Hit poorly or clumsily, especially in golf; bungled or made a bad shot.
Past tense of 'duff,' possibly from Scottish English, with unclear origins. Some suggest it's related to 'doff' (to remove) or could derive from 'duff' meaning to move heavily. It became standardized golf terminology in the 19th century.
Golfers have been saying they 'duffed' their shots for over 100 years—it's the perfect onomatopoetic word because 'duff' just sounds like a weak, sad hit. There's something almost sympathetic about the word that lets you confess your terrible shot with a little humor.
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