Golf Terms | List & Definitions
Golf has a rich vocabulary full of unique and quirky terms for everything from equipment and scoring to the layout of a golf course. Some of the most important golf terms include “fairway,” “hole,” “cup,” “par,” and “birdie.”
Golf terms are essential for anyone who wants to watch or play golf (even if it’s just Nintendo Switch Sports or Happy Gilmore 2). They also pop up in conversations, workplaces, and media coverage, especially during golf season or major tournaments like the PGA Championship.
The glossary below breaks down essential golf terms and definitions to help you understand how the game works and what you’ll find on a golf course.
| 3-letter golf terms | 4-letter golf terms | 5-letter golf terms | 6-letter golf terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| ace, cup, par, PGA, tee | cart, chip, club, flag, fore, hole, iron, putt, sink, turf | apron, birdie, bogey, break, divot, eagle, green, purse, rough, spoon, swing, wedge | bunker, caddie, chip-in, course, driver, fringe, tee box |
Golf rules
To understand common golf terms like “hole-in-one” and “par,” it helps to know how the game is played.
Golfers play on a course with either 9 or 18 holes, and each player has their own ball and set of golf clubs. Every hole has a starting point (the tee box) and an end point (the cup) with a range of 200 to 600 feet of distance between.
To complete each hole, players alternate turns hitting the ball toward the hole. The goal for each player is to complete the hole with as few strokes as possible. At the end of a golf game, the player (or team) with the lowest total score wins.
Golf courses are designed to keep the game interesting. The path from the tee box to the cup varies from hole to hole. Some are straight, while others bend like an L or snake around hazards like sand traps, wooded areas, or water features.
Golf scoring terms
Golf score terms, like birdie or eagle, refer to the different possible scores for each hole. The scoring possibilities are determined by a hole’s par, the number of strokes that result in a score of “0.” Most holes are par-3, par-4, or par-5, though par-6 holes also exist.
If a player takes fewer strokes than par, they score under par (which is good); if they take more, they’re over par. The following terms illustrate how a total score relates to the par.
| Golf scoring term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Stroke | An attempt to get the ball in the hole with a club |
| Par | The number of strokes that lead to a score of “0,” usually determined by the distance to the cup and difficulty of the terrain |
| Par-3 | A hole where 3 strokes to the cup is “0” |
| Par-4 | A hole where 4 strokes is “0” |
| Par-5 | A hole where 5 strokes is “0” |
| Birdie | 1 stroke under par (for a score of “-1” for the hole) |
| Eagle | 2 strokes under par (for a score of “-2”) |
| Albatross | 3 strokes under par (for a score of “-3”) |
| Hole-in-one | When the ball reaches the bottom of the cup on the first stroke |
| Ace | Another term for a hole-in-one |
| Bogey | 1 stroke over par |
| Double bogey | 2 strokes over par |
| Handicap | A number that represents a golfer’s skill level that’s used to adjust scores so that players on different skill levels are competing fairly |
The chart below illustrates how the names for different scores align with the number of strokes on a par-5 hole.
| Number of strokes | Scoring term | Total score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hole-in-one | -4 |
| 2 | Albatross | -3 |
| 3 | Eagle | -2 |
| 4 | Birdie | -1 |
| 5 | Par | 0 |
| 6 | Bogey | +1 |
| 7 | Double bogey | +2 |
- Par for the course: An outcome that is less than ideal but typical for a situation (e.g., “All night study sessions are par for the course for college students.”)
- On par with: Equal to or as good as (e.g., “Mom’s cooking is on par with a 5-star chef’s.”)
People also use “subpar” (below par) to describe something as inadequate, even though it has a positive connotation in golf.
Golf course terminology
Golf has many interesting terms for what you’ll see on a golf course, from the tee box to the green and everything in between.
| Golf term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hole | A section of a golf course that includes a starting point for the first stroke and a cup at the end (A golf course can have 9 or 18 holes.) |
| Tee box | The starting point for each hole where players take the first stroke |
| Tee | A small peg that holds a golf ball in place before the player hits it with a club |
| Turf | The grassy surface of a golf course, which is intentionally shorter on the fairway and the green and longer on the rough |
| Divot | A hole in the turf that results from a stroke or the ball’s landing |
| Fairway | A section of a golf hole between the tee box and the target that has short turf, which maximizes the distance a ball can roll and makes it easier to strike the ball with a club |
| Green | The section covered in very short grass at the end of a golf hole, which is where the cup and flagstick are located |
| Cup | A receptacle for the ball at the end of every golf hole, usually 4.25 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep |
| Flagstick | A pole with a flag that marks the location of the cup on the green |
| Fringe | A strip of slightly longer grass surrounding the green |
| Rough | The area between the tee box and the green that’s outside of the fairway (with longer turf that’s more challenging to navigate) |
| Bunker | A sand trap between the tee box and the green that increases the difficulty of the next stroke if the ball lands there |
| Penalty area | Area of a hole that leads to a scoring penalty (e.g., a water hazard or wooded area) |
| Back nine | The last 9 holes of an 18-hole course |
| Caddie | Person who carries a golfer’s clubs, drives the cart, and shares advice/feedback |
The most challenging hole of the game had three bunkers and a penalty area between the fairway and the green.
