Quick Links to Golf Terms
Equipment: What clubs do I need? · What should I know before my first round? · How do I keep pace? · Swing plane · P System (P1–P10)
New to golf, or just curious about a word you have heard? You are in the right place. This guide explains common golf terms in plain English, with simple examples to help you feel more at home on the course.
You do not need to memorise them all. Keep this page handy, look up a word when you need it, and enjoy learning as you go.
Download the printable golf glossary (PDF)
Jump to: The course · Equipment · The swing and shots · Scoring and etiquette · First Round Ready · Beginner Course · Next Level Skills
More topics · At the course and range · Rules, etiquette and formats · Lies and shotmaking · Putting, practice and teamwork · Swing positions and motion · Equipment and fitting
The course
Teeing area
The starting area for a hole. It is the rectangle between the two tee markers, extending two club-lengths behind them. Choose tees that suit your experience and distance.
Fairway
The shorter-cut grass that usually provides the main route from the teeing area towards the green.
Rough
The longer grass beside the fairway or around other parts of the course. A ball can sit up in it or settle down into it, which can make clean contact harder.
Green
The closely mown putting surface containing the hole. This is where you will usually use your putter.
Bunker
A specially prepared area of sand. You may hear it called a sand trap. Its raised edge is called the lip.
Hole
The cup you are trying to get the ball into. The word also means the whole stretch from a particular teeing area to its green, as in “the first hole”.
Penalty area
A body of water or another area defined by the course committee, normally marked red or yellow. You may usually play the ball as it lies without penalty, if safe, or take a permitted relief option for one penalty stroke. Red areas offer an extra lateral-relief option. No-play zones have additional restrictions.
Out of bounds (OB)
Ground outside the course boundary, often marked by white stakes or lines. Your ball is OB only when all of it is outside the boundary. Normally, add one penalty stroke and play again from where you made the previous stroke. Do not simply drop beside where it went out. Some courses use a specific alternative Local Rule, so check before playing.
Equipment
What clubs do I need to get started?
You can start with a few clubs. Try a mid-iron or hybrid for longer shots, a wedge for shorter shots, and a putter. A borrowed, rental, or used set can get you through your first rounds while you learn which clubs you use most.
Driver
A large-headed club designed mainly for long shots from a tee. You do not have to use it on every hole.
Irons
Numbered clubs used for many shots towards the green. Within a typical set, higher-numbered irons generally send the ball higher and a shorter distance.
Wedge
A club with plenty of loft, used for shorter shots, higher shots and many shots around the green. Pitching and sand wedges are common examples.
Putter
The club designed mainly to roll the ball along the ground, especially on the green.
Hybrid
A club combining features of a wood and an iron. Many golfers find it easier to launch than a long iron.
Tee
The small peg that holds your ball above the ground for a shot from the teeing area. Golfers also use “the tee” as shorthand for the starting area of a hole.
Tee height
How high the ball sits above the ground on a tee. For a driver, start with about half the ball above the crown. Tee it a little higher or lower to experiment with trajectory. For an iron, tee it just above the grass so you can still strike the ball with a descending blow.
The swing and shots
Address
Your set-up position before starting a shot. You will hear a coach say “at address” when talking about how you stand and position the club.
Stance
How you place your feet at address, including their width, where your toes point, and how the feet are lined up relative to your target.
Alignment
Where your clubface and body are aimed in relation to your intended target line.
Approach shot
A shot played towards the green, with the aim of leaving the ball on or close to the putting surface.
Chip
A short shot near the green that usually flies a little way and then rolls towards the hole.
Pitch
A short shot that generally flies higher and travels farther through the air than a chip, with less roll relative to its flight.
Putt
A shot intended to roll the ball towards the hole, usually played with a putter on the green. You can putt from off the green too.
Slice
A shot that curves noticeably to the right for a right-handed golfer, or to the left for a left-handed golfer.
Hook
A shot that curves noticeably to the left for a right-handed golfer, or to the right for a left-handed golfer.
Scoring and etiquette
Stroke
A forward swing made with the intention of hitting the ball. If you try to hit it and miss, that still counts as a stroke. A practice swing is not a stroke.
