Golf Terminology: The Ultimate Guide to Terms Used in Golf

There’s a lot of terms when it comes to the game of golf. You’re not going to learn them all overnight, but by playing and watching the game more, you’ll start picking up on different golf terms and sayings.

So, what are some golf terms that are used during play?

Some common golf terminology that most people know is par, birdie, bogey, course, hole, club, cart, etc. Along with these common golf terms, there are lesser-known terms like bump and run, fly the green, member’s bounce, punch shot, and more.

When it comes to golf terminology, don’t be intimidated. If you’re interested in learning about specific golf terms feel free to search for them below by scrolling or using “ctrl+f” to search for a term. We guarantee that you’ll learn something new from this article!

– A –

• Abnormal Course Condition: Defined as an animal hole, ground under repair, immovable obstruction or temporary water, in which free relief is granted.
• Above the Hole: 1) A reference to the position of a golf ball on the putting green where the ball lies on a hill or slope at a higher elevation than the hole. 2) A term used to describe where a golfer should aim at a breaking putt.
• Ace: See ‘Hole-in-one’. A term for a ball that goes into the hole in one swing, refers to an ace in a deck of cards that represents the number one.
• Address: Refers to the positioning of the player just before they begin the golf swing.
• Advice: Any verbal comment or action, like showing what club was just used to make a stroke) intended to influence a player’s club selection, making a stroke, or deciding how to play a hole or round. However, advice does not include public information like the location of things (a hole, hazard, putting green, etc.) the distance from one place to another or the Rules of Golf.
• Aeration: An agronomic procedure in which holes are punched into the turf to relieve compaction, typically occurring in the fairway on the putting green. The green is topdressed with sand that fills the aeration holes, allowing for a smoother surface as the turf heals. Aeration occurs twice a year, typically in the spring and fall.
• Aggregate: Refers to the total score of a golfer in a multi-round tournament.
• Aim: The direction the golfer intends to hit the golf ball.
• Air Shot: Refers to a golf swing on a tee box where the golfer swings and misses the ball. As long as the player doesn’t make contact with the ball, the swing doesn’t count.
• Albatross: See ‘Double Eagle’.
• Alignment: Refers to the orientation of a golfer’s body such that it dictates where they aim. The ideal alignment of a golfer will see the tips of their toes creating a straight line that points directly at their target. The toe line should be parallel to the player’s hip and shoulder lines.
• Alignment Stick: A tool used by golfers to help them consistently aim and align their bodies with their chosen target.
• All Square: Refers to a golf match where the score is tied.
• Alternate Shot: A form of team play where a two-person team alternates taking consecutive shots. For example, Player 1 hits the tee shot, Player 2 hits the second shot, Player 1 hits the third shot, Player 2 makes the putt on the fourth shot.
• Amateur: A type of golfer that plays competitively but not for money.
• Ambrose: A type of scramble golf tournament in which a handicap is applied to each team, calculated using the formula: team handicap = total of all team members’ handicaps / (number of team members x 2).
• Angle of Approach: Refers to the angle at which the clubhead makes impact with the ball during the downswing.
• Animal: Any living member of the animal kingdom, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates (such as worms, insects, spiders and crustaceans).
• Apprentice Golf Professional: A type of golf professional with limited experience, often working to achieve golf professional certifications.
• Approach: Refers to a golf shot that is hit into a putting green, usually the 2nd shot on a par 4 or the 3rd shot on a par 5.
• Apron: See ‘Fringe’.
• Artisan: Refers to a type of low-cost club membership that comes with restricted rights including limited playing rights, no clubhouse entrance and unpaid course maintenance work.
• Assistant Golf Professional: A type of golf professional that works under a Head Golf Professional and is working to become certified golf professional.
• Attend the Flag: Refers to the act of holding and removing the flag from the hole as a player putts the ball.
• Away: Refers to the person that is furthest from the hole and thus, the next to play their shot.

– B –

• Back Nine: Refers to the second nine holes of an eighteen-hole golf course, holes 10-18.
• Back Tees: The farthest set of tees available for play.
• Backspin: A type of spin exerted on the golf ball such that when it lands the ball rolls backward.
• Backswing: The portion of the golf swing that includes the moment the golf club moves away from the ball to the point at which the player has made their full rotation back.
• Baffing Spoon: Also known as a ‘Baffy’, this is an antique golf club equivalent to a modern-day 7-wood.
• Ball: The object a golfer strikes with a golf club. Golf balls are dimpled and must conform to specific requirements including weight not greater than 1.620 ounces, diameter no less than 1.68 inches and it must be spherically symmetrical. Golf balls are constructed with a thin outer layer or cover and 1-4 inner layers including a solid rubber core.
• Ball Flight Laws: The nine basic ball flight types that result from the combination of the direction of the swing path and the clubface’s orientation at impact. They are: Straight, Push, Pull, Draw, Fade, Hook, Slice, Pull Hook, and Push Slice.
• Ball-Marker: An artificial object used to mark the spot of a ball to be lifted, such as a tee, a coin or an object made to be a ball marker.
• Ball Washer: A tool on a golf course designed to clean dirty golf balls.
• Banana: See ‘Slice’.
• Bandit: See ‘Sandbagger’.
• Bank Shot: A shot utilized around the putting green where the player deliberately hits the ball into a bank or hill to deaden the speed while still allowing the ball to bounce forward.
• Bare Lie: A type of lie where the ball lies on bare ground with no grass.
• Baseball Grip: A way of gripping the golf club similar to how a baseball player holds a bat in which the hands are together and all fingers are in a row.
• Beach: See ‘Bunker’.
• Below the Hole: A reference to the position of a golf ball on the putting green where the ball lies on a hill or slope at a lower elevation than the hole.
• Bentgrass: Bentgrass is a type of cool-climate turfgrass and is commonly the top choice for putting greens because it can withstand colder temperatures.
• Bermudagrass: Bermudagrass is a type of warm climate turfgrass and is typically the top choice for putting greens because of its heartiness in hotter temperatures.
• Best Ball: A team format in which the best individual score on each hole from a member of the team counts as the team’s score for that hole. This name is used for teams of 3 or 4 players.
• Better Ball: See ‘Best Ball’. This name is used for teams of two players.
• Beverage Cart: A cart designed to be driven around the golf course for the purpose of selling drinks and snacks to golfers.
• Biarritz: A type of golf hole design that features a long par 3 with a large green bisected with a deep swale and surrounded by bunkers.
• Big Dog: Another name for a driver.
• BIGGA: British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association – Europe’s largest membership greenkeeping association.
• Bingo, Bango, Bongo: A game played amongst a group of golfers in which three points are up for grabs on each hole. Each point is given to the first golfer to complete a specific act. Order of play is paramount and if a player hits out of order, the point will be awarded to the second person to achieve the act. Bingo – a point for the first golfer to land their ball on the green. Bango – when all balls are on the green, the person closest to the hole earns a point. Bongo – a point awarded to the player who holes the ball first.
• Birdie: A score on a hole that is one stroke under par.
• Bisque: A special kind of handicap stroke granted by one golfer to another that may be invoked on any hole, regardless of the difficulty of the hole.
• Bite: A term used to describe a ball with a lot of backspin that stops abruptly or rolls backward upon landing on the green.
• Blade: Another name for a putter, specifically a ‘Blade Putter’.
• Blade Putter: A type of putter with a straight club head and a thin flange behind the clubface.
• Blades: Traditionally designed irons that feature a thinner top line and sole. Blades are most commonly used by advanced golfers, they are difficult to hit and less forgiving for beginning and intermediate golfers.
• Blast: See ‘Explosion Shot’.
• Blind Shot: A shot in which the golfer is unable to see their target because of a hill or elevation change.
• Block: See ‘Push’.
• Bluegrass: A type of commonly used cool-season turfgrass that likes full direct sun and requires significant watering.
• Bogey: A score on a hole that is one stroke over par.
• Borrow: Refers to the distance right or left of the hole that a golfer must aim when putting to account for the slope of the green.
• Bounce Back: Refers to a golf statistic that shows the percent of holes with a score over par immediately followed by a hole with a score that is under par.
• Bounce: Refers to the width of the sole of a wedge. A wider sole will have more bounce while a thinner sole will have less bounce. The purpose of bounce is to prevent a club from digging into soft, wet turf (want more bounce) or bounce too much off hard, dry turf (want less bounce).
• Box: See ‘Teeing Area’.
• Bracket: A tactic of taking one club more and one club less in addition to the golf club you anticipate using to be better prepared for a lie that differs from the one expected.
• Break: The curvature or bend of a putt due to the slope of the green.
• Buggy: A term used throughout the United Kingdom to describe a golf cart.
• Bullarding: A term describing a golfer that consistently plays worse than their handicap implies, the opposite of a ‘Sandbagger’.
• Bump and run: A shot where a golfer chips a ball with accentuated topspin, the ball travels a short distance in the air and rolls a majority of the way to the hole.
• Bunker: A specially prepared area of sand, which is often a hollow from which turf or soil was removed. They are strategically placed on a golf hole to add to its overall difficulty and golfers are not permitted to ground their club when hitting out of a bunker.
• Bunker Shot: A type of golf shot hit from a bunker. For fairway bunker shots, the intent is to pick the ball clean from the sand. For a green-side bunker, an ‘Explosion Shot’ is required.
• Burn: A Scottish term for a stream that runs adjacent to or across a fairway.
• Businessman’s Grip: An improper grip used by golfers who don’t play regularly.
• Bye: A term used in tournaments where the player is allowed to advance to the next round without playing an opponent.

