Common Golf Terms
hese are the common golf words and phrases you’ll hear out on the course. Whether you’re playing for the first time or just want to brush up, this glossary makes it easy to understand what everyone is talking about—so you can enjoy the game and keep up with the action.
A
Ace: A hole-in-one; the ball goes into the hole on the first shot.
Address: The position you take before hitting the ball.
Aim: The direction you point the clubface before swinging.
Air Shot (Whiff): A swing that completely misses the ball.
Albatross (Double Eagle): Scoring three under par on a hole.
Alignment: How your body lines up with your target.
All Square: A tied match in match play.
Amateur: A golfer who doesn’t play for prize money.
Approach Shot: A shot hit toward the green.
Apron (Fringe): The short grass around the green.
Away: The ball farthest from the hole; that player hits next.
A-Wedge (Approach Wedge / Gap Wedge): A wedge between a pitching wedge and sand wedge.
B
Back Nine: The last nine holes of an 18‑hole course (holes 10–18).
Backspin: Spin that makes the ball stop quickly or roll backward after landing.
Backswing: The part of the swing where the club moves away from the ball.
Ball Marker: A small object used to mark the position of your ball on the green.
Ball Position: Where the ball sits in your stance before you swing.
Ball Striking: How solidly and consistently you hit the ball.
Ball Washer: A device on the course used to clean golf balls.
Beach: Slang for a bunker.
Birdie: Scoring one under par on a hole.
Bite: When the ball stops quickly after landing because of spin.
Blade (Thin Shot): A shot hit too high on the clubface, sending the ball low and fast.
Block: A shot that goes straight but right of the target (for a right‑handed golfer).
Bogey: Scoring one over par on a hole.
Bomb: A very long drive.
Break: The curve or slope a putt follows on the green.
Bunker: A sand trap.
Bump‑and‑Run: A low chip shot that rolls more than it flies.
Burn: Slang for a water hazard (used mostly in the UK).
Buy a Mulligan: Casual‑round slang for paying for an extra shot (fundraisers, scrambles).
C
Caddie: A person who carries your clubs and helps with advice during a round.
Carry: How far the ball travels in the air before it lands.
Cart Path Only: A course rule requiring carts to stay on the path.
Casual Water: Temporary water on the course that isn’t part of a hazard.
Chip: A short shot that spends little time in the air and rolls toward the hole.
Chunk (Fat Shot): Hitting the ground before the ball, causing a short, heavy shot.
Clubface: The front surface of the club that strikes the ball.
Clubhouse: The main building at a golf course.
Compression: How much the ball softens or “squeezes” at impact.
Course Rating: A number showing how difficult a course is for a scratch golfer.
Crosswind: Wind blowing from the side.
Cup: The hole on the green.
Cut (Shot shape): A controlled left‑to‑right shot for a right‑handed golfer.
Cut (Tournament): The score needed to continue playing after the early rounds.
Cut Line: The score players must beat to make the cut in a tournament.
D
Divot: A piece of turf removed by the club during a shot.
Dogleg: A hole that bends left or right.
Double Bogey: Scoring two over par on a hole.
Downhill Lie: When the ball sits on a slope with your front foot lower than your back foot.
Draw: A controlled right‑to‑left shot for a right‑handed golfer.
Drive: The tee shot on a long hole, usually hit with a driver.
Driver: The longest, lowest‑lofted club used for tee shots.
Driving Range: A practice area for hitting balls.
Drop: Putting the ball back in play by dropping it from knee height.
Duff: A poorly hit shot that doesn’t travel far.
E
Eagle: Scoring two under par on a hole.
Equipment: The clubs, balls, and gear a golfer uses.
Etiquette: The expected behavior and courtesy standards on the golf course.
Even (Even Par): A score that matches par for a hole, round, or tournament.
Executive Course: A shorter golf course, usually with mostly par‑3 and par‑4 holes.
F
Fade: A controlled left‑to‑right shot for a right‑handed golfer.
