Golf, a game that has captivated enthusiasts for centuries, is a unique blend of skill, strategy and precision. When players step out onto the course, they enter a world governed by its own unique lexicon, where birdies, bogeys and bunkers become part of the conversation. From tee to green, the language of golf weaves a colorful tapestry of terms that both entertain and perplex. Join us on a golf terminology journey as we create a “cheat sheet” for your next conversation with a caddie or parlay with a pro and remember - a slice isn’t just a piece of cake and a mulligan won’t necessarily come in a cocktail glass!
Jump Ahead:
- Hole Scoring
- Golf Course Areas
- Shot Directions
- Golf Clubs & Equipment
- Other Miscellaneous Golf Terms
- Etiquette
- Handicapping
- Competitive Formats
- Download Cheat Sheet to take to go!
Hole Scoring
What is a Par in golf?
The allocated number of strokes (shots) given to each hole and to the full round. Holes on the golf course consist of a mixture of Par 3’s, Par 4’s and Par 5’s. This indicates the number of shots it is expected to take for an expert golfer to score on a hole.
What is a Birdie in golf?
Scoring one under par on a hole.
What is an Eagle in Golf?
Scoring two under par on a hole.
What is an Albatross (aka Double-Eagle) in golf?
Scoring three under par on a hole.
What is a Bogey in golf?
Scoring one over par on a hole.
What is a Hole-In-One (aka ace) in golf?
When the player gets their ball in the hole from the tee shot.
Golf Course Areas
What is a Tee Box (and markers)?
The starting point for a hole. Tee markers are used on the tee boxes to indicate the area of a tee box that you need to hit your golf ball from to start the hole. You cannot tee your golf ball in front of the tee markers without incurring a penalty, so be sure to always note where the tee markers are placed on a tee box before you hit your shot. Tee markers come in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. They may just be a painted chunk of wood or an elaborate shaped piece of metal.
Where is the golf Fairway?
The mown areas between the tee box and the green between your tee shot and putting areas.
What is the Skirt/Cut (aka Fringe)?
The thinner grassy area between the fairway and rough to the putting green. It is advised to keep rolling golf carts off this area.
What is a golf Green?
The putting surface of a hole. No golf bags or carts should be placed on this surface. It is the most “fragile” of the grasses and needs special care when walking/playing on it to keep it in smooth, tip-top shape.
What is the Rough?
The taller, sometimes thicker grass that lines and surrounds the fairways and greens.
What is a golf Penalty Area?
Any sea, lake, pond, river, ditch, surface drainage ditch or other marked area on the course (doesn’t have to contain water) – defined by yellow or red stakes or lines.
What is a golf Bunker (aka Sand Trap)?
Shallow pits filled with sand and generally incorporating a raised lip or barrier, from which the ball is more difficult to play than from grass. You are not allowed to “test the surface” prior to your shot attempt, this includes grounding your club head or raking the surface.
What is Out of Bounds (OB) in golf?
When your ball goes over a boundary of the course. These are often defined by white stakes or lines.
Shot Directions
What is a Duff shot?
When you attempt to hit the ball and miss. Also known as an air shot.
What is a Push/Fade/Slice? →
*for right hand golfers
Push: Ball flight starts right of target
Fade: Ball flight curves slightly from left to the right
Slice: Ball flight curves substantially from left to right
What is a Pull/Draw/Hook? ←
*for right hand golfers
Pull: Ball flight starts left of target
Draw: Ball flight curves slightly from right to left
Hook: Ball flight curves substantially from right to left
Golf Clubs & Equipment
Need a list of golf gear for beginners? Check out our blog post: Golf Gear Guide: Must-Haves and Nice-to-Haves for New Golfers!
What is a Driver?
Typically the largest, un-numbered club that goes the furthest. It is also referred to as a 1 wood.
What are Fairway Woods?
Typically numbered 3, 5, or 7, where the lower the number, the less loft the club face has, meaning it goes further than higher number woods.
What are Irons?
Typically numbered 2 to 9, where the lower the number, the less loft the club face has, meaning it goes further than higher number irons.
What are Wedges?
Non-numbered clubs, like pitching wedge (PW), sand wedge (SW), or approach wedge (AW), or even lob wedge (LW) used when approaching the green (~100 yards out or less) or in green-side sand bunkers. Wedges also commonly come in 48, 52, 56, 60 and 64 degree lofts, where the larger degrees launch the ball higher and shorter than the lower degree wedges.
What is a Putter?
Used on the green to roll the ball into the cup.
What are Tees?
Wooden or plastic in varying lengths, tees are used to prop up the ball for tee shots where a driver (1-wood) is being used. They can only be used to “tee-off” in the teeing areas at the start of each hole. Tees are not required though, some golfers prefer to not use a tee on shorter par threes where they are using an iron or a wedge.
What is a golf Glove?
Typically worn on the non-dominant, top hand (left hands for right handed golfers) to protect and help grip the club.
What are Golf Shoes?
