As you start getting into playing golf, you may run across some words that you are not familiar with. I have made a list of basic terminology, so you know what people are talking about when they use these terms. For a more detailed list of terms, you can click here.
Ace – An ace, also called a hole in one is when you finish the hole in one shot. This happens when you hit your first shot, from the tee box, and it goes into the hole. An ace is a great achievement for all players.
Approach Shot – This is when you have a short or medium shot, played when you are aiming to hit the green.
Attend The Flag – This is when you hold and remove the flag when another person is putting.
Away – This term means the ball that is furthest away from the hole when playing with more than 1 person. The person that is furthest away from the hole always hits first.
Back Nine – The back nine in golf is the last 9 holes in an 18 hole round of Golf.
Back Swing – This term is the beginning part of the swing starting from the ground, and going back over your head.
Balata – The hard substance on a golf ball, made from a balata tree. Balata balls are no longer made, however.
Ball Marker – This is a marker, like a coin or the like, that marks your ball, usually used on the green. You place the marker behind your ball, then pick the ball up, so that it isn’t in the way of another person’s put.
Birdie – A birdie is when you make the hole one under par. For instance, if the hole is a par 3, a birdie would be finishing the hole in 2 shots.
Bite – This refers to the back spin on the ball, sometimes needed to make the ball stick by the hole, or pin. Golfers usually yell at their ball to “Bite!” when it is rolling towards the green.
Bogey – A bogey is when you finish the hole one over par. For instance, if the hole is a par four, and you finish the hole with 5 strokes.
Boundary – The edge of the course that defines the area in play.
Break – The way in which the green is sloped, so that when you put, the ball will role in that direction. For instance, if you are going to put, and someone says “The shot is going to break to the left” that means the ball is going to naturally roll to the left, so you need to aim more to the right of the hole.
Bunker – The bunker, also known as the sand, or sand trap, is the area on a course that is a pitt with sand.
Caddy – The caddy is the person that carries your clubs, and helps you choose clubs and sometimes gives you tips on your shot.
Casual Water – This is a water that is formed from the rain or the like – like a puddle. It is a temporary gathering of water, and you may remove your ball from it and drop behind the water without penalty.
Chili Dip – This is when you hit your shot, and the club hit’s the ground before the ball, causing a big divot in the ground and a weak shot.
Chip Shot – This is an approach shot used with a wedge, near the green. It is usually a short, low trajectory shot.
Chip In – This is when you have a chip shot, and you chip the ball in the hole.
Choke – When you “choke down” on your club, or gripping the club farther down the shaft.
Closed Face – When the club of the face is pointed to the left of the target when addressing the ball.
Club Head – The part of the golf club that is used to hit the ball.
Club Face – The part of the club head that makes contact with the ball.
Compression – The flattening of the ball on contact with the club. A higher compression ball means less resilience the ball gives.
Core – The center of the golf ball.
Cup – The container in the hole that holds the flag in place.
Dance Floor – A common term people use that means the green.
Divot – A piece of the ground removed when hitting the ball. You should always replace it.
Dog Leg – A left or right bend in the fairway.
Double Eagle – When you score 3 under par on a hole. For Instance, on a Par 5, double eagle would be 2.
Double Bogey – This is when you score 2 over par on a hole. For instance, on a par four, double bogey would be 6.
Downswing – The motion of the swinging the club from the top of the swing to the point of impact.
Drive – To hit the ball with maximum force from the Tee Box.
Driver – The longest hitting wood.
Driving Range – An area designated to hit practice shots.
Eagle – This is when you shoot 2 under par for a hole. For instance, on a Par 5, eagle would be a 3.
Fade – A term used to describe a shot when the ball slightly goes from left to right (by a rand handed player) at the end of flight. The opposite holds true for a left handed player.
Fairway Wood – Any wood other than your driver.
Fairway – The area on the course that is not the green or the tee box. The fairway is always nice, freshly cut low grass. The rough has longer grass, designed that way for a harder shot. The rough is not part of the fairway.
Flex – The amount of bend in a club shaft, or the degree of the shaft.
Follow Through – The continuation of the swing from the point of hitting the ball, and continuing forward.
Foursome – A term given to players that are 4 in a group.
Fringe – The edge around the green that has longer grass, but not as long as the fairway.
Frog Hair – Another term for fringe.
Front Nine – The first nine holes of golf.
Front Side – Another term for the first nine holes in golf.
Gimme – A put that is sure to be made, so the opponent usually concedes the shot.
Graphite – A lightweight material used to make shafts.
Green – This term is usually used to describe the putting surface.
Green Fee – This term refers to the money that it costs to play the course – what the club house charges you to play.
Grip – The rubber part on the golf club used to hold the club.
Hazard – A hazard is a sand trap, or water.
Head – The part of the club that makes contact with the ball.
Heel – The part of the club head closest to the shaft.
Hole-In-One – A score of 1, meaning from the tee box, the ball landed or rolled in the hole in one shot.
Hook – This term is when the ball flies from right to left (or straight to left) while in the air (for right handers). The opposite is true for left handers.
