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niblick

/ˈnɪblɪk/
IPA guide

Other forms: niblicks

A niblick is an old-fashioned kind of heavy golf club. The modern name for a niblick is a nine iron.

When golf was brand new, all clubs were handmade out of wood, but as the sport grew more popular they became standardized and were sometimes made of iron. These iron clubs — or irons — originally had distinct individual names, including niblick, as well as "cleek" and "mashie," and were used from about 1903 until the 1930s. A niblick became known as a "nine iron," just one in a list of numbered iron clubs. The origin of the word niblick remains a complete mystery.

Definitions of niblick
  1. noun
    an iron with considerable loft
    synonyms: nine iron
    see moresee less
    type of:
    iron
    a golf club that has a relatively narrow metal head
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