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.

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