Your primer on golf etiquette, rules, and terminology
Know the Course
Millions of people around the world are passionate about the game of golf. And it’s easy to see why: the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with friends and family; an athletic activity that you can enjoy throughout your life; a challenging skill that you can always hone; a perfect activity for social and professional networking.
Golf is also a sport that is full of traditions, etiquette, and terminology that can seem intimidating to the uninitiated. This primer is designed to give you a foundation of knowledge about this great sport and help you be comfortable and confident on the golf course. Etiquette: Knowing the Unwritten Rules of the Game
Using proper etiquette is an important part of golf. Following these steps will help you have a great experience before, during, and after your round.
1. Before you play • If you are hosting a group, call ahead to confirm that you have the tee time booked. Make sure you know the greens fees, as well as cart and caddy fees, and any other key pieces of information about the rules at the course, such as dress code, cell phone use policy, and tipping policy. Make sure to share this information with your guests before they arrive. If you are the guest, make sure to check with your host about this information. • When you arrive, check in with the outside service staff as you drop your bag off and then check in again in the golf shop. If you foresee playing this course regularly, get to know the names of the staff members. • Arrive early enough to give yourself time to hit some practice balls and putts; this will help you get warmed up for your round. • Don't change your shoes in the parking lot; use the locker room facilities at the course. 2. When you're on the course • Keep up the pace of play. Be ready to play when it's your turn and be pro-active in saying to your playing partners that you'd like to play "ready golf" (i.e. whoever is ready to hit goes, not whoever is farthest from the hole). • Have a few tees, a ball marker, and a ball mark repairer in your pocket at all times. • Learn how to correctly fix a ball mark (i.e., indentation from where your ball lands) on the green and fix one if you see it - even if it's not yours. • Laugh at your bad shots and enjoy your good ones. • Be considerate of your playing partners. Don't stand in their field of vision or make noise while they are hitting, and don’t walk across the line of someone’s putt. • Offer to tend the flag stick (i.e., take the flag out when you get to the green and put it back in when you are done putting). • Rake your footprints after hitting out of a bunker. • Once you finish a hole, move quickly to the next one. Don't linger near the green of the hole you just finished. • If you think your ball may be lost or out of bounds, hit a provisional. • Learn the rules/options for playing when you hit into a water hazard. • Anticipate your next shot before you arrive to the ball and be prepared with your club choice.
3. After the round • Shake hands and thank your playing partners. • Count your clubs to make sure you didn’t leave any clubs on the course. • If you are keeping score, move away from the last green before tallying your score so you don't hold up the group behind you. • A short thank you e-mail or note will go a long way. Golf is an amazing way to cultivate relationships and that one gesture will speak volumes about you. Golf Glossary: Learn the Lingo
All sports have a distinct set of terms that players like to use. It’s just that the golf dictionary seems to be a lot thicker than other sports.
This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list of golf jargon, but if you learn these words, you will be able to talk the talk out on the golf course.
ACE – This is a term used when a golfer makes a hole in one! In other words, the tee shot is hit and it goes into the hole!
ADDRESS –You will often hear the term “addressing the ball” which means the golfer is standing there preparing to hit the ball.
ALBATROSS – An old British name for a double eagle. It means you scored 3 under par on a single hole! It’s a very good score and doesn’t happen very often.
APPROACH – This is a short or medium iron which is played into the green. Often referred to as an “approach shot”.
APRON – The closely cut area just around the edge of the green. Often referred to as the “fringe”.
BACKSPIN – This is a reverse spin, which causes the ball to stop very quickly on the green.
BACKSWING – The backward part of the swing starting from the ground and going back over the top of the golfer’s head.
BAIL OUT – A shot played to the “safe” part of the course. For example if the flag is right next to the water and the golfer intentionally shoots away from the flag to avoid the water – thus “bailing out”.
BALL MARKER – A token or small coin which is placed directly just behind the ball in order to mark the position of the ball on the green. This is usually done to allow another player who is farther away to putt without hitting any other balls.
BALL RETRIEVER – A long pole with a scoop on the end of it used to get balls out of water hazards. BALL WASHER –These are found all over the golf course usually at the tee boxes. They clean and wash your ball.
BANANA BALL – A slice that curves in a banana like shape from left to right (for right-handed golfers).
BASEBALL GRIP – Holding the golf club like one would hold a baseball bat. All 10 fingers are on the grip.
BEACH – An expression for sandtrap (i.e. I’m in the beach).
BENT GRASS – Type of grass which is found mostly in northern climates.
BERMUDA GRASS –This is a type of grass found mostly in southern climates, as it is tougher and more resilient to harsh sunlight.
