Golf Glossary A–Z

Completing a hole in a single shot from the tee. In professional golf, aces occur on par 3 holes. One of the most celebrated moments in the game — the television broadcast will almost always cut to slow-motion replays when an ace is made.

The position a golfer takes up immediately before making a stroke — feet planted, club placed behind the ball, body aligned to the target. Once a player has addressed the ball, moving it accidentally may result in a penalty under the rules of golf.

A score of three under par on a single hole — for example, holing out in two shots on a par 5. Extremely rare in professional golf, an albatross is one of the most spectacular achievements in the game. Known as a "double eagle" in American usage.

A golfer who does not play for prize money. Amateur golfers use the handicap system to compete on equal terms with players of different abilities. Top amateurs often turn professional after distinguished amateur careers — winning the Amateur Championship or US Amateur is a significant achievement.

A shot played towards the green, usually the second shot on a par 4 or par 5. The aim is to land the ball on the green close enough to the hole to set up a birdie putt. The quality of a professional's approach shots is one of the key stats in modern golf analysis.

The private golf club in Augusta, Georgia, USA that hosts The Masters each April. Founded by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts and opened in 1932, Augusta National is one of the most famous and recognisable golf courses in the world, known for its immaculate conditioning, flowering azaleas, and iconic holes such as Amen Corner.

A score of one under par on a hole — for example, completing a par 4 in 3 shots. Birdies are the currency of professional golf. A good round typically contains 5 to 8 birdies. Commentators often describe a string of birdies as a "run" or a player being "on a roll".

A score of one over par on a hole — for example, completing a par 4 in 5 shots. Even the world's best players make bogeys; the key is minimising them and not allowing one bogey to lead to another. A "bogey-free round" is noteworthy at any level.

A hazard filled with sand, positioned either alongside the fairway (fairway bunker) or around the green (greenside bunker). Playing from a bunker requires specialist technique — the club must enter the sand behind the ball to splash it out. Under the rules of golf, a player cannot ground their club in a bunker before the shot.

The person who carries a golfer's bag and provides advice, club selection, and course management guidance. In professional golf, a caddie is a vital strategic partner — reading greens, measuring distances, and helping the player make decisions under pressure. Professional caddies earn a percentage of their player's prize money (typically 5–10%, more for wins).

A short, low shot played from just off the green, designed to get the ball rolling across the putting surface towards the hole. Typically played with a wedge or short iron. A chip-and-run keeps the ball close to the ground; a higher, softer chip (a "pitch") lands the ball on the green with more spin.

The popular name for the trophy awarded to the winner of The Open Championship. The full name is the Golf Champion Trophy. It is silver-plated with a claret-coloured base, and is engraved with the name of every Open Champion since the trophy was introduced in 1873. Winners get to keep the replica for a year.

The score threshold applied after 36 holes (rounds 1 and 2) of a stroke play tournament. Players who fail to reach the cut line are eliminated from the competition and do not play the weekend rounds. The cut typically retains the top 65 or 70 players plus ties. "Making the cut" is essential for earning prize money in most events.

A controlled shot shape where the ball curves gently from right to left for a right-handed golfer (left to right for a left-hander). A draw typically produces more distance than a fade as the ball rolls further after landing. Many professionals prefer to play a draw as their "stock shot".

The opening shot on most holes, played from the tee box. The driver is the longest club in a player's bag — a large-headed club designed to maximise distance. Professional golfers can drive the ball 280–330+ yards. Driving accuracy and distance are separately tracked stats on tour.

A designated area where a player must drop their ball as an alternative to playing from the original spot when a penalty situation arises — for example, after hitting into a water hazard. Drop zones are marked on the course and often indicated by painted circles.

A score of two under par on a hole — for example, completing a par 5 in 3 shots or a par 4 in 2 shots. Eagles are celebrated moments and can dramatically shift leaderboard positions. On par 5s, professionals who can reach the green in two shots have a chance at eagle with their putt.

A controlled shot shape where the ball curves gently from left to right for a right-handed golfer. A fade typically produces a higher, softer landing than a draw and is considered easier to control. Many great champions, including Jack Nicklaus, preferred to play a fade.

