Putt Is the Same Word as Put, Said Differently
A putt is a gentle golf stroke on the green. Its spelling records a Scottish pronunciation.
A putt is a gentle golf stroke intended to roll the ball into the hole. It is simply the verb *put* with a Scottish pronunciation, and the doubled t was added to keep that sound on paper. Golf's vocabulary is heavily Scots — *links*, *tee*, *caddie*, *bunker* and *divot* all came south with the game. A putt counts the same as a drive on the scorecard, which is why the saying runs *drive for show, putt for dough*.
- A golf stroke. *A short putt.*
- To strike gently. *Putting for par.*
- Putter — the club. *A putter.*
- Putting green. *The putting green.*
- Scots — a form of *put*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | putt | A putt. |
| Verb | putt | Putting. |
| Agent | putter | A putter. |
| Compound | putting green | The green. |
| Related | put | To put. |
- He sank a long putt.Golf.
- Putt is a Scots form of put.Etymology.
- Drive for show, putt for dough.Saying.
Scots words golf gave English
- Links — coastal dune land, from Old English *hlinc*
- Tee — the starting spot, of uncertain Scots origin
- Caddie — from French *cadet*, a younger son
- Bunker — a Scots word for a chest or sandy hollow
- Divot — Scots for a piece of turf
A Scottish form of *put*, with the spelling reflecting the vowel, recorded in golf from the 1700s.
Is putt the same word as put?
Yes. It is a Scottish pronunciation of put, spelled with a double t to mark the vowel.
Why is golf vocabulary so Scottish?
Because the modern game developed in Scotland, and its terms travelled with it.