Golf shoes are not required, but help you to “grip” the ground while swinging a club, soft-spikes or a special tread are available (based on preference). A good pair of comfortable, tennis shoes with prominent tread also works.
What is a Golf Bag?
To hold your clubs, balls, etc.
What is a Golf Towel used for?
Helpful to clean your club faces between shots, especially in inclement weather!
What is golf Attire?
Golf dress-code varies greatly depending on where you are practicing or playing, but most courses require pants/shorts of non-jean material and collared shirts. If you have questions, visit the course’s website or call the golf shop ahead of time to be sure your attire complies with their dress policies.
Other Miscellaneous Golf Terms
What is a golf Tee Time?
Think of tee times as an appointment time for you to tee off to start your round of golf. You typically contact the golf shop staff and set up a time that works for you to begin your round. Some golf courses offer online sign ups that will show you a tee sheet with a list of times available and then you pick the time you want and tell the system how many golfers will be in your group. Tee times may run at different intervals depending on the golf course. For example, the times might be 7:00, 7:10, 7:20, etc. or they may be 7:00, 7:08, 7:16, etc. They usually start just after sunrise and end late in the day to give you enough time to finish your round of golf before the sun sets.
What is the Flagstick/Cup?
Flagsticks mark the hole location on the putting green. When you are getting ready to hit your ball on the putting green you need to know where the hole is located on the green surface to know where to aim. Flagsticks will typically have a colored flag, matching the golf course colors, or red, white, or blue. These flags are determined by the golf course.
What is a golf Ball Marker?
A ball marker is used anytime you are going to pick your ball up in your hand and then replace it in the exact spot you just picked it up from. Ball markers are typically round, for example a coin or a poker chip. This action is very common on the putting green, you mark your ball and pick it up then replace it when it is your turn to putt.
What is a golf Ball Divot Repair Tool?
This is a handy little tool to repair the small round dent that your golf ball makes when it hits the putting green surface. Etiquette is to fix your ball mark and one more (sometimes golfers don’t fix their marks).
What is a golf Mulligan?
A mulligan is just a second shot when the first shot isn’t well played. There are nuances to when it can be used, typically not allowable in competitive golf, but definitely allowed in casual golf or even in can be “purchased” in charity golf events.
Etiquette
What is Fore?
If you think your ball is about to hit someone you shout “Fore”. Shouting “Fore left” or “Fore right” is a way of saying “watch out!” giving the person from which direction to duck and cover from.
What is a Divot?
Piece of turf/grass that gets removed when hitting a golf ball off the ground. Players should fix their divots by either placing the removed turf back into the divot or filling the divot with sand/seed from the bottles on the golf cart.
What is Ready Golf?
Different from “honors golf”, where if it is safe to do so, whoever is ready to hit can go first (usually the person furthest from the hole).
What is Honors Golf?
This gives the person who had the lowest score on the previous hole the right to tee off first on the next hole.
What is a Putting Line?
Due to the sensitive nature of the putting green surface, it’s advisable to refrain from walking in or across the line of your golf partner’s upcoming shot. Walking around or “hopping” over the line is best so you don’t disrupt the grass which can affect the way the ball rolls.
Why is golf silent? Quiet Consideration
Golf is a game of concentration, so it’s considered polite to be as quiet as possible when someone is in the process of hitting their ball.
Handicapping
For more information on Handicapping, visit our Handicap 101 page.
What is a Handicap IndexⓇ (GHIN Number)
A numerical calculation of a golfer’s demonstrated ability from negative digits, to zero (par) up to 54. Often referred to as a player’s GHIN number. To put it simply, handicaps are equalizers.
Stands for Golf Handicap Information Network (GHIN) number, and is your unique identification enabling you to post your scores to establish/manage your Handicap Index, overseen by The United States Golf Association (USGA), in the United States in accordance with the World Handicap SystemTM.
What is a Net Score in golf?
When you play a round of golf, the total number of strokes you take is your ‘gross score’. The ‘net score’ is determined by subtracting the course handicap from the gross score. Following the above example: you play a round and your gross score is 95, subtract your course handicap 23, your net score is 72. That is a net par!
Competition Formats
What is Stroke Play in golf (aka Medal Play)?
Each shot is counted and added up at the end of the round. If it’s a handicap competition the golfer plays using their playing handicap.
What is Match Play in golf?
Head-to-head golf. Each hole is treated as a separate competition and players can either win, halve or lose a hole. The winner is determined by the number of holes won.
What is Stableford in golf?
A point-scoring system depending on the shots taken on each hole. This is a very popular format because one or two bad holes do not rule out a good overall score.
What is a Scramble in golf?
Scramble is a popular team format in golf. Each player in a group tees off. The best of these shots is then chosen to be used for the next shot. Each member of the team hits their shot from that spot. This continues until you finish the hole.
Learn something new?
Whether this was just a refresher or the gateway to your golf journey, we hope this cheat sheet is a good resource for you.
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Golf Terminology
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