– C –

• Caddie: Someone who helps a player during a round of golf, including carrying, transporting or handling golf clubs and giving advice.
• Calcutta: A form of gambling or wagering in which the players or teams are sold by auction beforehand to the highest bidder.
• Carpet: See ‘Putting Green’ or ‘Fairway’.
• Carry: 1) The distance a ball travels in the air. 2) The distance required to hit the ball over a hazard or other obstacle.
• Carry Bag: A type of golf bag that is small and lightweight and designed for golfers to carry when walking a round of golf.
• Cart: See ‘Golf Cart’.
• Cart Bag: A type of golf bag that is bigger and heavier and designed to hold more items and fit in the back of a golf cart.
• Cart Fee: The fee a golfer pays to use a golf cart during their round, often separate from a green fee.
• Cart Path: A man-made path (concrete, asphalt, or otherwise) designed to handle golf cart traffic.
• Cart Path Only: A golf cart restriction requiring golf carts drive only on the cart path.
• Casual Water: See ‘Temporary Water’.
• Cat Box: See ‘Bunker’.
• Cavity Back: A type of golf iron with a hollowed back and perimeter weighting that improves forgiveness for mis-hit shots. The type of club utilized by most intermediate and beginning golfers.
• Center of Gravity: Refers to the point at which a clubhead is perfectly balanced and is typically very close to the center of the clubhead.
• Center Shaft: A type of putter in which the shaft extends directly up from the center of the clubface.
• Champions Tour: See ‘PGA TOUR Champions’
• Chip Shot: A golf shot, also called a chip, utilized when playing a shot close to the putting green.
• Chipping: The act of hitting a chip shot.
• Chipping Green: The practice area designated for golfers to practice hitting chip and pitch shots onto a practice putting green.
• Choke Down: Refers to holding the golf club such that it shortens the length of the club by shifting the hands down the grip closer to the shaft.
• Chunk: A type of mis-hit shot where the clubhead strikes the ground well behind the golf ball that sends a ‘chunk’ of turf flying and the golf ball traveling a significantly shorter distance than normal.
• Clone Clubs: A term describing clubs designed to purposely deceive the golfer into believing they are another brand.
• Closed Face: An orientation of the clubface positioned towards the golfer relative to their target. A closed face will decrease the club’s loft and angle the trajectory left of the intended target.
• Closed Stance: An orientation of a player’s stance such that the line created by the golfer’s toes crosses over the golfer’s target line.
• Clown’s Mouth: A term describing the hole on a putting green, referenced from a common obstacle seen at putt-putt golf courses.
• Club: See ‘Golf Club’.
• Club Fitting: The process of getting fit for a set of clubs with specs that match a golfer’s height, swing speed and playing ability among other qualifications.
• Club Path: See ‘Swing Direction’.
• Club-Length: The length of the longest club in a player’s bag for the round and is used in defining the player’s teeing area and the size of the relief area when taking relief under a Rule.
• Clubface: The part of the golf club designed to make contact with the golf ball during a swing.
• Clubhead: The part of the golf club that connects to the shaft and includes the clubface, toe, heel, sole and back.
• Clubhouse: The primary facility at a golf course that commonly includes the golf shop, restaurant, staff offices and event space.
• Coefficient of Restitution: Defined as the measurement of the energy loss or retention when two objects collide, such as a clubhead and a golf ball.
• Collar of the Green: See ‘Fringe’.
• Comebacker: A term for a second putt that occurs after the first putt was hit too far past the hole.
• Coming Over the Top: A swing fault that occurs during the downswing in which the club travels on an outside-in swing direction.
• Compress: The act of hitting a golf ball with a downward angle of attack.
• Compression: A measure of the overall hardness of a golf ball. Lower compression means a softer ball, higher compression means a harder ball.
• Concede: In match play, conceding is the act of giving your opponent their next stroke, victory on the hole or victory in the match.
• Condor: A score in golf that is four strokes under par.
• Count-Back: A method for breaking a tie in golf, starting with the best aggregate score on the final nine, six, three and then the final hole until the tie is broken.
• Country Club: A type of golf course facility, often private, with a membership.
• Course: The entire area of play within the inside edge of areas deemed to be out of bounds. The course includes five defined areas: 1) the general area, 2) the teeing area, 3) all penalty areas, 4) all bunkers and 5) the putting green of the hole you are playing.
• Course Handicap: The number of strokes a golfer will receive in order to play to par on that specific golf course.
• Course Rating: A number expressed in strokes to one decimal point that represents the expected score for a scratch player.
• Course Strategy: The plan a golfer develops for playing a golf course.
• Cross-Handed: An alternate way of holding the golf club where the placement of the hands are reversed.
• Cup: The object placed inside the golf hole, commonly plastic or metal, designed to hold up the flagstick.
• Cut Shot: The name of the shot that utlizes a fade ball flight path.
• Cut: The elimination of roughly the bottom half of a tournament field, usually after 36 holes of competition.

– D –

• Dance Floor: See ‘Putting Green’
• Dead: A term for a shot with no favorable outcome.
• Decelerate: A term to describe the decreasing speed of the golf club during the downswing and through impact and the follow through.
• Deep: A term for a hole located on the back portion of the putting green.
• De-Loft: The act of shutting the clubface to decrease the natural loft of the club.
• Did Not Finish (DNF): Category of golfer in a tournament that starts but does not finish the tournament.
• Dimples: The most recognizable design feature of a golf ball that reduces drag and increases lift, helping the golf ball fly farther.
• Director of Golf: A title held by a golf professional that oversees an entire golf course operation, often having a Head Professional, Assistant Professionals and Apprentices working underneath them in an organizational chart.
• Distance Measuring Device: A device used to measure distances between two points on a golf course like the distance to the flag. DMD’s include laser rangefinders, GPS watches and mobile phones.
• Divot: The hole in the turf created when the golf club strikes the ground as well as the clod of turf removed from the ground.
• Divot Repair Tool: A pronged tool used to lift and flatten indentations left on the putting green made by a golf ball.
• Divot Seed Mixture: Sand and seed mixture used to fill divots in the turf, usually located in a bucket or bottle on the golf cart. Filling a divot with seed mixture is an accepted etiquette practice and should be done whenever possible for the health and care of the golf course.
• Dogleg: A term used to describe a golf hole that bends to the left or right.
• Dog-Balls: See ‘Snowman’.
• Dormie House: A building with dormitory accommodations operated by a golf club for lodging members or guests overnight.
• Dormie: A term describing a golfer’s standing in a match when they are ahead by as many holes left to play.
• Double Bogey: A score that is two strokes over par.
• Double Cross: When a golfer aims down one side of the fairway with the intent of curving it back to the middle but instead it goes in the opposite direction (hit hook instead of a fade).
• Double Eagle: A score that is three strokes under par.
• Double Green: A putting green with two holes cut into it for two separate golf holes to be played. Each flag on a double green is a different color.
• Down-Grain Putt: A putt that rolls the same direction as the grain in the green. The grass will appear shiny and will add speed to the putt.
• Down the Middle Cyril: A tee shot hit down the middle of the fairway.
• Downswing: The part of the golf swing that begins the moment the club begins its downward movement from the top of the backswing to impact.
• Drained: A term to describe a made putt.
• Draw: A type of ball flight where the ball arcs outside of and bends back to the target line.
• Drive: Another name for a tee shot.
• Driver: The name of the golf club predominantly used for tee shots on par 4 and par 5 holes. It is also the longest golf club, has a lofted range of 7-12° and is often denoted with the number ‘1’.
• Driving Range: The area of a golf course where golfers practice hitting golf balls into an open field with designated targets. The driving range is often where golfers are exposed to the game for the first time, warm up before a round of golf or practice refining their golf swing.
• Drop Area: See ‘Relief Area’
• Drop: The process of putting a ball back into play when taking relief for a lost ball, ball hit into a water hazard, unplayable lie or obstruction. In taking relief, the player must let go of the ball from a location at knee height so the ball falls straight down with any exerted influence and does not touch any part of the player’s body or equipment before hitting the ground.
• Duck-Hook: A hooking shot that dives sharply left for right-handers and right for left-handers.
• Duff: The term for a mis-hit where the golf club strikes the ground well behind the ball and the ball travels a very short distance.

