Glossary of Terms

Golf has a lingo all its own.

Here is a list of commonly used golf terms. These will help you understand the game better as well as what people are talking about out on the course.

Term	Definition
Ace	A hole in one.
Address	The position that the player assumes when preparing to make a stroke.
Aiming	The act of aligning the clubface to the target.
Albatross	Double eagle; a score of 3 under par for a hole.
Alignment	The position of the body in relation to the initial target.
Approach Shot	A stroke intended to land the ball on the green.
Away	The “away ball” is furthest from the hole when more than one golfer is playing. Convention says that it is to be played first.
Back Nine	The last nine holes of an 18-hole course.
Back Spin	Reverse spin applied to the ball which prevents it from bouncing forward after landing.
Back Swing	The motion that involves the club and every element of the body in taking the club away from the ball and setting it in position at the top of the backswing from which the club can be delivered to the ball at impact.
Ball Marker	Usually a small, flat object (like a dime) used to mark the ball’s position on the green while other players putt and/or the ball is cleaned.
Banana Ball	A ball struck that is sliced such that it curves off to the side in a banana shaped trajectory.
Baseball Grip	A grip in which all ten fingers are placed on the grip of the club.
Below the Hole	When the ball is in a position lower than, or downhill from, the hole on ground that is not level.
Birdie	A score of one-under par on a hole.
Blind Shot	A shot where the intended landing area is not visible from the player’s perspective.
Bogie	A score of one-over par on a hole.
Bump & Run	A chip or a pitch shot around the green in which the player hits the ball into a slope to deaden its speed before settling on the green and rolling towards the hole.
Bunker	A hollow comprised of sand or grass or both that exists as an obstacle and, in some cases, a hazard.
Caddie	A person hired to carry clubs and provide other assistance.
Carry	The distance that your ball travels in the air after being struck to the place where it first hits the ground.
Cart Path	Usually a black top, concrete or dirt path that connects the tee box to the green.
Casual Water	Rain or watering puddles that collect on the course as opposed to a permanent water hazard. You are allowed to take relief if you are in casual water or move your ball if you have to putt through it on the green.
Chili-Dip	To hit the ground before the ball when attempting to chip, resulting in an errant, weak lofted shot.
Chip Out	Punch out; hitting a relatively small chip shot to extricate oneself from trouble (i.e., trees) when a longer shot is needed but obstructed.
Chip Shot	An iron shot from within a few feet of the green that is often executed with a putting motion creating a low trajectory running ball that tracks to the hole.
Chunk	Chunky, fat, thick, heavy, laying the sod over it, hitting the big ball before the little ball; hitting the ground before the ball, usually resulting in the ball not going as far as intended.
Club Face	The actual part of the club you want to hit the ball on. This is the flat part of the club head.
Club Head	The part of the club you hit the ball with.
Continuous Putting	A common practice where a player, having putted the ball close to the hole, chooses to finish putting rather than to mark their ball and wait to finish until their turn is decided by distance from the hole.
Cross Bunker	A long or wide bunker that crosses the fairway rather than running adjacent or parallel to the fairway.
Cup	Generically refers to the hole but also includes the base and liner, or sleeve, inside the hole that holds the flagstick in place.
Dimples	The indentations on the surface of a golf ball which increase friction and lift.
Divot	The turf displaced when the club strikes the ball on a descending path. It also refers to the hole left after play.
Dog Leg	A hole on which the fairway has an angle, turn or bend in it like a dog’s rear leg.
Double Bogie	Two shots over par.
Double Eagle	Three shots under par; also known as albatross.
Down Swing	The swing forward from the top of the backswing.
Drain	To sink a putt.
Draw	Striking the ball in such a way that it creates sidespin causing it to curve noticeably to the left for right handed players. Opposite of the fade.
Drink	Another term for water hazard.
Drive	A shot made from the tee area.
Driver	Typically the longest club in the bag. It is intended to advance the ball as far as possible. This club requires the most skill to use and some newer golfers will find they hit other clubs further than a driver.
Drop	Bringing the ball back into play after striking the last shot out of bounds or into a water hazard etc. The ball is released from an outstretched arm held at shoulder height.
Drop Area	An area of ground where players can drop their ball, usually in situations where there is not another practical area to take a drop or for maintenance reasons.
Dunk	To hit your ball into a water hazard.
Eagle	A score that is two under par for a hole.
Embedded Ball	A ball stuck in the ground as a result of its impact.
Etiquette	Rules of behavior, propriety, decorum, manners, etc.
Even Par	Even, level, level par; anytime one’s score is level with, or equivalent to, par during, or at the conclusion of, a round of golf.
Executive Course	A golf course with very short holes, mostly par 3′s and short par 4′s.