Par
The benchmark number of strokes for a hole. Most holes are par 3, par 4 or par 5. It is a reference point, not a score you need to achieve as a beginner.
Birdie
A score of one stroke under par on a hole. Taking 3 on a par-4 hole is a birdie.
Eagle
A score of two strokes under par on a hole. Taking 3 on a par-5 hole is an eagle.
Bogey
A score of one stroke over par on a hole. Taking 5 on a par-4 hole is a bogey.
Double bogey
A score of two strokes over par on a hole. Taking 6 on a par-4 hole is a double bogey.
Handicap
A way to adjust scoring for differences in playing ability. Your Handicap Index reflects demonstrated ability, while Course Handicap adjusts it for the tees you play. The format may apply a further allowance.
Fore!
Shout this loudly and immediately if a ball might hit someone. Wait for people ahead to be safely out of range before playing.
Divot
A piece of turf removed by a golf shot, or the mark left behind. Follow the course’s instructions for replacing the turf or filling the mark.
Pitch mark
A small dent made when a ball lands on the green. Repair yours carefully with a pitch-mark tool, and ask someone to show you the technique if you are unsure.
Ready golf
In stroke play, playing when you are ready, even if you are not farthest from the hole, when it is safe and responsible to do so. It helps keep the round moving without rushing anyone.
Provisional ball
An extra ball played to save time when your original may be OB or lost outside a penalty area. Clearly announce it as “provisional” before playing. It is not a free second attempt; whether it counts depends on what happens to the original.
First Round Ready
What should I know before my first round?
Book a tee time and ask the golf shop about check-in, arrival time, and rental clubs if you need them. Nine holes from the forward tees is a good place to start. Bring balls, tees, water, and a ball marker. On the course, wait until the group ahead is safely out of range and yell “Fore!” if your ball might hit someone. Get the First Round Ready Checklist.
Round
A session of golf on the course, commonly nine or 18 holes.
Par-3 course
A course made up of par-3 holes, which are usually shorter than holes on a full-length course.
Tee time
Your group’s reserved starting time.
Green fees / cart fees
A green fee (often called a greens fee) is what you pay to play the course. A cart fee is what you pay to ride in a golf cart. The quoted rate may include the cart or list it separately. When you book, ask for the total per person and whether there’s a separate walking rate.
Golf shop
Also called the pro shop. It’s usually where you check in, pay, or pick up rental clubs.
Tee off
Hit the first shot on a hole from the teeing area.
First tee
The starting area for the first hole your group is scheduled to play.
Forward tees
A set of tee markers that makes the course play shorter. Choose a set that suits your distance.
Ball marker
A small, flat object used to mark your ball’s spot on the green before lifting it.
Divot repair tool
A small tool used to repair pitch marks on the green.
Ball mark
Another name for a pitch mark, the dent a ball leaves when it lands on a green. A ball marker is the object used to mark a ball’s position.
Putting line
The path a golfer intends the ball to roll along toward the hole.
Rake a bunker
Smooth the footprints and marks you leave in the sand after playing a bunker shot.
Pick up
Lift your ball and stop playing the hole. In a casual practice round, this can help your group keep moving.
Beginner Course
Backswing
The part of the swing that takes the club away from the ball before it changes direction.
Downswing / forward swing
The downswing moves the club from the top toward the ball. The course uses forward swing for the motion toward and through the ball.
Grip
How you place your hands on the club. The word also means the covering on the handle.
Lead side / trail side
Your lead side is nearer the target at address. Your trail side is farther away. For a right-handed golfer, the left side leads.
Ball position
Where the ball sits relative to your feet at address.
Pivot
The turning motion of your body during the swing.
Pressure shift
The change in how firmly each foot presses into the ground during the swing. You can increase pressure under your lead foot while your chest still feels centered. See Weight shift.
Swing sequence
How the movements of your hips, chest, arms, and club work together through the swing.
Wrist hinge / wrist action
Hinge is the angle that forms between your lead arm and the shaft as you swing back. Wrist action includes how your wrists move through the rest of the swing.
