New to the game? 16 golf terms you need to know

In golf terms, a bunker is not an underground room and a birdie is not a way of saying ‘bird’.

As with all sports, golf comes with its own language.

If you’re new to the game, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with all the terms and phrases.

Here are some of the most important ones to know:

Par

Each hole has a par, which is the number of strokes that an expert golfer should make to complete the hole. The par of a hole will depend upon its length and difficulty. Holes can be par three, par four, or par five.

Birdie

Golfers love a birdie! A birdie is getting the ball in the hole one shot below par. For example, two shots on a par three hole. With more practice comes more birdies.

Bogey

When a golfer finishes the hole one above par. If a player says, “I shoot bogey golf”, they are averaging a bogey per hole.

A double bogey is two above par and a triple bogey is three above par (also known as ‘trip’).

Ace

What every golfer wants … hitting the ball into the hole in one stroke, aka a hole-in-one!

Mulligan

If you feel like you hit a bad shot, a mulligan is an opportunity to re-take it from the position of your previous stroke, without receiving a penalty. These are only used in casual play because they aren’t allowed in competitions.

Putt

A putt is the final few gentle strokes made with your putter to get the ball in the hole. They occur once you reach the ‘putting green’ and putts can often make or break the round.

Away

If someone asks “who’s away?”, they are asking “who’s next to play?” This is the golfer whose ball is farthest from the hole.

Fore!

If you notice a golf ball flying towards other players, shout “Fore!” to warn them.

Handicap

The measurement of the average number of strokes over par during a round. For example, if you are a 5 handicap, you should shoot around 77 (5 shots above par on a course that has a par of 72).

Handicaps enable you to compete with golfers at any skill level. For instance, if you’re an 8 handicap competing against a 3 handicap, they must give you five shots during the round.

Caddie

A person who is hired to carry player’s equipment during a round. Fore caddies walk ahead of the shots to locate them for the players. Caddies know the courses well so it’s good idea to pick their brains as they often have insider knowledge which could lower a golfer’s score.

Tee

A small peg that the ball rests on to raise it off the ground. Tees are usually only used from the tee box for the first shot on each hole.

Tee Box

The area where a golfer makes the first shot on each hole. Make sure you tee your ball behind the marker- failure to position the ball correctly results in a one-shot penalty.

Fairway

The shorter-mown area of the course, between the tee box and the green. Because the grass is shorter, it is easier to hit the ball forward and the ground tends to be more predictable.

Hitting more on the fairway usually leads to lower rounds because it’s typically the most direct route.

Green

Varying in size and shape, the putting green is the smooth grassy area where the flagstick and hole are located. When the ball lands on the green, the player uses a putter to roll the ball into the hole. Every hole on the course ends at the putting green.

Bunker

Bunkers are shallow pits filled with sand, also known as a ‘sand trap’. It is difficult to play the ball from here because there’s often a raised barrier bordering the sand.

Rough

As it sounds, this is the unkept area with taller grass outside the fairway, where it’s difficult to hit the ball from. If you shoot into the rough, your next shot will be tricky.

Depending on the course, the rough length can vary. Some courses have both intermediate and deep rough- it’s usually very easy to find the ball in the intermediate but deep rough is much harder to play.

As you progress and develop your golf skills, you will expand your vocabulary to include slang phrases and other types of shot. Clue: there are many bird references!

Book a lesson or two with us and our PGA professionals will teach you the tips and tricks of the game, alongside more golf terminology, to get you on your way to becoming a confident and established golfer.