Amateur Golfers Central - Golf Terms and Glossary

ACE - Golfers term for a hole in one!!

ADDRESS - The position a golfer takes before hitting the ball or taking a swing.

ALBATROSS - Outdated term for an Eagle, or a hole played 3 under par.

APPROACH - The shot that puts your ball on the Green. Usually hit from less than 150 yards and hit with an Iron

BACKSPIN - A ball with backspin hits the ground and stops, or rolls backwards a bit before stopping.

BACKSWING - The first portion of the swing where the golfer raises the club backwards away from the ball. Also referred to as the takeaway.

BAIL OUT - A shot taken in order to avoid a dangerous part of a hole. Instead of aiming over a sand trap one might aim to either side, in order to avoid the trap.

BALL MARKER - A coin, flat object, or any other item used to mark the spot of a ball before the ball is picked up by a player.

BALL RETRIEVER - A telescopic pole with a scoop on the end to retrieve a ball hit into the water.

BALL WASHER - Device found at each hole used to clean golf balls.

BASEBALL GRIP - A grip where all 10 fingers are on the golf club.

BEACH - A golfers term for a sand trap.

BENT GRASS - Golf course grass found mostly on northern golf courses.

BERMUDA GRASS - Golf course grass found mostly on southern courses.

BIRDIE - Finishing a hole using one less shot than Par.

BITE - Term used to describe the action of a ball as it lands on the ground and stops quickly, thus appearing to bite the ground in order to stop.

BOGEY - Finishing a hole using one more shot than Par.

BUNKER - Golfers term for a sand trap.

CADDIE - A caddie carries your golf clubs, provides assistance with rules, and offers advice with respect to course conditions.

CARRY - A term that refers to how far a ball must fly in the air in order to miss a hazard.

CASUAL WATER - Water left on the ground after a heavy rain. A temporary water hazard from which a golfer can take Relief.

CHIP SHOT - A very short shot used when a golfer is very close to the Pin but not yet on the green.

CHIP IN - This occurs when the golfer who has just played a chip shot and put it in the hole.

CHOKE - This term refers to the grip on a golf club. Choking up means to move your hands closer to the top of the club while choking down means to move your hands further down the club.

CHOP - Striking the ball with an incorrect swing.

CLUBHEAD - This part of the golf club is located at the opposite end of the grip.

CLUBHOUSE - The part of the golf course where you can find the Pro Shop, Restaurant, and Bar.

COURSE RATING - This is referred to as the difficulty level of the course. The higher the number the harder the course.

CUP - This is object of each hole played. We try to putt the ball into the cup..

DIMPLE - The small indentations found on a golf ball.

DIVOT - A clump of grass taken by a golf swing. This is usually done to get under the ball and put some back spin on it.

DOGLEG - Refers to the layout of a hole. If the hole starts out straight and curves to the right this is referred to as a dogleg right.

DOUBLE BOGEY - A hole that is finished using 2 more strokes than Par.

DOUBLE EAGLE - A hole that is finished using 3 less strokes than Par. Scoring 2 on a Par 5 or a hole in one on a Par 4 will get you a Double Eagle.

DOWNHILL LIE - When you Approach the ball it is resting on a hill lower than your feet.

DRAIN - To make a putt on the first try.

DRAW SHOT - A designed shot in which the ball is hit in such a way that it moves from right to left.

DRIVE - Your first shot from the Tee Box. Usually hit using a "Driver" see below.

DRIVING RANGE - This is where players go to practice.

DRIVER - Also known as a 1 Wood, this is the biggest club in the bag and is used for hitting the ball as far as possible.

DROP -If a ball is hit OB (out of bounds) the golfer then stands where the ball went OB and Drops another ball into play.

DUFFER - A poor golfer. This term is reserved for experienced golfers who still play poorly.

EAGLE - A hole that is played using 2 less shots than Par.

FACE - The part of the golf club that makes contact with the ball.

FADE - Same as a Draw but the ball moves from left to right.