The closely mown strip of grass between the tee box and the green. Hitting the fairway from the tee is the ideal outcome — the grass is cut short enough to allow clean contact for the next shot. Missing the fairway into the rough, trees, or hazards makes the approach shot more difficult.

The pole — usually with a numbered flag — that marks the position of the hole on the green. Players may leave the flagstick in while putting (since a rule change in 2019 means it is no longer a penalty to hit it), or have their caddie attend it. "Attending the flagstick" means holding it upright until the ball is struck, then removing it.

A high, soft shot played from around the green using a lob wedge, designed to land the ball steeply with little roll. Used when there is little green between the player and the hole — for example, playing over a bunker to a tight pin. Considered one of the most skilful and risky shots in golf.

The traditional warning shout used on a golf course to alert people in the path of a wayward shot. Shouted loudly and immediately after a ball is struck towards an unintended direction. If you hear "Fore!" on a course, immediately duck or cover your head — do not look up to find the ball.

The closely cropped area of grass surrounding each hole, prepared specifically for putting. Greens are maintained to a precise and consistent height — typically 3–4mm in professional events. The speed of greens is measured using a Stimpmeter and described in feet; faster greens (12+ feet) make putting much more challenging.

The area immediately surrounding the green — rough, fringe, or sand — from which short game shots are played. "Greenside bunker", "greenside rough", and "greenside chip" are common usage. Being "greenside in regulation" means reaching the vicinity of the green in the expected number of shots.

A numerical measure of an amateur golfer's playing ability relative to par. A player with a handicap of 10 would be expected to shoot approximately 10 over par on a typical round. Handicaps allow players of different abilities to compete fairly by adjusting scores. Professional tournament golf is played without handicaps — scratch (zero) only.

The right to tee off first on a hole. In stroke play, the player with the lowest score on the previous hole has the honor on the next tee. In match play, the player who won the previous hole tees off first. On the first hole, the order is typically determined by a random draw or agreement.

An uncontrolled shot that curves sharply from right to left (for a right-handed golfer) — more severe than an intentional draw. A hook is usually caused by a closed clubface at impact. It tends to produce a low, running ball flight and can be very destructive if it finds trouble on the left side of the course.

A category of golf club with a flat-faced, angled head used for approach shots, tee shots on short holes, and shots from the fairway. Irons are numbered 1 through 9 — lower numbers produce longer, lower shots; higher numbers produce shorter, higher shots. A "long iron" (2, 3, 4) is one of the more demanding clubs in the bag.

The position of the ball after it has come to rest. A "good lie" means the ball is sitting cleanly on short grass, allowing easy contact. A "bad lie" or "tight lie" means the ball is sitting down in rough grass, a divot, or an awkward angle. The lie significantly affects what shot is possible next.

A type of golf course built on coastal, sandy land — typically firm, fast, and exposed to the wind, with few trees, deep pot bunkers, and undulating terrain. The word comes from the Scottish "linksland". The Open Championship is always played on links courses in the UK. Carnoustie, St Andrews, Royal Birkdale, and Muirfield are classic examples.

Familiarity with a specific golf course gained through repeated play — knowledge of which way putts break, where the wind tends to come from, which areas of rough are particularly penal, and where the safe misses are. Caddies with strong local knowledge are highly valued, particularly at The Open Championship venues.

One of the four most prestigious events in professional men's golf: The Masters, the PGA Championship, the US Open, and The Open Championship. Winning a major is considered the pinnacle of a professional career. A player who wins all four is said to have completed the "Career Grand Slam".

A format of golf competition where players compete hole by hole. Winning a hole scores a point; halving a hole (tying) scores nothing. The player or team that wins the most holes wins the match. A match can end before the 18th hole if one side leads by more holes than remain — described as winning "3 & 2" for example. Used in the Ryder Cup and other team events.

An informal term for replaying a shot without penalty — essentially a "do-over". Mulligans are not permitted under the official Rules of Golf and are not used in any professional or competitive amateur context. They are a casual arrangement between friendly players and are particularly associated with the first tee shot of a round.

