Golf Terms Glossary: 150 Words Explained

Golf has a language all of its own, and new players can feel lost when partners start talking about dog-legs, dormie and duffs. This glossary explains 150 common golf terms in plain English, so you can follow the conversation on the tee, understand televised tournaments and read instruction guides with confidence.

The words are grouped into seven sections: scoring, the course, equipment, shots, the swing, putting and greens, and rules, formats and slang. Each entry has a short definition you can skim in seconds.

Scoring Terms

These words describe how many strokes you take on a hole or over a round, and how scores are compared between players.

1. Par: The number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to need on a hole, usually 3, 4 or 5.
2. Birdie: A score of one stroke under par on a hole.
3. Eagle: A score of two strokes under par on a hole.
4. Albatross: A score of three under par on a hole, also called a double eagle in the United States.
5. Condor: An extremely rare score of four under par, such as a hole in one on a par 5.
6. Bogey: A score of one stroke over par on a hole.
7. Double bogey: A score of two strokes over par on a hole.
8. Triple bogey: A score of three strokes over par on a hole.
9. Hole in one: Holing the ball with your first shot from the tee, also called an ace.
10. Gross score: Your actual total number of strokes before any handicap adjustment.
11. Net score: Your score after handicap strokes are subtracted from the gross score.
12. Handicap Index: A number under the World Handicap System that measures a player’s demonstrated ability.
13. Course handicap: The number of strokes you receive on a specific course and set of tees, calculated from your Handicap Index.
14. Scratch golfer: A player with a handicap of zero, expected to play to par on a rated course.
15. Stroke play: A format where every stroke over the round counts and the lowest total wins.
16. Match play: A format where players compete hole by hole and the winner is whoever wins more holes.
17. Stableford: A scoring system that awards points on each hole based on your score relative to par, with the highest total winning.
18. Up: In match play, the number of holes a player is leading by, as in two up.
19. All square: A match play term meaning the match is tied.
20. Dormie: In match play, leading by exactly as many holes as there are left to play.

Parts of the Course

Knowing the names of each area of the course helps you understand both instruction and the Rules of Golf.

1. Teeing area: The starting place for each hole, often called the tee box.
2. Tee markers: The objects that show the front edge of the teeing area; the ball must be teed between them and up to two club-lengths behind.
3. Fairway: The closely mown strip between the tee and the green, the ideal place to hit your ball.
4. Rough: Longer grass bordering the fairway that makes shots harder to control.
5. First cut: A narrow band of slightly longer grass between the fairway and the main rough.
6. Green: The very short, smooth grass around the hole where players putt.
7. Fringe: The strip of grass surrounding the green, slightly longer than the putting surface; also called the apron or collar.
8. Bunker: A prepared hollow filled with sand, often called a sand trap.
9. Fairway bunker: A bunker placed alongside or across the fairway, usually to catch tee shots.
10. Greenside bunker: A bunker positioned close to the green to catch approach shots.
11. Pot bunker: A small, deep bunker with steep sides, common on links courses.
12. Waste area: A sandy or rough natural area that is not treated as a bunker under local rules.
13. Penalty area: A body of water or other area marked with red or yellow stakes or lines, from which relief is available with a one-stroke penalty.
14. Out of bounds: Areas outside the course, usually marked with white stakes, where play is not allowed.
15. Dog-leg: A hole that bends left or right partway along the fairway.
16. Front nine: Holes one to nine of an eighteen-hole course.
17. Back nine: Holes ten to eighteen of an eighteen-hole course.
18. The turn: The break between the front nine and the back nine.
19. Links: A coastal course built on sandy ground, typically with few trees and firm, fast conditions.
20. Parkland course: An inland course with lush grass and plenty of trees.
21. Clubhouse: The main building with the pro shop, changing rooms and dining areas.
22. Driving range: A practice area for hitting full shots.
23. Practice green: A putting green set aside for practice, usually near the first tee.
24. Cart path: The paved or gravel track used by golf carts.
25. Ground under repair: A marked area where the course is being repaired; free relief is usually available.

Golf Equipment

Clubs and accessories have their own vocabulary. Under the rules, you may carry up to fourteen clubs in a round.

