Intermediate Golf Terms

Here are a few more terms that some of the advanced golfers will use:

19TH HOLE: Golf lingo for the clubhouse bar where your rounds are always enjoyable.

BALL MARK: The indentation left behind after your golf ball lands on the green (best to fix these).

BREAK: The movement your golf ball will make on the green after you putt it (or what you will do to your putter after you missed).

BUNKER: The official term for what is commonly referred to as a sand trap. CADDIE: The kind fellow who carries your clubs during the round.

DOGLEG: Refers to a bend to the left or the right in fairways.

DIVOT: The piece of turf you take out of the ground after you hit a golf shot (best to replace these). DRAW: A gentler hook

FADE: A gentler slice.

FAT: Taking a little too much turf when hitting a golf shot, catching it heavy as they say.

GIMME: A putt so short that you wouldn’t miss it, so your golf buddies give it to you. The rule of thumb for measuring gimme is often “in the leather” which is the length of the grip of your putter.

HANDICAP: Refers to a number given to players that determines their “potential” average score in relation to par, not their day jobs.

LINE: The imaginary path your golf ball will travel along the green on its way to the hole.

MATCH PLAY: A one vs. one format where golfers compete against each other on a hole-byhole basis

PULL: For right-handed hitters, it’s when a shot goes immediately to the left after you hit it (opposite direction for lefties).

THIN: When you hit the golf ball too low on your club face.

TOP: When you the hit golf ball at the lowest point on the club face, producing a rolling shot that doesn’t catch much air.

SNOWMAN: When you make an 8 on a hole (because the 8 looks like a snowman, get it?).

SHANK: Feared by all golfers, this is one of the most dreaded shots in golf. Produced by hitting the ball on the hosel of the club.

STROKE PLAY: A format in golf where players count all their strokes to determine a final score (the common format of professional tournaments).