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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
Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Since the first duffers teed off in 1924, this Scottish course has gained repute as one of the world’s top golf spots.
—Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
For many enthusiasts, these innovations make the game more appealing and even addictive, enabling duffers on public courses to command drives and putts that golfers floundering on the sandy Scottish links more than 600 years ago could never imagine.
—Miles Corwin, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 June 2025
Finally, and a must for a duffer like me, is a quirky little nine-hole golf course — Chula Vista — that’s monstrously hilly, twisting, tree-and-ravine-laden, with impossible slanting greens.
—Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for duffer
Cite this Entry
“Duffer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duffer. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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