– E –

• Eagle: A score that is two strokes under par.
• Eighteen Hole Score: The golfer’s total score for an 18-hole round.
• Elevated Green: A putting green in which the player must hit an uphill shot into the green.
• Embedded Ball: The term for a ball that lies in its own pitch-mark made as a result of the player’s previous stroke.
• Equipment: Anything used, worn, held or carried by the player or their caddie. On-course objects like rakes are equipment only while being held or carried.
• Etiquette: A set of formal and informal rules that golfers follow to make the game safer and more enjoyable and to better care for the golf course and golf equipment.
• European Tour: The European-based men’s professional golf circuit.
• Even Par: The term a golfer uses when their score is the same as the par for the hole or par for the course.
• Even: See ‘Even Par’
• Executive Course: A type of golf course that features mostly par 3 holes.
• Explosion Shot: A shot type used when hitting out of a green-side bunker in which the golfer takes a near full swing, strikes the sand a few inches behind the ball so the sand splashes it out of the bunker.

– F –

• Fade: A type of ball flight where the arc of the shot starts inside of and falls back to the target line.
• Fairway: The closely mown area of a golf hole that lies between the teeing area and the putting green.
• Fairway Bunker: A type of bunker that is located adjacent to or in the fairway.
• Fairway Markers: Yardage markers placed in the fairway to note distance to the middle of the green. Commonly, Red = 100 yds, White = 150 yds and Blue = 200 yds. Alternatively, courses may use a white pole to signify 150 yds.
• Fairways Hit: The percentage of times a drive from the teeing area lands in the fairway.
• Fat: See ‘Chunk’.
• Feel: The term for the inate ability to correctly judge how far, how hard, and where to aim mostly acquired repeated practice.
• Ferret: To hole out from off the putting green, without the use of a putter, for a score of par or better.
• Filling Divots: The act of filling a divot with divot seed mixture or sand.
• First Cut (of Rough): The intermediate area of rough that encompasses the fairway and is mowed to a length shorter than the thickest area of rough.
• First Tee: The tee box of the first hole, often where golfers start their round.
• Flag: The material or object attached to a flagstick that helps signify wind direction and is commonly color coded to signify the hole’s location on the putting green (red = front, white = middle, blue = back).
• Flagstick: A movable pole placed in the hole to show players where the hole is located.
• Flat Stick: See ‘Putter’.
• Flex: The degree to which a shaft bends during the swing. A golfer’s shaft flex will be determined by their swing speed.
• Flighted Shot: A type of shot hit with a lower trajectory, often played in windy conditions.
• Flop Shot: A high-lofted shot utilized around the putting green designed to land softer with little roll out. A flop shot is utilized when a golfer needs to hit the ball over an obstacle or is short-sided without much putting green between them and the hole.
• Fly the Green: A term for a shot that carries over the putting green, further than the golfer intended.
• Flyer: A type of shot where the golf ball travels further than expected because little spin is affected on the ball, increasing its distance traveled.
• Follow-through: The portion of the golf swing that includes the time just after impact with the golf ball to the end of the golf swing.
• Foot Wedge: The term used to describe the act of kicking a ball with your foot to improve your lie which is considered cheating.
• Fore Caddie: A type of caddie that waits in the landing area of golf shots to spot and identify golf balls.
• Fore: A term used by golfers to warn other golfers that an errant shot is headed their way.
• Forged Irons: A type of iron that is constructed from forged metals.
• Format of Play: Refers to the type of game or set of rules for playing a golf round.
• Forward Press: The method of pushing the hands forward a few inches in front of the ball at address.
• Forward Tee: The forward-most teeing area available for play on a golf course.
• Four-Ball: A format of match play in which two two-person teams compete against each other. The team’s score is the lowest score between the two partners and whichever team has the lowest individual score is deemed the winner of the hole. The term ‘four-ball’ implies that four golf balls are in play on the hole.
• Fourteen (14) Club Rule: A rule in golf that a player may not play a round of golf with more than 14-clubs in their bag.
• Foursome: 1) A group of four golfers playing a round of golf. 2) A format of match play in which two two-person teams compete against each other in an alternate shot format. The team with the lowest score is the winner of the hole.
• Free Relief: A scenario in which the golfer may drop a golf ball away from an interference like a man-made or immovable obstruction (cart path or sprinkler head).
• Frenchie: A term for a hit golf ball that ricochets off another object like a tree or a golf cart.
• Fried Egg: The name of a lie in a bunker in which the ball sits in the sand like the yolk of a fried egg.
• Fringe: The closely mown area surrounding the putting green and often the same length of grass as the fairway.
• Front Nine: Refers to the first nine holes of an 18 hole golf course, holes 1-9.
• Full Set: A full set is a set of golf clubs that meets the 14-club rule in golf. A common example of full set of men’s clubs will include the following: Driver, 3 Wood, 3-Hybrid, 4-iron, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, Pitching Wedge, Gap Wedge, Sand Wedge, Lob Wedge and Putter. The goal is to build a complete set that leaves no possible gaps in yardage from the farthest one can hit to the shortest of putts.
• Funnies: Terms used during a round of golf to describe positive and negative achievements associated with gambling.
• Game Improvement Irons: A term for golf clubs that decrease the severity of mis-hit golf balls providing increased distance and accuracy to help improve the game of intermediate and beginning golfers.

– G –

• Gap Wedge: A type of wedge that often carries 52° of loft and is between a pitching wedge (48°) and a sand wedge (56°).
• GCSAA: The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, the trade association for agronomy professionals that manage and maintain golf courses.
• Get Up: A phrase used by golfers that plead for their golf shot to carry farther.
• Gilligan: A rule in match play where a golfer has the right to ask their opponent to replay their shot, often after a good drive or holed putt.
• Gimmie: A shot in which other players agree that the next shot counts automatically without being played, often used on the putting green for a ball that sits within a foot or two of the hole.
• Golden Ferret: A term for a ‘ferret’ made from a green-side bunker.
• Goldie Bounce: The term for an errant golf shot that bounces off a tree situated in deep rough into the fairway.
• Golf: A game played on a large open-air course, in which a player hits a small hard ball with a club towards a hole in the ground with the object of the game to get the ball into the hole in the fewest swings or strokes.
• Golf Bag: The equipment designed to hold golf clubs as well as golf balls, towels, gloves and other accessories needed to play golf.
• Golf Cart: A motorized vehicle designed to transport golfers and their equipment during a round.
• Golf Clap: A softer, more subdued clap exhibited by fans at a professional golf tournament.
• Golf Club: The piece of equipment a golfer uses to strike a golf ball.
• Golf Course: See ‘Course’.
• Golf Glove: A specific type of athletic glove worn on the golfer’s non-dominant hand designed to improve a golfer’s grip on the club.
• Golf Pencil: A small pencil provided by the golf course to be used for keeping score on a scorecard.
• Golf Professional: A person who makes a living working in the golf industry, often with PGA of America certification.
• Golf Shop: The hub of activity at a golf course where you pay to play a round of golf, purchase merchandise or speak with a member of the golf course staff. Also called ‘Pro Shop’.
• Golf Simulator: Technical equipment that allows golfers to practice or play on a simulated driving range or golf course.
• Golf Tee: See ‘Tee’.
• Goofed It: See ‘Mis-hit’.
• Grain: Refers to the direction of the blades of grass on a putting green. Grain affects the speed and direction of the putt and is common among warm season grasses.
• Grand Slam: A term used when a professional golfer has won all four major championships in the same year. Bobby Jones is the last person to achieve such a feat in 1930.
• Green Fee: The set price a golfer must pay to access the golf course. Green fees often do not include a cart fee.
• Green in Regulation (GIR): A stat used to determine the percentage a golfer hits the ball onto the green in one shot on a par 3, two shots on a par 4 and three shots on a par 5.
• Green: See ‘Putting Green’.
• Greenie: A term for a ‘Green in Regulation’ and also a type of gambling game in which points are awarded to golfers each time they achieve a green in regulation.
• Green-side Bunker: A bunker located within 30 yards of or adjacent to the putting green.
• Greensome: A format similar to ‘Foursome’ in which each member of the team tees off, the best drive is chosen and the person who’s drive isn’t selected hits the next shot, alternating who hits next until the ball is holed.
• Grip: 1) A term for how a golfer holds the golf club. 2) The rubber or synthetic material attached to the shaft where the golfer holds the club during the swing.
• Grooves: The horizontal scored lines on the clubface.
• Gross Score: The golfers actual number of strokes for a hole or a round of golf.
• Ground Under Repair (GUR): An area of the golf course deemed unfair for play, thus allowing the golfer free relief from the area to play their next shot.
• Grounding the Club: The act of setting the club on the ground behind the golf ball prior to swinging the club.
• Gummed: See ‘Thin Shot’.
• Guzzler: When a tee shot lands short of the forward tees often invoking a round of drinks after the golf round is over.