Clubface / sweet spot
The clubface is the surface that strikes the ball. Its sweet spot is the area near the center where a strike usually feels solid. The heel is on the shaft side of the face, and the toe is at the far end.
Heel / toe
The heel of the club is the end of the head nearest the shaft. The toe of the club is the end farthest from the shaft.
Ground contact / ball-first contact
Ground contact is where the club meets the turf. On a ball-first iron shot, the club strikes the ball before the turf on the target side.
Three-tee drill
Two outside tees form a gate for the clubhead. Start without a ball. Clip the middle tee with an iron, then brush the grass just beyond it on the target side. Once you can repeat that contact, put a ball where the middle tee was and practice hitting the ball before the turf.
Half swing / partial swing
A deliberately shortened swing used to train a movement or control distance. Half swing often cues a backswing with the lead arm around parallel to the ground, though the exact length varies by drill or shot.
Two-knuckle grip check
The course cue to look down at address and see two knuckles on your lead hand after placing it on the club.
Top of the backswing / transition
The top is where the backswing ends. Transition is the change from swinging back to swinging down.
Unhinge / re-hinge
Unhinge means letting the wrist angle open as the club swings through. Re-hinge means letting the wrists bend again on the follow-through side.
Follow-through / balanced finish
The follow-through is the motion after the club passes the ball. A balanced finish is an ending position you can hold without stumbling.
Hitting mat
A practice surface that stands in for turf. For the three-tee drill on a mat, set the tees on its surface.
Lead hand
The hand on the grip closest to the butt end of the club in a conventional full-swing grip. For a right-handed golfer it’s the left hand. For a left-handed golfer it’s the right.
Trail hand
The hand on the grip closer to the clubhead in a conventional full-swing grip. For a right-handed golfer it’s the right hand. For a left-handed golfer it’s the left.
Grip pressure
How firmly you hold the club. A secure grip lets you control the club without squeezing so hard that your wrists and forearms stiffen.
Weight shift
How your body mass moves from side to side during the swing. You can press more firmly into one foot before your body moves much toward that side. See Pressure shift.
Internal rotation
An inward turn of the upper arm at the shoulder or the thigh at the hip. With your elbow at your side and bent 90 degrees, moving your forearm toward your belly shows shoulder internal rotation.
External rotation
An outward turn of the upper arm at the shoulder or the thigh at the hip. With your elbow at your side and bent 90 degrees, moving your forearm away from your belly shows shoulder external rotation.
Shoulder plane
The tilt of your shoulder turn during the swing. On the backswing, the lead shoulder generally moves down and across as the trail shoulder turns back and up.
Swing plane
Swing plane describes how steeply or shallowly the clubhead swings around you during part of the swing. Picture the clubhead tracing an arc along a tilted pane of glass. A pane tilted more upright represents a steeper plane. A pane tilted closer to the ground represents a flatter plane.
From a down-the-line camera view, compare how the clubhead travels back and down. It can follow a different tilt on the downswing than on the backswing. Shoulder plane describes the tilt of your shoulder turn. Club path describes where the clubhead is moving left or right at impact.
Radius
The distance from the center of an arc to its edge. In a golf swing, think of it as the distance from a reference point near the body to the clubhead. It can change as your arms and wrists move.
Pendulum
Something that swings back and forth around a pivot. In putting, it’s a cue for letting the putter swing back and through with a steady rhythm.
Square to the arc
The clubface is at a right angle to the direction the clubhead is moving at that instant. As the clubhead follows a curved path, the face can be square to the arc while pointing away from the target.
Next Level Skills
Putting and short game
Tap-in
A very short putt left near the hole.
Lag putt
A longer putt played mainly to leave an easy next putt.
Leave
Where the ball stops after a shot, especially how far away it leaves the next putt.
Break / read
Break is how a rolling putt curves because of slope. Your read is your judgment of that curve at the pace you choose. A slower ball generally spends longer responding to the slope.
Start line
The direction the ball initially travels.
Pace / distance control
Pace is the speed of a putt. Distance control is your ability to roll it the intended distance.