Fade	Striking the ball in such a way that it creates sidespin causing it to curve noticeably to the right for right handed players. Opposite of the draw.
Fairway	The playing area between the tee and the green bordered by rough.
Fairway Bunker	A sand or deep grass hazard situated in, or adjacent to, the fairway.
Fairway Wood	Sometimes now called a fairway metal since they are now made from metal. The fairway wood is typically a rounded club and looks a bit like a smaller version of a driver. They often come numbered 3, 5, 7 and 9.
Fat	Chunky, fat, thick, heavy, laying the sod over it, hairpiece, hitting the big ball before the little ball; hitting the ground before the ball, usually resulting in the ball not going as far as intended.
Fat Shot	A description of a shot when the club head strikes the turf behind the ball, resulting in poor contact and a shot that comes up well short of the target.
Feel	Touch; the sensation of, or level sensitivity for, playing shots in golf.
Finish Position	Finish; the last position, or end, of the swing.
Flier	1. A shot that flies further than desired as a result of decreased backspin, usually resulting from long grass (but also could be water) between the ball and clubface at impact. 2. A lie that causes the ball to fly farther than intended.
Fluffy Lie	A lie in which the ball rests atop the longish grass. This can be a tricky lie because the tendency is to swing the club head under the ball, reducing the distance it carries.
Follow Through	That part of the swing that occurs after the ball has been struck.
Free Drop	Free relief; dropping the ball without penalty in any number of situations allowed by the rules of golf.
Fried Egg	When a ball lands steeply in a bunker causing it to rest in a crater of sand with the ball substantially below the surface.
Fringe	The short grass surrounding the green before the fairway grass or rough.
Frog Hair	Apron, collar, fringe; the short grass that separates the putting green from rough or fairway.
Front Nine	The first nine holes of an 18-hole course.
GHIN	Golf Handicap & Information Network; handicap service begun in 1981 maintained by the USGA. For more information visit ghin.com
Gimme	When your ball comes to rest so close to the hole that your opponent decides you may assume that only one stroke would be required to putt it in and offers to allow you to simply count that stroke and pick the ball up. Usually when you are twenty inches or less from the hole.
Grain	The angle at which the grass on the green lies. Playing against it or with it affects the speed of the ball when putting.
Green	Putting green, putting surface, dance floor; the most closely mowed and smooth area on the course, which is specifically prepared for putting and on which the hole is placed.
Green in Regulation	The number of shots you are expected to play before getting your ball onto the green. Always two shots less than the par of the hole.
Grip	The placing and positioning of the hands on the club. The various types include the Vardon or overlapping, the interlocking and the 10-finger or baseball grip.
Gross Score	Your score over 18 holes before you reduce it by deducting your handicap strokes.
Ground Under Repair	Areas of the course under repair. Balls may be removed from them without penalty.
Grounding the Club	To place the club on the ground prior to striking the ball when addressing it.
Handicap	The number of strokes a player is given to adjust his score from par. It allows golfers of different abilities to compete on equal terms.
Hardpan	Very firm, unyielding ground (many times bare).
Hazard	Permanent features on the golf course designed to obstruct play.
Heel	The part of the club head nearest the hosel. A shot hit off the heel is said to be “heeled.”
Hole-in-One	The ball goes straight into the hole from your tee shot.
Hole Out	To finish play on one hole by hitting the ball into the cup.
Honor	The honor on the tee goes to last player to win a hole. The player with the honor tees off first.
Hook	A hit on the ball causing sidespin such that it curves dramatically to the left (for right handed players). The extreme of a draw, and opposite of a slice.
Hosel	The part of the club connecting the shaft to the club head.
Hybrid Club	This type of club is new in the last few years and is a cross between an iron and a fairway wood. Hybrids usually replace longer irons (3, 4, 5, 6 irons) or fairway woods.
Impact	The moment in the swing when the club strikes the ball.
Improved Lie	Improved lies, improving your lie, preferred lies, winter rules, bumping it; altering the ball’s position, or the way it rests (lies) on the ground, so as to make it easier to contact cleanly — mainly put into effect when course conditions are not acceptable for playing the ball down, usually due to wet, soggy conditions.
In Play	Officially — the ball is in play once the tee shot comes to rest anywhere on the course (not out of bounds) Informally — more commonly used to also include the fact that the next shot is “playable” (i.e., not in the forest, a water hazard, potentially lost, etc.)
Interlocking Grip	Interlock grip; a method of placing the hands on the club such that the index finger of the top hand (nearest the end of the handle or grip) and the pinky of the bottom hand hook together, intertwine or interlock.
Iron	Irons are typically the thinnest club heads in your bag. A typical player’s bag may have numerous irons numbered 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and/or P. Clubs with smaller numbers have less loft (point more horizontal, less “up in the air”) and are longer.
