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Major
1. one of four annual tournaments (The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open or PGA) 2. could also refer to a tournament of greater significance than usual due to tradition or the sanctioning body
Example: There are four Majors/Major Championships. 2. Many sanctioning bodies have what they call their Major Championships.
makeable
(fairly subjective) commonly used by commentators in broadcasts, refers to a putt (or short game shot) that is relatively straight forward and predictable in terms of the read (e.g., slope, speed) but with a length which would not necessarily
suggest good odds on holing
Example: This is a makeable putt; we've seen more than one go in from about this position today.
mark
(also "spot") to put down a ballmarker (usually a small flat object, like a dime) to be able to replace the ball precisely in its original location after lifting (usually, but not exclusively, on the green)
Example: Jim's ball was lying right where I was going to place my foot, so I had him mark/spot it.
marker
(also "ball marker") usually a small, flat object (like a dime) used to mark the ball's position (usually, but not exclusively, on the green) while other players putt and/or the ball is cleaned
Example: When you're on the green you may mark the position of your ball with a marker/ballmarker.
markers
(also "tee markers, blocks, tee blocks") two objects that indicate the foreward boundary of the teeing area
Example: The markers/tee markers/blocks/tee blocks had been moved forward since yesterday.
marshal
1. a person designated by a tournament committee to help with crowd control and to keep order 2. a person designated to patrol the course, keeping an eye out for problems in general, but usually present to promote a reasonable pace of play
or keep things moving
Example: The marshal/ranger told the gallery to move back to make room for Byron's swing.
mashie
archaic term for a 5 iron
Example: Her mashie was well-worn from much use.
mashie iron
archaic term for a 4 iron
Example: Her mashie iron was shiny and new compared to her more lofted iron clubs.
mashie niblick
archaic term for a 7 iron
Example: Her mashie niblick was well-worn from much practice.
match play
scoring by holes rather than strokes, the way golf was originally played
Example: The winner of a match play competition is the player who has won the most holes, not necessarily the player with the fewest total strokes.
medalist
the player in a stroke play, or medal play, competition with the fewest strokes/lowest score, the winner
Example: The medalist received the maximum award allowable by the rules of golf for an amateur.
medal play
(also "stroke play") scoring by the total number of strokes
Example: The PGA Championship used to be decided by match play, but now it is a medal play/stroke play competition.
member bounce
(also "member's bounce, lucky kick") a very favorable (lucky) bounce or kick of the ball
Example: Sally feared her ball was headed out of bounds, but she was saved by a member's bounce.
mid mashie
archaic term for a 3 iron
Example: Her mashie iron was often left at home.
middle iron
(also "mid iron, mid-iron") generally irons 5 through 7, which are in the middle of the range of irons in terms of length, loft, etc.
Example: She was left with only a middle iron into the green on the par 5 10th hole after hitting a very long tee shot.
misclub
choosing the wrong club (usually associated with good execution but an incorrect distance result)
Example: I hit my 6 iron very solidly, but realized I had misclubbed when it fell 20 yards short of the green.
mishit
to not hit a shot solidly
Example: A 6 iron was the correct choice; I just mishit it.
misread
to incorrectly assess the break of a putt or chip shot
Example: Wow, that was an extreme misread -- it broke in the opposite direction.
modified *
(as in a modified tournament format) * This is just a note rather than a definition.
Obviously the word modified is not specifically a golf term. When a tournament format is called "modified" it means the standard format is altered in some way (there are many different ways in which it can be changed).
Each event should have its own explanation of the format and a tournament committee who can clarify it. (See tournament formats, golf games, competitions, betting, etc.)
more club
(also "club up") using a longer, less lofted club
Example: Apparently Josh needed more club, based on the fact that his ball only made it halfway across the pond.
moving day
Saturday of a tournament taking place Thursday through Sunday, refers to the fact that it is common for a field of professional golfers to go through a substantial reshuffling in the standings once the cut has been made and as the final day of a
tournament nears
Example: On moving day some players climb up the scoreboard and some players plummet.
Mulligan
(also "breakfast ball, lunch ball, Sunday ball") taking a second attempt (replay, "do over") at a shot when one doesn't like the result of the first attempt
Example: Taking a Mulligan/breakfast ball/lunch ball/Sunday ball is not allowed in the rules of golf, but is usually tolerated (only if time allows) in casual play.
muni
short for a municipal or city owned golf course
Example: The dress code at a muni might be more relaxed than at a private club.
muscle back
(also muscle-back, muscle-backed") a style of iron head with a thick amount of metal on the lower half or two-thirds of its back side (thicker than a traditional blade iron and almost the opposite of "cavity-back" or "perimeter-weighted" designs)
Example: Muscle back irons were more popular in the 1970's than they are now.
muscle memory
a phrase referring to the nervous system's ability to memorize, or perform automatically, a well rehearsed motion
Example: His muscle memory seems to be exquisite, as every swing looks exactly the same.
The ABC's of Golf 
