Golf terms explained

Golf has its own language. Some of it is official (it's in the Rules of Golf) and some is slang you'll hear on any course. This guide explains the golf terms you're most likely to meet, in plain English, grouped so it's easy to find what you need.

Scoring terms

• Par: the number of strokes a good golfer is expected to take on a hole (3, 4 or 5), or on the whole course (usually 70 to 72).
• Birdie: one under par on a hole. Eagle: two under. Albatross (or double eagle): three under.
• Bogey: one over par. Double bogey: two over. Triple bogey: three over.
• Hole in one (or ace): holing your tee shot.
• Gross score: every stroke you took. Net score: gross minus your handicap strokes.
• Handicap: a number that measures your ability, used to give fair strokes between golfers of different levels. How handicaps work.
• Scratch golfer: a golfer with a handicap of zero.
• Bogey golfer: a golfer who averages about one over par per hole, around 90 for 18 holes.
• Level (or even, E): exactly par for the round so far.

The full explanation, with examples: golf scoring and par.

On the course

• Tee box (or teeing area): where each hole starts. You may put the ball on a tee (a small peg) for the first shot.
• Fairway: the short, mown grass between the tee and the green, where you want to be.
• Rough: the longer grass either side of the fairway.
• Green: the very short grass around the hole, where you putt. The hole is marked by the flag (or pin).
• Cup: the hole itself.
• Fringe (or apron, collar): the slightly longer grass around the edge of the green.
• Bunker: a hollow filled with sand. Golfers rarely call it a sand trap, but everyone knows what you mean.
• Penalty area: water, or another area marked with red or yellow stakes. Going in usually costs a penalty stroke.
• Out of bounds (OB): outside the course, marked with white stakes. It costs a stroke and you replay from where you hit.
• Dogleg: a hole that bends left or right, like a dog's back leg.
• Front nine / back nine: holes 1–9 and 10–18. Also called out and in.

Shots

• Drive: the tee shot on a long hole, usually with the driver.
• Approach: a shot hit toward the green.
• Chip: a short, low shot from near the green that runs along the ground.
• Pitch: a short shot that flies higher and lands softly.
• Flop: a very high, soft pitch, for when there's little green to work with.
• Punch: a low shot that stays under the wind or under branches.
• Putt: a shot on the green, rolled along the ground with the putter.
• Lay up: play short of trouble (often water) on purpose, instead of going for the green.
• Draw / fade: a shot that curves gently: for a right-handed golfer, a draw curves right to left and a fade left to right. A hook and a slice are the same curves, but too much.
• Shank: a shot struck off the part of the club where the head meets the shaft, shooting off sideways. Golfers prefer not to say it out loud.
• Fat / thin: hitting the ground before the ball (fat), or catching the ball too high on the clubface (thin).
• Sweet spot: the part of the clubface that gives the best strike.
• Carry: how far the ball flies in the air. Roll (or run-out): how far it travels after landing.

Clubs

• Driver: the longest club, for tee shots.
• Woods (3 wood, 5 wood) and hybrids: long clubs for distance from the fairway.
• Irons: numbered clubs for approaches. The higher the number, the shorter and higher the shot.
• Wedges (pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge): short, lofted clubs for pitches, chips and bunker shots.
• Putter: for rolling the ball on the green.
• Loft: the angle of the clubface. More loft sends the ball higher and shorter.
• The bag: golfers may carry at most 14 clubs.

Formats and the game itself

• Stroke play: count every stroke; the lowest total wins.
• Match play: win holes, not strokes; the player who wins the most holes wins the match. Match play rules.
• All square (AS): level in a match. Up / down: ahead or behind by a number of holes.
• Dormie: ahead in a match by as many holes as are left to play, so you can't lose.
• Halved: a hole (or match) tied.
• Foursomes (or alternate shot): two partners share one ball and take turns hitting it. How alternate shot works.
• Scramble: a team format where everyone plays from the best shot each time.
• Gimme: a short putt your opponent concedes in match play. Gimme rules and etiquette.
• Honours: the right to tee off first, usually earned by the lowest score on the previous hole.
• Mulligan: a do-over shot. Friendly and unofficial; it's not in the Rules of Golf.
• Fore!: the shout that warns people a ball is heading their way.

Golf terms in One Fairway

You'll meet most of these words in One Fairway. Our course, Stonepine, has doglegs, bunkers, water and a two-tier green. You choose between full shots, punches, pitches, chips, flops and putts; you can shape the ball with a draw or a fade; and the scorecard circles your birdies. In matches with friends you can play match play or alternate shot, give a gimme, and use your handicap to keep it fair.

Play a round and try them out. It's free in your browser, and you can start as a guest.