Golf Terms Every Golfer Should Know: A Beginner's Guide

Golf has a language of its own. On your first visit to a course you may hear that someone "found the beach", "lipped out", "flushed a 7-iron" or "needs a lot of strokes on the back nine". It can feel like everyone else is in on a secret. Learning the vocabulary makes the game less intimidating, helps you understand instruction and lets you join the conversation in the clubhouse.

This guide organises the most important golf terms by topic, so they are easy to learn and remember. For an A–Z reference, see our golf glossary.

Scoring terms

Other scoring words:

• Up and down: getting the ball in the hole in two shots from off the green — usually a chip and a putt.
• Sand save: an up and down from a greenside bunker.
• Green in regulation (GIR): reaching the green in two shots fewer than par.
• Three-putt: taking three putts on a green.

Learn more about how golf scoring and competitions work in golf formats explained.

Parts of the course

• Teeing area (tee box): where each hole starts, between two tee markers.
• Tee markers: coloured markers showing where to tee off. Different colours indicate different lengths.
• Fairway: the closely mown area between tee and green.
• Rough: longer grass on either side of the fairway.
• First cut: a band of slightly longer grass between the fairway and the rough.
• Bunker: a hollow filled with sand. Casually called a "trap" or "the beach".
• Penalty area: an area — usually water — marked with red or yellow stakes or lines.
• Out of bounds (OB): areas outside the course, marked with white stakes or lines.
• Putting green: the specially prepared area around the hole.
• Fringe, apron or collar: the closely mown grass around the green.
• Pin, flag or flagstick: the pole marking the hole.
• Cup: the hole itself, 4.25 inches (108 mm) in diameter.
• Dogleg: a hole that bends left or right.
• Front nine / back nine: holes 1–9 and 10–18.
• Turn: the break between the front and back nine.
• 19th hole: the clubhouse bar.

See what makes a great golf course for more on course design.

Shot terms

Ball flight

For a right-handed golfer:

(Reverse these for left-handed golfers.) If you struggle with a slice, read how to fix a slice.

Contact

• Flush / pure: a perfectly struck shot from the centre of the face.
• Fat (heavy): hitting the ground before the ball, losing distance.
• Thin (skull, blade): striking the ball too high on the face, producing a low shot.
• Top: hitting the top of the ball so it rolls along the ground.
• Shank: striking the ball with the hosel so it shoots sharply sideways.
• Toe / heel strike: contact towards the end or the shaft side of the clubface.
• Sweet spot: the ideal impact point on the face.

Types of shot

• Drive: a tee shot, usually with a driver.
• Approach: a shot intended to land on the green.
• Lay-up: a deliberately shorter, safer shot to avoid trouble.
• Chip: a short, low shot that rolls most of the way. See how to chip.
• Pitch: a higher, softer short shot. See wedge play.
• Flop shot: a very high, soft pitch.
• Bump-and-run: a low running shot onto the green.
• Punch / knock-down: a low, controlled shot, often under trees or into wind.
• Lag putt: a long putt aimed at getting close rather than holing.

Putting terms

• Break: how much a putt curves.
• Line: the path you expect the ball to take.
• Read: your judgement of break and speed.
• Lip out: the ball catches the edge of the hole but does not drop.
• Gimme: a short putt conceded in match play (not allowed in stroke play).
• Yips: involuntary jerks in the putting stroke.

Equipment terms

• Woods: driver and fairway woods. See how to choose golf clubs.
• Hybrid: a cross between a wood and an iron. See hybrids explained.
• Irons: numbered clubs for approach shots.
• Wedges: high-lofted clubs for short shots.
• Putter: the club used on the green.
• Loft: the angle of the clubface, affecting height.
• Lie angle: the angle between shaft and sole.
• Bounce: the angle on a wedge's sole that prevents digging.
• Offset: when the clubface sits behind the shaft, helping to square the face.
• Shaft flex: how much the shaft bends. See the shaft guide.
• Grip: both the rubber handle of the club and the way you hold it.
• Cavity back / blade: forgiving and less forgiving iron designs.