FAIRWAY - The area directly between the Tee box and the Green.

FAT SHOT - This is a poor shot where the club head makes contact with the ground far before it hits the ball. This shot robs the golfer of distance since the club head speed is greatly reduced by the ground.

FLAGSTICK - This is the flag which marks the Cup on every hole.

FLAT STICK - Another name for a putter.

FOLLOW-THROUGH - The remainder of the swing after the club face has made contact with the ball.

FORE - A warning term yelled to other golfers alerting them of an incoming golf ball that might hit them.

FOURSOME - This is the preferred number of people playing a round of golf. 4

FREE DROP - A drop where you are not penalized by a stroke. Man made hazards, ground under repair, and casual water are all instances where a Free Drop can be used.

FRINGE - The patch of taller grass outlining the green.

FRONT SIDE - Refers to the first nine holes on a golf course.

GIMME - When a group of golfers decides to allow each other to pick up the last putt only when it is within a certain number of inches from the cup. In other words, when a golfer putts his ball a few inches from the hole the other golfers may say "that's a gimme" and allow the golfer to pick it up.

GRAIN - The direction that the grass on the green is growing. Usually grows toward the setting sun.

GREEN - The putting service of any hole on a course.

GRIP - How a golfer holds his club.

GROSS - Total number of strokes taken during a round by a player.

GROUNDING THE CLUB - Positioning the club head behind the ball as the golfer addresses the ball.

GROUND UNDER REPAIR - An area of the course that is currently under repair. A free drop may be used.

HACKER - An unskilled golfer.

HANDICAP - A number given to a golfer in order to even the playing field. The number is the amount of strokes that can be deducted from a scorecard.

HAZARD - Any area on a golf course designed to make the golfer work harder. Sand, water, and rough are all hazards.

HEEL - The part of the club head closest to the shaft.

HOLE - Same as cup above.

HOLE HIGH - An approach shot with the right distance but lacking in accuracy.

HOLE-IN-ONE - Sinking a ball into a cup on your first shot.

HONORS - The golfer who finishes the hole with the least amount of strokes gets to Tee Off first on the next hole. He has honors.

HOOK - To hit the ball and have it move drastically from right to left.

HOSEL - the hollow part of the club head that the shaft fits into.

INTERLOCKING GRIP - A type of grip where 2 fingers interlock on the club.

IRON - 1-9, PW, and SW are all Irons. Not Woods!

JAIL - A shot that is very difficult to play. If your ball is under a bush and almost impossible to play you are said to be "in jail".

JUNGLE - When a ball lands in the woods or a heavy rough you are said to be in the Jungle.

KICK - This is what the ball does when it hit's the ground. It can kick right, which means hop the the right when it lands, kick left, or hop forward.

LAG - On long putts or dangerous downhill putts sometimes a golfer will leave the ball short intentionally in order to have an easy second putt. This is referred to as a lag putt.

LATERAL HAZARD - Water running all along a Fairway is considered a lateral hazard. Basically the hazard runs along the entire hole and not just a portion of the hole.

LIE - The position a ball is in after it has come to rest. If the ball is in thick rough you then have a bad lie.

LINKS - The holes on a golf course run along side each other in order to conserve space. Fairways are divided by shrubs or other man made obstacles.

LIP - The uppermost edge of the Cup.

LOB SHOT - A high shot intended to land a ball on the green with very little forward roll.

LOCAL RULES - The rules set forward by a specific golf course.

LOFT - This is the angle of a club face from perpendicular.

MATCH PLAY - This is where players compete for a point on the hole. The winner of the hole gets one point. Most points win.

MEDAL (STROKE) PLAY - The winner is determined by least number of strokes.

MEMBERS BOUNCE - This is when a ball takes a good kick as it lands. Instead of hitting the tree and going OB the ball hits the tree and kicks back into play.

MULLIGAN - An extra shot offered by a golfer to another in the event of a really bad shot. We suggest setting limits on mulligans like one per every nine holes played to be used at the golfers discretion.

