Golf comes with its own language, and if you’re new to the game, the jargon can be just as challenging as the sport itself. Whether you’re trying to understand what a “bogey” is or why someone just shouted “mulligan,” we’ve got you covered. Here’s a breakdown of essential golf terms to help you navigate the fairways like a pro.

Scoring Terms

  • Ace – A hole-in-one, the ultimate golf achievement.
  • Albatross (Double Eagle) – Completing a par-5 hole in just two shots.
  • Eagle – Finishing a hole two strokes under par.
  • Birdie – Completing a hole one stroke under par.
  • Condor – Hole in one on a par 5 or 4 under par if playing a part 6 or 7 hole.
  • Ostrich – 5 under par and only happens on a hole in one on a par 6 or holing out on a par 7
  • Par – The standard number of strokes expected to complete a hole.
  • Bogey – One stroke over par.
  • Double Bogey – Two strokes over par.
  • Triple Bogey – Three strokes over par.
  • Scratch – a scratch golfer has a handicap of zero and typically plays at or below par.

Common Shots and Mishits

  • Divot – The piece of earth that is disturbed when you hit a golf shot.
  • Mishit – A poorly struck shot resulting in bad trajectory or distance.
  • Duff – A weak shot where the ball barely moves.
  • Shank – A dreaded mishit where the ball veers violently right.
  • Whiff – Completely missing the ball when swinging.
  • Slice – A shot that curves sharply from left to right.
  • Pulled Shot – A shot that goes straight left unintentionally.
  • Hook – A shot that curves severely from right to left.
  • Topped Shot – Hitting the top of the ball, causing it to roll rather than lift.
  • Chunk (Fat) or Thin (Skinny) – Hitting too much ground before the ball (chunk) or striking the ball too high on the face (thin).
  • Flop – a flop shot is a high, soft shot that lands delicately on the green.

Course and Play Terminology

  • Fairway – The short-mown grass area leading to the green.
  • Dogleg – A hole that isn’t straight. I may curve to the right or left.
  • Green – The putting surface where the hole is located.
  • Fringe – The slightly longer grass surrounding the green.
  • Rough – The longer grass outside the fairway and green.
  • Bunker – A sand trap that presents a challenging shot.
  • Tee Box – The designated area where you start each hole.
  • Links – The flat European golf courses with larger greens.
  • Putt – A shot made with a putter on the green.
  • Chip Shot – A short shot used to get the ball onto the green.
  • Bump and Run – A shot that keeps the ball low and rolling toward the green.
  • Mulligan – A chance for golfers to retake a shot when they are unhappy with their first hit.
  • Gilligan – Gives your opponent the right to ask you to play a shot again.
  • Gimme – A short putt that your fellow players agree you can skip

Now that you’ve mastered the basic terms, you’re ready to hit the course with confidence! Keep practicing, and soon enough, these words will be second nature. Stay tuned for our next post, where we dive into some of the more unique and fun golf terms you might hear on the links.