Hosel – The part of the club head that is the hole which connects the head to the shaft.
Interlocking Grip – The type of grip used when the pinky on the right hand interlocks with the index finger on the left hand for right handed players. The opposite holds true for left handed players.
Iron – The clubs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, P, and S (SW) which have a thin head, rather than the woods, which have a thick, round head.
Lateral Hazard – Any hazard running parallel to the line of play.
Lie – The position in which the ball lies on the ground. In big tournaments and pro tournaments, you are not allowed to move the ball. However, when playing casually, most people fix their lie.
Line – The correct line of the path when putting.
Line Up – To line up your putt to the way you think the putt is to be played.
Lip – The outer edge of the cup, or hole on the green.
Loft – This term usually refers to the angle at which the club face is set from the vertical and is used to lift the ball into the air.
Long Irons – Usually referred to your 1, 2, and 3 iron. Any iron that is longer and has a straighter face.
Marker – Another term for ball marker, which is a small flat round object, or a dime (etc) in which to mark your ball with when picking it up from the ground. This is usually done on the green, to move your ball out of someone else’s line of play.
Markers – These are the objects on the Tee Box which mark where you should tee off from. You always place your ball behind them, never in front of them.
Mid Iron – This term usually refers to your 4, 5, or 6 iron. These clubs have more loft than your low irons.
Mulligan – This is a second shot that is given, like a “re-do” when you hit a bad shot.
Nineteenth Hole – This is another term for the clubhouse.
Obstruction – is any man made object that is in the line of play, other than roads and boundary markers.
Out of Bounds – When a shot is hit outside of the boundary markers. When this happens, you have to take a 1 stroke penalty and hit again.
Overlapping Grip – The grip in which the little finger of the right hand overlaps onto the index and middle finger on the left hand (for right handers). The opposite holds true for left handed players.
Par – The number of strokes it should take to complete a hole. The number of Par for a hole is given on the score card.
Penalty Stroke – a penalty given to a player for rules violation.
Pill – Nickname for the golf ball.
Pin – The same as the flag stick.
Pin High – This term refers to when the ball is even with the hole, but off to one side. Also known has “Hole High”.
Pitching Wedge – This is a club, called a pitching wedge, that is designated for short pitch shots.
Play Off – To determine a winner when the game is tied, the play another hole (or several) until there is a winner.
Playing Through – Passing up another set of players who are ahead of you.
Punch Shot – A low shot when played under trees, or into the wind. This is done witch a short backswing and hitting down on the ball.
Putt – This term is referred to the strokes on the green with a putter. Your “Putt shots” or putts.
Putter – The club used to hit the ball on the green.
Reading The Green – To determine which way the put will “break” or naturally role on the green, when on a slope.
Rim – Edge around the cup.
Rim Out – This is when the boll runs around the edge of the cup, but fails to fail in.
Round – A “round of golf” is a term used to describe playing 18 holes of golf.
Sand Trap – This is a common term for the bunker, or the area in which there is a pit with sand in it.
Sand Wedge – This is a club, with the same name, used around the green for short chip shots and also commonly used in the sand.
Short Game – These are the pitching, chipping and putting shots.
Short Irons – The shorter irons, like the 7,8,9 and pitching and sand wedge.
Sink A Putt – To make a putt.
Slice – This is a shot that starts off straight or left, and strongly curves to the right while in the air – for right handers. The opposite holds true for left handers.
Sole – The bottom part of the club head.
Square Stance – This is when you address the ball, and your feet are parallel to the target at which you are hitting.
Stance – The position of your feet when you stand up to the ball, or address it.
Stick – The pin (flag pin) in the hole.
Stroke – This is when you hit the ball, or attempt to hit the ball. (If you try to hit the ball and miss, it is still considered a “stroke” or shot.
Sudden Death – This is when after a game of golf, the players are tied, so they go to they continue to play more holes until a winner is determined.
Surlyn – A type of material some golf balls are made with.
Sweet Spot – The very center of the club face, which is the best place to hit the ball.
Swing – the act of hitting the ball.
Takeaway – This is when you start your backswing.
Tee – A piece of wooden or plastic material used to prop the golf ball up off the ground, usually at the beginning of the hole on your first shot.
Tee Off – This is your first shot on a hole, and sometimes is used as slang to mean to play golf.
Toe – The part of the club face farthest away from the hosel, (farthest away from the shaft).
Trajectory – The flight path in which the ball moves.
Triple Bogey – To score 3 above par on a hole. For an example, on a par five, triple bogey would be 8.
Unplayable Lie – A ball that is impossible to hit, such has in the trees.
USGA – United States Golf Association.
Wedge – A club used for short shots, such as the pitching wedge and sand wedge
Wiff – To swing at the ball and miss the ball entirely.
Wood – A club that the club head used to be made out of wood (some still are). These clubs have a rounded club head , Such as your driver, 2 wood, 3 wood, etc.
Worm Burner – when you hit a shot and instead of going in the air, it runs on the ground, hitting the “worm holes”.
Yardage – This usually refers to the total yardage of a hole, to determine its difficulty. It can also mean the “yards left” to the hole, etc.
