Golf Glossary

• Address - The act of placing the clubhead behind the ball in readiness to play your shot.


• Albatross - A hole completed in three shots under par.


• Approach shot - The shot played when intending to land the ball on the green.


• Apron – The band of trimmed grass at the border of the green, also referred to as the fringe.


• Back nine – The last nine holes of a standard eighteen hole golf course.


• Backspin – When reverse spin is imparted on the ball with the intention of stopping or reducing forward motion once the ball has landed.  Usually achieved with a lofted club during an approach shot.


• Backswing – The part of the swing where the club head is taken away from the ball during a shot.


• Ball – The small sphere that is struck towards the hole.  Many variations of construction, ‘dimple pattern’ and even colour are available.


• Ball-marker – Usually a small disc that is used to mark the position of the ball on the green before it is removed, cleaned and replaced.


• Birdie – A hole completed one shot under par.


• Blade – A traditional iron head with even distribution of weight, generally made from forged rather than cast steel.  Generally less forgiving but giving the player better distance and feel.


• Blind shot – This is when the player cannot see the area where the ball is expected to land, such as a dog leg hole or an elevated green.


• Bogey – A hole completed in one shot over par.


• Borrow – see ‘Break’.


• Bounce angle – This is a technical term relating to the angle of the club head to the ground when addressing the ball, usually associated with wedge clubs.


• Break – The likelihood of the ball to deviate from a straight line when putting.


• Bunker – A hazard on the course which usually consists of a depression filled, at least partially, with sand.


• Caddy – A person who both carries the player’s clubs and offers their advice.


• Carry – The distance the ball travels before landing.


• Cart – A wheeled device used to transport the clubs around the course.   Sometimes referred to as a ‘trolley’.


• Cavity Back – Term given to a iron head design, where most of the weight is primarily distributed around the outer edge of the iron head. This creates more forgiveness on off centre shots.


• Chip – A short shot, usually played off, or very close to the green, which is intended to travel a short distance and roll the remaining distance to the hole.


• Clubhead - Part of the Golf Club used to strike the golf ball.


• Clubface – Surface of the Clubhead, which is designed for striking golf balls.


• Clubhouse – Usually where play starts and finishes. Also a source of information about rules, course conditions and upcoming events. Sometimes clubhouses also have shops where you can purchase golfing equipment.


• Compression – An indicator of the hardness of a particular golf ball. Most modern day golf balls are made to 90 compression.


• Condor – One of the rarest scores in golf. Four under par, i.e. a hole in one on a Par 5 course.


• Course – A area of land, uniquely designed on which golf is played, normally through a series of holes, commonly comprising eighteen holes.


• Dimples – These are small indentations found on the surface of a golf ball. These dimples reduce drag, and have been scientifically proven to aid the golf ball flight in staying airborne for longer, than would be possible with a smooth ball.


• Divot – A Chunk of grass or turf displaced whilst playing a shot.


• Dogleg – A term given to a right hand or left hand bend on the Fairway.


• Dormie – In matchplay, a situation whereby a player leads by as many holes as there are left to play. I.e. two shots up and two holes left to play.


• Double bogey – a hole played two shots over par.


• Downswing – The motion of swinging a golf club from the top of the swing arc to the point of golfball impact.


• Draw – A controlled right to left shot with a moderate curve (or left to right for left handed golfers) This type of shot is often played intentionally by a skilled golfer.


• Drive – Term applied to the first shot on a new hole, usually from the tee area and usually done with a Golf Driver.


• Eagle – A hole played two shots under par.


• Fade – A controlled left to right shot with a moderate curve (or right to left for left handed golfers) This type of shot is often played intentionally by a skilled golfer.


• Fairway – Area of grass that lies between the tee off area and the green. Comprises most often of short, well maintained grass.


• Flagstick – Tall marker comprising of a pole and flag, to indicate the location and position of a hole on the green. Also called the pin.


• Fore – A shout given as a warning, when there is a good chance a stray or mis-hit golf ball may hit other players or spectators.