Swing terms

• Address: your position over the ball before the swing.
• Stance: the position of your feet.
• Takeaway: the start of the backswing.
• Backswing / downswing: the swing away from and back towards the ball. See how to improve your backswing.
• Transition: the change of direction at the top.
• Impact: the moment the club meets the ball.
• Follow-through / finish: the movement after impact.
• Swing plane: the angle and path the club travels on.
• Tempo: the rhythm of the swing.
• Divot: turf removed by the club after impact.

Rules terms

• Stroke: a forward movement of the club made to strike the ball.
• Penalty stroke: a stroke added to your score for breaking a rule or taking certain relief.
• Relief: a procedure that lets you move your ball, either free or with a penalty.
• Drop: releasing the ball from knee height when taking relief.
• Relief area: the area where you must drop, usually one or two club-lengths.
• Stroke and distance: the penalty for a lost ball or out of bounds — one stroke, replaying from the previous spot.
• Provisional ball: a second ball played when the first may be lost or out of bounds.
• Unplayable ball: a ball you choose not to play, taking relief for one penalty stroke.
• Loose impediments: natural objects such as leaves and twigs that you may remove.
• Abnormal course condition: things such as temporary water, ground under repair and animal holes, from which you may usually take free relief.
• Local rule: a rule adopted by a club or committee for its course.

Read the World Handicap System explained for handicap terms such as Course Rating and Slope Rating.

Format and competition terms

• Stroke play (medal): every stroke counts.
• Match play: hole-by-hole competition.
• Stableford: points-based scoring.
• Scramble: team format where everyone plays from the best shot.
• Four-ball / better ball: pairs, best score counts.
• Foursomes: pairs, alternate shot.
• All square: a level match.
• Dormie: being as many holes up as there are holes left.
• Shotgun start: all groups start at the same time on different holes.
• Cut: the score needed to continue in a professional event. See how professional tournaments work.

Etiquette and course life

• Fore!: the warning shout when a ball may hit someone.
• Honour: the right to tee off first, earned by the lowest score on the previous hole.
• Ready golf: playing when ready rather than strictly in order, to speed up play.
• Playing through: letting a faster group pass.
• Marker: both a small object used to mark your ball and the person who records your score.
• Caddie: a person who carries your clubs and offers advice. See our guide to golf caddies.
• Starter: the official who sends groups off the first tee.
• Marshal (ranger): staff who monitor pace of play.

See our full golf etiquette guide.

Popular golf slang

• Mulligan: an unofficial do-over (not allowed under the Rules).
• Breakfast ball: a mulligan on the first tee in a casual round.
• Worm burner: a shot that skims along the ground.
• Chili dip: a chip hit very fat that barely moves.
• Snowman: a score of 8 on a hole.
• Sandy: a par saved from a bunker.
• Dance floor: the green.
• Duffer / hacker: an inexperienced or erratic golfer (often used affectionately).
• Stick: the flagstick — "go for the stick".
• Knee-knocker: a nerve-racking short putt.
• Lumberjack: a golfer who spends a lot of time in the trees.

How to learn golf terms quickly

• Read our glossary a few terms at a time.
• Watch golf on television or online and listen to commentators.
• Play with experienced golfers and ask questions — most are happy to explain.
• Take lessons, where coaches use the vocabulary naturally. See golf for beginners.

Golf numbers worth knowing

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a draw and a hook?

Both curve right to left for a right-handed golfer. A draw is a gentle, controlled curve; a hook is a sharp, often uncontrolled curve.

What does "par for the course" mean?

In golf, it is the total number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to take for the whole course, usually 70–72. In everyday speech, it means "what is normal or expected".

Why is it called a birdie?

The term is commonly said to come from the old slang word "bird", meaning something excellent. "Eagle" and "albatross" followed the bird theme for even better scores.

The bottom line

Golf's vocabulary can seem confusing at first, but most of it falls into a few groups: scoring, the course, shots, equipment, the swing, rules, formats and etiquette. Learn these core terms and you will understand instruction, follow the rules and feel at home on any course. For hundreds more definitions, browse our golf glossary.