1. Driver: The club with the largest head and longest shaft, used mainly from the tee for maximum distance.
2. Fairway wood: A wood such as a 3-wood or 5-wood, used for long shots from the fairway or tee.
3. Hybrid: A club that blends wood and iron features, often replacing long irons for easier launch.
4. Long iron: Lower-lofted irons such as the 3 and 4 iron, used for longer approach shots.
5. Short iron: Higher-lofted irons such as the 8 and 9 iron, used for shorter, more accurate approaches.
6. Pitching wedge: A wedge used for approach shots and pitches, often included in an iron set.
7. Sand wedge: A wedge designed for bunker play, typically with around 54 to 58 degrees of loft.
8. Gap wedge: A wedge that fills the loft gap between the pitching wedge and sand wedge.
9. Lob wedge: A highly lofted wedge, often about 58 to 64 degrees, used for high, soft shots.
10. Putter: The club used to roll the ball on the green.
11. Loft: The angle of the clubface that sends the ball upward; more loft means a higher, shorter shot.
12. Lie angle: The angle between the shaft and the sole when the club rests in its normal address position.
13. Shaft flex: How much the shaft bends during the swing, with ratings such as regular, stiff and senior.
14. Grip: The rubber or cord covering at the top of the shaft where you hold the club.
15. Clubface: The flat hitting surface of the club head.
16. Sweet spot: The point on the clubface that produces the most solid contact and best distance.
17. Sole: The bottom of the club head that touches the ground.
18. Hosel: The part of the club head where the shaft attaches.
19. Cavity back: An iron design with weight moved to the edges, making it more forgiving on off-centre hits.
20. Blade: A traditional iron with a thin, solid back, favoured by many skilled players for feel.
21. Head cover: A protective cover for woods, hybrids or putters.
22. Tee: A small peg used to raise the ball for the first shot on a hole.
23. Ball marker: A small coin or disc placed behind your ball on the green before lifting it.
24. Divot repair tool: A pronged tool used to repair pitch marks on the green.
25. Rangefinder: A device that measures the distance to a target such as the flag.

Shots and Ball Flight

These terms describe the kind of shot you play and the way the ball travels.

1. Drive: A long shot played from the tee, usually with a driver.
2. Approach shot: A shot played with the aim of landing on the green.
3. Chip: A short, low shot from near the green that rolls more than it flies.
4. Pitch: A short, higher shot that flies more than it rolls, used to clear obstacles.
5. Flop shot: A very high, soft shot played with an open clubface, usually with a lob wedge.
6. Explosion shot: A bunker shot where the club strikes the sand behind the ball, lifting both out together.
7. Lag putt: A long putt played with the aim of leaving the ball close to the hole.
8. Draw: A shot that curves gently from right to left for a right-handed golfer.
9. Fade: A shot that curves gently from left to right for a right-handed golfer.
10. Hook: A shot that curves sharply right to left for a right-hander, usually unintentionally.
11. Slice: A shot that curves sharply left to right for a right-hander, the most common fault among amateurs.
12. Push: A straight shot that starts and stays right of the target for a right-hander.
13. Pull: A straight shot that starts and stays left of the target for a right-hander.
14. Shank: A miss struck off the hosel that shoots sharply sideways.
15. Topped shot: A shot where the club strikes the top of the ball, sending it skidding along the ground.
16. Fat shot: A shot where the club hits the ground before the ball, losing distance.
17. Thin shot: A shot struck low on the ball, producing a low, often long and uncontrolled flight.
18. Punch shot: A deliberately low shot used to stay under branches or wind.
19. Stinger: A very low, penetrating long shot, often played into the wind.
20. Bump and run: A low running shot that lands short of the green and rolls on.
21. Carry: The distance the ball travels in the air before landing.
22. Roll: The distance the ball travels along the ground after landing.
23. Backspin: Spin that makes the ball check or stop quickly after landing.
24. Layup: A shorter, safer shot played to avoid a hazard rather than going for the green.
25. Provisional ball: A second ball played when your first might be lost or out of bounds, to save walking back.

Swing and Technique

Coaches and instruction articles use these words to describe the movement of the swing.

