In golf, there are many terms or slang that you may not be familiar with.
We take a look at all the golf lingo to help you gain a better understanding.
Golf Lingo: Slang, Terms (How To Speak Golf)
100 Yard Marker
An indicator in the fairway or on the side of the rough that lets a player know they have one hundred yards left until the green.
The 100-yard marker measures to the center of the green.
19th hole
The 19th hole is the bar or the clubhouse that players go to after the 18th hole.
Address
When you set up to hit the golf ball, this is called the address position.
When in the address position, you will have your club directly behind the golf ball, and your feet, hands, and body will be in place and ready to hit.
Aeration
When the golf course staff makes small holes in the turf of the golf course.
These small holes allow water, dirt, and fertilizer to seep down into the soil.
This is a process that will help the golf course stay in good shape year after year.
Airmail
When you hit a shot completely over a green.
The ball will not even land anywhere near the green; it will fly over the top of the flag and land well past the green.
All Square
When playing match play and the match is even it is called all square.
Approach
The area in the front of the green also sometimes referred to as the throat.
The approach can also be considered your shot into the green.
Back 9
The last nine-hole of a golf course is called the back nine.
Ball Marker
A coin or small marker that you use to keep track of where your ball is on the green.
If your ball is in the way of another player that is trying to putt, you will need to mark it.
To put your golf ball back in the right spot, it needs to be appropriately marked.
Beach
The sand trap is sometimes referred to as the beach because it is composed of sand.
Best Ball
The best ball is a golf format that is often used in outings or events.
Four people will play, but only the best score for the hole will count.
The best ball and scramble are not the same thing.
Golfers play their own golf ball when playing the best ball tournament.
Birdie
A score of one-under-par.
For a par four, this would be making a three.
On a par three, you would score a two, and on a par five, you would score a four.
Bite
Golfers will yell this at a shot when they want it to stop.
They are referring to the spin that may make the ball stop before it runs too far and gets into more trouble.
Bladed
When you hit a shot off the bottom part of the club.
The ball is usually struck about halfway up the side as opposed to being hit at the bottom.
When this happens, the bladed shot won’t get very far off the ground.
Bogey
A bogey is a score of one over par.
If you are playing a par five, a bogey would be shooting a six.
Someone may be called a bogey golfer if they make a bogey on most holes and shoot about 90 for an 18 hole round of golf.
Bump and Run
A shot that lands well short of the hole and then runs towards the pin.
Bump and run shots can be played with a variety of clubs.
Bunker
A bunker is a sand trap.
Caddie
A person that will carry your golf clubs for you while you play.
A forecaddie does not carry clubs; instead, they will run ahead of the group and spot balls and help when it comes time to tend the pin.
Chipping
Smaller shots around the green that get you close to the hole and ready to putt.
When chipping, you will not usually take a full swing, and you will use a wedge to take your shot.
Choke Down
Holding the club further down on the grip closer to the shaft.
If your golf clubs are too long for you, you may need to choke down.
Chunk
A chunk happens when you hit behind the golf ball.
The chunk usually causes a golf ball not to go very far.
Closed Clubface
When the clubface of your golf club is turned to the left or pointing down.
A closed clubface will usually lead to lower lofted shots and shots hit to the left.
Club Down
Club down is when you take one less club on your approach shot.
Clubbing down happens when it is windy, downhill, or you have some adrenaline going, and you may hit the ball too far.
Club Grooves
These are the spaces on the clubface that you see.
The grooves help the golf ball spin and launch properly.
Club Heel
The area of the golf club is located near the shaft of the club.
Club Toe
The area of the golf club located furthest from the shaft of the club.
This is the part of the golf club that sticks out and is furthest from the golfer.
Club Up
If golf conditions are rainy, wet, uphill, or windy, you may be told to club up.
This means to choose one more club than you normally would.
If you know you hit your seven iron 150 yards, you will switch to your six iron to club up.
Clubhead Speed
Clubhead speed is the speed at which a golfer can swing a golf club.
The driver clubhead speed is usually faster than the iron clubhead speed.
Coming In
Golfers will sometimes say they are coming in when they are on the back nine.
They are referring to coming back into the clubhouse from being out on the golf course.
Dance Floor
This is what people will call the green after hitting their shot onto the green.
Deep
Deep refers to how far back the pin is on the green.
