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Sports Glossary
Learn the language of your game — answer-first definitions across every SwingVantage sport, each with a real example. Free to explore.
All sportsGolfTennisPickleballPadelBaseballSlow-Pitch SoftballFast-Pitch SoftballCricket Analysis Concepts
1191 terms
- Line Call EtiquetteIntermediateIn self-officiated play, the side of the court where the ball landed makes the call. Benefit of the doubt goes to the opponent on close or unsure calls, and calls are made immediately, not after the fact.Pickleball
- Line Drive RateIntermediateLine drive rate (LD%) is the share of batted balls that are line drives, usually hard-hit at a 0–25° launch angle. Liners have the highest expected batting average.Baseball
- Lineup StrategyAdvancedLineup strategy is building the batting order to score the most runs. On-base hitters go at the top, power in the middle, and reliable contact throughout.Slow-Pitch Softball
- LoadBeginnerThe load is the small backward gathering of the hands and weight just before the swing starts. It coils the body to store energy that fires into the ball.Baseball
- LoadBeginnerThe load is the backward weight shift and hand coil that sets the hitter in a ready, wound-up position before initiating the swing. In slow pitch, the load must happen early and hold while the long-arcing ball descends.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Load Timing (Hitting)IntermediateLoad timing is when and how a hitter shifts weight back and coils the upper body. It syncs to the pitcher's delivery, not a fixed internal clock.Fast-Pitch Softball
- LobIntermediateA lob is a high, arcing shot meant to clear a net player's reach. On defense it buys time; on offense, a topspin lob near the baseline can win the point.Tennis
- LobIntermediateA lob is a high-arcing shot hit over the opponents' heads, forcing them off the kitchen line and back toward the baseline.Pickleball
- LobBeginnerA lob is a high, deep shot over the opponents at the net that pushes them back. It is padel's most important defensive weapon for winning back a losing rally.Padel
- Lob DefenseBeginnerLob defense is using a high, deep shot over an approaching or net-positioned opponent. It buys time, resets the point, or forces a difficult overhead.Tennis
- Lob to the GlassIntermediateA lob to the glass is a defensive or neutralizing lob aimed to die close to the back glass, not just land deep. The wall cramps the bounce and denies the net pair an easy overhead.Padel
- Lob Wedge ShotIntermediateA lob wedge shot uses the most-lofted club in the bag (58–64°) for a high, soft landing. It works best for carrying a hazard and stopping fast on a small target.Golf
- Local RuleIntermediateA local rule is a course- or competition-specific change adopted by the committee running play. It commonly covers embedded balls, temporary conditions like winter rules, or unique course features the standard Rules of Golf do not address.Golf
- Loft GappingIntermediateLoft gapping checks that neighboring clubs, especially wedges, are spaced in even loft and yardage steps, with no big distance gaps or overlaps.Golf
- Long Backswing Timing IssueIntermediateA long backswing timing issue is a backswing that takes longer than the ball allows. The forward swing is rushed or unfinished, however clean it looks.Tennis
- Long Toss ProgramIntermediateA long toss program is a planned throwing routine for arm strength and conditioning. Players gradually throw well past game distance, then work back down.Baseball
- Loop BackswingIntermediateA loop backswing takes the racquet back and up, then drops it down into the forward swing. The circular path builds racquet-head speed and rhythm.Tennis
- Loss of Balance on Stretch ShotsIntermediateLoss of balance on stretch shots is reaching past a stable base for a wide, low, or hard-hit ball. The center of mass falls away from the shot at contact.Tennis
- Loss of PostureIntermediateLoss of posture is any change in spine angle, knee flex, or forward bend from the address position during the swing. It shifts the swing's plane and low point away from where they were originally set.Golf
- Lost BallBeginnerA ball is officially lost if it isn't found within three minutes of the group beginning to search for it. Once that window closes, the golfer must take stroke-and-distance relief, replaying the shot from its original spot plus a one-stroke penalty.Golf
- Low Draw ShotAdvancedA low draw shot launches low on purpose and curves right to left, running out far on landing. It can get under trouble on the right or add roll on firm fairways.Golf
- Low PointProLow point is where the clubhead reaches the bottom of its arc through impact. Controlling it — keeping it at or just ahead of the ball with irons — is the basis of pure contact.Golf
- Low-Spin MissAdvancedA low-spin miss has sharply reduced backspin, usually from a thin or low-face strike. It flies on an unstable, "knuckling" path instead of a controlled flight.Golf
- Lower-Body SlideIntermediateA lower-body slide is excessive sideways movement of the hips toward the target in the downswing, without matching rotation. It pushes the swing's low point too far forward and leaves the upper body behind.Golf
- Lunging (Batting)BeginnerLunging is a timing fault where a hitter commits weight and stride forward too early. It drains rotational power before the swing even begins.Baseball
- Mallet PutterBeginnerA mallet putter has a large, often geometric head weighted toward its edges for forgiveness. Many are face-balanced to suit a straighter stroke.Golf
- Manufacturing RunsIntermediateManufacturing runs is the execution of a sequence of small offensive actions — walks, bunts, steals, contact hits, and productive outs — that collectively score a run without requiring extra-base power.Fast-Pitch Softball
- Match Play vs Stroke PlayBeginnerStroke play scores every shot across the whole round for a cumulative total. Match play scores hole by hole, awarding each hole to whoever takes fewer strokes on it. So a single bad hole only costs one point, not a pile of extra strokes.Golf
- Match Tiebreak (10-Point)BeginnerA match tiebreak (or "super tiebreak") is a first-to-10-points breaker, won by two clear points. It is played instead of a full third set in many doubles and some singles formats.Tennis
- Measured ValueBeginnerA measured value comes from a real sensor or instrument, like a launch monitor, radar gun, or wearable. It is not inferred or estimated from video or rules.Analysis Concepts