The area outside the defined boundaries of the golf course, marked by white stakes or fences. Hitting a ball out of bounds results in a stroke-and-distance penalty — the player must return to where the original shot was played from and add one penalty stroke to their score. Under the 2019 rules update, a local rule alternative is sometimes applied in recreational golf.

The expected number of shots for a scratch golfer to complete a hole or a full round. Individual holes are par 3, par 4, or par 5. A standard 18-hole course totals par 70–72. In tournament scoring, a player's score is expressed relative to par — under par is good, over par is bad.

An additional stroke added to a player's score as a consequence of a rule infringement — for example, hitting into a water hazard, going out of bounds, or accidentally moving the ball. Penalty strokes are one or two shots depending on the specific rule violated.

A description of a shot that lands level with the flagstick (pin) in terms of distance, even if it is not on the direct line to the hole. Being "pin high but left" means the ball travelled the right distance but missed the green to the left side. It is generally seen as a positive outcome for an approach shot — the distance was correct.

A short, high shot played towards the green with a wedge, designed to land softly and stop quickly. A pitch covers more distance than a chip and typically has more backspin. Pitching technique and distance control are key skills for professional golfers playing from inside 100 yards.

A second ball played from the same spot when a player believes their first ball may be lost or out of bounds. Declaring and playing a provisional saves time — if the original ball is found in bounds, it remains in play and the provisional is abandoned. If the original cannot be found, the provisional becomes the ball in play with the applicable penalty.

A shot played on or very close to the green using a putter — a flat-faced club designed to roll the ball along the ground. Putting is often described as a "game within a game"; elite professionals make approximately 28–29 putts per round. "Holing out" means sinking the final putt to complete the hole.

The longer grass bordering the fairway and green. The rough is deliberately maintained at a height that makes clean ball-striking more difficult — it reduces clubface contact, limits spin control, and makes it harder to judge distance. Major championship rough can be particularly severe, punishing errant drives harshly.

A single circuit of 18 holes. A professional stroke play tournament typically consists of four rounds played over four consecutive days (Thursday to Sunday). Players complete one round per day, with tee times staggered throughout the day.

Getting up and down (out of a bunker and into the hole in two shots) to save par. Sand save percentage is a tracked statistic on professional tours. A high sand save percentage indicates excellent bunker play — a key skill at links courses and major venues with severe bunkering.

The card on which a golfer's score is recorded hole by hole during a round. In professional stroke play, each player's scorecard is kept by a fellow competitor, checked for accuracy, and then signed by both parties before being submitted to the tournament officials. Signing for a wrong (lower) score results in disqualification.

A golf handicap of zero — meaning a player is expected to play to par on a typical course. All professional tournament golf is played on scratch terms. In the UK, "scratch golfer" refers to a highly skilled amateur who plays level with par.

An uncontrolled shot that curves sharply from left to right (for a right-handed golfer) — more severe than an intentional fade. Usually caused by an open clubface at impact combined with an out-to-in swing path. A slice is the most common mis-hit among amateur golfers and typically results in the ball flying off to the right into trouble.

The most common format of professional golf. Every shot taken across the entire tournament is counted. The player with the lowest total after the allotted number of rounds (typically 72 holes) wins. Stroke play rewards consistency — one bad hole hurts, but the rest of the round and tournament continues.

The designated starting area for each hole. Players tee the ball up on a small peg (also called a tee) to play their first shot. The tee box is the only place on the course where a player is permitted to use a tee peg. Multiple sets of tee boxes at different distances cater for players of varying abilities.

A high-lofted iron-type club used for short approach shots, pitching, chipping, and bunker play. The main types are the pitching wedge (PW, ~45°), gap wedge (~50°), sand wedge (SW, ~56°), and lob wedge (LW, ~60°+). Professionals typically carry three or four wedges and spend considerable practice time on wedge distances and trajectory control.

A detailed booklet, specific to a course, that shows precise distances from landmarks to the green, hazard positions, green contours, and other course intelligence. Professional caddies study yardage books extensively during practice rounds. Combined with rangefinders and GPS devices (now permitted on most tours under specific conditions), they inform every club selection decision.