• Fourball – A game between two teams, each side consisting of a pair of players. Each plays there own ball throughout. On each hole the lower of the two partners score is matched against the lower of the oppositions score. 


• Foursome – A game between two teams, each side consisting of a pair of players. Each partner hits alternate shots of one golf ball, until the ball is holed. The aim is to hole the golf ball in as few strokes as your opposing team. Partners alternate their tee shots, so that one player always tees off on the odd holes and the other the even holes.


• Fringe – Closely mown area surrounding the green, it is the area of grass between the green and fairway.


• Front nine - The first nine holes of a standard eighteen hole golf course.


• Gimmee – Refers to a very short putt that other players agree can be counted without actually being played, due to the belief that the putt would never be missed.  Usually this is a distance of 6-12 inches.


• Golf Club – equipment used to play the game of golf. Most rules dictate you can have upto 14 golf clubs in your bag.


• Green – The area of grass around the hole, where putts are played. The grass is usually very short and very well maintained.


• Grip – The cover that is fitted onto the end of the golf club, to stop the club slipping out your hands when playing a golf shot.


• Groove – The lines on the clubface, except the putter, all feature grooves. This is done, to impact spin on the golf ball.


• Handicap – A number representative of a golf player’s ability. The lower the handicap, the more skilled the golfer is.


• Hazard – A sand bunker, or permanent water, including also any ground designated as part of the water hazard. Special rules come into play, if playing from one of these hazards.


• Hole – A circular hole found on the green, also referred to as “the cup” 4.25” in diameter, and the aim of the game.


• Hole in one – Striking the ball directly from the tee are into the hole in one golf shot.


• Hook – Term used to describe an unintentional poor shot, whereby for a right handed golfer, the struck golf ball curves sharply to the left (or right if you’re a left handed golfer)


• In play – a shot that comes to rest within the boundaries of the golf course. (The opposite of out of bounds)


• Interlocking grip – a golf club holding style whereby the golfer will interlock the little finger of his right hand with the index of his left hand (and vice versa for left handed players…) Popular for golfers with small hands.


• Iron – Term given to a golf club with a flat faced metal head, numbered 1-9. Each iron increases in head loft.


• Jigger – A term used to describe a very old style of Golf Wedge, used to get out of difficult rough conditions. A rare club in today’s modern golf game.


• Knee Knocker – A short putt golf shot, that shouldn’t be missed, but often is.


• Knickers – A American term for golf trousers that stop just below the knee and worn with socks. Called Plus Fours or Plus Twos in the United Kingdom.


• Lay Up – A term that refers to a Golfer choosing to play a shot shorter than he is capable of, in order to avoid a golf hazard, or to position the golf ball in a position that will make his next shot easier.


• Lie – Has two uses in the game of golf. It can be used to describe the way in which the golf ball comes to rest on the course after a golf shot, or it can be used to describe the angle at which the golf clubhead is set on the golf shaft.


• Links – A type of golf course, usually found near coastlines, or built near the seaside. O


• Lip – The term give to the edge of the hole.


• Loose Impediment – A small natural item, not fixed or growing that becomes attached to the golf ball, for example a leaf, twig or stone. Unless found in a golf hazard, players are permitted to remove the item, providing the golf ball is not moved in the process. Otherwise a one shot penalty is incurred.


• Matchplay – Competition scored by number of holes that are won or lost, regardless of shots taken. The opposite of stroke or medal play. Often in this format, matches don’t last the full 18 holes.


• Medalplay – Another name for stroke play, lowest number of strokes, gross or net, wins.


• Mulligan – A chance to replay the last golf shot played, without incurring an extra stroke. Usually found to occur in friendly games with opponents, it is not permitted in competition games.


• Nobble – A term used to describe when the golf ball is hit on the upper half, it creates a low, weak, running shot that tends to bobble along with floor


• O.B. – Short for out of bounds. Area of course outside the area of player, usually marked by white stakes or boundaries.