If the pin is further back than the center of the green, it is considered to be deep.
Dew Sweepers
The first golfers to play the golf course for the day
Divot
When you swing with a golf club, and it removes a chunk of grass.
That piece of grass that was removed is called a divot.
Divot Mix
The sand, seed, and fertilizer mixture that you use to fill a divot on some golf courses.
Usually, there will be a bucket of this attached to your golf cart to help keep the course in excellent condition.
Divot Repair Tool
A divot repair tool is used to fix a ball mark on the green.
Sometimes a ball mark is referred to as a pitch mark.
The divot repair tool is inserted into the green, and the grass around it is lifted.
This will leave a smooth surface for other golfers, and it helps the green repair itself quicker.
Dog Track
A golf course in deplorable condition.
Double Bogey
A double-bogey is a score of two-over-par on a single hole.
If you are playing a par four and it takes you six shots to get the ball in the hole, this is a double bogey.
Double Eagle/Albatross
A score of a two on a par five is considered a double eagle or an albatross.
This is an infrequent occurrence and even more rare than a hole in one.
Double Par
Shooting twice par for a hole.
Some golfers will pick up after double par to keep the pace of play moving along.
Draw
A golf shot that starts straight and then makes a slight turn to the left is a draw.
Duck Hook
A golf shot that goes straight for only a short period and then makes a considerable turn to the left.
Duff
A terrible shot that is missed.
A duffed shot will only go a few yards.
Eagle
A score of two under par is an eagle.
On a par four, you would have to get the ball in the hole after only two swings.
For a par five, you would take three swings, and the ball would be in the hole.
Executive Course
An executive course is shorter than a traditional length golf course.
The par of an executive course is usually lower than that of a regulation golf course.
Fade
A golf shot that starts straight and then makes a slight turn to the right.
Fairway
The short grass in the large open area from the tee to the green is the fairway.
The fairway will start shortly after the tee box and end before the green.
Fat Shot
When you hit behind the golf ball, it is sometimes referred to as hitting the shot fat.
A fat shot usually results in a large divot.
First Cut
The rough at a golf course is often cut in levels.
The first cut is going to be closer to the length of the fairway; it is only slightly longer.
Flop Shot
A flop shot is a very high lofted shot hit around the greens.
Flop shots go very high and land softly and stop quickly.
Fore
When a golf shot is hit off track and headed towards someone that it could injure the word Fore is yelled loudly.
Golfers understand that when they hear the word Fore they should be protecting their heads.
Foursome
A group of four people is going to play golf together.
Fried Egg
When a golf ball lands in a bunker and buries itself into the sand slightly.
The sand will make a small circle around the golf ball, and this is referred to as a fried egg.
Fringe
The area around the green before you get to the rough.
The fringe will look like an edge around the entire green.
Some golf courses keep the fringe a little longer, and some will have it almost the same length as the green itself.
Front 9
The first nine holes at a golf course are called the front nine.
Gimmie
A very short putt is called a gimmie.
In a non-tournament round, playing partners may tell their friends that it is a gimmie, and they can just pick their golf ball up.
Going Out
When playing the first nine holes at a golf course, players are said to be going out.
They are referring to going out away from the clubhouse.
Green
The green is the putting surface of a hole.
The green has the shortest grass on the golf course.
While on a putting green, the only club that you can use is the putter.
Greens in Regulation
For a par three, you are expected to get the ball on the green in one shot.
For par-four, it is two shots and a par five; it is three shots.
If you want to shoot close to par, you will need to hit greens in regulation.
Greenside Bunker
A sand trap located right next to a putting green.
Greenside bunkers are different than fairway bunkers as they are usually deeper and protect the green.
Ground Under Repair
An area of the golf course that needs repair.
The area will usually be marked, and the player will be allowed to take a drop to move away from this area.
Grounding
When a player grounds the golf club, they put the golf club on the ground.
In a bunker, you are not able to ground the golf club, or you will get a penalty stroke.
The same goes for a water hazard you cannot ground the golf club.
Halfway House
A place to get lunch or snacks located somewhere in the middle of the golf course.
It is usually going to be after the ninth hole and before the tenth hole.
Handicap
Your golf handicap is how far over par you typically shoot.
A ten handicap golfer typically shoots about eighty-two.