MUNICIPAL COURSE - A public course owned by the city or county.

NASSAU - This is like match play except there are winners for the front nine, back nine, and overall total. 1 point for each.

NINETEENTH HOLE - Golfers term for the clubhouse, or bar after the round.

OUT-OF-BOUNDS (OB) - An area marked unsuitable for play by the golf course. Any golfer hitting OB must hit again from the same spot or closest part to where the ball went OB.

OVERCLUBBING - Selecting a club that under normal conditions would send the ball further than desired. One might over club when facing into heavy winds.

PAR - Number of recommended stokes to complete a hole or round.

PENALTY STROKE - Additional stroke added to a golfers score for rule violations, OB shots, lost balls, or other situations.

PIN - Also referred to as a flagstick.

PITCH - Similar to the Lob Shot and designed to deliver the ball to the green without much forward roll.

PITCH AND RUN - A low trajectory shot usually carried out with a 7 Iron designed to keep the ball low and have it roll up on the green.

PLAYING THROUGH - When a faster set of golfers plays through a slower set ahead of them.

PRO SHOP - the golf course shop operated by the golf pro.

PROVISIONAL BALL - An additional ball hit by a player who is unsure they will locate their first ball. If the first ball is found it is played, if not the player is assessed a penalty stroke and plays the second ball.

PULL - A ball hit to the left of a target.

PUSH - A ball hit to the right of a target.

PUTT - A shot taken from the green using a putter.

PUTTER - Not a driver and not an Iron. Used to keep the ball rolling on a green.

READING THE GREEN - Figuring out which path the ball will roll across the putting surface.

ROUGH - The tall grass lining each side of the fairway.

ROUND - A complete game of golf. 18 holes.

RUN - How far the ball will roll once it has landed on the ground after flight..

SANDBAGGER - A golfer who underestimates their ability in order to win tournaments.

SAND TRAP - Proper name for the beach or a sand hazard.

SAND WEDGE - An Iron designed specifically to hit balls out of the sand.

SCRATCH GOLFER - Golfer with a 0 handicap. This player shoots even par almost every time out.

SHORT GAME - Shots are made from around the green. Usually chipping, putting, and other controlled shots.

STARTER - This is the person responsible for sending the golfers onto the course.

STIMPMETER - Term used to measure the speed of the greens. % is slow, 11 is fast.

STROKE - A term used to describe the swing of the club. Can also refer to the number of shots made.

SUDDEN DEATH - A way to determine the winner by playing additional holes in the event of a tie.

SUMMER RULES - Normal rules according to the rule book

SWEET SPOT - The center of the club face where the ball is supposed to make contact with the ball!

TAKEAWAY - Also referred to as the back swing of a Stroke.

TEE - A wooden peg designed to lift the ball off the ground. Also the starting point of any hole.

TEXAS WEDGE - When a golfer uses a putter from off the green.

THIN HIT - Hitting the ball too high. The player does not get the club face under the ball. Instead they hit the ball with the leading edge of the club.

THREESOME - A group of golfers with 3 players.

TIGHT FAIRWAY - Narrow fairway with little from for error.

TOE - The part of the club face farthest from the shaft.

TRAJECTORY - Path the ball takes through the air. Usually arc shaped on good shots.

TURN - The part of the round between the front nine and back nine.

UNDERCLUBBING - Selecting a club which under normal conditions would not provide enough distance to reach the target. This is usually done with a strong wind from behind.

UNPLAYABLE LIE - A golf ball that cannot be hit from its current position.

WAGGLE - The movements a golfer goes through prior to striking the ball. A warm up designed to keep the muscles loose before a shot.

WEDGE - An Iron with a steep loft designed to make high shots that land with little or no forward roll.

WHIFF - When a golfer attempts to swing at the ball and misses completely.

WINTER RULES - Special condition rules that allow a golfer to improve their lie.

WOOD - Larger clubs made of wood or metal used for distance shots.