Golf terms for equipment and techniques
The following chart includes the main equipment and common techniques that golfers use.
| Golf term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Golf club | The tool for striking the ball (Each type of club—putter, wedge, 3-iron, 5-iron, 7-iron, 9-iron, spoon, or driver—has a different weight and shape that affects the height and distance the ball travels.) |
| Putter | The golf club that’s used on the green (for short distances) |
| Dimples | Indentations on the surface of a golf ball |
| Fore! | A warning call to watch out for a ball that’s flying in someone’s direction |
| Grip | How a player holds the club (i.e., interlock, overlap, 10-finger) |
| Stance | The placement of one’s feet during a golf swing |
| Swing | The motion a player makes to hit the ball with the club |
| Sink | To successfully get the ball in the cup |
| OB (Out of Bounds) | When the ball lands off the golf course, resulting in a scoring penalty |
| Backspin | When the ball lands on the green and moves backwards (A really good player can adjust the swing to use backspin intentionally.) |
| Break | How the ball is going to curve on the green (Players decide where to aim based on whether the slope of the green will cause the ball to break right or break left) |
Famous golf quotes
These quotes from golf movies and golf pros capture the humor, wisdom, and competitive spirit that make golf so unique.
- “It’s all in the hips.” —Happy Gilmore
- “Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing.” —The Legend of Bagger Vance
- “When a defining moment comes along, you define the moment or the moment defines you.” —Tin Cup
- “Success in this game depends less on strength of body than strength of mind and character.” —Arnold Palmer
- “Being champion is all well and good, but you can’t eat a crown.” —Althea Gibson
- “Success depends almost entirely on how effectively you learn to manage the game’s two ultimate adversaries: the course and yourself.” —Jack Nicklaus
- “A winner is just a loser that kept on trying.” —Tony Finau
Frequently asked questions about golf terms
- What are some funny golf terms?
-
Here are some funny golf terms:
- The 19th hole: The bar or restaurant where golfers go after a game
- Golf widow: Spouse or partner of someone who spends a lot of time playing golf
- Mulligan: A do-over (doing a stroke again because it went horribly wrong on the first try)
- Flop shot: When a ball flies very high and lands gently on the green
- Fried egg: When the ball lands in the bunker (which is full of sand) and looks like the yolk of a fried egg because it’s half buried
- Waggle: When a player moves the club back and forth over the ball to prepare for the swing
- Dogleg: A fairway with a 90-degree angle
Most golf terms are amusing and creative. QuillBot’s AI Chat can show you even more of them.
- Is eagle a golf term?
-
Yes, “eagle” is a golf term for when a really good shot or putt results in a score of “-2” for a particular hole. An eagle is a great outcome because of how the rules of golf work:
- The goal of golf is to get as low of a score as possible, ideally below zero, which is called “par” in golf.
- Each hole on a golf course has a certain number of shots that a player can take before they reach par or start getting points above par (which is a bad thing in golf).
- The number of tries for each hole ranges from par-3 to par-6. For example, if a hole is par-4, an eagle (-2) is possible on the 2nd try.
QuillBot’s AI Chat can answer questions about golf terms and help you become more familiar with sports terminology.
- What are some golf slang terms?
-
Some of the most common golf slang terms include:
- Mulligan: A second chance or do-over
- Arnold Palmer: Non-alcoholic beverage of half tea, half lemonade, named after a famous golf player
- Par for the course: A situation that’s not ideal but normal under the circumstances
- Up to par: Adequate
- The 19th hole: The bar or restaurant where golfers go after a game
- Golf widow: Spouse or partner of someone who spends a lot of time playing golf
When you’re curious about other golf terms, ask QuillBot’s AI Chat. It can give you instant answers so you can get back to the show, movie, or conversation that sparked your curiosity!
- What does under par mean?
-
The phrase under par means “disappointing because it is below the expected standard” (e.g., “Although somewhat under par for a movie from this director, it’s still definitely worth seeing”). It’s interchangeable with “subpar,” which means the same thing.
“Feeling under par” means feeling slightly unwell (e.g., “I was feeling a bit under par this morning, but I’m full of energy now”).
“Under par” comes from the golf term “par,” but it’s not an accurate analogy. In the game of golf, a score that is under par is below zero, which is a desirable outcome because the lowest score wins.
When you’re curious about the meanings of idioms like “under par,” QuillBot’s AI Chat can give you instant answers.
- What does putted mean?
-
Putted is the past tense of the verb “putt,” which is a golf term for a stroke that a golfer takes on the green (e.g., “Woods putted better than anyone else on the tour that whole season”). It is never the correct past tense of put.
The QuillBot Grammar Checker is an easy way of making sure your spelling and grammar are error-free.
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Routh, N. (2025, October 23). Golf Terms | List & Definitions. Quillbot. Retrieved November 19, 2025, from https://quillbot.com/blog/sports-terms/golf-terms/
