19 Golf Terms Every Golfer Should Know

19 Golf Terms Every Golfer Should Know – Collaboration

If you have an interest in golf, learning, and understanding the most common terms will make the game more interesting and enjoyable. Golfers who are already established and aspiring to become advanced golfers will find it easier to understand the game’s lingo or slang while playing.

We have put together a list of the most common golf terms we think you should know.

Golf Terms Every Golfer Should Know

Ace: Also referred to as a hole-in-one, an “ace” happens when you get the ball into the hole in a single swing. It is one of the most coveted achievements in golf.

Albatross: An albatross is also referred to as a double eagle. For you to achieve an albatross, you must hole in a single stroke on par-4 or on the second shot in par-5.

Birdie: A birdie happens when you hole the ball one stroke less. Therefore, the scores for a birdie will be more or less as follows:

• Two shots for par 3
• Three shots for par 4
• Four shots for par 5
• Five shots par 6. (This is rather rare)

Blading: Blading happens when you hit the golf ball with the club’s sole or leading edge rather than the clubface. This results in little or no loft and no backspin. It is also known as “hitting-it-thin.”

Bogey: This is more or less the opposite of a birdie. It refers to a hole played one stroke more than the expected standard. Two shots over par would be a double bogey, while three shots would be a triple bogey.

Caddie: A caddie or caddy is responsible for carrying your golf bag and handing you the golf clubs. Your caddie should serve your interests, but at the same time, they could know the course better and, therefore, offer meaningful and practical insights. Other caddie duties include:

• Cleaning the golf clubs and balls
• Raking the sand traps and bunkers, and
• Measuring the yardages

Club: This is what you use to hit the golf ball. You are not allowed to carry more than 14 clubs in your golf bag. The different types of golf clubs are:-

• The woods – these have the largest heads and the longest shafts
• The irons – also referred to as blades, irons range from 3 to 9 and have smaller clubheads
• The hybrids – these are a cross between the irons and the woods
• The wedges- while they have club heads that are similar to the irons, they are severely angled to provide you with more loft. The different types of wedges include gap, lob, pitching, and sand wedges

Drive: This refers to the first shot you take at each hole from the tee box. The shot is intended to move the golf ball closer to the green. The most preferred drivers are the woods, as they have the most loft.

Fairway: The fairway is the area between the putting green and the tee box. As you play, your goal should be to get the ball to the fairway, especially when you are hitting the tee shots, as it makes it easier for you to putt. In the fairway, the grass is normally mowed shorter.

Flagstick: As the name suggests, this refers to a stick with an embedded flag. Its purpose is to mark where the holes are. Flagsticks are sometimes referred to as “pins” or “flags.” One of the golfers needs to stand near the hole and hold the flagstick. He or she has to remove it before another golfer’s putted ball gets to the hole.  

Handicap: Before you begin playing golf, you will be assigned a number based on your ability. The number is referred to as “handicap.” This number denotes how many strokes below or above par you will be allowed to play. Handicaps are meant to allow players with different abilities to compete against each other fairly.

Green: The green is the area of the golf course where the hole or cup and the flagstick are located. It is also referred to as the putting green because this is where putting occurs.

Loft: The loft angle or simply “loft” is the extent to which the face of your club is angled upward. A golf club with a lower loft will make your golf ball go farther once you strike it compared to one with a higher loft. Experienced golfers use the loft to get an idea of the trajectory their shots will take.

Par: This refers to the number of shots or strokes you need to complete a hole. For example, if the par on hole is 3, you should hole the ball in a maximum of 3 shots. If you completed the hole in two shots, you’ve finished below par. If you take 4 or more shots, you’ve finished above par.  

Putt: This is a gentle strike to the golf ball when it gets to the green. It is aimed at getting the ball into the hole or cup. Unlike other golf shots, putting does not involve a lot of bodily motion. To achieve this, a good golfer should switch to a putter.

Shot: The shot refers to the execution of your swing. Once you take a shot, your aim is to move the ball closer to the hole, the green, or the fairway. The different types of shots include; approach, drive, lay-up, and putt, among others.

Tee: The tee refers to the equipment that raises the ball off the green. One part of the tee is pushed down on the turf while the part you’ll place your golf ball is left above the ground. How high the tee should be depends on the club you will be using. The longer it is, the higher the golf ball should be on the tee.

Whiff: A whiff happens when you try to strike the ball but fail. As opposed to the practice swing where you do not need to make contact with the ball, in a whiff, there’s an intent to strike the ball, but you do not.

Wood: This is a type of wood club that features a bigger and more rounded club head. Initially, such clubs were made of persimmon wood, and they are recommended if the green is 170 yards from you. Metal “woods” came about in the late 1970s.

All the above might seem a lot to take in. Besides, golf is quite a technical game, and so are some of the terms and terminologies used while it’s being played. Take your time and let everything sink in. Playing the game would also help. Save some money on golf balls and golf mats for sale by getting in touch with us at Rawhide Golf Ball Co.