Putting gate
Two markers that form an opening to roll the ball through and check your start line.
Three Six Nine Drill
A putting drill with three balls at each of four stations around the cup. Make all 12 putts from 3 feet before moving to 6 feet, then repeat at 9 feet. Pick a start line for each putt.
Three Six Nine Skills Challenge
The scored version of the drill. Make one circuit at each distance, hitting three balls from each station. Record a separate score out of 12 at 3, 6, and 9 feet. See the setup and scoring instructions.
Putt out / hole out
Putt out means keep putting until the ball is in the cup. Hole out means get it in the cup with any club.
Three-putt
Taking three putts to finish a hole.
Up-and-down
Getting the ball into the hole in two strokes from off the green, usually with one short shot and one putt.
Fringe
The narrow strip of slightly longer grass around the green.
Landing spot / landing zone
The spot or area where you want the ball to touch down first.
Rollout / release
How far the ball rolls or moves forward after landing.
Short-sided
Having little green between the nearest edge and the hole on the side you’re playing from. There’s limited room to land the shot and let it roll.
Conversion
Finishing a scoring opportunity, such as making the putt after a good chip.
Ball flight and clubs
Lie / clean lie
A lie is how and where the ball rests, including the surface and slope beneath it. A clean lie gives the club a clear path to the ball. Lie angle is a club specification.
Heavy / thin / topped
A heavy strike catches the ground first. A thin strike catches the ball low on the face. A topped shot catches the upper part of the ball and usually stays low.
Loft
How much the clubface tilts back from vertical. Static loft is the club’s built-in specification. Dynamic loft is the loft delivered at impact.
Trajectory / ball flight
The path the ball takes through the air, including how it launches, how high it climbs, and how it curves before landing. A higher tee can help you produce a higher driver trajectory, while a lower tee can help you flight it lower. Where you strike the face also matters. See Tee height.
Carry / total distance
Carry is the distance to the first landing. Total distance includes what happens after landing.
Required carry
How far the ball must fly to clear something such as a bunker or the front edge of a green.
Carry window / finish window
A carry window defines acceptable first landings. A finish window defines where the ball should come to rest.
Stock shot / stock carry
A stock shot is your usual, repeatable shot with a club. Stock carry is how far that shot typically flies before landing.
Distance gap / overlap
A gap is the difference between two clubs’ typical carry distances. Overlap means some shots from both clubs carry similar distances.
Short irons / long irons
Short irons are higher-numbered irons generally used for shorter shots. Long irons are lower-numbered irons generally used for longer shots.
Fairway wood
A club such as a 3-wood or 5-wood designed for longer shots from the turf or a tee.
Tempo
The overall rhythm and timing of the swing.
Impact tape
A strip applied to the clubface to show where the ball struck it.
Strategy and progress
Target corridor
A lane of acceptable shots, often representing the playable width of a fairway or approach.
Aim point
The specific spot you use to direct your setup or start your shot.
Safe miss / costly miss
A safe miss leaves a manageable next shot. A costly miss can force a difficult recovery or bring a penalty into play.
Positional tee shot
A tee shot planned to leave a useful location or angle for the next shot.
Layup
A shot intentionally played short of a hazard or the green to leave a more manageable next shot.
Run-up
A low shot designed to land short of the target and roll toward it.
Fairway finder
A controlled tee shot chosen to improve the chance of finishing in a playable position.
Recovery shot
A shot played from trouble to get back into a position where you can continue normally.
Shot pattern / dispersion
How shots spread around the target, including where you tend to miss and how far apart the shots finish.
Proximity
How close the ball finishes to the hole or another stated target.
Scratch golfer / plus handicap
A scratch golfer has a Handicap Index around zero. A plus Handicap Index indicates demonstrated ability better than scratch.
Practice station
A designated spot or setup for one attempt within a challenge.
Baseline / retest
A baseline is your starting result. A retest repeats the challenge under comparable conditions to see what changed.
Carry error
The difference between intended carry and actual carry. Absolute carry error measures the size of the miss whether it lands short or long.
