Golf Slang
To the outsider golfers may seem to have their own language. We have a slang term for just about everything. Here is a short list of some of the most common golf slang terms.
I’m always adding to this list so if you have any suggestions let me know.
Golf Slang A to Z:
Ace: The most difficult, A hole in one. A shot rarely pulled off in one’s golfing lifetime
Air mail: That shot that flies the green — maybe hit too solidly or just not judged properly
Away: If your ball is farther from the hole or the green than a playing partner, you go first.
Backdoor: The part of the cup located opposite the ball on the green. The ball falls in the cup on the backside of the cup.
Bail out: Hitting your shot away from trouble on the course. You don’t want to go into the hazard -so you bail-out.
Cabbage: Thick, nasty, deep rough — your ball is usually sitting down — avoid cabbage rough at all cost.
Cart golf: Two player riding in the same cart, hit their shots in the same general area.
Dance floor: or someone says, “you’re dancing” -you’re on the green and will be putting.
Dog track: Not a compliment at all — it refers to a run-down golf course -poor up keep.
Dribbler: You barely make contact with the ball and it only rolls a few feet in front of you. Really embarrassing.
Duck hook: A shot that quickly flies left off the tee.
Fat: That shot where you hit way behind the ball -not moving the ball much at all. Fat or chuncked.
Flop shot: very high lofted shot that sits softly without much roll -maybe only going 10 or 20 yards.
Gimme: A conceded putt, short for are you going to “Give it to me.” most poor putters are always wanting a gimme even from 3 or 4 feet -cheating?
Grinder: A golfer who doesn’t give up on a hole even after poor shots trying to save a good score.
Hacker: A really bad golfer. A person who hacks it around the golf course -not fun to watch…
In the leather: Phrase meaning a putt is close enough to the cup – maybe a gimme (a distance the length of the putter grip)
Jail: You’ve hit a ball into an area where you don’t have a shot…you’re in jail!
Jungle rough: The thickest, deepest, nastiest rough on the course -ankle deep grass.
Kick: The way your ball bounces after it hits the ground -could be good or bad..closer to the green or into trouble.
Kick-in: A ball hit so close to the cup -inside a foot—you could just kick it in.
Killed: Usually a drive from the tee -you hit with all your might.
Knee-knocker putt: A putt of 2 or 3 feet with a lot of break or downhill and fast.
Knockdown: A ball you hit trying to keep it low -maybe into the wind or you need to stay under tree limbs.
Lag Putt: Usually a very long putt you’re just trying to get close to the hole — not trying to make it.
Lag: When you get to Impact ( hitting the ball ) -the club head should be lagging behind your hands. Goal of good players.
Lay up: You hit the shot wanting to be short of the green to avoid trouble or have a better angle.
Lip out: A putt that doesn’t fall in the cup. It hits part of the hole a comes out.
Muff it: really miss hit a shot -it goes a few feet..slightly better than a complete whiff.
Nassau bet: Probably the most popular form of golfing wager. It’s a three-part bet with score on the front nine, the back nine, and the overall total score being the wager.
Nuked: You hit a shot as far as you can with a given club. Say a 180 yard 7 iron, you nuked it.
O.B.: A poor golf shot that flies off the course (out-of-bounds), somewhere your ball can’t be played – costing you penalty strokes.
Pin high: Whenever you’ve hit a shot and the ball comes to rest at a point even with the hole or pin.
Ready golf: When playing ready golf you can hit your shot when ready even if it’s out of turn – in a effort to speed up play.
Reload: To hit another ball after you hit a ball out of play…you get to go again or reload
Robbed: Hitting a good shot or putt that doesn’t go in the cup -or goes in and come back out.
Scrambler: A golfer who plays somewhat erratically but still winds up with a good scores or saves par from inconsistent play.
Scratch golfer: Term to describe a golfer whose handicap is zero – he shoots par golf.
Short stick: The putter, it’s called that because it’s the shortest club in your bag.
Tap in: A short length putt, usually a few inches from the hole.
Texas wedge: When you use a putter from off the green instead of chipping with an iron -less likely to screw up a putt.
Thin shot: Hitting the ball at or above the equator of the ball – not hitting down on the ball.
Tight lie: not much grass under the ball -easy shot to stub.
Waggle: To move the club head back and forth before beginning your takeaway. Golfers do this to relieve tension before beginning their swing.
Whiff: When you swing at the ball and miss it completely – not good.
Winter rules: some course allow you to improve your lie before you hit your shot -because of harsh winter conditions.
Yips: A nervous disorder that afflicts golfers putting strokes on the green. Difficulty taking the putter back, coupled by twitchy hands. Has forced many a pro golfer into retirement or T.V.
Zone: When all your shots are good, putts are going in, drives down the middle, hitting all the greens in regulation. In other words everything is going your way.