Getting into a new sport is never easy, but it’s always worth it. One of the easiest hurdles to overcome, however, is learning the jargon. Golf has a ton of terms, and some of them might sound like Greek to a non-golfer. Let’s fix that right now! Here’s some of the basic golf terminology that helped me out as a beginner.
Common golf terms for scoring
Par
A par is a baseline score of how many swings it takes for a good golfer to get the ball from the tee to the hole. This is set by the course designer and is based on distance and difficulty. For example, a par-3 hole might be 150 yards, a par-4 hole might be around 400, and a par-5 hole will be over 500. The total par for an 18-hole course is usually around 70 to 72.
Birdie
A birdie is one under par, for example, 3 on a par 4. This term comes from early 20th-century slang, “bird” meaning something excellent.
Bogey
A bogey is one over par, for example, a 5 on a par 4. Similarly, if you want to say that you scored two strokes over par on a hole (6 on a par 4), call it a double bogey.
Eagle
Golfers love their birds, so it’s no surprise that there’s a special bird name for two under par. For example, 3 strokes on a par 5. Eagles are rare and thrilling, often involving a mixture of skill and luck. On a par 3, an eagle is technically a hole-in-one!
Hole-in-one
This is the holy grail of golf: one tee, one swing, one plunk of ball into the cup. This most often happens on par-3 courses, but there have been a few legendary hole-in-ones that haven’t been, such as Andrew Magee’s back in the 2001 Phoenix Open.
Albatross
An albatross is a rare occurrence in golf — it’s when a golfer gets a hole in three swings under par — so if the hole is par 5, and you make it in 2 strokes, you’ve scored an albatross.
Handicap
A handicap is a numerical rating of your skill based on past scores adjusted for course difficulty. If you have a handicap of zero (which makes you a scratch golfer), you will generally play to par. A handicap of 20 means that you’re averaging 20 strokes over par. When two opponents play with a handicap, it levels the playing field so that golfers of varying skill levels can still play together and have fun.
Golf terminology related to the course
Tee
A tee is the small wooden or plastic peg that you jab into the ground to elevate your ball for the first swing. There are many different lengths and varieties depending on your playing style. Similarly, the tee box is the designated starting area for each hole, usually marked by stakes or lines. You can place your tee anywhere within the tee box.
Fairway
The fairway is the manicured corridor of grass leading from the tee to the green, usually about 30 to 50 yards wide. While golfing, you might hear the mantra, “Hit the fairway,” which means to get your ball on this smooth and forgiving green, instead of the rough (see below).
Rough
If you miss the fairway, you’re likely in the untamed grass of the rough, which is often thick and tall, and certainly not ideal for your next stroke. Get in the rough, and your ball might catch on the grass, which will slow your progress.
Bunker
A bunker, also known as a sand trap, is a pit of sand, sometimes with steep lips. You’re not allowed to ground your club here, so it can be tricky to get your ball back on the fairway.
Green
The green is the pristine, closely cropped patch of grass around the hole. It’s generally circular or oval in shape, ranging from 20 to 60 feet across, though sizes can vary. The green isn’t always flat. Sometimes, it’s curved or sculpted with slopes or ridges to keep things interesting.
Divot
A divot is the sod you gouge out when your club strikes the ground. Good shots with irons usually make a divot after hitting the ball, and it can be a good sign of crisp contact. Just make sure that you replace it or fill it with sand.
Golf shot and club terms
Driver
The driver is the longest club with a huge head and a low loft, and it’s built for maximizing distance off the tee. Modern drivers are made from titanium, and you can adjust all kinds of aspects like shaft length, the left-to-right face angle, the lie angle, and some even have little weights that you can move around along the bottom.
Iron
Numbered from 1 to 9, irons will get you between the tee shot and the green. Lower numbers, such as a 3 iron, will hit longer and lower. The higher ones will hit shorter but with more loft.
Putt
A putt is the finesse shot on the green, where you use a putter to roll the ball into the cup.
Slice
For a right-handed golfer, a slice is a stroke that starts off straight but then curves your ball rightward. This is generally not ideal because the ball won’t end up where you originally intended. Slices generally happen due to an open club face or an outside-in swing. Lefties will tend to slice left.
Hook
A hook is the opposite of a slice. For a right-handed golfer, that means that your ball will curve left, and vice versa for a lefty. It’s a bit less common than a slice, but equally as infuriating, especially if your ball ends up in the rough because of it.
Draw
A draw is a type of shot where the ball curves gently from right to left in the air for a right-handed golfer. It’s often used to dogleg left holes, combat windy conditions, or because you’re avoiding a hazard like a bunker on the right.
Fade
The opposite of a draw, the fade is when a ball curves gently from left to right (if you’re a right-handed golfer). It’s also a controlled shot that can be used to avoid hazards/
Golf etiquette & slang
Mulligan
A mulligan is when players agree to allow a player to replay a stroke from the same place, counting only the second stroke. It’s not an official rule, but it is sometimes used in casual play when a player loses a ball or faces a particularly difficult tee shot that threatens to derail the game.
Hitting the links
Simply put, this isn a colloquial way of saying you’re going to play golf.
There are a ton of other golfing terms out there, but these are just a few basic ones to get you started. Now that you have a better understanding of golfing terms now, all that’s left to do is master technique. Have fun!