– H –

• Hacker: A term for a golfer that is not very good.
• Half Shot: A shot in which the golfer takes a half swing.
• Halfway House: The name for a concession stand located between the 9th and 10th holes, or halfway through the round.
• Halved: A term used in match play when two golfers have the same score on a hole.
• Halve a Hole: See ‘Halved’.
• Handicap: A number which provides an indication of a golfer’s playing ability and is used so golfers of differing abilities can compete against each other equally. The number reflects an average number of strokes over par a golfer will shoot. The lower the handicap, the better the player.
• Handicap Stroke: A stroke reduced from a player’s score for a hole or a round. A golfer with a handicap of 10 will receive a one stroke reduction to their score on the ten highest ranked holes or ten strokes reduced from their total score.
• Handsy: A term for a golfer that uses too much of their hands and wrists during the golf swing.
• Hank: A shot hit with the heel of the club that travels between the legs, the opposite direction of a shank.
• Hardpan: A term describing a lie that is extremely hard, dry and bare.
• Hazard: An area of the golf course featuring a difficult obstacle and includes water hazards and bunkers. Special rules apply depending on the type of hazard (water hazard, lateral water hazard or bunker).
• Head Golf Professional: The Head Golf Professional is the primary operator of a golf course’s golf operation.
• Heel: The part of the clubhead closest to the golfer, similar to the heel of a foot.
• Heroic: A golf course hole design in which two distinctly different routes to the green in regulation exist, one of which the golfer incurs little to no risk for misplayed shots and the other incurs significantly more risk gains a significant advantage in location or distance to the hole for the next shot.
• Hole: 1) Refers to the finishing point on the putting green. It must be 4 ¼ inches across and at least 4 inches deep. 2) The part of the course associated with a particular teeing area, putting green and hole.
• Hole-in-One: The name for a shot played from the teeing area that goes into the hole in one stroke.
• Hole-in-One Insurance: A type of price-indeminification coverage taken out by golf-tournament sponsors that offer big-ticket prizes to participants that make a hole in one during the tournament.
• Hole Location: The positional location of the hole on the putting green. The green is often divided into numbered sections and golfers are told before the round which section houses the hole location.
• Hole Location Sheet: A document that shows either the general area or precise location of the hole on the putting. Precise locations are measured in paces (approximately 1 yd) from the front edge of the green and from the right or left side of the green. For example, a hole location that is ‘13 On and 5 Right’ means 13 paces from the front edge and 5 paces from the right edge of the putting green.
• Holed: When a ball is at rest in the hole after a stroke.
• Honor: The right of a player to play first from the teeing area.
• Hook Shot: A type of golf shot that curves hard to the left for righties and hard to the right for lefties.
• Hosel: The area of the golf club where the clubhead connects to the shaft.
• Hosel Rocket: A shot where the hozel makes contact with the golf ball, often squirting quickly away from the golfer.
• Hot: A term for a low-trajectory, high speed golf shot with very little backspin that often goes much further than intended.
• Hustler: A name for a golfer that hides their ability, often when gambling, with the intent of deceiving another golfer and winning money.
• Hybrid: A golf club that combines the best features of a wood and an iron.

– I –

Immovable Obstruction: Any obstruction that cannot be moved without unreasonable effort or without damaging the obstruction or the course.

• Impact: The moment the golf club strikes the golf ball during a swing.
• In Contention: Refers to a golfer in a tournament that is at or near the lead of the tournament.
• In Play: The status of a golf ball when it lies on the course and is being used in the play of a hole. A ball remains in play until it is holed unless it is lifted, lost or substituted for another ball.
• In the Teeth: A term for playing a shot into the wind.
• In The Zone: The phrase used to describe a golfer that is playing exceptionally well.
• Inside the Leather: A term referring to an agreed upon distance in which all putts ‘inside the leather’ or grip are considered ‘gimmes’.
• Interlocking Grip: A popular grip in which the pinky of the bottom hand is interlocked with the pointer finger of the top hand.
• Inward Nine: Another name for the back nine, meaning the holes that bring the golfer into the clubhouse.
• Iron: A type of golf club, numbered 1-9 with shorter shafts then woods and a clubhead made of solid iron or steel with a flat, angled face scored with grooves.

– J –

• Jab: A type of putt in which the golfer makes a quick, jerky motion to hit the ball.
• Jerked the Putt: A term for a missed short putt.
• Jigger: An antique golf club similar to the modern day 4-iron.

– K –

• Kick Point: The part of a golf shaft with the greatest amount of bend during the downswing.
• Kikuyugrass: A type of invasive turfgrass that is characterized as spongy and sticky around the greens and when grown as thick rough can create tricky lies.
• Kitty Litter: Another name for sand in a bunker.
• Knee Knocker: The phrase for a short putt with significant break.
• Knickers: Also known as ‘Knickerbockers’, these are a common type of pants worn by golfers in the 1920’s and earlier. They feature short, puffy legs that end just below the knees.
• Knife: A golf term for a 1-iron, a club popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Knock Down: A term for a low trajectory golf shot derived from a choked up, less than full swing
• Korn Ferry TOUR: The branded professional tour for male golfers that acts as a feeder circuit to the PGA TOUR.

– L –

• Lag Putt: A long distance, low percentage putt intended to finish within a small proximity of the hole.
• Launch Angle: The angle of trajectory created by the golf ball when hit with a golf club.
• Lay up: A type of shot in which the golfer makes the strategic choice to hit short of a hazard or other trouble rather than attempt to hit over it.
• Leak: The term for a golf shot that drifts right of it’s target for a right-handed golf.
• LET: Also known as ‘Ladies European Tour’, the European-based women’s professional golf circuit.
• Level-Par: A score that is equal to par for the hole.
• Leven: The Leven is a golf hole template, usually a short par 4 of 330-360 yds featuring fairway bunkers or waste areas to challenge golfers with a heroic carry or a lay up area with a semi-blind approach shot over a bunker or hill to an undulated green.
• Lie: The spot on which a ball is at rest and any growing, attached, integral or boundary object touching the ball or next to it.
• Lie Angle: The angle between the shaft of the club and the ground when the clubhead arrives at impact. A ‘upright’ lie angle is when the toe of the club is lifted above the ground at impact. A ‘flat’ light angle is when the heel of the club is lifted above the ground at impact.
• Lift, Clean and Replace: A rule in which a golfer is permitted to lift, clean and replace their ball at or near it’s original location.
• Line of Play: The direction that the player intends their ball to go after a stroke. It can be a straight or curved line.
• Links Course: A category of golf course, typically found along the coast that features sandy base soil, few trees, pot bunkers and tall, wispy grasses in which players are often subjected to windy conditions.
• Lip Out: The term for a putt that hits the edge of the hole and follows the circumference of it without going in.
• Lip: The edge of the hole.
• Lob Wedge: A type of wedge with ‘L’ or ‘LW’ on the bottom and has 60-64° of loft and designed to hit the ball high with a soft landing, frequently used from shots out of a green-side bunker.
• Local Rule: A modification of a Rule of Golf to fit a particular situation at a specific golf course.
• Loft: The numerical and standard measure of a golf club’s launch angle for a golf ball hit off a clubface.
• Long Game: A term for a category of shots hit from the teeing area or far from the green (over 200 yds.)
• Looper: See ‘Caddie’.
• Loose Impediment: Any unattached natural object like stones, loose grass, leaves, branches and sticks that may be removed as long as doing so doesn’t move the golf ball at rest.
• Lost Ball: A ball that is not found within three minutes of searching for it. Proceed under ‘Stroke and Distance’ for a lost ball.
• Low Handicapper: The term for a golfer with a handicap below 10.
• LPGA: Also known as Ladies Professional Golf Association, the North American women’s professional golf circuit.
• Lucy: See ‘Shank’ or ‘Hozel Rocket’. Also known as ‘Lucy Locket’.

– M –

• Made Cut Did Not Finish: Term for a golfer playing in a term that made the cut but wasn’t able to finish the tournament.
• Made Cut: A term referring to the group of golfers in a tournament whose score was above the cut after 36 holes of play.
• Major: Refers to one of the four men’s championship golf tournaments including The Open Championship, the United States Open Championship, The Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship.
• Making the Turn: The phrase for moving from one set of nine holes to the other nine holes during a round of golf.
• Mallet Putter: A type of putter characterized by a large clubhead, often curved or square shaped in the back.
• Marker: The person in a golf tournament responsible for entering another player’s score and for certifying the player’s scorecard. Markers may be another player but not a partner.
• Marshall: A golf operations staff member tasked with managing on-course play, specifically pace of play and other etiquette norms like repairing ballmarks on greens and filling divots with seed mixture.
• Mashie-Niblick: An antique golf club equivalent to a modern day 7-iron.
• Masters Tournament: One of the four major men’s stroke play golf tournaments, held every year at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA on the first full week every April. The first Masters Tournament was held in 1934.
• Match Play: A format of play in which one golfer or team of golfers (also known as a ‘side’) competes against another golfer or team of golfers on a hole-by-hole basis. A side can win (fewest strokes on a hole), lose (most strokes on a hole) or halve (equal number of strokes on a hole) a hole. The winner of match play is determined by the side with more holes won than there are holes left to play.
• MDF: See ‘Made Cut Did Not Finish’.
• Medal Play: See ‘Stroke Play’.
• Medalist: A term for the winner of a stroke play tournament.
• Member’s Bounce: The term for a golf ball that receives a fortuitous bounce, typically off a tree, hill or rock and onto the fairway or putting green.
• Mid-Amateur: An amateur golfer that is at least 25 years old. To compete in the USGA Mid-Amateur Championship, the golfer must have a handicap index of 3.4 or less.
• Mis-hit: A term for a golf shot that is not optimally hit and the result of a golf swing flaw.
• Misread: When a golfer miscalculates the break of a putt and misses the hole.
• Mixed Foursome: A team consisting of a man and woman where each partner plays from their respective teeing area.
• Modified Scramble: A format of play where each team member hits a tee shot, the best shot is selected then each member plays their own individual ball into the hole. The lowest individual score is the team’s score for the hole.
• Monday Qualifier: A stroke play golf tournament held the Monday before a professional golf tournament in which the top finishers earn entry into the professional tournament.
• Movable Obstruction: An obstruction that can be moved with reasonable effort and without damaging the obstruction or the golf course.
• Moving Day: An expression used to describe the second to last round of a professional golf tournament when players strategically set themselves up for contention heading into the final round.
• Mud Ball: The term for a golf ball with mud on it.
• Mulligan: A ‘do-over’ or second try after the first attempt at a golf swing results in a mis-hit.
• Municipal Golf Course: A type of public golf course facility that is owned by a city, county or municipality.

