross)
• BBC Sports History Archives – Bogeyman and Colonel Bogey references
• Golf Digest & Golf.com – Cultural references and Masters history
• The Simpsons, Season 1–34 – Honorary source for “Duff”

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