Past tense of cleek: to strike a golf ball with a cleek (a type of long-headed iron club), or to hook or grasp something.
From Scottish 'cleek,' possibly derived from Old Norse 'klækja' meaning hook or crook. The golf term emerged in Scotland where the sport developed, and the verb form followed the standard English past tense pattern.
The word 'cleek' has almost disappeared from modern golf, but it reveals how sports equipment and terminology evolve—what was once a standard club name is now a museum piece, much like how 'niblick' and 'mashie' are forgotten relics of Victorian golf.
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