• Open Face – refers to the position of the clubface at point of golf ball impact. The aim is to have a square face on impact for straight shots. An open face will lead to a push or a sliced shot.


• Open Stance – When a players front foot is drawn backwards from the target line. Used to prevent a hook, or to fade the golf ball


• Par – The number of golf ball strokes in which a golfer is expected to complete a hole on any given golf course.


• Penalty – Extra stroke give to a players score, due to rule violation, out of bounds, loss of ball etc.


• PGA – Acronym for the Professional Golfers Association. This body represents the interests of teaching and golf club professionals in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Similar PGA bodies exist in other countries such as America.


• Pin – Another word for flagstick.


• Pitch – A short shot, usually within 50 yards, played with a high lofted golf club. The shot is often played with a less than full swing.


• Pitch mark – another term for a divot on the green caused by turf displacement whilst playing a shot. Under normal rules, players must repair their pitch marks using a pitchfork tool or tee.


• Play through – Permission given by a group of slow moving players to a faster moving group of players, to pass them by on the course.


• Plugged Lie – a bad lie, where the golf ball is normally half buried.


• Pro – A professional golfer is a person who plays or teaches golf for financial reward.


• Pro shop – A golf orientated shop normally found at a golf club, often run by the club professional.


• Pull – Term used to describe an unintentional poor shot that goes severely to the left from ball strike.


• Punch – A shot played with a low trajectory along the ground to avoid hazards such as tree branches, or high winds.


• Putt – A shot played on the green with a golf putter


• Putter – A golf club with generally a flat face and very little loft, used on the green.


• Range finder – a device used for measuring the distance from golf ball to a particular object on the course, usually the golf hole. Used as an aid for golf club shot selection.


• Recovery – A shot played from an unfavourable area to a good one. I.e. rough to green.


• Rough – The grass that borders the fairway. Usually taller and a lot more difficult to play from.


• Sandtrap – another term for bunker, a hazard on the course which usually consists of a depression filled with sand.


• Sandwedge – A type of golf club, designed to be used in bunkers or sandtraps


• Scratch Golfer – a player whose handicap equals zero.


• Shank – A poor golf shot in which the hosel of the golf club strikes the golf ball.


• Slice – A Term used to describe an unintentional poor shot, whereby for a right handed golfer, the struck golf ball curves sharply to the right (or left if you’re a left handed golfer)


• Strokeplay - Another name for medal play, lowest number of strokes, gross or net, wins.


• Sweetspot – This is the term given to the centre of the clubface, whereby striking the ball in this are will give optimal ball-striking results.


• Swing – The movement a golf player makes with their golf club to hit the golf ball. Made up of a varierty of complex mechanical body movements.


• Tap in – Also referred to as a Gimmee. Short putt that other players agree can be counted without actually being played.


• Tee – A small wooden or plastic peg, that is inserted into the ground. Upon which the golf ball is placed, prior to the first shot on each hole.


• Tee area – Area of grass, where players tee off from on each golf hole.


• Topped – A poor golf shot, where the top of the golf ball is struck, causing it to bobble along the ground.


• Unplayable lie – Term given to a shot that can not be played due to ground conditions or an obstruction. The player may drop the golf ball into a better position, usually within two club lengths, or where they played the last shot from, in accordance with the rules. A penalty stroke is applied.


• Vardon Grip – A very common grip style, whereby the right pinkie finger rests on top of the left index finger, often referred to as an overlapping grip.


• Water Hazard – Any sea are or lake, pond, water filled ditch encountered on the hole.


• Wedge – A short golf club, with a high lofted face, typically used to play short shots, from bunkers or around the greens.


• Yardage – The distance between the player’s golf ball and the target he is aiming for.


• Vardon Grip – A very common grip style, whereby the right pinkie finger rests on top of the left index finger, often referred to as an overlapping grip.


• Wood – A type of club where the head is generally of a bulbous shape, except for the clubface. Named as such as most these types of golf clubs were made from wood. Most, if not all these days are made from metal.