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The Language of Golf

Golf Jargon Now that you’ve mastered the rules and the etiquette of the game, it’s time for the language. Players of various sports and games use specific terms to describe their equipment, the area in which they play, and the scores they make. It’s no different for golf. We've included a list of terms that you would have heard in the media as well as the more unusual words.

Jargon

Ace
Hitting the ball in such a way that it enters the hole in one shot
Addressing the ball
Your stance when you line up the club to make a stroke.
Air Shot
As a novice to the game, you’re likely to make several air shots, or miss the ball when you swing the club to take a shot.
Albatross
Three below par.
Best Ball
A type of golf game which uses the best score from a two-person team.
Birdie
One shot below par.
Bogey
One shot above par to hole a ball.
Caddie
Someone who carries your clubs around the golf course and also advises you on distances, the club to be used, and the line of putt. you can ask your partner or your caddie how to play a ball without being penalized.
Eagle
Two below par.
Hacker
Golfers known to break windows when they swing.
Halving a Hole
A situation in match play when two opponents take the same number of shots to hole a ball.
Halving a Match
A situation where both opponents have won the same number of holes in the round they played.
Handicap
An experienced or skillful player will have a lower handicap as compared to a novice. A handicap is the number of strokes you can take off your score to play a round with a more experienced player.
Par
The number of shots taken by an experienced golfer to put a ball in a hole. Each hole will have its own "par".
Putt
The act of hitting a golf ball when it is on the putting green, which (in turn) is a small, grass-covered area that surrounds the hole where the ball should land when hit.
Scratch
A score of zero after subtracting your handicap. Professional players are so good that they enter positive figures—professional tournaments are played off scratch.
Teeing Off
What exactly is a tee? It is a small peg, pushed into the ground, on which a golf ball is placed. Teeing off refers to playing the first stroke of any hole by hitting the ball placed on the peg.