Fairway: The short‑cut grass area between the tee and the green.
Fairway Bunker: A sand bunker located along the fairway.
Fat Shot: Hitting the ground before the ball, causing a short, heavy shot.
Flagstick: The pole with a flag that marks the hole on the green.
Flat Lie: When the ball sits on level ground.
Flex (Shaft Flex): How much a club shaft bends during the swing.
Flyer: A shot that travels farther than expected because of reduced spin.
Fore: A warning shout to alert others of an incoming ball.
Forward Tees: The tees placed closest to the hole, often used by beginners or shorter hitters.
Foursome: A group of four golfers playing together.
Fringe: The slightly longer grass surrounding the green.
Front Nine: The first nine holes of an 18‑hole course (holes 1–9).
G
Gimme: A very short putt that other players agree does not need to be holed.
Golf Cart: A small vehicle used to travel around the course.
Golf Shoes: Shoes with spikes or traction designed for stability during the swing.
Golf Swing: The motion used to hit the ball.
Green: The closely mowed area where the hole and flagstick are located.
Green Fee: The cost to play a round of golf.
Green in Regulation (GIR): Reaching the green in the expected number of strokes (par minus two).
Grip (Hands): How a golfer holds the club.
Grip (Club): The rubber or leather handle on the club.
Grooves: The lines on the clubface that help create spin.
Grounding the Club: Touching the clubhead to the ground behind the ball before swinging.
H
Handicap: A number that represents a golfer’s playing ability, used to level competition.
Hazard: Any bunker or water area that adds difficulty to a hole.
Heel: The part of the clubface closest to the shaft.
Hole (Target): The cup in the green where the ball is played to.
Hole (Unit): One of the individual segments of a golf course.
Hole-in-One: A shot that goes into the hole from the tee.
Hook: A shot that curves sharply left for a right‑handed golfer.
Hosel: The part of the club where the shaft connects to the clubhead.
Hybrid: A club that blends features of irons and woods, designed to be easier to hit.
I
Impact: The moment the clubface strikes the ball.
In Play: A ball that is on the course and allowed to be played.
In Regulation: Reaching the green in the expected number of strokes (par minus two).
Interlocking Grip: A style of holding the club where the index finger and pinky finger interlock.
Iron: A club with a thin metal face, numbered for different distances.
J
Junior Golfer: A golfer who is a child or teenager, typically under 18.
K
Kick Point: The part of a shaft that bends the most, affecting ball flight height.
Knee Height: The height from which a ball must be dropped when taking relief.
L
Lag Putt: A long putt played mainly to get the ball close to the hole.
Launch Angle: The angle at which the ball leaves the clubface.
Lie: The position of the ball on the ground.
Line (Putt Line): The intended path a putt should travel.
Loft: The angle of the clubface that affects how high the ball launches.
Long Game: Shots played with longer clubs, typically woods and long irons.
Loose Impediment: A natural object (like a leaf or twig) that can be moved without penalty.
Lost Ball: A ball that cannot be found within the allowed search time.
M
Marker: A small object used to mark the position of a ball on the green.
Match Play: A scoring format where players compete to win individual holes.
Metal Wood: A type of club with a metal head, typically used for longer shots.
Mulligan: An unofficial do‑over shot used in casual play.
Muscle Back: A style of iron with a solid back, typically preferred by skilled players.
N
Nearest Point of Relief: The spot on the course where a player may take free relief from certain conditions.
Net Score: A player’s score after applying their handicap.
Nine Iron: A short iron used for higher, shorter approach shots.
Nineteenth Hole: The clubhouse or bar area where players gather after a round.
Nine (Front Nine / Back Nine): The first or last set of nine holes on an 18‑hole course.
O
OB (Out of Bounds): An area outside the course where play is not allowed.
Offset: A club design where the leading edge sits slightly behind the shaft to help reduce a slice.
On the Green: A ball that has come to rest on the putting surface.
Open Stance: A stance where the golfer’s front foot is pulled back from the target line.