– N –

• Nassau: A betting game featuring three separate bets: the lowest score on each of the front 9 holes, the back 9 holes and the overall 18 holes.
• Nearest Point of Relief: The spot on a golf course closest to the golfer’s ball but no closer to the hole from which the golfer can take a free drop without penalty.
• Net Score: A player’s gross score minus any handicap strokes.
• Niblick: An antique golf club equivalent to a modern day 9-iron.
• Nine Hole Score: A golfer’s score for one set of nine holes.
• Nineteenth Hole: Another name for the golf course’s bar or restaurant frequented by golfers for a drink at the completion of their round.
• Ninety-Degree Cart Rule: A golf cart rule where carts should exit the cart path to drive to a golf ball at a 90° angle. Once the ball has been hit, the cart should immediately return to the cart path.
• No Card: A term for a golfer in a tournament who has failed to return their scorecard. A golfer who is deemed to be a ‘No Card’ is eliminated from the tournament.
• No Return: See ‘No Card’.
• Nobble: The name of a golf shot in which the top half of the ball is struck with the club causing a low, weak running shot.
• Notice to Players: A golf tournament document that provides supplemental information regarding the tournament like local rules, format rules and reminders, the tee boxes to be played, etc,

– O –

• OB: See ‘Out of Bounds’.
• Offset: A term used to describe a golf club in which the leading edge of the clubface sits back from the shaft.
• On the Charge: A phrase describing a golfer that scores consecutive birdies to take the lead in a golf tournament.
• One-Piece Takeaway: A phrase describing the single movement of turning the shoulders and arms in a single movement away from the ball to initiate the backswing.
• Open Championship: Also known as the ‘British Open’. The Open Championship is one of the four major men’s professional stroke play tournaments contested within the borders of the British Isles. The Open Championship is conducted by the R & A, changes venues every year, is the oldest and most revered of the four majors. It was first contested in Prestwick, Scotland in 1860.
• Open Face: The term for positioning the clubface such that it is angled away from the body relative to the golfer’s target. An open clubface will add loft to the club and angle the shot away from the golfer.
• Open Stance: An orientation of a player’s stance such that the line created by the golfer’s toes stays inside of the golfer’s intended target line.
• Open the Face: A phrase referring to opening the clubface with the intent of adding loft resulting in a higher ball flight.
• Out of Bounds: The area outside the boundary edge of a golf course which is marked with white stakes or lines. A ball that touches the boundary edge is deemed to be out of bounds and the player must proceed accordingly under the Rules of Golf.
• Outside Influence: Any person (including another player), any animal or any natural or artificial object that can affect what happens to a player’s ball or equipment or the golf course.
• Outward Nine: Another name for the front nine holes, to mean the holes that take the golfer out from the clubhouse.
• Over Clubbing: The act of hitting a shot with a golf club greater than what is required for a particular distance, i.e. hitting a 5-iron when only a 7-iron is required.
• Overlapping Grip: A type of golf grip in which a player orients their hands in such a way that the pinky of the lower hand overlaps with the pointer finger of the other hand.
• Oversize Grip: A type of rubber golf grip that is larger than normal to accommodate golfers with larger hands.

– P –

• Pace of Play: The speed at which a round of golf is played. A round of golf should not be longer than 4 hours and 20 minutes.
• Pace: A term to describe the speed at which a putt is hit on a putting green.
• Par: The predetermined number of strokes that a golfer should require to complete the hole. Also a score that is equal to the number of strokes for a given hole.
• Penal: A golf course hole design in which the golfer is faced with at least one shot where they must risk a severe penalty for a misplaced shot.
• Penalty Area: An area from which relief with a one-stroke penalty is allowed if the player’s ball comes to rest there. It includes any body of water on the course marked with red or yellow paint and/or stakes.
• Penalty Stroke: An additional stroke added to a player’s score for an infraction of the rules.
• Perfect Round: An occurrence when a player has scored birdie or better on all 18 holes of a round of golf.
• PGA Championship: The PGA Championship is one of the four major men’s stroke play golf tournaments conducted by the PGA of America. The first PGA Championship was held in 1916, the original format was match play, is contested in the United States and changes host venues every year.
• PGA Tour Champions: The North American men’s professional golf circuit for golfers aged 50 and older.
• PGA Tour: The North American men’s professional golf tournament circuit.
• PGA of America: Also known as the ‘Professional Golfer’s Association of America’, the PGA of America is the governing trade association for over 29,000 certified PGA professional golfers.
• Pick Up: The act of picking up a ball before it is holed, often as a gimme.
• Pin: See ‘Flagstick’.
• Pin Sheet: See ‘Hole Location Sheet’.
• Pin High: The phrase for the location of an approach shot into the green that is laying horizontally from the hole location on the putting green, indicated by the flagstick.
• Pitch Mark: The term for the resulting divot created when a golf ball breaches the surface of the grass. A common and encouraged etiquette practice is to fix pitch marks located on the putting green with a divot repair tool.
• Pitch: A type of short range golf shot typically performed around the putting green, often with a type of wedge or high numbered iron. The intent of a pitch is to carry 50-60% of the distance to the hole with the remaining distance covered by bounce and roll out.
• Pitching: The act of hitting a ‘Pitch’ shot.
• Pitching Wedge: A type of wedge with the symbol ‘P’ or ‘PW’ on the sole of the clubhead. The pitching wedge has approximately 48° of loft and is just below a 9-iron in full swing distance.
• Play It Up: See ‘Preferred Lies’.
• Play the Ball as It Lies: The phrase for the original intent of the game of golf to play the ball as it lies on the course without affecting its position for the betterment of the golfer.
• Playing the Tips: A phase for playing a round of golf from the course’s farthest back tees.
• Playing Through: The act of passing a slower group on the golf course, a very common and gladly accepted etiquette practice. The group being passed should allow the faster group to play through on the tee box of the next hole or in the fairway of the same hole. The group playing through should play quickly to keep pace of play and the slower group should initiate ‘Ready Golf’ to keep up with the group playing through.
• Plugged Lie: The name of a type of lie in which part of the golf ball is embedded below the surface of the turf.
• Plus Fours: See ‘Knickers’. Plus Fours featured 4 inches of additional length below the knee for added puffiness.
• Plus Golfer: The term for a golfer with a handicap better than scratch (0), featuring a plus (+) sign in front of their handicap index. Plus golfers must add their handicap to their final score, opposite of the vast majority of the golf population’s handicap in which strokes are reduced from the final score.
• Plus Handicap: A plus handicap is a handicap designated with a plus (+) sign indicating handicap strokes should be added to the golfer’s gross score.
• Plus Twos: See ‘Knickers’. Plus Twos featured 2 inches of additional length below the knee.
• Poley: A point based game in golf in which any player who sinks a putt that is longer than the length of the flagstick wins one point from each of the other players. If two or more players sink a putt longer than the length of the flagstick, they each earn a point.
• Pop-up: A type of mis-hit in which the ball is popped straight up in the air off the top of the clubhead, often a weak shot that does not travel very far.
• Pot: Another name for the hole on the green.
• Pot Bunker: A type of small, round bunker that is often deep and a feature of many links-style golf courses.
• Power Transfer Ratio: A ratio that measures how well the ball is hit by the clubhead, ball speed divided by clubhead speed.
• Practice: The act of improving the golf swing through repeated hitting golf balls at the ‘Driving Range’ or ‘Practice Facility’.
• Practice Green: A putting green specifically designed only for practice so golfers can practice putting, chipping and learn characteristics of the golf course’s putting greens prior to play.
• Practice Facility: The area of a golf course that encompasses the ‘Driving Range’, ‘Short Game Area’ and the ‘Practice Green’.
• Practice Swing: The term for a swing taken by a golfer to practice the shot they intend to use to hit the ball. Common etiquette is to limit practice swings to 2 or 3 per golf shot to quicken pace of play.
• Preferred Lies: A condition that exists as a local rule, often due to wet or unfavorable course conditions, in which golfers are allowed to improve their lie (lift, clean and replace) without penalty on certain parts of a golf course, often the fairway of the hole being played.
• Pre-Shot Routine: A type of repetitive routine performed prior to the swing designed to focus and relax the golfer in effort to clear the mind and hit an optimal shot.
• Press: A term used by a losing team in a bet that begins a new wager for the remainder of the holes to be played.
• Pro Shop: Also known as ‘Golf Shop’. The term pro shop refers to the professional shop where the course’s head golf professional sells merchandise, equipment, lessons and many other golf related services.
• Professional Golfer: A type of golfer that plays tournament golf as a profession and for money. Professional golfers play on professional golf tours like the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions or LPGA Tour.
• Provisional Ball: Another ball played in case the ball ust played by the player may be ‘out of bounds’ or ‘lost outside a penalty area’. A provision ball is not the ball in play unless the original golf is not found within a three minute search.
• Public Golf Course: A type of golf course facility open to the general population to play a round of golf. It may be privately owned or a ‘Municipal Golf Course’.
• Pull: A type of ball flight when the ball is hit straight and inside the player’s intended target line.
• Pull Cart: A pull cart is equipment used by a walking golfer in which the golf bag is strapped to the cart and pulled on wheels behind the golfer.
• Punch Shot: A type of golf shot with a lower trajectory that is hit with force often to stay below wind, tree branches or similar.
• Punching the Greens: A term for aeration occurring on the putting greens. The term comes from the machine that punches holes into the turf.
• Pure: A term to describe how a shot feels when the ball is hit perfectly in the center of the clubface.
• Purse: The total sum of money to be distributed at the end of a professional tournament to players that made the cut.
• Push Cart: A push cart is equipment used by a walking golfer in which the golf bag is strapped to the cart and pushed on wheels in front of the golfer.
• Push: A type of ball flight when the ball is hit straight and outside the golfer’s intended target line.
• Putt: The name of a golf stroke when using a putter on a putting green.
• Putter: A type of golf club with a flat face (less than 5° of loft) specifically designed for use on the putting green.
• Putting Green: The area on the hole the player is playing that is specially prepared for putting and contains a hole into which the player tries to play a ball. A putting green is where the turfgrass is cut the shortest for optimal rolling.
• Putting: The act of hitting a putt.