WORMBURNER - This is a shot that has been hit too thin and never leaves the ground.

Read more

Golfing Terminology

Golfing Terminology

ACE – Term used when a Golfer makes a Hole in One! Shot from the Tee to the hole. It has been done many times.

ADDRESS – Term used when “addressing the ball” as a golfer stands and prepares to hit the ball.

ALBATROSS – Term for Double Eagle (British saying). Your Score is 3 under par on a single hole or you score a 2 on a par 5 hole. (great score if you can do it)

APPROACH –  Often referred to as an “approach shot”.  This is a short or medium iron, which is played into the green.

APRON – the closely cut area just around the edge of the green. Often referred to as the “Fringe”.

BACKSPIN – this is a reverse spin; causes the ball to stop very quickly on the green.

BACKSWING – the backward part of the swing starting from the ground and going back over the top of the golfer’s head.

BAIL OUT – a shot played to the safe part of the course. If a flag is right next to the water and the golfer intentionally shoots away from the flag to avoid the water hence “bailing out”.

BALL MARKER – a token or small coin which is placed directly just behind the ball in order to mark the position of the ball on the green. If your ball is in front of a player you mark your ball to remove it out of the way of the player.

BALL RETRIEVER – a long pole with a scoop on the end of it used to get balls out of water hazards.

BALL WASHER – located near the tee area at each hole so you can clean your ball

BANANA BALL – A slice on ball curving in a banana like shape from left to right.

BEACH – an expression for sand trap.

BENT GRASS – type of grass which is found in mostly in northern climates.

BIRDIE – a score of 1 under par for a hole.

BOGEY – a score of 1 over par on a hole.

BUNKER – another name for a sand trap.

CADDIE – a person who carries a players clubs during play and offers assistance in accordance with the rules.

CASUAL WATER –  temporary puddles of water on the course which are not supposed to be there, like from rain. There is no penalty for a player to move his ball out of casual water.

CHIP SHOT – a short approach shot with a low trajectory usually hit from close to the green.

CHIP IN – this happens when you hit a chip shot (see above) into the cup.

CHOKE – this word has two meanings. One is to grip lower on the club than normal (you may hear the term “choke down” on the club)

CLUBHEAD – the hitting area of the golf club.

COURSE RATING – the difficulty of a course. Usually the higher the course rating the harder it is.

CUP – the thing in the hole that holds the flagstick.

DEUCE –  score of 2 on a hole

DIMPLE – the small round indentations on the golf ball.

DIVOT – a piece of ground that is taken up by the club after hitting the ball. Golfing etiquette is to replace the divot.

DOGLEG –  a hole that goes straight for a while then has a bend (or “dogleg”) to the left or right.

DOUBLE BOGEY – a score of two over par for one hole.

DOUBLE EAGLE – three under par for one hole (I.e. a two on a par five) Also referred to as an “albatross”.

DOWNHILL LIE – the ball is on the downslope of a hill. When a right handed player addresses the ball his right foot will be higher than his left foot.

DRAIN – To make a putt (“drain it”)

DRAW SHOT – This is when a right handed player hits a controlled hook, which goes from right to left.

DRIVE – this is the term which means your tee shot.

DRIVER – This is the club known as the 1 wood. It is usually the club that hits the ball the farthest

DROP – this is a way that you get the ball back in play after hitting a shot into the water or out of bounds.

DUB – a poorly hit shot. I “dubbed” that shot.

DUFFER – one who hits a lot of bad shots. Can also be called a “hacker”.

EAGLE –  score of 2 under par on a hole. (I.e. a score of 3 on a par 5 hole)

FACE – part of the clubhead that makes contact with the ball.

FADE – this is a shot (for a right-handed golfer) which curves gradually from left to right.

FAIRWAY – this is the area on the golf course, which lies directly between the tee box and the green and is cut really short and maintained really nice. You want to hit from this area if at all possible.