Hole In One
Hitting the golf ball in the hole after only one swing.
A hole in one mostly happens on a par three, and it must be the shot from the tee that goes into the hole.
Hook
When a golf ball goes straight for a while and then starts to make a severe left-hand turn.
A hook is a more pronounced left-hand turn than a draw.
Knee Knocker
A short putt that makes a player nervous that they may miss it.
The player’s knees are said to be knocking together.
Lateral Water Hazard
A water hazard that goes along the length of a golf hole.
Lateral hazards are different than a pond or a lake; they are longer.
Lay Up
Instead of hitting a golf shot to the green, a player can lay up.
This is done to keep a golfer out of trouble if they don’t have enough distance to get to the green.
Lie
How your golf ball is sitting on the turf is called your lie.
A bad lie is when the ball is located in an old divot.
Line of a Putt
The line from your golf ball to the hole that you intend to hit it in.
The line of the putt can be straight, or it can curve based on the slope of the green.
Lip Out
When a putt goes in the hole and then comes out the back.
This often happens when a golf putt is hit too hard and has too much speed to drop into the hole.
Loft
The angle on the golf club that produces height when struck.
A putter and driver will have the lowest lofts.
Wedges are going to have the highest lofts.
The loft will determine how far a golf club is capable of hitting a ball.
Long Iron
The irons in your set that is over seven iron are the long irons.
A three, four, five, and six iron are considered the long irons.
Loop
An eighteen-hole round of golf if often referred to as a loop.
A caddie will say that they have one or two loops for the day.
Match Play
A way to play a round of golf where two people play against each other.
If one person wins a hole, they are considered to be one up.
The match will last for eighteen holes, and the score will not matter as much as where the match stands.
Mulligan
When a golfer hits a bad shot, they will often hit another ball and call it a mulligan.
Mulligans are not legal in tournament play.
You would have to take a penalty shot and then hit another ball.
OB
OB stands for out of bounds.
Out of bounds on a golf course will be marked with white markers that indicate where the out of bounds line is.
Even if you can see your golf ball that is out of bounds, you are not permitted to play it under the rules of golf.
You must hit another shot from the last place that you played.
One Putt
Once your ball is on the green, and you only take one putt to get the ball in the hole.
One putt is considered a good thing; a lot of one-putts in a round will cause your score to be lower.
Open Clubface
When the angle of your clubface is pointed more to the right and slightly up.
Open clubface shots will result in higher lofts, and shots hit to the right.
Pace of Play
How fast a group can get around a golf course.
For a foursome, the typical pace of play is around four to four and a half hours.
Paired Up
When you do not have a foursome, and you go to the golf course as a single, chances are you will get paired up.
Golf courses will try and put out groups of four so that the pace of play remains constant throughout the day.
Par
Par is the target score for each hole.
If you are playing a par four, you are supposed to get the ball in the hole after four swings.
Par for a golf course is the total of all the holes added together.
Most of the time, par for a golf course is 70, 71, or 72 strokes.
Pin High
When your golf ball is on the same line as the pin, but it is not close to the pin.
You may hit a shot thirty yards right of the pin, but it is the same distance as the pin, so you are pin high.
Pitching
A shorter shot around the green.
Pitch shots will fly close to the hole and only roll out a few feet.
Play Through
If you are playing in a group and your pace of play is slow, you should let another group behind you play through.
If the overall pace of play on the golf course for the day is just slower than playing through will not make a difference.
If you are a foursome on a golf course and there is a twosome behind you that is always, you should allow them to play through.
Pop Up
A pop up is a tee shot that goes directly up in the air and comes directly down.
Getting launch on a drive is a great thing, but pop-ups do not travel very far at all.
Sometimes the drive will end up on the tee box only a few feet from the original location.
Pot Bunker
A pot bunker is a very deep but small bunker.
Pot bunkers are very common on a links-style golf course.
You will need a club with a great deal of loft to get out of a pot bunker.
Provisional Ball
If you are worried that your first shot may be out of bounds, you should hit a provisional ball.
The provisional ball will end up being the ball in play if you cannot find your original ball.
If your tee shot was your original ball, your provisional would be considered your third shot.
Pull
A shot that never starts straight and always goes to the left.
A pull goes directly left the entire time it is in flight; there is no curving one way or another.
