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WHENEVER the Solheim Cup, Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup comes to your TV set, prepare to hear “ham and egg” become a verb during the four-ball matches.
The announcers will not be referring to the breakfast you may be preparing in a few hours or the Dr. Seuss story you may be reading your wee one.
They probably will be complimenting two teammates who are complementing each other, perhaps because ham (particularly in the form of bacon) and eggs work so well together on a plate. But, specifically, in a match where the best ball of two counts, “ham and egging” will mean this:
WHEN ONE PLAYER HAS A BAD HOLE, THE OTHER PLAYER HAS A GOOD HOLE.
A bit of Googling on the origin of the term revealed a mystery. According to one site, the term “ham and egger” refers to an ordinary, regular, or even incompetent person. Urban Dictionary lists a variety of meanings for “ham and egged,” including being fleeced or taken advantage of. But it seems that the golf meaning has morphed into other sports to mean that players are picking each other up — antonym of “oil and water.”
In any case, if you catch the announcers saying, “They’re ham and egging it well,” know that they’re being redundant. In golf, ham and eggs are always good.
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