Jumper	Flier, flyer, shooter; a shot that flies farther than intended or a lie that causes the ball to fly farther than intended.
Lag	A putt that is intended to get the ball near to the hole not expecting it to go in.
Lay Up	A shot used to position your ball to hit a shorter shot onto the green.
Lateral Water Hazard	A water hazard running parallel to the fairway.
Lie	As it relates to the ball, the position of the ball when it has come to rest.As it relates to the club, it is the angle of the sole of the club relative to the shaft.
Line	The intended path of the ball, usually referred to in the context of putting.
Line of Flight	The actual path of the ball.
Line Up	1. Align; position/direct/orient the body and/or club. 2. Assessing the direction of a shot or putt.
Links	Originally referred to seaside courses on “links land” (seaside grassy area), now used loosely to mean any golf course.
Lip	The edge of the hole.
Lip Out	When the ball hits the edge of the hole and spins out instead of dropping in.
Lob Shot	A short, high shot, usually played with a wedge, designed to land softly.
Local Rules	Additional rules at a given course you must follow.
Loft	The degree of angle on the clubface, with the least loft on a putter and the most on a lob wedge.
Long Game	Shots you play with the longest clubs in your bag, which would include driver, fairway woods, hybrids and long irons.
Looking Up	The act of prematurely lifting your head to follow the flight of the ball, which also raises the swing center and can result in erratic ball striking.
Loose Impediment	Any natural object that is not fixed or growing (i.e., rocks, twigs, leaves, etc.)
Lost Ball	Any ball that cannot be found within five minutes of beginning a search for it.
Mulligan	The custom of hitting a second ball—without penalty—on a hole, usually the first tee.
Out of Bounds	Ball out of bounds. Requires a player to lose another stroke and hit again from the same location.
On the Screws	Hitting it on the sweet spot, usually of a wood, or driver in particular.
One Putt	When only one putt is taken on a green to hole the ball.
Over Club	To pick the wrong club, usually for an approach shot, causing the ball to go over the green.
Overlapping Grip	Overlap or “Vardon Grip” (named after famous player, Harry Vardon), which is achieved by placing the hands on the club such that the pinky finger of the bottom hand rests on the index finger of the top hand, or between the index and middle fingers of the top hand.
Par	The number of shots a good golfer should take for a hole or round. Par for a hole reflects the number of well executed shots needed to reach the green plus two for putting. Par for the course is calculated by adding all the hole pars together.
Peg	Tee; another term for a tee – a small (usually, but not always, wooden) device for setting the ball up above the ground.
Penalty Stroke	A stroke added to a player’s score due to a rule infringement, taking relief from a hazard or an unplayable lie.
Pick Up	Lifting the ball and discontinuing play on a hole for various reasons (i.e., informal – too many strokes and too much time has elapsed, causing the following group to wait unduly; team or match play competition situation: partner or competitor has already completed the hole with a better score).
Pin	The pole inside the hole on the green with a flag attached. aka “Flagstick”
Pitch	A ball you hit high into the air onto the green using a lofted club and less than a full swing.
Pitch Mark	Ball mark; the depression that a ball makes when it strikes the ground.
Pitch & Run	To pitch the ball onto the green in such a way that it rolls towards the hole after it first lands.
Play Through	Go through; passing the group in front of you (for various reasons) while they wait.
Practice Swing	Rehearsal swing; a swing through the air made (without hitting a ball) to work on, or feel, the movements that you intend to make when you hit the ball, or just to loosen up.
Pre-shot Routine	The actions a player takes from the time he selects a club until he begins the swing.
Provisional Ball	The playing of a second ball from the same place as the first because the player is unsure of what may have happened to the first ball (i.e., it may be lost or out of bounds).
Pure	Flush, solid, on the sweet spot, on the screws, on the nut; a shot struck perfectly on the center of gravity of the club.
Putt	A putt is a very short swing taken with the putter that is intended to move a ball that is on or near the green into the hole.
Putter	The putter is the club in your bag that has a completely flat side and a flat base. Putters come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Putters are intended to roll the ball along the ground and are typically used when on or near the green.
Ranger	Marshal; a person designated to patrol the course, keeping an eye out for problems in general, but usually present to promote a reasonable pace of play or keep things moving.
Release	Referring to the ball: When you hit the ball such that it rolls freely on impact with the green. Referring to club release: The movement of the golfer’s hands during a swing.
Relief	To move the ball without penalty in accordance with the rules.
Rhythm	The coordination of movement during the golf swing or putting stroke.
Rough	The high grass area adjacent to the fairway and green.
Run	The distance that the ball continues to travel after its initial impact with the ground.
Scramble	Team competition where players play from the position of the best ball of a team member after every stroke or drive.
Scratch	Zero handicap, no handicap strokes deducted.