BIRDIE – A score of 1 under par for a hole (i.e. a score of 3 on a par 4 hole).
BITE – A term used for the action of the backspin on the ball stopping it very quickly on the green.
BOGEY – A score of 1 over par on a hole (i.e. a score of 5 on a par 4 hole).
BUNKER – Another name for a sandtrap.
CADDIE – A person who carries a player’s clubs during play and offers assistance in accordance with the rules.
CARRY – The distance in the air that a ball must travel before it hits the ground (i.e. you need 160 yards to carry the water means you need to hit the ball 160 yards in the air to clear the water).
CASUAL WATER – Any temporary puddles of water on the course which are not supposed to be there, like say for instance after a rainstorm. There is no penalty for a player to move his ball out of casual water.
CHIP SHOT – A short approach shot with a low trajectory usually hit from close to the green.
CHIP IN – This happens when you hit a chip shot (see above) into the cup. This is usually good! CHOKE – This word has two meanings. One is to grip lower on the club than normal (you may hear the term “choke down” on the club). The other definition in golf (and most other sports) means to collapse under pressure (i.e. he “choked” under the pressure of the Master’s).
CHOP – To hit the ball with a hacking motion or the word immediately after “pork”.
CLUBHEAD – The hitting area of the golf club.
CLUBHOUSE – The main building at the golf course where players usually go to have refreshments.
COURSE RATING – The difficulty of a course. Usually the higher the course rating the harder it is.
CUP – The thing in the hole that holds the flagstick.
DEUCE – Like an ace is a hole in one shot, a deuce is a score of 2 on a hole!
DIMPLE – The small round indentations on the golf ball. A lot of really smart guys (some call them scientists) got together and figured out how many dimples would help the ball fly straight and true.
DIVOT – A piece of ground that is taken up by the club after hitting the ball. A good golfer ALWAYS replaces his divots and tamps them back down so they will grow back again.
DOGLEG – This is one of two things. A hole that goes straight for a while then has a bend (or “dogleg”) to the left or right.
DOUBLE BOGEY – A score of two over par for one hole.
DOUBLE EAGLE – Three under par for one hole! (i.e. a two on a par five!) This is also referred to as an “albatross”.
DOWNHILL LIE – The ball is on the downslope of a hill. When a right handed player addresses the ball his right foot will be higher than his left foot.
DRAIN – To make a putt (“drain it”).
DRAW SHOT – This is when a right handed player hits a controlled hook, which goes from right to left.
DRIVE – This is the term which means your tee shot. DRIVER – This is the club known as the 1 wood. It is usually the club that hits the ball the farthest.
DROP – This is a way that you get the ball back in play after hitting a shot into the water or out of bounds.
DUB – A poorly hit shot. I “dubbed” that shot.
DUFFER – One who hits a lot of bad shots. Can also be called a “hacker”.
EAGLE – A score of 2 under par on a hole. (i.e. a score of 3 on a par 5 hole)
FACE – The part of the clubhead that makes contact with the ball.
FADE – This is a shot (for a right-handed golfer) which curves gradually from left to right.
FAIRWAY – This is the area on the golf course which lies directly between the tee box and the green. You want to hit from this area if at all possible.
FAT SHOT – This is a shot which is not good. The club hits the ground behind the ball and results in a poorly struck shot that usually doesn’t go very far.
FLUB – See dub above.
FOLLOW-THROUGH – The continuation of the golf swing to the end.
FORE – This is spelled differently than the number 4. This is the term yelled when one hits a shot toward another person on the golf course to alert him/her of impending doom from being hit by the ball.
FOURSOME – A term given to a group of four golfers.
FREE DROP – You get to drop the ball and don’t have to add a stroke to your score. This can happen when there is casual water on the course or ground under repair.
FRINGE – The closely cut area just around the edge of the green.
FRONT SIDE – The first nine holes is usually referred to as the front side.
GIMME – A term for a putt that is close enough to the cup that it will certainly be made so the other player says “it’s a gimme” and the player doesn’t have to putt it. However, he does need to add this stroke to his score! GRAIN – This is the direction that the grass on the green is growing. A golf ball will roll faster with the grain and slower against it.
GREEN – The term used to describe the putting surface on the golf course.
GRIP – This refers to either the part of the shaft by which the club is held by the golfer or the manner in which the golfer holds the club. (i.e. an overlapping grip)
GROSS – The total number of strokes a player takes on his round.
GROUNDING THE CLUB – Placing the clubhead on the ground behind the ball at address position.