- Mercy RuleBeginnerThe mercy rule is the informal name for the run rule. The rule that ends a game early when the scoring gap becomes too large to be competitive, protecting player safety and league scheduling.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Middle BallIntermediateA middle ball is a shot aimed directly between two opponents in doubles, designed to create confusion about who should take it and generate communication errors.Pickleball
- Middle Infield Bunt CoverageIntermediateMiddle infield bunt coverage is the shortstop and second baseman's job on a bunt. They cover second and third base and back up throws as others field it.Fast-Pitch Softball
- Middle Infield CommunicationIntermediateMiddle infield communication is how the shortstop and second baseman coordinate, by voice and signal, on cutoffs, bag coverage, and pop-up priority. It helps avoid collisions and missed assignments.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Mis-Hit CausesBeginnerMis-hits usually trace to four root causes: contact timing, footwork spacing, balance, or grip mismatch. Finding the one that repeats is the fastest fix.Tennis
- Mis-Hit Diagnosis (Slow-Pitch)AdvancedMis-hit diagnosis traces a weak or misdirected batted ball to its specific mechanical cause: timing, bat path, contact point, or body position.Slow-Pitch Softball
- Mobile Motion CaptureIntermediateMobile motion capture is the process of using a smartphone camera and on-device pose estimation to track body movement in real time or from a recorded clip — no specialized hardware required.Analysis Concepts
- Mock / Demo DataBeginnerMock or demo data is example data used to show how a feature works, in demos, sample reports and previews. SwingVantage labels it Sample so it is not mistaken for real athlete data.Analysis Concepts
- Moment of Inertia (MOI)AdvancedMoment of inertia (MOI) measures a clubhead's resistance to twisting on off-center hits. A higher MOI keeps the face more stable at impact, so perimeter-weighted, forgiving clubs retain more ball speed on mishits.Golf
- Momentum Shift in a MatchAdvancedA momentum shift is a clear change in which player controls a match. Breaks of serve, long games won on key points, and runs of games often trigger it.Tennis
- Moon BallIntermediateA moon ball is a very high, heavily topspun groundstroke. It disrupts rhythm and buys recovery time without going as high or defensive as a lob.Tennis
- Motion CaptureIntermediateMotion capture tracks a golfer's body in 3D to build a precise digital skeleton for swing analysis. It traditionally uses reflective markers and several cameras.Golf
- Motion LabBeginnerMotion Lab is where SwingVantage analyzes your swing video, right in your browser. It tracks your body, grades the clip and leads you to one thing to work on, with a 3D view you can rotate and scrub.Analysis Concepts
- Motor LearningIntermediateMotor learning is the science of how the nervous system learns, refines, and retains skilled movement. It explains how practice actually changes your swing.Analysis Concepts
- Movement PatternIntermediateA movement pattern is the sequence of footwork steps a player uses to reach the ball, execute the shot, and recover to position — combining split step, approach steps, stance, and recovery.Tennis
- Movement SequencingAdvancedMovement sequencing is the timed order in which body segments accelerate and decelerate through a swing — correct sequencing multiplies speed; incorrect sequencing bleeds it.Analysis Concepts
- MulliganBeginnerA mulligan is an informal "do-over": hitting a second ball after a poor shot without counting the first one. It has no basis in the actual rules of golf and is purely a casual, friendly-round convention.Golf
- Muscle MemoryIntermediateMuscle memory is how a movement like the swing becomes automatic through repetition. It lets you swing without conscious thought.Golf
- Narrow StanceBeginnerA narrow stance puts the feet inside shoulder width, trading some stability for freer hip rotation. It suits shorter shots like chips, pitches, and short irons.Golf
- Natural Gut StringAdvancedNatural gut is made from cow intestine. It offers the most elasticity, tension retention, and comfort of any string, but costs more and is less durable.Tennis
- Net Approach TimingIntermediateNet approach timing is when a player moves in to the net, relative to their shot and the opponent's reply. The aim is to split step as the opponent hits.Tennis
- Net ControlBeginnerNet control means a pair holding the front of the court, padel's dominant attacking position. They volley down and smash, while the back pair can only defend and lob.Padel
- Net Dominance StrategyIntermediateNet Dominance Strategy is the core tactical framework of padel. Both players in a pair occupy the net zone, control the point with aggressive volleys and smashes, and use positioning to force opponents into defensive lobs that can be punished.Padel
- Net Position Communication (Doubles)IntermediateNet position communication is how a padel pair coordinates spacing at the net, often without words. Partners mirror each other so the middle and sides stay covered.Padel
- Net Score vs Gross ScoreBeginnerGross score is the actual number of strokes taken. Net score subtracts a player's course handicap from that total, letting golfers of different skill levels compete on a fair, adjusted basis.Golf
- Net ZoneBeginnerThe Net Zone, closest to the net, is padel's dominant attacking position. Players there can volley, smash, and pressure opponents without the glass being a factor.Padel
- Net-to-Back TransitionIntermediateThe Net-to-Back Transition is the movement a pair makes from the attacking net zone to the defensive back position when lobbed. This requires synchronized retreat, correct positioning, and immediate readiness to play off the back glass.Padel
- Neutral Ball FlightIntermediateA neutral ball flight starts at the target and flies with little sideways curve. It happens when the clubface angle and swing path nearly match at impact.Golf
- Neutral GripBeginnerA neutral grip shows 2–2.5 lead-hand knuckles at address, with the trail palm facing the target. It is the "middle" grip position that squares the face without extra hand manipulation.Golf
- Neutral Rally BallBeginnerA neutral rally ball is a moderate-pace, high-margin shot hit deep and crosscourt. It keeps the rally going without risk or giving up the initiative.Tennis
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