NCG’s Golf Glossary: What is break?

Here at NCG we pride ourselves on being the publication for the everyday player, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to delve into the wonderful world of the golfing lexicon.

Sometimes the most obvious terms have the most interesting story, so you might find yourself an interesting conversation starter…

What is break in golf?

The break is the amount a ball moves left or right of a straight line on a putting green in response to the contours. It can also refer to how much the green slopes.

If the golfer decides there are three inches of break from right to left between his ball and the hole, he will aim three inches to the right of the hole.

Check out this amazing photo we took to illustrate the break…

How would you use it in a sentence?

Dave was sure his putt was going to break from left to right, but it turned out to be dead straight.

What are its origins?

While we think it’s rather self-explanatory, if anyone knows the origins of why the word “break” is used in golf, please get in touch.

Any other business?

When Tiger Woods left himself with a chip that had several feet of break from left to right on the 16th at Augusta in 2005…

Well, you know the story. Let’s enjoy it again.

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