GROUND UNDER REPAIR – An area on the golf course that is being repaired. Golfers are able to take a “free drop” if their ball ends up in ground under repair.
HACKER – A golfer who is not very skilled. Same as a duffer.
HANDICAP – The number of strokes a player may deduct from his actual (or gross) score to adjust his score to that of a scratch golfer.
HAZARD – A hazard is any sand trap, lake, pond, bunker, etc. that may cause problems on the golf course.
HEEL – The part of the clubhead nearest the shaft.
HOLE – A 4-inch round receptacle on the green that you try to get your ball into.
HOLE HIGH – An approach shot which is even with the hole but off to one side.
HOLE-IN-ONE – See ACE above.
HOLE OUT – the process of a player completing the hole.
HONOR – The privilege of hitting first on the next tee. The “honor” is gained by having the lowest score on the preceding hole.
HOOK – To hit the ball and have it curve gradually from right to left (for right- handed golfers).
HOSEL – The hollow part of the clubhead that the shaft fits into.
INTERLOCKING GRIP – A type of grip where the little finger of the lower hand is interlocked with the index finger of the upper hand. IRON – A club with a metal head which is not a wood.
JAIL – A golfer’s term for a ball hit into a lot of trees which makes it very difficult to hit your ball out of.
JUNGLE – A golfer’s term for heavy rough or in the woods. (i.e. in the jungle)
KICK – A golfer’s term for bounce. (I got a bad kick means I got a bad bounce)
LAG – To putt the ball with the intention of leaving it short of the hole so that the golfer is able to have a very easy putt on the next shot.
LATERAL HAZARD – Any hazard that runs parallel to the fairway.
LIE – The position that the ball ends up when it comes to rest on the ground.
LINKS – Another word for a golf course. This originally meant a seaside course.
LIP – The top rim of the cup.
LOB SHOT – A shot that goes straight up in the air and stops very quickly on the green.
LOCAL RULES – A set of rules for a particular golf course as determined by that course.
LOFT – The angle of the clubface from vertical.
MATCH PLAY – This is a form of competition by holes. Each hole is worth one point no matter how many strokes one player beats another by.
MEDAL PLAY – This is a form of competition decided by the overall number of strokes. This may also be referred to as stroke play.
MULLIGAN – An extra shot which your opponent MAY allow you to take if you hit a really bad first shot.
MUNICIPAL COURSE – A public course which is owned by a local government agency.
NASSAU – A form of competition which breaks down the play into front nine, back nine and overall 18 holes. A point is allowed for each nine and the total 18. NINETEENTH HOLE – Another term for the clubhouse or in particular the bar at the clubhouse.
OFFSET – A club with the head slightly behind (or offset) the shaft.
OUT-OF-BOUNDS – The area outside of the golf course limits in which play is prohibited. If you hit the ball out of bounds you must hit again from the same spot and take a penalty stroke.
OVERCLUBBING – Using a club that will hit the ball farther than necessary.
PAR – The number of stokes that is recommended to take to complete a hole (or 18 holes).
PENALTY STROKE – An additional stroke which is added to a golfer’s score for a rules violation, going out of bounds, losing a ball, or various other situations.
PIN – This is the flagstick or the pole that is in the cup.
PITCH – A short high arcing shot that lands on the green and usually stops quickly.
PITCH AND RUN – Same as a pitch but hit with a lesser lofted club which causes it to roll farther.
PIVOT – The rotation of the shoulders, waist, and pelvis during the golf swing.
PLAYING THROUGH – The process of slower players in front of faster players allowing the faster players to move ahead of the slower group.
PREFERRED LIE – A lie that may be improved by a player.
PRO SHOP – The golf course shop operated by the golf pro.
PROVISIONAL BALL – An additional ball which is hit in case the first ball can not be found. If the first ball is found, it is played. If the first ball is not found, the provisional must be played and the player is assessed a penalty stroke.
PULL – A ball that is pulled (or hit) to the left of the target (for right handers).
PUNCH THE GREENS – This is another way to say the greens are being aerified.
PUSH – A ball that is pushed (or hit) to the right of the target (for right handers). PUTT – A shot that rolls on the green hit with the putter.
PUTTER – The club with a flat face used to putt. Often called the “flat stick.”
PUTTING GREEN – The surface area around the hole that is specially prepared for putting.
RANGE – This is the area where you go to practice. It usually has many stations to hit practice shots.
READING THE GREEN – Determining which way the putt will curve based upon the slope of the green.
ROUGH – Long grass area adjacent to the fairway. Normally you try to avoid the rough.
ROUND – Complete 18 holes of golf. (i.e. a round of golf is the playing of 18 holes)
RUN – The distance the ball will travel along the ground after it lands.
