golfer

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   a person who plays golf.

   Grammar: Countable: one golfer, two golfers.

   Patterns

   • a good golfer
   • an amateur golfer
   • a professional golfer
   • play golf with a golfer

   My uncle is a keen golfer and plays every weekend.

   She became a professional golfer after winning the national championship.

   The club has many members, but only a few are serious golfers.

2. 2nouncountable

   a person who plays golf as a job, especially in competitions.

   Grammar: Often used with 'professional' or 'pro' to make the job clear.

   Patterns

   • professional golfer
   • tour golfer
   • top golfer

   He earns a lot of money as a professional golfer.

   The tournament attracted golfers from all over the world.

   She is one of the top golfers on the women's tour.

Word forms

Common combinations

keen golfer

He is a keen golfer and never misses a weekend game.

professional golfer

She turned professional golfer at the age of twenty.

amateur golfer

As an amateur golfer, he cannot accept prize money.

accomplished golfer

She is an accomplished golfer with a low handicap.

golfer's swing

His golfer's swing is smooth and powerful.

Synonyms and how they differ

player

A general word for someone who plays a sport or game; 'golfer' is more specific.

linksman

An old-fashioned word for a golfer, rarely used today.

Word family

golf noun

A game in which players hit a small ball into holes using clubs.

golfing adjective

Relating to golf, as in 'a golfing holiday'.

golf club noun

A stick used to hit the ball, or a place where people play golf.

Commonly confused: golfer or gopher?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “golfer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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