– Q –

• Qualifying School: Also known as ‘Q-School’. Qualifying School is the annual qualifying tournament for the next season of professional golf tours.
• Quarter Shot: A type of shortened golf shot in which the golfer employs a swing that is one quarter of a full swing.

– R –

• Range: See ‘Driving Range’.
• Range Ball: A specific type of golf ball designed for use only on a driving range. Range balls have lower compression to limit yardage, are often one-piece molded golf balls, are white or yellow in color and have striping and/or the word ‘range’ printed on the ball to distinguish it from other golf balls.
• Rangefinder: See ‘Distance Measuring Device’.
• Ranger: See ‘Marshall’.
• Rating: See ‘Course Rating’.
• Reading the Green: The act of studying the undulation and curvature of a green to properly judge where to aim and how hard to hit a putt.
• Ready Golf: A method of playing golf with speed in which golfers within a group hit when ready rather than adhering to the principle that the farthest from the hole plays first.
• Recovery Shot: A conservative type of shot where a golfer hits their ball from a trouble area (i.e. from deep rough or behind a tree) to a safer part of the golf course like the fairway.
• Redan: A type of golf hole design that is typically a mid-length to long par-3 hole (170-240 yds) characterized by a front right to back left sloping green, a large hump on the front right of the green to help funnel golf balls, a large bunker guarding the front left of the green and second bunker behind the hump. The design forces players to aim away from the hole utilizing the hump as a means for getting the ball close.
• Release: A term used by golfers that plead with golf balls to roll out on the greens, typically when hitting chipping and pitching shots.
• Release the Club: The process of rotating the clubhead through impact which comes from the rotation of the hands and forearms from the bottom of the downswing, through impact and into the follow-through.
• Relief Area: The area where a player must drop a ball when taking relief under a Rule of Golf. The size and location of the relief area is based on the reference point (point from which the size of relief is measured) and the size of relief area measured from the reference point (one or two club-lenghts)
• Reload: A term used when a golfer must hit another ball because the first one ended up lost or in a water hazard.
• Repair Ballmarks on the Green: The process of fixing the pitch mark created by a golf ball that lands on the putting green. The golfer uses a ‘Divot Repair Tool’ to lift and flatten the indention in the surface of the green. This act is vital to caring for the course and one of the most important etiquette rules in golf.
• Replace a Divot: The act of either putting the removed piece of turf into the hole created by the golf swing or filling the hole with ‘Divot Seed Mixture’ with the purpose of creating a flat lie and allowing the damaged turf to heal. This is one of the most important etiquette rules in golf.
• Resort Golf Course: A type of golf course facility managed by resort, often characterized by wide fairways and large greens.
• Reverse Bounce Back: The percentage of holes scored under par immediately followed by a hole scored over par.
• Reverse Pivot: The term for a swing flaw in which the golfer reverses their weight transfer during the backswing portion of the golf swing. Instead of the weight transferring over the back leg, a reverse pivot occurs when the weight transfers over the front leg.
• Rhythm: The overall tempo of the golf swing.
• Rickshaw: The name of a pull cart with two large tires.
• Roll the Clubface: See ‘Release the Club’.
• Rough: The areas of the golf course outside the fairway that feature higher, thicker grass designed to be punitive to players that miss the fairway.
• Round: The act of playing on a golf course, usually consisting of 18 holes.
• Rowan Match Play: A form of singles match play where all participants compete against each other until one player wins a hole outright by recording a score better than all other players in the group.
• Rub of the Green: A phrase no longer used that describes an incident where a ball in motion is accidentally deflected or stopped by an outside agency. The ball should be played as it lies under no penalty. A ‘rub of the green’ can be good or bad and is a natural part of the game.
• Rules of Golf: A standard set of regulations and procedures in which the game of golf is played. ‘The R&A’ and the ‘USGA’ are the two governing bodies that oversee the Rules of Golf. The ‘Rules of Golf’ contain 24 individual rules and procedures covering every aspect of the game of golf.
• Run: The additional distance the ball travels after its initial landing.
• Rutter: The name for a small headed niblick used to hit a golf ball from a cart track.
• Ryder Cup: A biennial men’s team golf match play competition comprising professional golfer’s from Europe and the United States. The first ‘Ryder Cup’ was played in 1927. The United States’ record is 26 wins, 14 losses and 2 ties and Europe’s record is 14-26-2.