At the course and range
Foursome / threesome / twosome / single
A group of four, three, two, or one golfer. In competition, Foursomes also names the two-player alternate-shot format: partners share one ball and alternate strokes and who tees off each hole.
Waitlist
A list for golfers hoping to get a tee time if a spot opens.
Turn
The point between the front nine and back nine, usually after hole 9 on a round that starts at hole 1.
Clubhouse
The main course building, often with check-in, restrooms, food, or a golf shop.
Cart barn
The building where the course stores and often charges its golf carts.
Halfway house
A snack or refreshment stop near the turn or elsewhere along the course.
Comfort station
An on-course stop with restrooms and sometimes water or refreshments.
Twilight rate
A discounted rate for later tee times. Available daylight can limit how many holes you finish.
Nine holes / 18 holes
Nine holes is a shorter round or one half of a standard 18-hole course. An 18-hole round is the usual full round.
Practice tee
The designated hitting area at a driving range. It may have grass or mats.
Putting green
The closely cut area around a hole. A practice putting green is a separate area for working on your stroke and speed.
Short-game area
A practice area for shots near the green, such as chips, pitches, and bunker shots where permitted.
Miniature golf / putt-putt golf
A putting game on a small course, often with obstacles and themed holes.
Token
A coin or code used at some ranges to dispense practice balls.
Bucket of balls / bag of balls
A batch of range balls sold or dispensed in a bucket or bag.
Practice balls
Balls intended for practice. Range balls may fly differently from the ball you play on the course.
Warm-up bucket
A batch of range balls used to loosen up and get a feel for your shots before playing.
Track
Golfer slang for a course or layout, as in “a fun track.” To track your game means to record results over time.
Caddie / forecaddie
A caddie helps a player with clubs and advice within the Rules. A forecaddie goes ahead to help locate shots and usually works with the group.
Playing partner / opponent
A playing partner can mean anyone you’re playing with in casual speech. Under the Rules, a partner is on your side, and an opponent plays against you in match play.
Rules, etiquette and formats
Pace of play: How do I keep up?
Pace of play is how quickly your group moves through the course. Choose your club while others are playing, be ready when it’s safe to hit, and move off the green before writing down scores. Keep an eye on the group ahead. In a casual practice round, you can pick up if a hole is taking a long time.
Golf rules / Local Rules
The Rules of Golf govern play, scoring, relief, and penalties. A course or committee may also adopt Local Rules for particular conditions or areas.
Golf etiquette
Habits that help everyone play safely and enjoy the round, such as staying quiet during shots, repairing marks, and keeping pace.
Scramble
A team format where everyone plays, the team chooses one result, and everyone plays again from that location. Repeat until the hole is finished. Check the event’s placement rules.
Shamble
A team format where players choose a drive and then each plays their own ball from there. The event determines which scores count.
Skins
A game where the outright winner of a hole earns a skin. Some formats carry a tied hole’s value forward.
Stroke play
A format where the total strokes for the round or competition, including penalties, determine the score. Net stroke play applies handicap strokes.
Hazard / lateral hazard
Older rules language. Hazard formerly covered bunkers and water hazards. A lateral water hazard generally corresponds to today’s red penalty area. See Bunker and Penalty area.
White stakes
Usually mark out of bounds. Check the course’s markings and Local Rules. Boundary stakes are treated as fixed even if physically movable.
Red stakes / yellow stakes
Mark red or yellow penalty areas. Both colors offer stroke-and-distance and back-on-the-line relief for one penalty stroke. Red also offers lateral relief.
Unplayable lie
Common name for unplayable ball relief. Only you can decide to take it for your ball, and you can use it anywhere except in a penalty area. The usual options cost one penalty stroke: replay from where you last hit, drop back on a line through the ball and hole, or drop within two club-lengths of the ball’s spot no nearer the hole. In a bunker, the back-on-the-line and lateral options normally stay in the bunker. A separate back-on-the-line option outside the bunker costs two strokes. Rule 19.
Lost ball
A ball is lost if it hasn’t been found within three minutes after you or your caddie starts searching. If it’s lost outside a penalty area, use stroke and distance unless an applicable rule provides another option. Rule 18.