SANDBAGGER – This is a golfer who purposely tells others that he is a worse golfer than he really is in order to gain an edge in competition.
SAND TRAP – The common name for a sand hazard. These are areas that are filled with sand and should be avoided.
SAND WEDGE – An iron normally used to hit the ball out of the sand. It can also be used on short pitch shots.
SANDY – A player makes a sandy when he hits a shot out of the sand and sinks the following putt.
SCRATCH GOLFER – A player who has a handicap of 0. This player will theoretically shoot even par or better every time out.
SHORT GAME – The part of the game made up of chipping, putting and other shots around the green.
SHOTGUN START – A method of starting play where players go to every tee box on the golf course and hit their tee shots at the same time. Sometimes a horn is sounded to start play.
SIDE – This is a term, which is interchangeable with the word “nine” as in front side which means the front nine or front nine holes. SIDEHILL LIE – This refers to a lie when the ball is resting on a slope and the golfer’s feet are either above or below the ball.
SLICE – A shot struck by a golfer which curves severely from left to right (for a right handed golfer).
SLOPE RATING – USGA term that represents the difficulty of a course for bogey golfers relative to the USGA Course Rating (which represents the difficulty for scratch golfers). The higher the slope, the more difficult the course plays for bogey golfers. Slope ratings range from 55 to 155 and 113 is considered average.
SNAKE – An award given to a player in a friendly game when the player three putts. Whoever has the snake at the end of the round usually ‘gets’ to treat the other players to a beverage.
STARTER – The person who is responsible for sending the groups of players off the first tee. Usually the starter is located somewhere close to the first hole.
STIMPMETER – This is a device which is used to calibrate the speed of the greens. Often referred to as ‘stimp’. A reading of 5 to 11 is the normal range with 5 being slow and 11 being extremely (PGA) fast.
STROKE – This is often used in the following context, “how many STROKES are you giving me” which means how many shots or additional swings are you giving me to even out the match. It can also be the term used for the actual process of swinging the club through the ball.
SUDDEN DEATH – This is a method of breaking a tied match by playing extra holes. The first player to win a hole is the winner.
SUMMER RULES – Ordinary rules according to the rulebook.
SWEET SPOT – The center point on the face of the club.
TAKEAWAY – This is what a golfer does when he starts the backswing.
TEE – This is the wooden (usually) peg which is used to hold the ball up for driving. It is also the term for the area where play begins on a particular hole (i.e. the third tee is where the third hole starts).
TEXAS WEDGE – The term for the putter when it is used from off the green. TIGHT FAIRWAY – A narrow fairway with not much area on either side to miss.
TOE – The part of the club farthest from where it joins the shaft.
TRAJECTORY – The flight path of the ball. If it goes way up in the air it is referred to a high trajectory.
TURN – To start the back nine holes. To “make the turn” means you have finished the 1st nine holes and are “turning” to the 2nd nine.
UNDERCLUBBING – Using a club that does not provide enough distance to hit the ball to the intended target.
UNPLAYABLE LIE – A lie from which the ball can not be hit. (i.e. it is up against a tree and the player can not hit it)
WAGGLE – The movement of the clubhead just prior to the player taking a swing.
WEDGE – An iron with a high loft used for short shots requiring a high trajectory.
WHIFF – Swinging and missing the ball.
WINTER RULES – Local golf rules that permit the player to improve the lie of the ball in the fairway. There may be additional winter rules allowed depending on the golf course condition.
WOOD – A club (either wood or metal) which is used for shots requiring a lot of distance.
WORMBURNER – A shot which skims very low along the ground. About Jamie Fischer
It would not be an overstatement to say Jamie Fischer has golf in her blood. Her mother, Andy, was one of the pioneering members of the LPGA Tour and many hours of Jamie’s formative years were spent at the golf course watching some of the best women golfers of all time. Picking up the game early allowed her to win two Ohio Junior State Championships and qualify for her first U.S. Women's Open at age 18. At the University of Texas, she captained the Top 10-ranked women’s golf team and was named an Academic All-American. She played professionally both in the United States and abroad until 1995 when she turned her attention to teaching and coaching full time. Since then she has served as the teaching professional at Nantucket Golf Club and as a Master Instructor at two of the nation’s top golf schools. She was the assistant women's golf coach at Northwestern University from 2003 to 2005. Since 2008, she has been the teaching professional at the prestigious Conway Farms Golf Club. She was named one of Golf Digest’s Top 50 Women Teachers in 2012. Look for more advice and golf tips at jamiefischergolf.com.
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