Open Clubface: A clubface angled away from the target at address or impact.
Overclub: Choosing a club that hits farther than needed for the shot.
Over the Top: A swing path where the club moves outside the target line on the downswing.
P
Par: The expected number of strokes a skilled golfer should take on a hole.
Penalty Stroke: An additional stroke added to a player’s score for certain rule violations.
Pitch: A short, high shot played with a lofted club.
Pitch Mark: A dent made in the green when the ball lands.
Pitching Wedge: A lofted wedge used for approach shots and short pitches.
PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association): An organization that governs professional golf activities.
Pin: The flagstick that marks the location of the hole.
Pin High: A shot that finishes level with the hole’s distance, even if left or right.
Pistol Grip: A putter grip shaped with a flared back for hand placement.
Play Through: When a faster group is allowed to pass a slower group on the course.
Plugged Lie: A ball that is partially buried in soft ground or sand.
Provisional Ball: A second ball played when the first may be lost or out of bounds.
Putt: A stroke made on the green using a putter.
Putter: A club designed for rolling the ball on the green.
Q
Quail High: A very low, penetrating shot that stays close to the ground.
R
Range: A practice area where golfers hit balls to warm up or train.
Read (Green Read): Judging how a putt will break based on slope and speed.
Relief: Permission to move the ball without penalty under certain conditions.
Rough: Longer grass bordering the fairway.
Round: A complete game of golf, typically 18 holes.
Rule of Golf: An official regulation that governs how the game is played.
S
Sand Trap: A bunker filled with sand.
Scramble: A team format where all players hit, then choose the best shot and play from there.
Scratch Golfer: A golfer with a handicap of zero.
Shotgun Start: A tournament start where all groups begin on different holes at the same time.
Short Game: Shots played near the green, including chips, pitches, and putts.
Slice: A shot that curves sharply to the right for a right‑handed golfer.
Slope Rating: A number indicating the relative difficulty of a course for bogey golfers.
Stance: The position of a golfer’s feet and body before a shot.
Stroke: A forward motion of the club made to strike the ball.
Stroke Play: A scoring format where total strokes determine the winner.
Sweet Spot: The optimal impact point on the clubface.
T
Tee: A small peg used to elevate the ball for the first shot on a hole.
Tee Box: The designated area where the first shot of each hole is played.
Tee Time: The scheduled starting time for a round of golf.
Thin Shot: A shot struck too high on the clubface, producing a low, weak flight.
Through the Green: An older term referring to the entire course except teeing areas, greens, and hazards.
Tiger Line: An aggressive line over trouble to shorten a hole.
Toe: The outer end of the clubhead farthest from the shaft.
Touch: A player’s feel or finesse, especially around the greens.
Tournament: An organized competitive golf event.
Turn: The transition from the front nine to the back nine.
U
Unplayable Lie: A situation where a player chooses to declare the ball unplayable and take relief with a penalty.
Up and Down: Saving par (or better) by getting the ball into the hole in two strokes from off the green.
V
Valley: A low area or dip on the course that can affect stance or ball lie.
Vertical Drop: The height difference between two points on the course, often affecting club selection.
Victory Lap: When a putt circles the edge of the hole before falling in.
Visualize: Mentally picturing the intended shot before swinging.
W
Waggle: A small motion of the club before the swing to stay loose and relaxed.
Water Hazard: A pond, lake, or stream that can affect play.
Wedge: A high‑lofted club used for short shots and approaches.
Whiff: A complete miss when attempting to strike the ball.
Winter Rules: Local rules allowing preferred lies in poor course conditions.
Wood: A club with a large head used for long‑distance shots.
Worm Burner: A very low shot that skims close to the ground.
X
X‑Out: A golf ball sold at a discount because of cosmetic imperfections.
Y
Yardage: The distance to a target, such as the flag, a hazard, or a landing area.
Yips: A sudden loss of control or confidence during short strokes, especially putting.
Z
Zone (In the Zone): A state of focused, confident play where shots feel natural and controlled.