Golf definitions from A to Z

All 93 official golf terms briefly explained: from teeing area to wrong green.

A

Abnormal course conditionsFour situations that allow free relief: (1) animal holes, (2) ground under repair, (3) immovable obstructions…Adjusted Gross ScoreThe Adjusted Gross Score is a term from the World Handicap System (WHS) and refers to a player's total score…AdviceAny counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in deciding what club to use, how to make a stroke…ApronThe part of the general area that borders directly on the putting green, with grass that's cut shorter than…

B

Ball in motion accidentally hits a person, animal or object; deliberate actions to influence a ball in motionRule 11 describes what happens when a ball in motion accidentally hits a person, animal, equipment or outside…Ball in playThe ball remains in play until it's holed out, or until the player picks it up, or a ball is lost or out of…Ball movedA ball at rest that has moved away from its original spot and come to rest in another place, when it's known…Ball-markerA small object that you place on the putting green or elsewhere on the course, right behind or right beside…BirdieA score of one stroke less than the fixed number of strokes (par) for that hole. For example: if the par for…BogeyA score of one stroke over par on a hole.BreakThe slope or curve in the putting green that causes the putt to curve.BunkerA specially prepared area of sand on a golf course, often a hollow from which turf or soil has been removed…BunkersRule 12 describes the specific rules for bunkers. A bunker is a specially prepared area of sand, and there…

C

CaddieA caddie may also perform other actions permitted by the Rules, such as holding the flagstick, raking…CommitteeThe Committee responsible for the competition and the course. They set the Local Rules and the Terms of…CourseThe entire area within which play takes place, bounded by the boundaries established by the Committee.Course HandicapThe number of strokes you receive on a specific course, calculated from your Handicap Index, the Slope Rating…Course RatingCourse Rating is a value that represents the playing difficulty of a golf course for a scratch golfer (a…

D

Dangerous animalAn animal (other than insects, ticks or similar invertebrates) that can cause serious injury to a player if…Dog-legA dog-leg is a golf hole with a clear bend (resembling a dog's leg), often so sharp that the putting green…DrawA controlled ball flight that starts (for a right-handed player) slightly right of the target line and curves…Dropping ZoneA specially designated area on the golf course where you must or may drop your golf ball if, under the Rules…

E

EagleA score of two strokes under par on a hole.Embedded ballA ball that is in its own pitch mark as a result of the player's previous stroke, with part of the ball below…

F

FadeA controlled stroke where the ball (for a right-handed player) curves slightly from left to right.FORETraditional warning shout used when your ball might endanger other players.Four-ballRule 23 describes four-ball, where two partners each play their own ball as one side. The lower score of the…FoursomesRule 22 describes foursomes, where two partners play as one side. They use the same ball and take turns…

G

General areaThe area of the course that covers the whole course, except for the four specific areas: the teeing area of…General penaltyLoss of hole in match play, or two penalty strokes in stroke play.GIRGreen in Regulation, reaching the putting green in the number of strokes that corresponds to the par of the…Ground under repairGround under repair (GUR) is an abnormal course condition. It includes any part of the course marked as such…

H

HoleThe endpoint on the putting green where you must play the ball into. The hole has a diameter of 108 mm (4.25…Hole scoreThe total number of strokes (including penalty strokes) a player needs to complete the hole.HookA ball flight where the ball curves strongly from right to left (for a right-handed player). A smaller, more…

I

Immovable obstructionAn artificial object on the course that isn't movable, such as sprinklers, path stones, fences and tree…

L

LieThe spot where a ball rests and any ground surface it touches.Line of PlayThe line along which the player wants their ball to travel after a stroke, plus a reasonable distance on…LoftThe angle of the clubface in relation to the shaft.Loose impedimentA loose impediment is a natural object that occurs on the golf course and isn't attached, such as leaves…Loose impedimentAny natural object that is not fixed, not growing, not solidly embedded and not stuck to the ball, such as…

M

MarkerThe player who keeps track of your score during a round.MarkingIndicating the spot of a ball at rest by placing a ball-marker directly behind or beside the ball before…Match playA form of play in which a player or side competes against an opponent or opposing side over a round played by…Modifications for players with disabilitiesRule 25 provides modifications to certain Rules of Golf so that players with a specific disability can play…Movable obstructionA movable obstruction is an artificial object that can be moved, isn't fixed in place and isn't an integral…MulliganAn informal do-over after a bad stroke, not allowed in official golf.