Punch Shot
On a windy day, a golfer may hit a punch shot.
The punch shot is a lower trajectory shot that stays under the wind.
Punch shots don’t always go as far as full swing shots, but they can be easier to control as far as distance and spin are concerned.
Push
When a shot goes right directly after impact.
A pushed shot will go right and stay right the entire time; it does not turn.
Quad
A quad is a term golfers use for a quadruple bogey.
For a par five, this would be shooting a nine on the hole.
Rain Check
If you head out to play golf and it starts to rain, you may want to turn in.
The golf course will not usually give a refund for your cart and greens fees.
Instead, they will give you a rain check to come back and play the golf course another day.
Ranger
A ranger is a person that patrols the golf course to make sure the pace of play is appropriate.
If golfers start to slow down, the ranger will ask them to speed up their pace of play.
Ready Golf
When you play ready golf, you are always prepared to hit your shot.
You should have your club in hand, and your yardages measured out ready to go.
Golfers also play ready golf when it comes to the tee box on a hole.
Traditionally the golfer with the lowest score on the previous hole will tee off first.
With ready golf, the player who is prepared to swing goes first regardless of their score on the previous hole.
Ready golf helps to speed up the pace of play.
Rough
The area of the golf course with thicker grass.
Hitting out of the rough is more complicated than hitting out of the fairway.
Scramble
A scramble is a golf format typically used in an outing or an event.
Each player hits their shot.
The best of those shots is chosen and each person picks their golf ball up and puts it in the new location.
A scramble is a much faster way to play golf for players that don’t know as much about golf.
Second Cut
The second cut is referring to the second cut of rough.
This rough will be considerably longer than the fairway and more difficult to hit out of.
Short Irons
The irons in your set below a seven iron.
The short irons would be your eight, nine, and pitching wedge.
Shotgun Start
When golfers start at all the holes on the golf course and tee off at the same time.
All golfers will also finish at the same time.
The course is not played in the typical 1-18 order.
Slice
When a golf ball starts out straight and then makes a turn to the right, it is a slice.
A slice is the most common miss for a golfer.
Snowman
When a player makes an eight on a hole, they will sometimes refer to it as a snowman.
Standing Water
After steady rain, there may be areas of the golf course where water has pooled up.
Most of the time, golfers will be able to get a drop from standing water.
It is not fair to have to hit out of a puddle or standing water.
Starter
The person that lets players know when it is there turn to tee off.
Stroke Play
A round of golf where each shot is counted.
Matchplay would be the opposite of stroke play.
Sweet Spot
The area on the golf club where you are supposed to hit the golf ball is the sweet spot.
The best results will happen when the golf ball is hit off the center of the sweet spot.
Tee Box
The teeing ground for the hole you are playing.
This is where all players will hit their tee shots.
Tee Markers
The tee markers show the area where you are supposed to tee up your golf ball.
You cannot tee your golf ball ahead of the tee markers.
Tee Time
The time that you are supposed to tee off on the first hole.
You should always arrive ahead of your scheduled tee time because by the time your tee time comes around, you should be on the first tee box.
Three Putt
Taking three swings with your putter before the ball drops into the hole.
A three-putt is something that golfers like to avoid.
If you hit a green in regulation and then three-putt, your score is going to be a bogey.
Threesome
Three golfers are playing in a group together.
Topped
When you swing and hit the top of the golf ball instead of hitting the bottom portion of the ball.
A topped golf ball will not go very far.
It usually is a result of a golfer not staying with their shot long enough.
Triple Bogey
Scoring three over par on a single hole is a triple bogey.
This is a score that golfers like to avoid.
If you shoot a seven on a par four, this is a triple bogey.
Two Putt
If you take two swings with your putter and the ball drops into the hole, it is considered a two-putt.
A two-putt is deemed to be standard for a typical golf hole.
Twosome
Two golfers are playing in a group together.
Unplayable
A shot that is not possible to play.
Golfers can take a drop to move the ball to a playable area.
Up and Down
Hitting a chip on the green and making a one-putt is an up and down.
An up and down is a good thing, and players try to do this to save a higher score from occurring.
Whiff
Swinging and missing the ball is considered a whiff.
Wind Cheater
Keeping a golf ball low and below the wind is considered a Winchester.
Worm Burner
When a shot that a golfer hits never gets off the ground.
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