Trevor Ng
Golf has a lot of jargon and slang, so much so that learning the terminology can feel like learning a foreign language. There are terms for the equipment, rules, scoring, and common slang. For instance, an ace is a hole-in-one, the ball going in the hole in a single stroke. A condor is an extremely rare feat of being 4 under par on a single hole. A fried egg is slang for an unfavourable situation where your ball is partially buried in a bunker. Stymie, a term not often used today, refers to when another player's ball lies between yours and the hole, and you have to putt around the other ball without being given relief. There are also terms for the golf swing, which consists of several parts: address, backswing, downswing, impact, and follow-through.
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What You'll Learn
Scoring terms
Golf has a lot of unique terms, and scoring is an important part of the game, so let's take a look at some of the key scoring terms.
Par
Par is a standard score for a hole based on its length. Holes are assigned as par-3, par-4, or par-5, with higher numbers indicating greater difficulty. A golfer who consistently achieves par is considered to play "par golf," with an average score of around 72.
Birdie, Eagle, Albatross, and Hole-in-One
These terms refer to scores better than par. A birdie is one stroke under par, an eagle is two strokes under par, and an albatross, also known as a double eagle, is three strokes under par on a par-5 hole. A hole-in-one, also called an ace, occurs when a golfer sinks the ball in one stroke, typically on a par-3 hole.
Bogey, Double Bogey, and Triple Bogey
These terms refer to scores worse than par. A bogey is one stroke over par, a double bogey is two strokes over par, and a triple bogey, or "trip," is three strokes over par.
Handicap
A handicap measures the average number of strokes above par for a player during a round. It allows golfers of different skill levels to compete against each other.
Mulligans
A mulligan is a do-over, a chance for golfers to retake a shot they're unhappy with. While often allowed in casual play, they are not permitted in official tournaments and incur a penalty.
Gimmes
In casual play, a "gimme" is a short putt that other players may agree can count automatically without being played, assuming the putt would not be missed. However, gimmes are not allowed in stroke play according to the rules.
Sandys
A "sandy" is a score of par or better that includes a bunker shot. If a player achieves par or better after multiple bunker shots on the same hole, terms like "double sandy" or "triple sandy" are used.
All Square
"All Square" is a term used in match play to indicate that both sides or players are tied in terms of holes won.
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Golf swing
A golf swing is the motion made by a golfer to strike the golf ball using a club. The swing consists of several parts, and there are many tips and techniques to improve your swing.
The first part of the swing is the address, which is the golfer's starting position. Here, the feet are positioned apart, knees are slightly bent, and the club-head is placed behind the ball. The takeaway portion of the swing begins when the club starts moving back and ends when the shaft is parallel to the ground. The club should be taken back square, with the shaft pointing at the target, and the clubface pointing down slightly. The wrists should not hinge at this point.
The backswing begins as the takeaway ends and continues until the top of the swing is reached. The left arm should remain straight, and the right knee should retain its flex. The left knee should point towards the ball, and the left heel should remain on the ground unless flexibility issues demand otherwise.
The top of the swing is the halfway point between the address position and the moment of impact. The golfer's hands are at their highest, and the shaft of the club should point towards the target, shy of parallel to the ground. The golfer's back should face the target, and their wrists should be fully hinged.
The downswing is the stage immediately following the top of the swing, as the hands and club are brought down towards the ball. The hips should start to uncoil, allowing for a smooth weight transition to the front left foot as the shoulders uncoil.
The moment of impact is when the clubface makes contact with the ball. The hands should be ahead of the ball, and the eyes should be trained on it. The hips and hands should face the target. An iron should make impact on a downward motion, while a wood should make contact as the clubhead is rising.
Some tips for a better golf swing include keeping your arms connected to your torso/core to generate leverage and power. You should also focus on creating rotational velocity, not linear. Think RPM, not mph. Finally, make sure the thumb of your trail hand (right hand if you're right-handed) is not supporting the weight of the club at the transition.
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Golf course
A golf course is an area of land designated for playing golf, typically featuring 18 holes. The holes vary in difficulty and length, and are assigned as par-3, par-4, or par-5. The standard score for a course is the sum of all the holes' pars.
The course has a variety of areas, each with its own terminology:
- Tee box: The area where each hole begins. It is marked to avoid a one-shot penalty.
- Tee: The small peg used to elevate the ball at the start of each hole.
- Fairway: The well-maintained short-grass area between the tee box and the green. It is considered hit if any part of the ball is touching the fairway after the tee shot on a par 4 or 5.
- Rough: The longest grass around the fairway and green, making shots more challenging.
- Fringe: A slightly higher-cut grass area surrounding the green.
- Green: The smooth, grassy area surrounding the hole, where putting takes place.
- Bunker: A sand-filled obstacle on a course, of which there are two types: greenside bunkers near the green, and fairway bunkers along the fairway.