FAT SHOT – this is a shot which is not good. The club hits the ground behind the ball and results in a poorly struck shot that usually doesn’t go very far.

FLAGSTICK – flag/stick.

FOLLOW-THROUGH – the continuation of the golf swing to the end.

FORE – this is spelled differently than the number 4. This is the term yelled when one hits a shot toward another person on the golf course to alert him/her of impending doom from being hit by the ball.

FREE DROP – you drop the ball and don’t have to add a stroke to your score. This can happen when there is casual water on the course or ground under repair.

FRINGE – the closely cut area just around the edge of the green.

FRONT SIDE – the first nine holes is usually referred to as the “front side”.

GIMME – a term for a putt that is close enough to the cup that it will certainly be made so the other player says “it’s a gimme” and the player doesn’t have to putt it.

GRAIN – this is the direction that the grass on the green is growing.

GREEN –  term used to describe the putting surface on the golf course.

GRIP – this refers to either the part of the shaft by which the club is held by the golfer usually in an overlapping grip.

GROSS – the total number of strokes a player takes on his round.

GROUNDING THE CLUB – placing the club head on the ground behind the ball also known as a position of addressing the ball.

HACKER – referring to a golfer who is not very skilled.

HANDICAP – The number of strokes a player may deduct from his actual (or gross) score to adjust his score to that of a scratch golfer.

HAZARD – a hazard is any sand trap, lake, pond and bunker that may cause problems on the golf course. This may include varmints such as birds, squirrels, snakes, bees and as seen on tv recently – an alligator.

HEEL – part of the club head nearest the shaft.

HOLE – a 4 inch round receptacle that you try to get your ball into.

HOLE HIGH – an approach shot which is even with the hole but off to one side.

HOLE-IN-ONE – see ACE above.

HOLE OUT – the process of a player completing the hole.

HONOR – the privilege of hitting first on the next tee. The “honor” is gained by having the lowest score on the preceding hole.

HOOK – to hit the ball and have it curve gradually from right to left (for right-handed golfers).

HOSEL – the hollow part of the club head that the shaft fits into.

INTERLOCKING GRIP – a type of grip where the little finger of the lower hand is interlocked with the index finger of the upper hand.  You are usually taught this grip when you are a beginner.

IRON – is a metal golf club

JAIL – term used when a golfer hits a ball into a group of trees.

JUNGLE – In the Jungle is a term used by golfers for heavy rough or in the woods.

KICK – a golfers term for bounce for when a ball take a bad bounce.

LAG – putting the ball short of the hole to guarantee the next shot is better.

LIE – position the ball ends up when it comes to rest on the ground.

LINKS – another word for a golf course. Originally meant seaside course.

LIP – rim of the cup on the green

LOB SHOT – similar to basketball only it is a shot that goes straight up in the air and stops very quickly on the green.

LOCAL RULES – particular set of rules set by a golf course or resort

LOFT – angle of the club face from vertical.

MATCH PLAY – this is a form of competition by holes. Each hole is worth one point no matter how many strokes one player beats another by.

MEDAL PLAY – this is a form of competition decided by the overall number of strokes also referred to as stroke play.

MULLIGAN – an extra shot which your opponent players MAY allow you to take if you hit a really bad first shot. This is not recommended golf playing.

MUNICIPAL COURSE – a public course which is owned by a local government agency.

NASSAU – a form of competition which breaks down the play into front nine, back nine and overall 18 holes. A point is allowed for each nine and the total 18.

NINETEENTH HOLE – another term for the clubhouse or in particular the bar at the clubhouse.

OFFSET – a club with the head slightly behind (or offset) the shaft.

OUT-OF-BOUNDS – the area outside of the golf course limits in which play is prohibited. If you hit the ball out of bounds you must hit again from the same spot.

OVERCLUBBING – using a club that will hit the ball farther than necessary.

PAR – the number of stokes recommended to complete a hole (or 18 holes).

PENALTY STROKE – an additional stroke which is added to a golfers score for a rules violation, going out of bounds, losing a ball, or various other situations.