Stroke and distance
Add one penalty stroke and play another ball from where you made the previous stroke, following the replay procedure for that area. For example, if your first tee shot is lost outside a penalty area and you replay from the tee, you’re hitting your third stroke.
Immovable obstruction
An artificial object that can’t be moved without unreasonable effort or damage, such as a paved cart path. Free relief is usually available under Rule 16.1 when it interferes with your ball, intended stance, or swing. The rule has exceptions, including when the ball is in a penalty area. Rule 16.1.
Drop zone
A designated relief area the course or committee provides under a Local Rule. The Local Rule tells you when using it is optional or required and whether the drop costs a penalty stroke.
Free drop
Everyday wording for dropping a ball without adding a penalty stroke when a rule allows it. For example, a paved cart path may qualify. Use the correct relief area and drop from knee height.
Penalty stroke
A stroke added to your score under the Rules, such as when taking penalty relief from a penalty area.
Re-tee
Tee up again. If you take stroke-and-distance relief after a tee shot, you may play again from anywhere in that hole’s teeing area with one penalty stroke.
Line of sight
A clear view toward the target. An object blocking the view alone generally gives no free relief. A Local Rule can provide exceptions for certain temporary obstructions.
Testing or improving your lie
Changing grass, sand, or other conditions to make the next stroke easier is restricted by Rule 8. Separate rules restrict deliberately testing bunker sand or certain putting surfaces.
Grounding the club
Resting the club on the ground. In a bunker, you may not touch sand with the club directly in front of or behind the ball before the stroke, or touch sand during a practice swing or backswing.
Practice stroke
Hitting a ball to practice, such as rolling a practice putt. The Rules restrict practice strokes during a round. A rehearsal swing without hitting a ball is different.
Handicap Index
A standardized measure of demonstrated ability, based on scores relative to course difficulty. It is used to work out your Course Handicap for the tees you play.
Sandbagger
Slang for someone accused of deliberately keeping a handicap higher than their ability to gain an advantage in net competition.
Lies and shotmaking
Lip of a bunker
The raised edge of a bunker that your shot may need to clear.
Fried egg lie
A plugged ball is partly buried in the surface. A fried egg describes a plugged bunker ball with displaced sand around it.
Sitting up / sitting down
A ball sitting up is perched on grass or another surface. A ball sitting down is nestled into the grass, making clean contact harder.
Blind shot
A shot where you cannot see the intended landing area or target from where you play. Make sure the area ahead is clear.
Uphill lie / downhill lie
A lie where the ground rises or falls in the direction you intend to play.
Sidehill lie
A lie where the slope runs across your stance, often leaving the ball above or below your feet.
Ball above your feet / ball below your feet
On a sidehill lie, the ball sits higher or lower than where you stand. The slope changes your setup and can affect the shot’s direction.
Stymied
Blocked from a direct shot or putt. Historically, a stymie was another ball blocking your putt under older rules.
Shank
A shot that strikes the hosel or the heel near it and shoots sharply off line.
Pop-up
An unusually high, short shot, often from striking a teed ball near the top edge of a driver’s face or on its crown.
Bladed
Struck with the leading edge, typically producing a low, fast shot that runs farther than intended.
Snap hook
A shot that curves suddenly and sharply toward the golfer’s lead side.
Chili dip
Slang for a chip or pitch that catches the ground before the ball and goes only a short distance.
Flushed
Slang for a solid strike near the center of the face.
Cut shot
A deliberately played fade. It curves right for a right-handed player and left for a left-handed player.
Work the ball
Intentionally change a shot’s curve or height to suit the target, lie, or conditions.
Knockdown
A deliberately lower shot, often played with a shorter finish to control flight in wind.
Flight the ball / flighted
To deliberately control trajectory. A flighted shot often refers to a lower, controlled flight.
Ballooned
A shot that climbs higher than intended and tends to lose forward distance, often more noticeably into the wind.
Tee ball
The ball played from the teeing area to start a hole. Also used to mean the opening shot.