Set Up	The process of addressing the ball, so that the club and body are properly aimed and aligned.
Shaft	The thing that connects the grip and the club head. Typically made of metal or graphite.
Shank	Any shot where you strike the ball with the heel or the hosel of the club causing an errant shot.
Shoot	1. The act of playing a golf shot. 2. Another way to refer to one’s score for a round of golf, or tournament.
Short Game	Chipping, Pitching and Putting.
Short Grass	Another phrase for the fairway.
Side Hill Lie	When the ball comes to rest on a slope.
Sit	Asking the ball to stop as soon as possible.
Skull	Hitting the ball above its center resulting in a low errant shot.
Slice	A shot that curves dramatically left to right as a result of sidespin for a right handed player. The converse applies to a left-handed player. See Banana Ball.
Snap Hook	To severely hook the ball.
Sole	When referring to equipment, it is the bottom of a club. When referring to the swing, it is the point when the sole of the club touches the ground at address.
Square	It can be used to describe a stance or to describe contact with the ball. It can also refer to the status of a match (they were all-square (tied) at the turn.)
Stance	The position of the feet at address.
Starter	Tee master, master of the tee; the person in charge of controlling play at a golf course.
Starting Time	Tee time, a reservation or appointment to play at a specific time.
Stroke	1. Shot; the act of swinging a club with the intention of striking the ball. 2. The qualitative aspect of the swing (most frequently associated only with putting).
Stroke & Distance	You lose a stroke and you lose the distance that the ball traveled. (i.e., – you hit a shot that goes out of bounds, it counts as 1 shot or your first stroke. Your penalty shot will count as your second stroke and then you have to play your third shot from where you originally played your first.)
Stroke Hole	A hole on which a player’s handicap strokes fall in net scoring match play situations (i.e., a 1 handicapper only gets a stroke on the number 1 handicap hole, whereas an 18 handicapper gets a stroke on every hole.)
Stymie	Refers to another player’s ball (usually on the putting green) blocking one’s path to the hole — obsolete since the practice of marking the ball on the green.
Summer Rules	Another way some people use to indicate that the ball will be played “down” or “as it lies”.
Sweet Spot	The preferred spot on the club face with which to strike the ball.
Take Away	The movement of the club at the start of the backswing.
Tap In	Gimme; a very short putt that is certain to be made.
Target Line	An imaginary (often visualized) line drawn behind and through the ball to the point a player is aiming. If the player is planning to curve the ball, this point is the initial – not the ultimate – target.
Tee Box	The area where players tee off to start a hole.
Tee Markers	Markers, tee blocks, blocks; two objects that indicate the forward boundary of the teeing area.
Teeing Ground	Teeing area, tee box, tee; the starting point of each hole, where the tee markers are.
Teeing Up	Teeing up the ball is when a golfer places the golf ball on a wooden or plastic peg so it sits up off the ground. Teeing up the ball can only be done on the tee box.
Tempo	The speed of the swing (not necessarily the club head speed.)
Tending the Flag	To hold the flagstick such that a player may aim for it and then remove it as the balls approaches.
Texas Wedge	Name given to putter when it is used from off the green.
Thin Shot	To strike the ball above its center causing a low shot that bounces along the ground rather than rise into the air.
Timing	The sequence of motions within the golf swing.
Toed Shot	Any shot hit off the toe of the club.
Topped Shot	A low, bouncing shot caused by the bottom of the club striking the top half of the ball.
Touch	A player’s sense of feel, generally around the greens.
Triple Bogie	A score of three over par on a hole.
Unplayable Lie	The player has determined that the ball cannot be played from its current spot.
Up & Down	When you miss the green in regulation but still achieve par.
Uphill Lie	When your ball comes to rest on an uphill slope.
USGA	United States Golf Association, which is the governing body for the game of golf since its formation in 1894. Learn more at usga.org
Visualization	A mental image of a swing or shot or even an entire round.
Waggle	Some kind of motion or movement of the club for the purpose of staying loose, feeling the club, keeping the body in motion instead of holding still.
Walk On	Typically thought of as a single player with no reservation, but could be more than one player.
Water Hole	A hole with water, such as a stream or lake, that forces the players to shoot over it.
Wave Up	Call up; common practice at some courses (usually on par 3 holes) where the group ahead (group A) signals for the group behind (group B) to play their shots when group A reaches the green rather than waiting for them to finish the hole (it is done in an attempt to improve pace of play) — also could be when group A wishes for group B to play-through at any point on the course.
Wedge	A special type of iron used for hitting the shortest shots in golf. This club usually has an “S”, “W”, “L”, or a number such as 55, 56, or 60 on it.
Winter Rules	Preferred lies, improved lies, bumping it; a local rule under which a player can improve his lie without penalty.
Yardage Marker	Some type of landmark indicating the yardage to the green.