PIN – another name for flag stick or the pole that is in the cup.

PITCH – a short high arcing shot that lands on the green and usually stops quickly

PITCH AND RUN – same as a pitch but hit with a lesser lofted club which causes it to roll farther

PIVOT – the rotation of the shoulders, waist, and pelvis during the golf swing

PLAYING THROUGH – the process of slower players in front of faster players allowing the faster players to move ahead of the slower group

PREFERRED LIE – a lie that may be improved by a player.

PRO SHOP – the golf course shop operated by the golf pro.

PROVISIONAL BALL – an additional ball which is hit when the first ball can not be found. If the first ball is found, it is played. If the first ball is not found, the provisional must be played and the player is assessed a penalty stroke.

PULL – a ball that is pulled (or hit) to the left of the target (for right handed players)

PUSH – a ball that is pushed (or hit) to the right of the target (for right handed players)

PUTT – the shot hit on the green with the putter.

PUTTER – the club with a flat face used to putt. Also known as “flat stick”.

PUTTING GREEN – the surface area around the hole that is specially prepared for putting.

RANGE – also known as golfing range; this is the area where you go to practice and usually has many stations to hit practice balls/shots.

READING THE GREEN – determining which way the putt will curve based upon the slope of the green.

ROUGH – long grass area adjacent to the fairway. Normally you try to avoid the rough.

ROUND – completed 18 holes of golf.

RUN – the distance the ball will travel along the ground after it lands.

SANDBAGGER – this is a golfer who purposely tells others that he is a worse golfer than he really is in order to gain an edge in competition.

SAND TRAP – the common name for a sand hazard. These are areas that are filled with sand and should be avoided.

SAND WEDGE – an iron normally used to hit the ball out of the sand. It can also be used on short pitch shots.

SANDY – a player makes a sandy when he hits a shot out of the sand and sinks the following putt.

SCRATCH GOLFER – a player who has a handicap of 0. This player will theoretically shoot even par or better every time out.

SHORT GAME – the part of the game made up of chipping, putting and other shots around the green.

SHOTGUN START – a method of starting play where players go to every tee box on the golf course and hit their tee shots at the same time. Sometimes a horn is sounded to start play.

SIDE – this is a term front side and back side; front side 9 holes and back side 9 holes

SIDEHILL LIE –  refers to a lie (see above for meaning of lie) when the ball is resting on a slope and the golfer’s feet are either above or below the ball.

SLICE –  golfer shot which curves severely from left to right (for a right handed golfer).

SLOPE RATING – USGA term that represents the difficulty of a course for bogey golfers relative to the USGA Course Rating (which represents the difficulty for scratch golfers). The higher the slope, the more difficult the course plays for bogey golfers. Slope ratings range from 55 to 155 and 113 is considered average.

SNAKE – this is given to a player in a friendly game when player three putts. Whoever has the snake at the end of the round usually ‘gets’ to treat the other players to a soda.

STARTER – this is the person who is responsible for sending the groups of players off the first tee. Usually the starter is located somewhere close to the first hole.

STIMPMETER – this is a device which is used to calibrate the speed of the greens. Often referred to as ‘stimp’. A reading of 5 to 11 is the normal range with 5 being slow and 11 being extremely (PGA) fast!

STROKE –  term used for the actual process of swinging the club through the ball.  There is also a saying: “How many STROKES are you giving me?” This means “How many shots or additional swings are you giving me to even out the match”.

SUDDEN DEATH – method used in a tied match by playing extra holes. The first player to win a hole is the winner.

SUMMER RULES – ordinary rules according to the rulebook.

SWEET SPOT – the center point of the face of the club.

TAKEAWAY – golfer does this when he starts a back swing.

TEE – this is the wooden  peg which is used to hold the ball up for driving. It is also the term for the area where play begins at a hole. (tee area)

TEXAS WEDGE – term for the putter when used off the green.