Putting, practice and teamwork
Flagstick / pin / flag / cup
The flagstick, often called the pin, is the pole that marks the hole. The flag is attached to it. The cup is the liner inside the hole, and golfers also use “cup” to mean the hole itself.
Tending the flagstick
If you’re closest to the hole and someone else is about to putt, ask, “Would you like the pin in, out, or tended?” Let the player decide before they putt. If they want it out, lift it before they play and set it down away from everyone’s putting line. If they want it tended, stand to the side and hold it in or just above the hole so they can see the target. Once they’ve struck the putt, lift it clear before the ball reaches the hole and step away. Keep your feet and shadow off the putting line when you can, and replace the flagstick when the group has finished. See Rule 13.2.
Slope
The tilt of the ground that influences a ball’s roll. Slope Rating is a separate handicap term for relative course difficulty.
Break point / apex
Putting coaches may use break point or apex for a reference on the high side of a curved putt. The ball curves gradually, and speed affects the whole path. In ball flight, apex means the highest point of the shot.
Putting stroke
The motion used to strike and roll a putt.
Claw grip
A putting grip where the trail hand sits more to the side of the handle, often with fingers resting lightly along it.
Left hand low
A putting grip with the left hand lower on the handle than the right. For a right-handed golfer, it is a lead-hand-low or cross-handed grip.
Ham and egg
Slang for partners playing well on different holes so their good scores complement each other.
Drill
A practice exercise designed to train or check a specific movement, strike, or outcome.
Swing fault / swing correction
A swing fault is a movement pattern that contributes to an unwanted result. A correction is a cue, setup change, or drill aimed at improving that result.
Swing positions and motion
P System (P1–P10)
A coaching shorthand that labels ten checkpoints from address to finish. The checkpoints help identify a moment in the swing on video.
P1 · Address
The setup before the club starts back.
P2 · Shaft parallel going back
The shaft is approximately parallel to the ground during the takeaway.
P3 · Lead arm parallel going back
The lead arm is approximately parallel to the ground on the backswing.
P4 · Top
The backswing ends and the club changes direction.
P5 · Lead arm parallel coming down
The lead arm is approximately parallel to the ground on the downswing.
P6 · Shaft parallel coming down
The shaft is approximately parallel to the ground on the downswing before impact.
P7 · Impact
The clubface meets the ball.
P8 · Shaft parallel going through
The shaft is approximately parallel to the ground after impact.
P9 · Trail arm parallel going through
The trail arm is approximately parallel to the ground on the follow-through.
P10 · Finish
The ending position after the swing.
Overswing
A backswing that goes beyond the length you can control or intend for that shot. The useful length varies by player and shot.
Ulnar deviation
Bending the wrist toward the little-finger side of the hand.
Cupping / cupped wrist
Wrist extension that bends the back of the hand toward the back of the forearm.
Pronate / supinate
To rotate the forearm. With your elbow bent and held by your side, pronation turns the palm down and supination turns it up.
Bowed wrist / flat wrist
A bowed wrist is flexed toward the palm side. A flat wrist has little visible bend toward the palm or back of the hand. These terms often describe the lead wrist.
Open face / closed face / square face
Relative to a target line, an open face points toward the trail side and a closed face toward the lead side. A square face aims along the reference line. Coaches may also compare the face with the club path or swing arc, so check the reference.
Square
Aligned at a right angle to the reference, as when the clubface is square to the target line. In match play, all square means the match is tied.
Regrip
Reset or change your hold on the club. In club repair, regripping means replacing the grip.
Early extension
A coaching term for the pelvis moving toward the ball and posture becoming more upright earlier than intended, usually during the downswing.
Extension
Straightening a joint or increasing its angle, depending on the joint. In wrist terminology, extension is the motion described by cupping.
Hit down / hit up
Strike the ball while the clubhead is moving downward or upward, respectively.
Angle of attack
How steeply the clubhead moves up or down at impact. Downward is negative and upward is positive.
Swing path / club path
Swing path is often used informally for the club’s route. On a launch monitor, club path is its horizontal direction of travel at impact relative to the target line.
