Lag A shot (usually a pitch, chip or putt) designed to finish short of the target. (Since the green was severely sloped from back to front, he hit a lag putt that stopped just short of the hole.)

Lateral Slide or Shift A movement early in the forward swing in which the hips begin to slide to the target and rotate while, at the same time, weight begins to shift from the trail side to the target side. The timing of this motion is crucial to a proper swing. (The commentators were impressed by the young player's lateral shift).

Lay Off When the swing plane flattens out at the top of the back swing, it causes the club to point to the side of the target and the face to close. (His PGA Professional watched him hit a few balls and then told him that he was getting the club laid off at the top of his backswing.)

Learning Center A complete practice and instruction facility, which may or may not be on the site of a golf course. (While there was no golf course nearby, she was able to work on her game at the local learning center).

Level-Par A term describing a score of even par. (Jones was level-par after the first round of the Open).

Lever System The skeletal system is composed of numerous bones which, in mechanical terms, act as levers. The two primary levers in the golf swing are: 1) the target arm, comprised of the radius and ulna of the lower arm and the humerus in the upper arm, and 2) the club when the target wrist becomes cocked.

Lie As it relates to the ball, the position of the ball when it has come to rest. (He hit his drive into the rough, but luckily had a good lie). As it relates to the club, it is the angle of the sole of the club relative to the shaft. (He liked the sand wedge but the lie was too flat.)

Lights-Out A slang term describing an outstanding round or stretch of holes. (She played lights-out after the turn).

Line The intended path of the ball, usually referred to in the context of putting. (She judged the line perfectly and made the putt).

Line of Flight The actually path of the ball. (There was a grandstand in his line of flight, so the Rules official allowed him to take a drop without penalty).

Links The term for a course built on linksland, which is land reclaimed from the ocean. It is not just another term for a golf course. (The Old Course at St. Andrews is the most famous links in the world.)

Lob Shot A short, high shot, usually played with a wedge, designed to land softly. (He played a delicate lob shot over the bunker and saved his par).

Loft The degree of angle on the clubface, with the least loft on a putter and the most on a sand wedge. (Tom Kite popularized the sand wedge with 60-degrees of loft.) It also describes the act of hitting a shot. (Kite lofted his approach over the pond).

Long Irons The 1-4 irons. (The long irons are often difficult for people to hit, so PGA Professionals often recommend replacing them with fairway woods.)

Looking Up The act of prematurely lifting your head to follow the flight of the ball, which also raises the swing center and can result in erratic ballstriking. (Once she stopped looking up, her scoring improved dramatically).

Loop The shape of the swing when the backswing and forward swing are in different planes. (Jim Furyk has a distinct loop in his swing but his swing is very effective). Loop also refers to a round of golf. (The caddie finished his morning loop and then went right back out without eating lunch.)