THREESOME – group of three (3)

TIGHT FAIRWAY – a narrow fairway with not much area on either side to miss.

TOE –  part of the club furthest from where it joins the shaft.

TRAJECTORY – the flight path of the ball. If it goes way up in the air it is referred to a high trajectory.

TURN – to start the back nine holes. To “make the turn” means you have finished the 1st nine holes and are “turning” to the 2nd nine.

UNDERCLUBBING – using a club that does not provide enough distance to hit the ball to the intended target.

UNPLAYABLE LIE – a lie in which the ball is in and can not be hit. (I.e. it is up against a tree and the player can not hit it)

WAGGLE – the movement of the club head just prior to the player taking a swing.

WEDGE – an iron with a high loft used for short shots requiring a high trajectory.

WHIFF – swinging and missing the ball.

WINTER RULES – local golf rules that permit the player to improve the lie of the ball in the fairway. There may be additional winter rules allowed depending on the golf course condition.

WOOD – a club (either wood or metal) which is used for shots requiring a lot of distance.

WORMBURNER – this is a shot, which skims very low along the ground.

Read more

Stuff about the Game of Golf

Learn Some Golf Terminology from A-Z

Ace - a hole in one.

Address - the position taken by the player when setting up to play a stroke.

Albatross - three strokes under par on a hole.

Alignment - position of the body in relation to the target.

Approach shot - a shot played to the green.

Apron - grass area, immediately surrounding green.

Arc - the swing of the clubhead.

Away - player farthest from the hole.

Backspin - reverse spin which causes the ball to stop quickly when it lands.

Backswing - movement of the club away from the ball to the top of the swing.

Birdie - one stroke below par for a hole.

Bogey - one stroke over par on a hole.

Break - the amount a ball will deviate from a straight line on the putting green.

Bunker - depression in the ground, usually filled with sand.

Buzzard - two strokes over par.

Caddie - someone who to carries a player's clubs and gives playing advice.

Chip shot - short, low running shot played from off the green.

Clubhead - part of the club that strikes the ball.

Cup - hole in putting green.

Divot - piece of turf taken out of the ground when striking the ball.

Dogleg - a fairway that runs straight and then bends to the left or the right .

Down - a term meaning a player is behind in a match.

Double bogey - two strokes over par.

Double eagle - three strokes under par.

Downswing - movement of the club from the top of the backswing to the ball.

Drive - a shot hit from the tee, usually on a par four or five.

Driver - number one wood; the club with the least loft, hits the ball the furthest.

Eagle - two strokes below par on a hole.

Even - all even or equal in a match.

Fairway - the mown area of the course between the tee and the green

Flag - marks spot on green where cup is located.

Follow-through - the final part of the swing which occurs after impact

Fore - a warning shouted to players ahead to warn them of an approaching ball.

Four - maximum number of players allowed to play golf in one group.

Green - the putting surface or the closely mown area around the hole.

Grip - the position of the hands on the club. Also known as the handle of the club.

Handicap - the number of strokes a player receives to bring their score down to par

Hazard - any bunker or water hazard

Hole - a 4 1/4 inch diameter hole cut in the putting surfaces.

Honor - the privilege of hitting first off the tee.

Hook - shot that bends from right to left.

Interlocking - hooking the index and little finger together on the club.

Iron - metal-headed club

9 Iron - iron used to hit the ball high and short

3 Iron - iron used to hit the ball longer but is not very accurate

Lie - the manner in which the ball is lying on the grass.

Line - the preferred direction of the shot.

Links - a seaside course.

Major - a term applied to the four biggest championships in gold: the Masters, the British Open, the United States Open and the United States Professional Golfers' Association Championship.

Out of bounds - stroke penalty and replay from same spot.

Overlapping - grip where the little finger lays over the index finger.

Par - the normal amount of strokes required for a good golfer to play a hole.

• Par is generally set according to length in yards. A par three is never longer than 250; par four is for holes between 251 - 475; and par five is for 476 yards or longer.
• Par is determined by adding a 2 putt to the number of hits it takes to reach the green

Pin - another name for flagstick.