1. Address: The position you take over the ball before starting the swing.
2. Stance: The position of your feet and body at address.
3. Interlocking grip: A grip where the little finger of the trail hand links with the index finger of the lead hand.
4. Overlapping grip: A grip where the little finger of the trail hand rests on top of the lead hand, also called the Vardon grip.
5. Takeaway: The first part of the backswing as the club moves away from the ball.
6. Backswing: The movement of the club from address to the top of the swing.
7. Downswing: The movement from the top of the swing down to impact.
8. Follow-through: The continuation of the swing after the ball has been struck.
9. Tempo: The overall speed and rhythm of the swing.
10. Swing plane: The angle and path the club travels on during the swing.
11. Divot: The piece of turf removed by the club when striking down on the ball.
12. Lag: The angle between the lead arm and the shaft maintained in the downswing to build club speed.
13. Weight transfer: Shifting your weight from the trail side to the lead side through the swing.
14. Open stance: A stance where the lead foot is pulled back from the target line.
15. Closed stance: A stance where the trail foot is pulled back from the target line.
16. Ball position: Where the ball sits between your feet, which changes depending on the club.
17. Alignment: How your feet, hips and shoulders are aimed relative to the target.
18. Pre-shot routine: A consistent set of steps a player follows before every shot.
19. Square clubface: A clubface pointing directly at the target.
20. Waggle: A small movement of the club at address used to stay relaxed before swinging.

Putting and Green Terms

Putting accounts for a large share of strokes in most rounds, and it comes with its own vocabulary.

1. Break: The amount a putt curves due to slope on the green.
2. Read: Studying the green to predict the line and speed of a putt.
3. Line: The path you intend the ball to travel toward the hole.
4. Flagstick: The pole placed in the hole to show its location, also called the pin.
5. Hole location: Where the hole is cut on the green that day, often called the pin position.
6. Green speed: How fast the ball rolls on the green, often measured with a device called a Stimpmeter.
7. Grain: The direction the grass grows on the green, which can affect speed and break.
8. Lip out: A putt that catches the edge of the hole and spins away.
9. Gimme: A very short putt that opponents agree to count as holed in casual or match play.
10. Three-putt: Taking three putts to hole out from the green.
11. Pitch mark: The dent a ball makes when it lands on the green.
12. Plumb bob: A green-reading method where a player holds the putter vertically to judge slope.
13. Comeback putt: The putt left after the previous one has gone past the hole.
14. Yips: Involuntary twitches or jerks that disrupt short putts or chips.
15. Tap-in: A putt so short it is almost certain to be holed.

Rules, Formats and Golf Slang

These final terms cover the rules, team formats and the friendly slang you hear in every clubhouse.

1. Honours: The right to tee off first, usually given to the player with the lowest score on the previous hole.
2. Fore: The warning shouted when a ball may hit someone.
3. Mulligan: An informal do-over shot in casual rounds; it is not permitted under the official rules.
4. Lie: The position the ball is resting in, such as a good lie on the fairway.
5. Unplayable lie: A player’s choice to take relief from a difficult spot, with a one-stroke penalty.
6. Free relief: Relief without penalty, for example from a cart path or ground under repair.
7. Drop: Releasing the ball from knee height when taking relief under the rules.
8. Penalty stroke: An extra stroke added to your score for breaking a rule or taking certain relief.
9. Stroke and distance: The penalty of one stroke plus replaying from where the previous shot was played.
10. Ready golf: Playing when ready rather than strictly by who is farthest away, to speed up play.
11. Scramble: A team format where all players hit, the best shot is chosen and everyone plays from there.
12. Four-ball: A format where partners each play their own ball and the better score on each hole counts, often called best ball.
13. Foursomes: A format where partners share one ball and take alternate shots.
14. Shotgun start: An event format where groups start on different holes at the same time.
15. Tee time: The booked time when your group starts its round.
16. Caddie: A person who carries a player’s bag and may give advice on the course.
17. Marshal: A course staff member who monitors pace of play and safety.
18. Nineteenth hole: A playful name for the clubhouse bar or restaurant after a round.
19. Sandbagger: A player suspected of keeping a higher handicap than their true ability.
20. Worm burner: A shot that never leaves the ground and skims along the grass.

Tips for Learning Golf Vocabulary

• Learn the scoring terms first; they come up on every hole.
• Watch televised golf with this glossary nearby and look up any word you hear.
• Ask your playing partners to explain terms in context; most golfers enjoy sharing the lingo.
• The Rules of Golf are updated periodically, so check the official source, such as the R&A or USGA, for current definitions.

Final Thoughts

Once you know these 150 terms, golf conversations, lessons and broadcasts suddenly make much more sense. Bookmark this glossary, revisit a section before each round and you will soon be speaking the language of the game as fluently as you swing.