Golf Glossary - 'W'

waggle - the movement of a player and his golf club prior to or during the address position. A waggle is specific to each individual golfer and may involve the back and forth movement of the club head in an attempt to get comfortable or stay loose prior to making the anticipated shot.

waste area - an area of the golf course that is in play but is relatively unkempt such that it acts as a hazard area but is not necessarily played under the strict rules of a hazard.

water hazard - any sea, lake, pond, ditch, etc. whether or not there is any water in it. Usually marked with either red or yellow stakes (sometimes lines) (see also "lateral hazard"). Example: "The course had numerous water hazards and they were all in very difficult locations."

wedge - (aka: "pitching wedge", "sand wedge", "lob wedge", "third wedge", "utility wedge") one of the shortest clubs in a players bag. An iron with greater than 48 degrees loft causing much higher loft than when the ball is played with other irons. As a result a wedge is typically used to play shorter distance shots. Example: "On the third hole Jo-anne played driver , 3 iron, and a wedge to get on the green in regulation but proceeded to make a bogie."

whipping - a very thin waxed string type substance similar in strength and texture fut thinner than fishing line used to assist in the attaching of a golf shaft into a wooden clubhead. Given that most woods are now constructed of metal, whipping is seldom seen anymore. Example: "The whipping on Adrienne's old driver is coming unraveled and she doesn't know where to get it fixed."

windcheater - (aka: "wind cheater") a shot hit on a particularly low trajectory and as such avoids being negatively impacted by the wind, irrespective of whether the trajectory was intended or not. Example: "By the time we got to the 18th tee the only way to hit the ball further than 150 yards off the tee was to hit a windcheater as hard as you could."

winter rules - (aka: "preferred lies", "improved lies", "bumping it") a local rule under which a player can improve his lie without penalty.

wood - Originally used to differentiate the clubs with wooden heads from the irons which were constructed of metal. In modern day golf more often used to describe a club whose clubhead is particularly large and shaped like a driver. The term metal wood is now often used instead of wood as it more accurately describes the type of material and the particular club in question. Example: Phil has only one [metal] wood in his bag and prefers to use his two iron off the tee."

wormburner - (aka: "worm burner") a shot with such a low trajectory that it skims the ground such that the ball would be burning up any worms on the surface of the ground. The result of striking the ball particularly thin. You can usually hear a wormburner and although the shot may be effective it is never intentional. Example: "Looking at Joe's swing you would think he hit the ball a mile but he hit a wormburner that ended up about 75 yards down the fairway."