Pitch - short, high shot to the green.

Punch - shot which flies low to the ground.

Putt - shot played with a putter on the green.

Putter - a straight-faced club used on the green.

Rough - long grass.

Run - the distance the ball travels along the ground.

Sand wedge - heavy, soled club used to play out of bunkers.

Scratch - term given to someone with a handicap of zero.

Short game - those shots played around the green.

Slice - shot which bends drastically from left to right.

Sole - bottom of club

Stance - the placing of the feet when addressing the ball.

Stymie - ball lying directly in line of putt of another.

Swing - the entire action taken when hitting the ball.

Tee - peg used to raise the ball above the surface of the teeing ground.

Teeing ground - the area from which the first shot is played on a hole.

Top shot - shot which catches only the top half of the ball.

Trap - another expression given to a bunker.

Up - being ahead in a match

Waggle - movement of the clubhead prior to the swing.

Wedge - lofted club designed for pitch shots.

Winter rules - the privilege of improving the lie of the ball on the fairway.

Wood - woodenheaded clubs; hits ball longest distance.

Yips - a nervous condition of twitching in the hands and wrists. It plagues golfers particularly on   putting greens.

Read more

Algarve Golfing Terminology

We thought at AGO we should make a list of basic Golfing terms for those who may be new or not be up on the game of Golf.
Below is a list of terms associated with the game to help you understand what the pros talk about!!

Golfing Terms:

Tee Box: - Where the first shot on a golf hole is played from.

Green: - Where the final shots of a hole are played.

Fairway: - The grassed area between Tee and Green cut to a height that makes it the preferred surface to play from.

Bunker: - Sandy surface instead of grass usually found close to the green.

Rough: - Longer grass found at the sides of the fairway and around the green framing the golf hole.

Water Hazard: - Water feature found around the course and identified by yellow stakes marking its boundary.

Par: - The number of shots in which professionals should complete the golf hole in!

Par 3: - The green is a distance that can be reached in 1 shot with two more putts to complete the hole.

Par 4: - The green is a distance that can be reached in 2 shots with two more putts to complete the hole.

Par 5: - The green is a distance that can be reached in 3 shots with two more putts to complete the hole

Birdie: - The hole completed in one stroke less than par.

Eagle: - The hole completed in 2 strokes less than par.

Albatross: - The hole completed in 3 strokes less than par. (Sometimes called hole in one on a par three or double eagle on a par 5).

Bogey: - The hole completed in 1stroke more than the par.

Golf Courses:
There are normally 18 holes on a golf course and the course is split in to two nines (The outward nine and the inward nine).
Courses normally consist of a mixture of Pars on the 18 e.g; 10 x par 4s, 4 x par 3s, 4 x par 5s. This gives you a total par of 72.

Handicap:
This is a number deducted from a player’s score after a round of golf which reflects his \ her ability level. The total score (gross score) minus the players handicap equals their (nett score).
The total number of shots a player has on average more than par in a round will become his Handicap e.g.
Total score of 100 minus their handicap should finish close to the total par for the course. In this case 100 – 28 = 72. The player has played to a handicap of 28.

Standard Scratch: - Is a number which can shift up and down from the par of the course. It represent the difficulty of the course to play, courses may have the same par but change in toughness due to distance of holes played, size, slopes and speed of greens, number of hazards on the course and weather conditions.

Stroke Index: - This indicates the order of difficulty the holes are to play, stroke index 1 being the most difficult. Shots in a match play tournament would be awarded in connection with the stroke index.

Stroke play: - A game normally played over the full 18 holes where every hole must be completed with the ball holed out and the total score for all 18 holes added together. This type of competition can have more than 100 competitors.

Match play: - A game which normally has 2 or 4 players, they play each other shot by shot. The result for each hole will be win, lose or draw. The player or team who has won more holes than there are left to play has won the match.

Read more