Did you know?
Duffers have never really been straight shooters-on or off the golf course. The original duffers of the mid-18th century were shysters of the first order, merchants who palmed off trashy goods as if they were highly valuable (they often implied to unwary buyers that the goods had been smuggled and were very rare). Over time, the meaning of duffer was extended from a no-good peddler to anyone who was "no good," not just because the individual had low morals, but because he or she was incompetent or stupid. The term has been applied to hopelessly bad golfers since the late 19th century.
Examples of duffer in a Sentence
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2022
Erickson was her boat's duffer and responsible for the map, but had been too distracted socializing.
—Madison Karas, Star Tribune, 30 June 2021
Certainly there is value in showing clips of Al Michaels’ golf swing, which made every duffer feel better about his/her swing, and in breaking down clips of Phil Mickelson tossing a football (quicker release than Trey Lance).
—Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 Nov. 2021
Playing on the same course as some of the game’s greatest golfers can do that to a duffer like me, or any golfer, no matter their skill level.
—oregonlive, 5 July 2021
The designer and builder of the putting strips shown here says any patio putter or deck duffer can do the same.
—Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 19 June 2021
Trump is the unmasked duffer clutching the wheel of a golf cart, zipping over knolls while his caddie — also unmasked — hangs off the back.
—Washington Post, 18 Nov. 2020
Donald Trump’s recent public appearances have been as a spectral duffer on his own golf course and as a disembodied voice in a news release congratulating the U.S. Marine Corps on its 245th birthday.
—Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2020
At the Lajitas Golf Resort, on an emerald course shimmering in the Chihuahuan Desert, the duffers and ringers were teeing off each morning last week.
—John MacCormack, San Antonio Express-News, 1 June 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'duffer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near duffer
Cite this Entry
“Duffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duffer. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Share