- Penalty area: Previously known as a water hazard, it is an area where golfers may be permitted to ground their club when playing a stroke.
- Strategic: A hole design that allows players to choose from a variety of shots to make par.
- Non-strategic: A hole design that punishes players who fail to execute specific shots with severe hazards.
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Golf ball
The golf ball is central to the game, and there are many terms relating to how it moves, its position, and the impact of the club on it.
Firstly, there are terms relating to the movement of the ball through the air. A "cut" is a type of shot that moves a little from left to right for a right-handed player, and is often intentional. A "slice" is similar but curves sharply to the right, and a “pull-cut” is a milder version of a slice. A "hook" is the opposite of a slice, where the ball curves from right to left, and a "duck hook" or "snap hook" is an extreme version of this. A "shank" is a golfer's nightmare, where the ball is hit off the neck or heel of the club, sending the shot sharply to the right. A "topped shot" is a common issue for amateurs, where the bottom of the club strikes the top half of the ball, resulting in a very short overall shot distance. A "thin" or "skinny" shot is when the lower part of the clubface connects with the ball, resulting in a longer-than-normal distance. A "compression" describes a golf ball smashing against the clubface at impact.
Secondly, there are terms relating to the position of the ball. "Lie" refers to where the ball is in relation to the ground it is resting on, and also the angle of the sole of the club head to the shaft. "Above the hole" means a downhill putt, and "below the hole" means an uphill putt. A "gimme putt" is a short putt that players may agree to skip, considering it a made putt. A "break" describes how a putt will curve on the green, and "borrow" is how much you have to aim right or left to allow for the slope of the green.
Thirdly, there are terms relating to the impact of the club on the ball. A "blast shot" is played out of sand traps, where the ball is hit from under and blasted out. A "chunk", "chili dip", "heavy shot", or "fat shot" is when the club strikes the ground before the ball, resulting in a large divot and a short shot. A "duff" is any poorly struck shot. A "bladed shot" is when a player hits a shot with the bottom of an iron instead of the face, causing a low shot that goes too far. A "backspin" is when the ball lands on the green and spins backward, usually from an approach shot with a wedge or short iron.
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Golf slang
"Hole-in-one" refers to when a golfer makes their tee shot and the ball lands directly in the hole. A "pin high" is when a shot lands on the green, level with the hole. "Up and down" describes when a golfer gets their ball onto the green and into the hole in just two strokes. A "stiffed" shot lands very close to the hole, usually when using an approach or chip. A "pure" or "flush" shot is perfectly struck, with clean, solid contact. A "check up" is when a ball lands on the green and quickly stops with minimal roll, often due to backspin.
Some slang terms refer to poor shots, such as a "chilly dip", which is a poor chip shot that comes up short of the target. A "chunk" is when you hit behind the ball, taking a large divot, and a "duff" is when you mis-hit and the ball doesn't go as far as intended. A "banana ball" is slang for a severe slice, resembling a banana shape. A "gimme" is a very short putt that is considered easy and is automatically conceded by the other players.
Other slang terms include "fore", a warning shouted to alert others of a wayward shot, and "mulligan", which is an informal term for retaking a shot without penalty, usually only allowed in casual rounds. A "sandbagger" is a golfer who intentionally plays worse than their ability to maintain a higher handicap and gain an advantage in handicap competitions.
There are also many creative slang terms to describe scores. A "birdie" is scoring one below par, a "bogey" is one over par, and a "double bogey" or "buzzard" is two over par. An "eagle" is scoring two under par, and a "double eagle" or "albatross" is three under par. A "condor" is scoring four under par, which is extremely rare. A score of nine is called an "Abominable Snowman", and an eight is a "snowman". A score of ten is called a "Bo Derek", and a tough five-footer putt is a "Danny DeVito" or "Joe Pesci".
Golfers have also come up with creative terms to describe different parts of the course and various situations. An "aircraft carrier" is a long, flat, elevated teeing ground, and a "water hole" is one where water comes into play. A "wall street" is the bailout area on a hole, and a "beach" or "bunker" is an area of sand. A "dance floor" or "carpet" refers to the putting green, and a "Christmas present" is a ball sitting under or behind a tree.
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Frequently asked questions
A birdie is a common scoring term in golf. It represents one under par on a hole. For example, if a hole is a par 3, a birdie would be a score of 2.
A snowman is a funny scoring term in golf that means a golfer scored an 8 on the hole. Since the number 8 looks like a snowman, this term is not something any golfer wants to hear as it represents a triple bogey or worse.
A hook affects right-handed golfers by curving the ball from right to left in the air. This type of shot can create additional distance due to the topspin but can also be problematic in the form of a duck-hook.
A slice is a dramatic left-to-right shot (right to left for lefties). The opposite of a slice is a hook. Less dramatic movement is called a fade or a draw.