– S –

• Sand Save: The term for a player that makes a par by getting ‘up and down’ from a green-side bunker. Sand save percentage is a common statistic that tells the percentage of time a player get’s up and down from a green-side bunker.
• Sand Trap: See ‘Bunker’. This is a term rarely used by avid golfers.
• Sand Wedge: A type of lofted wedge with the symbol ‘S’ or ‘SW’ on the sole of the clubhead. The sand wedge has approximately 56° of loft and is often the club of choice for hitting shots out of green-side bunkers.
• Sandbagger: A term for a golfer that artificially inflates their handicap to be higher than their skill level would indicate, often to their unfair advantage, as means for garnering additional handicap strokes in competition.
• Sandbagging: The act of purposefully inflating owns handicap to gain additional handicap strokes in tournament play. Sandbagging is commonly viewed as a form of cheating in golf.
• Sandie: A score of par or better after hitting a shot from a bunker.
• Schlaffed: The term describing an ugly looking shot that still achieves the result the player intended.
• Scotch Foursomes: A format of play in which teams of two players compete against each other in an alternate shot format.
• Scramble: 1) A team format in which each player tees off, the best shot is selected, each player hits from that spot and the process is repeated until the ball is holed. 2) A term used when a golfer misses the ‘Green in Regulation’ but still makes par or better.
• Scrambling Percentage: A statistic kept by competitive golfers that reflects the percentage of time a par or better is made after missing a ‘Green in Regulation’.
• Scratch Golfer: A golfer who can play to a ‘Course Handicap’ of zero (0) on any and all rated golf courses.
• Score: The number of strokes a golfer incurs on each hole.
• Scorecard: A card designed for golfers to record the names of the golfers in their group and each golfer’s score for each hole on a golf course. It also features information like yardages for each set of tees, each hole’s stroke index and as well as the golf course’s course rating and slope rating.
• Scoring Average: The average of a golfer’s score for their rounds of golf. It will also include golf etiquette rules specific to the club as well as local rules for playing on the course.
• Scoring Tent: The area in a golf tournament where players review, sign and attest their official scores in a competitive tournament.
• Second Cut (of Rough): The thickest and longest area of rough and the most punitive area of rough.
• Semi Rough: See ‘First Cut (of Rough)’.
• Senior PGA Tour: See ‘PGA TOUR Champions’
• Senior: An age designation assigned to golfers over the age of 50.
• Setup: The combined aspects of how a player prepares to hit a golf ball including how the body is positioned relative to the ball, the club in their hands, and their alignment to the target.
• Shaft Weight: The weight of the shaft of a golf club.
• Shamble: A team format where every member of the team hits a drive, the best one is selected and each player plays their own individual ball for the remainder of the hole. The best individual score or scores from each hole will be the team’s score.
• Shank: A severe mis-hit shot when the player strikes the ball with the hozel of the club causing it to squirt sharply away from the golfer.
• Shiperio: Similar to a ‘Mulligan’, in that the golfer gets a free second shot but different in that the golfer gets to choose the better of their two shots.
• Shoot Your Age: A phrase for a score when a golfer shoots the same score as their age.
• Shoot Your Temperature: A phrase for a score where the golfer shoots the same score as their body temperature (98°).
• Short Game: A term for golf shots hit inside 100 yards of the green.
• Short: The term for a golf ball that fails to carry all the way to the green.
• Short Side: A term for the position of a golfer’s ball that is off the green but close to the hole. The term implies that the golfer has little green between them and the hole, often adding difficulty to getting the ball close to the hole.
• Shot Shape: The curvature or arc of a golf ball’s path through the air.
• Shot Shaping: The act of bending or curving a shot around obstacles in the way of the golfer’s line of play.
• Shot Making: A phrase for a golfer’s ability to hit creative and unconventional shots to rescue them from a punitive situation or to hit a shot with exact precision despite difficult conditions like wind, elevation change or a challenging lie.
• Shotgun Start: A term describing the exact time in which all participants in a tournament begin play. Groups of golfers will start play on different holes and play holes consecutively until they’ve played all 18 holes. For example, a group starting on hole 13 will finish their round on hole 12. Shotgun starts are commonly used for golf tournaments including formats like scrambles and shambles.
• Shrimp: See ‘Hook Shot’.
• Sink a Putt: A phrase for hitting a putt into the hole.
• Sit: A term used by golfers who want their ball to slow down or stop rolling because they’ve hit it too hard or too far.
• Skied: The term for a ball that has been off the top of the clubhead with a very high trajectory or loft and fails to have very much distance.
• Skin: The prize earned in a ‘Skin’s Game’, often a point or cash depending on the rules of the game.
• Skin’s Game: A type of betting format where a group of golfers compete for a prize or point for each hole. The lowest score of the group for each hole will win the prize or point for that hole.
• Skinny: See ‘Thin Shot’.
• Skull: See ‘Thin Shot’.
• Slice: A ball flight law characterized by a sharp curving shot that moves away from the golfer.
• Slider: The term for a putt with moderate to significant break.
• Slope Rangefinder: A ‘Distance Measuring Device’ that, in addition to distance, tells the golfer the change in elevation to a specific target.
• Slope Rating: A numerical value that indicates the relative difficulty of a set of tees on a golf course for a bogey golfer in comparison to a scratch golfer.
• Smoked: A term used to describe a golf ball that has been hit really well.
• Snake: A term used to describe a putt that has multiple breaks and moves across the green similarly to a snake.
• Snap Hook: A type of hook shot that sharply curves at the end of its ball flight.
• Snowman: Another name for a score of ‘8’ on a hole.
• Society: A group of organized golfers unaffiliated with any one golf club.
• Soft Hands: A term used to describe the ability of a golfer that exhibits great skill with short game shots.
• Sole: The bottom part of a clubhead that touches and settles on the ground.
• Solheim Cup: A biennial women’s team golf match play competition comprising professional golfer’s from Europe and the United States. The first ‘Solheim Cup’ was played in 1990. The United States’ has won 10 times while Europe has won 6 times.
• Span: The act of moving a ball-marker when it sits in the way of another golfer’s line of putt.
• Speed: A term used to describe the pace of a putt.
• Spike: A term used for the cleats on the bottom of golf shoes. Spikes can be metal, rubber or plastic.
• Spikeless Golf Shoes: A style of golf shoe designed without spikes.
• Spin: The rotation of a golf ball when it’s been hit, including top, side and back spin.
• Spine Angle: The angle created by a golfer’s spine, relative to a vertical line, while taking their stance or hitting a golf ball.
• Spoon: An antique golf club equivalent to a modern day 5-Wood.
• Sprachle: A Scottish term for playing badly during the course of a round of golf.
• Spray: A term for erratically hitting golf balls all over the golf course during a round.
• Sprinkler Head: The sprinkler of a golf course’s irrigation system that is often recessed into the ground. Free relief is provided for any ball that rests on or near a sprinkler head and they will often share yardages to the middle of the green.
• Square Clubface: A term for a golf clubface that sits perfectly perpendicular to a golfer’s intended target line.
• Square Stance: A term for a golfer’s stance (created by a straight toeline) that is perfectly perpendicular to a golfer’s intended target line.
• Squirt: A type of mis-hit golf shot that moves weakly straight away from the golfer.
• Stableford: A type of tournament format that features an alternate scoring method in which golfer’s recieve positive or negative points based on their score for the hole. Commonly an ‘Eagle’ equals 5 points, a ‘Birdie’ equals 2 points, a ‘Par’ equals no points, a ‘Bogey’ equals -1 points, a ‘Double Bogey’ or worse equals -2 points.
• Staff Bag: A very large type of golf bag used by professional golfers and golf professionals alike that are ‘on staff’ with equipment companies and other golf manufacturers and sponsors.
• Stance: The term describing how a golfer stands when preparing to hit a ball, including the position of their feet, their ‘Spine Angle’, the position of the ball between their feet, and how far away from the ball they stand.
• Starter: A member of the golf operation staff that is responsible for preparing golfer’s for their round of golf and ensuring groups start play at their specific ‘Tee Time’.
• Sticks: A term referring to a golfer’s set of golf clubs.
• Still Yours: A phrase said to another golfer who is still away after hitting a golf shot.
• Stimpmeter: A device used to measure the relative speed of a putting green by applying a known velocity to a golf ball and measuring the distance it travels in feet.
• Stone Dead: A phrase used for a golf ball that lands and stops just next to the hole.
• Stony: See ‘Stone Dead’.
• Strategic: A golf course hole design where there is at least one route to the hole on the putting green with very little risk of incurring a severe penalty due to a misplayed shot, in addition to other routes with more severe risks of penalty.
• Striped: The term for a ball hit so well the grooves on the clubface leave a mark on the ball.
• Stroke: The forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.
• Stroke and Distance: The procedure and penalty when a player takes relief for a Rule in Golf (17, 18 or 19) by playing a ball from where the previous stroke was made. The term means the player gets both a one stroke penalty and loses the benefit of any gain of distance towards the hole from the spot where the previous stroke was made.
• Stroke Average: A statistic that tracks the average score on a golf hole and helps to determine the hole’s overall difficulty as compared to the rest of the golf course’s holes. A par 3 hole that averages a score of 3.2 means the average score for the hole is over par.
• Stroke Index: The method of ranking the hole on each set of nine holes of a golf course from hardest to easiest. Each set of nine holes will either be even or odd, i.e. the front nine are the odd ranked holes 1-17 and the back nine are the even ranked holes 2-18. These rankings determine where players will receive handicap strokes. A 15-handicapper will recieve a one stroke subtraction on the 15 hardest holes.
• Stroke Play: A form of play where a player (or players) competes against all others in the competition by comparing a total score for one or more rounds.
• Strokes Gained Average: A way of analysing a golfer’s performance level when comparing every aspect of their performance with other players within a particular dataset. It takes into account the length of the hole, shot length, lie type of every shot and putt during a round of golf.
• Strokes Taken: The player’s score for a hole or a round to include both all strokes made and any penalty strokes incurred.
• Strong Grip: The term for a grip that promotes a draw shaped curve, commonly used by golfers that tend to hit a fade or a slice. A strong grip occurs when the target-side hand is rotated towards the golfer so they can see most of the back of the hand. This creates a closed club face at impact.
• Stymie: An extinct rule in the game of golf for a situation when a player’s ball lies in the way of another player’s ball and the player must navigate around the obstacle to get it into the hole.
• Sucker Pin: A phrase to describe a hole location that lies closely to a bunker, water hazard, etc. in which a misplayed shot will result in a punitive situation or severe penalty for the golfer but if successful will offer significant opportunities to make a good score.
• Super Senior: An age designation assigned to golfers over the age of 65.
• Sunday Bag: A type of carry golf bag designed for minimal weight and size, often used for playing a round of golf with less than the 14 club maximum.
• Sunday Hole Location: A phrase for the hole location on a green lying in the most difficult portion of the green, like what professional golfers experience during the final round, often on Sunday, of competitive tournaments.
• Sunday Pin: See ‘Sunday Hole Location’.
• Swale: A small hill or depression on a golf course.
• Sweet Spot: The term for the center of the clubface where it is the best place to make contact with the golf ball.
• Swing: See ‘Stroke’.
• Swing Direction: The horizontal direction of the clubhead during the downswing, impact and follow-through to include square, outside-in and inside-out swing directions.
• Swing Plane: The vertical angle between the ground and the circle the clubhead travels on during the bottom portion of the swing arc.
• Swing Speed: The speed of the golf swing through impact.
• Swing Trainer: A training tool designed to help golfers improve specific aspects of their golf swing.