Swing direction
The horizontal orientation of the broader swing arc around impact. Club path measures the direction at impact itself.
Spin loft
The three-dimensional angle between where the clubface points and where the clubhead moves at impact. Dynamic loft minus attack angle is a useful approximation when face angle and path are close.
In-to-out / out-to-in
Relative to the target line, an in-to-out path moves from the golfer’s side toward the far side through impact. An out-to-in path moves the other way.
In-to-in
A curved swing that approaches the ball from inside the target line and returns inside after impact. It describes the arc across a span of motion.
Pressure point
A spot where you feel contact or force, often in the hands or where the arms meet the torso. Different teaching systems use different numbered pressure points.
Connection
A coaching cue for coordinating the arms and body so they work together through the swing.
Release
In the swing, how the wrists, arms, and club move through impact and into the follow-through. In shot results, release can also mean the ball’s movement after it lands.
Rhythm
The flow and cadence of a swing or stroke, including how smoothly one part leads into the next.
Abbreviated finish
A follow-through intentionally stopped shorter than your usual finish, often for a controlled or lower shot.
Three-quarter swing / full swing
A three-quarter swing is a deliberately shorter motion. A full swing is your normal complete motion for the shot. The fractions are coaching cues.
Waggle
A small movement of the club or hands just before starting the swing.
Chicken wing
A coaching term for the lead elbow bending and moving outward through or after impact.
Ball-bound
A coaching term for getting so focused on striking or scooping the ball that the swing stalls at it.
Over the top
A downswing move where the club moves outward from its backswing route. It often produces an out-to-in club path.
Equipment and fitting
Equipment
The gear you use or carry for golf, including clubs, balls, bag, and accessories. The Rules also set requirements for certain gear used in play.
Junior clubs
Clubs sized for young golfers, typically with shorter shafts, lighter overall weight, and smaller grips. Choose clubs the child can swing comfortably based on their size and ability. See the junior golf guide.
Clubhead
The part of the club designed to strike the ball. It includes the face, sole, heel, and toe.
Shaft / shaft flex
The shaft connects the grip to the clubhead. Flex describes how much it bends under load. Labels like regular and stiff can vary by manufacturer.
Glove
A glove usually worn on the lead hand to help maintain traction on the grip.
Cart path
A route built for golf carts. A surfaced path is usually an immovable obstruction and may allow free relief under the Rules.
Dimples
The small depressions on a ball’s surface that affect airflow and help shape its flight.
Leading edge
The front lower edge of the clubface where it meets the sole.
Bounce of the club
The sole angle that helps determine how the club interacts with turf or sand. More bounce can help resist digging.
Push cart
A wheeled trolley you push to carry your bag while walking the course.
Rangefinder
A device that measures distance to a target. Competition rules can restrict which functions you use.
Yardage book
A booklet with hole maps, distances, and other course notes. Competition rules can restrict certain materials or uses.
Lie angle
The angle between the shaft and the ground when the club is in its designed position. This is a club specification. The ball’s lie is how it sits on the course.
Butt of the club
The upper end of the shaft at the top of the grip.
Hosel
The part of the clubhead where the shaft attaches.
Ferrule
The small collar around the shaft just above the hosel on many clubs.
Clubfitting
Matching club specifications such as length, lie angle, loft, shaft, and grip to the player and their ball flight.
Adjustable head
A clubhead with adjustable features such as a hosel setting or movable weights that can change setup or performance.
Cavity back / game-improvement iron / blade
A cavity back redistributes weight away from the center of the back of the head. A game-improvement iron is designed to make off-center strikes more playable. A blade, or muscle back, has a more compact head and a solid back profile.
Keep learning, one step at a time
Use this guide alongside your beginner lessons and your first rounds. If a word is unfamiliar, ask. Every golfer started somewhere, and understanding a little more each time will help you enjoy the game.
Explore First Round Ready for help preparing for your first round.
These are beginner-friendly explanations, not the full Rules of Golf. For a specific situation, check the course’s Local Rules and the official R&A guidance on penalty areas, out of bounds and provisional balls, and pace of play.