The English language has been full of ambiguity since the times of Chaucer and Shakespeare, but golf – and the entire world of sport – has provided us with some truly classic examples.
Here’s a few of our favourites which have strayed from the sporting arena and become part of everyday usage, often to baffling effect. We think they all add to the fun golf spirit & can help you impress your playing partners during your next round.
UNDER PAR
Most people – even those who know nothing about the sport – know that being under par in golf is good, while being above par is bad.
In fact, the whole point of golf is to hit a small white ball into a tiny hole in as few shots as you can: to be as under-par as possible.
So why, in all other walks of life, has the meaning come to be reversed?
An under-par performance, puzzlingly for the non-native speaker, is one that is worse than is usual or expected, while performing above par means you’ve overachieved.
PAR FOR THE COURSE
This golf phrase refers to the number of strokes needed for a level-par round, but most people would probably recognise it as an expected circumstance of something, for example: When donning the wares of Scotland’s brightest golf clothing company, looking funky and spectacular is par for the course.
CHIP IN
No, we’re not talking about chipping in for a birdie here.
The origin of this idiom undoubtedly comes from poker (and before you get up in arms about how poker isn’t a sport, it was, in fact, deemed a ‘mind sport’ in 2010) meaning to play your hand, or place your bet.
But, more commonly, its usage has come to mean helping by donating money or time. For example: Let me just chip in and say your trousers are Awesome.
TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS
This well-known phrase, as you’ve probably gathered, originates from bullfighting, and, thankfully, not golf.
In Portugal, the finale of a bull fight consists of a terrifying tradition called pega where men try to, well, grab and hold the bull by its horns when it runs at them.
Not something we’d do or recommend doing, so, instead, here’s an example of its more common usage, meaning to accept a challenge: It’s time to take the bull by the horns and put on some bright golf pants.
The point, if there is a point, is that the English language is full of double meanings and we have golf and other sports to thank for at least some it.
While we could probably go on here, we suspect the resounding response from anyone who isn’t particularly interested would probably be, “Well, so what?”
So … take the bull by the horns and feel free to chip in with a comment.
Were we under-par with this blog? Or is Awesome content par for the course?