– T –

• Takeaway: The initial stage of the golfer’s backswing.
• Tap-In: The phrase for a putt in which the golf ball is very close, often within inches, of the hole.
• Target Line: The line created between the golf ball and the player’s target, often the fairway, putting green or hole location.
• Tee: An object used to raise a ball above the ground to play it from the ‘Teeing Area’ and must be no longer than 4 inches.
• Tee Box: The term for the mowed area of turf where the teeing area and tee markers are located.
• Tee Markers: The pair of objects that signify the area of the tee box where golfers are expected to start play on a hole. Tee markers will be color coded to signify different sets of tees.
• Tee Shot: A type of shot in which the golf ball is hit from the teeing area.
• Teeing Area: The area a player must play from in starting a golf hole. It is a rectangle that is two club-lengths deep and the front and outer edges are created by the tee markers.
• Tees: A term referring to the set of tee boxs that a golfer will play from during the course of a round. Golf Courses will typically have 2-5 sets of tees with each set having a different total yardage and designed to accommodate differing skill levels.
• Tempo: The elapsed time of a golf swing from the backswing to the follow-through.
• Temporary Green: A temporary putting green created in the fairway of a golf hole while maintenance work on the actual putting green is being performed.
• Temporary Water: Temporary accumulation of water on the course that is not in a water hazard and is visible before or after a player takes their stance.
• Tend the Flagstick: See ‘Attend the Flag’.
• Tend the Pin: See ‘Attend the Flag’.
• Ten-Finger Grip: See ‘Baseball Grip’.
• Tension: The condition in which muscles of the body remain semi-contracted for an extended period. In the golf swing, tension in the hands will inhibit their ability to swing the club efficiently and effectively.
• Texas Wedge: A term describing the use of a putter for a ball to be played from off the putting green, usually when the course lacks any significant rough and is mostly fairway cut turfgrass.
• The Knife’s Cousin: A term used to describe a 2-iron.
• The R&A: The governing body of golf outside of North America, The R&A engages in and supports activities undertaken for the benefit of the sport of golf. The R&A is the organizer of The Open Championship, one of the four major professional stroke play golf tournaments.
• The Tips: See ‘Back Tees’.
• The Turn: The term for transitioning from the front 9 to the back 9 of a golf course. ‘The Turn’ will commonly feature a concession area so golfers can reload on snacks and drinks for the back half of their round.
• Thin: See ‘Thin Shot’.
• Thin Shot: A type of mis-hit golf shot in which the ball is hit with the leading edge of the clubface instead of the clubface itself. A thin shot has a low trajectory that often rolls out further than expected and it is very hard to control the shot’s distance. Thin shots can send vibrations from hitting the leading edge of the club that reverberate up the shaft causing discomfort in the hands.
• Through Line: A line that is the extension of a golfer’s putting line several feet beyond the hole.
• Through the Green: A phrase describing the areas of the golf course not including the tee boxes and putting green of the hole being played as well as hazards and bunkers. The phrase is used in the Rules of Golf to separate areas of the golf course where rules are applied in specific ways.
• Tiger Slam: A phrase created after golfing legend Tiger Woods won all four major golf championships consecutively over the course of two playing seasons. A ‘Tiger Slam’ is different from a ‘Grand Slam’ in that a ‘Grand Slam’ is winning all four major championships in the same year.
• Tight Lie: A type of lie in which the ball rests on a spot with very little grass underneath or even bare dirt.
• Tips: See ‘Back Tees’.
• Toe: Similar to a foot, the toe is the area of a golf clubhead furthest from the player.
• Toed Shot: A type of mis-hit shot where the ball is struck with the toe of the golf clubhead.
• Topped Shot: A type of mis-hit shot where the ball is struck with the bottom of the golf clubhead. The ball will rebound off the turf often bouncing forwards or backwards and dribbling away only a few feet.
• Touch: See ‘Feel’.
• Trajectory: The angle at which a golf ball flies off the clubface at impact.
• Tree Shot: A shot hit from a tree.
• Triple Bogey: The name for a score on a hole that is three strokes over par.
• Trolley: See ‘Push Cart’ or ‘Pull Cart’.
• Turkey: The term for three consecutive birdies during one round of golf.
• Turn: See ‘The Turn’.
• Twilight Rate: A type of discounted greens fee rate that is offered by golf courses after a specific time in the afternoon.
• Two-Putt: The term used when a golfer makes it in the hole with only two putts on a putting green.

– U –

• Uncock: The moment during the downswing when the wrists release, extending the club into the ball at impact.
• Under Par: An expression used when a golfer’s score is less than par for the hole or the golf course.
• Unit: A term used in betting.
• Unplayable Ball: A situation where a golfer doesn’t want to or doesn’t think they can hit their golf ball. Relief for an unplayable ball can occur anywhere except on the tee box or for a lost ball, whether through the green, out of bounds or in a hazard. The golfer has three relief options: 1) return to the spot of the previous shot, 2) drop a ball as far back as wanted on a line from the hole through the spot where the ball lies or 3) drop anywhere within two club-lengths of where the ball lies but no closer to the hole.
• Unplayable Lie: The name of the lie on which an unplayable ball rests.
• Up and Down: A term for when a golfer saves par when their second to last shot is taken from off the green. Up refers to getting the ball up onto the green and Down refers to getting the ball into the hole with one putt.
• USGA: The acronym for the United States Golf Association, which is the governing body of golf in North America whose mission is to champion and advance the game of golf as a thriving, welcoming and sustainable game.
• USPGA: See ‘PGA Championship’.
• U.S. Open: The U.S. Open (United States) is one of the four major men’s stroke play championships in professional golf conducted by the United States Golf Association. The first U.S. Open was held in 1895 in Newport, Rhode Island. The host venue changes every year.

– V –

• Vardon Grip: See ‘Overlapping Grip’. The name Vardon Grip comes from Harry Vardon, a champion English golfer who popularized the grip during his playing career in the early 1900’s.
• Vaulting Dormie: An occurrence in ‘Match Play’ when a player converts a lead into a victory without passing through dormie. An example is a player that is up 2 with 3 holes to play and wins the hole and subsequently the match at up 3 with 2 holes to play.

– W –

• Waggle: A motion in the wrists prior to the start of the golf swing in which the golf swings the clubhead back and forth a few times.
• Walk Through Someone’s Line: A common breach of golf etiquette when a golfer walks or steps on another golfer’s line of putt creating a foot-sized depression that can alter the path of a putted ball.
• We Are Golf: A coalition of golf’s leading organizations that come together to promote and advocate for the game. We Are Golf supports and facilitates this collaboration to enhance the sport and its impact on people and communities.
• Weak Grip: The term for a grip that promotes a fade shaped curve, commonly used by golfers that tend to hit a draw or a hook. A weak grip occurs when the target-side hand is rotated away from the golfer so they can’t see more than the thumb pad. This creates an open clubface at impact.
• Wedge: A type of high lofted golf club that is a subset of the iron family designed for special use situations like hitting shots from bunkers, over obstacles or when close to the putting green.
• Whiff: The term for when a golf swings at a ball with intent and misses.
• Whippy: The term for a golf shaft that is too flexible for a particular golfer’s swing speed.
• Winter Green: An area of fairway used as a temporary putting green to prevent damage to the actual putting green during harsh winter weather.
• Winter Rules: See ‘Preferred Lies’. Often invoked during winter time when a golf course’s turf is damaged by inclement winter weather.
• Wire-to-Wire: A term for a golfer that has won a tournament as the leader through all competitive rounds.
• Wolf: A type of points based betting game for a foursome in which golfer’s alternate the role of the Wolf on each hole. The Wolf tees off first then selects a partner of the remaining three golfers or plays the hole by themselves. The lowest score wins and the members of the winning team each earn one point. The partner must be selected immediately after they hit their tee shot or the player can’t be picked.
• Wood: A type of golf club that has a longer shaft than an iron and a round head, often smaller than a driver. Woods are often odd numbered like 3, 5, 7 or 9 but can be even numbered depending on the club manufacturer.
• Worm-Burner: The name for a low trajectory, fast-moving shot that skips along the surface of the turf.

– X –

• X-Outs: A type of golf ball that doesn’t meet the quality standard of golf ball manufacturers due to a flaw in production. X-Outs are often less expensive and the flaws are usually not noticeable to the average golfer.

– Y –

• Yardage: The total number of yards or meters to a target.
• Yardage Book: A book utilized by golfers as a guide to the golf course. Yardage Books are often sold in the golf shop and provide tips and advice to golfers playing an unfamiliar golf course.
• Yardage Marker: An object in or near the fairway, like a pole, that is painted different colors used to signify the distance to the center of the putting green from that spot. A red marker equals 100 yds, white equals 150 yds, and blue equals 200 yds.
• Yardage Plate: A plate on the ground that shares or refers to a specific yardage to the center of the green. Yardage plates that appear on the tee boxes will have specific yard (i.e. 364 yards) or are located in the fairway or along the cart path at 100 (red plate), 150 (white plate) and 200 (blue plate) yard distances to the center of the green
• Yips: An involuntary wrist spasm that commonly affects golfers ability to chip or putt golf balls.

– Z –

• Zoysiagrass: A type of turfgrass that has a thin blad, grows slowly and is resistant to droughts and hot temperatures.

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