N

Nearest point of complete reliefThe reference point for taking free relief from an abnormal course condition, a dangerous animal condition or…Nearest Point of Complete ReliefThe estimated point where the ball would lie closest to its original spot, is not nearer the hole, and where…

O

ObstructionA general term often used in golf practice for things on the course that can interfere with play. The…Other forms of individual stroke play and match playRule 21 describes four other forms of play: Stableford, maximum score and par/bogey (three variations of…

P

PCC (Playing Conditions Calculation)An automatic adjustment from −1 to +3 that the World Handicap System applies when playing conditions on a…Penalty area (strafgebied)An area of the course designated by the Committee. This often includes bodies of water, but can also be other…Penalty areasRule 17 describes the specific rules for penalty areas. Penalty areas are bodies of water or other areas…Pitch markDamage on the putting green where your ball has landed.Play the Ball as It Lies; Ball at Rest Lifted or MovedRule 9 describes the fundamental principle of "play the ball as it lies" and what to do when a ball at rest…Player's EquipmentRule 4 describes which equipment a player may use during a round. Golf is based on the principle that it's a…Playing a holeRule 6 describes how a hole is played, from the teeing area to the putting green, including rules about the…Playing the course as you find itThe fundamental principle 'play the course as you find it' is one of the central principles of golf and is…Playing the RoundRule 5 describes how a round is played, including rules about practicing, starting on time, pace of play, and…Preparing to make and making a stroke; advice and help; caddiescaddies (assistants to the player)Procedures for the ball: marking, lifting, cleaning; replacing on a spot; dropping in a dropping zone; playing from a wrong placeDEFINITION: Procedures for the ball: marking, lifting, cleaning; replacing on a spot; dropping in a dropping…Provisional ballAn extra ball you play to save time, if you think your original ball might be lost outside a penalty area or…Putting GreenThe area on the hole that's specially prepared for putting, or another area the committee has defined as such…Putting GreensThe putting green is the very short-mown surface of the golf course where the hole is located. This special…

R

Ready golfAn officially recommended practice to help keep up the pace of play, where the player who is ready plays…RefereeAn official appointed by the Committee to make rulings on questions of fact and to apply the Rules; their…Removing loose impediments and movable obstructionsRule 15 describes when and how a player may remove loose impediments (such as leaves, twigs, small loose…Resolving rules issues during a round; rulings by the referee and CommitteeRule 20 describes how players should handle rules issues, including the procedures for doubt and the role of…RoundA round of 18 holes (or fewer) on the course.

S

Score DifferentialThe Score Differential is a value calculated after every qualifying round within the World Handicap System…ScorecardThe document on which a player's hole score is recorded for each hole in stroke play. The scorecard must be…Searching for a ball: finding and identifying a ballRule 7 allows you to search for your ball at rest after every stroke by taking reasonable actions. However…Serious breachA term used in various Rules meaning that a player has gained a significant advantage over an opponent in…SliceA ball flight caused by excessive sidespin, which curves significantly away from the intended line. For a…Slope RatingThe Slope Rating is a number between 55 and 155 that indicates the relative difficulty of a golf course for…StablefordA points system per hole where the points are based on your net score (after handicap adjustment): net double…StanceThe position of a player's feet and body in preparation for and while making a stroke.StrokeAny forward movement of the club made with the intention of hitting and moving the ball. A whiff (a swing…Stroke and distance; ball lost or out of bounds; provisional ballRule 18 describes the procedures for when a ball is lost or out of bounds. In such cases, the player must…Stroke IndexThe Stroke Index (SI) is a numbering from 1 to 18 on the scorecard that determines on which holes a player…Stroke playThe type of play where you count the total number of strokes over the whole round. The lowest score wins.

T

Taking relief from abnormal course conditions, dangerous animals and embedded ballembedded ball (a ball that, after a stroke, is stuck in its own pitch-mark, with part of the ball below the…Team competitionsTeam competitions are events in which several players or sides play as a team and their individual results…Teeing AreaThe place where you start playing a hole, marked by the tee-markers.Temporary waterAny temporary accumulation of water on the surface of the ground that is not in a penalty area. It must be…The competitionRule 3 covers the three basic elements of every golf competition: match play or stroke play, playing alone or…The courseThe course is the entire area where golf is played, within the boundaries set (for example by the golf club…The game, standards of conduct and the RulesRule 1 introduces the fundamental principles of the game: play the course as you find it and play the ball as…

U

Unplayable ballRule 19 gives the player several options with penalty when he declares his ball unplayable. The player is the…

W

Wrong ballAny ball other than the player's ball in play, including: another player's ball in play; a provisional ball…Wrong greenThe putting green of any hole other than the hole the player is currently playing. A wrong green is part of…Wrong placeA spot on the golf course where you weren't allowed to play your ball according to the rules of golf. These…

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