A
- AceHole-in-one
- Holing the ball from the tee in a single stroke. The most celebrated achievement in golf. On a par-3 it equals an eagle; on a par-4 it equals an albatross.
- Approach
- A shot played toward the green from the fairway or rough, with the aim of getting the ball close enough to the hole to putt.
- Away
- The player whose ball is furthest from the hole — they play first according to the order of play rules (Rule 5.4).
B
- Birdie
- A score of 1 under par on a hole. In Stableford: 3 points. Often the realistic target on holes where a player receives a handicap stroke.
- Bogey
- A score of 1 over par on a hole. In Stableford: 1 point. For high-handicap players, a net bogey on a stroke hole can equal a gross par.
- Bunker
- A hazard consisting of prepared sand. The club cannot touch the sand before the stroke (with limited exceptions). Must be raked after play. Rule 12.
C
- Caddie
- A person who carries or handles a player's bag and may give advice on strategy, distances, and Rules. Any breach by the caddie is applied to the player. Only one caddie is allowed at a time. Rule 10.3.
- Chip
- A short, low-trajectory shot played from near the green, usually with a mid or short iron, to run the ball toward the hole.
- Course Handicap
- The number of handicap strokes a player receives on a specific course, calculated from the Handicap Index using the course's Slope Rating and Course Rating.
- Course Rating
- A numerical value representing the expected score of a scratch golfer on a specific course under normal conditions. Used alongside Slope Rating to calculate Course Handicap.
D
- Divot
- A piece of turf displaced when the club strikes the ground. Basic etiquette: always replace the divot or fill the hole with the sand/seed mix provided.
- Dog-leg
- A hole where the fairway bends sharply left or right. Dog-legs present the choice between cutting the corner (more risk) or following the laid-out route.
- Double bogey
- A score of 2 over par on a hole. In Stableford: 0 points — the minimum score in standard Stableford format.
- Drop
- The act of putting the ball back into play when taking relief. Since 2019, the ball is dropped from knee height (previously shoulder height). Rule 14.3.
E
- Eagle
- A score of 2 under par on a hole. In Stableford: 4 points. On a par-5 typically achieved with two strong shots and one putt.
F
- Fairway
- The closely mown grass between the tee and the green. Playing from the fairway gives the cleanest ball contact conditions.
- FlagstickFlag / Pin
- The movable marker in the hole indicating its position. Since 2019, players may leave the flagstick in while putting with no penalty if the ball strikes it. Rule 13.2.
- Fore!
- A warning shout given immediately when a ball may strike another person on the course. An etiquette and safety obligation.
- Four BallBetter Ball
- A format where two-player teams play their own balls, and the better net score of the two counts. Playing Handicap is 85% of Course Handicap. Rule 23.
- FoursomesAlternate Shot
- A format where two-player teams share one ball and take alternate shots. Tee shots alternate per hole. Handicap allowance is 50% of the combined total. Rule 22.
G
- General area
- The part of the course not covered by the other four defined areas (teeing area, penalty areas, bunkers, putting green). The largest area; replaces the pre-2019 term "through the green."
- Gimme
- In match play: a conceded short putt. The stroke is counted but the ball doesn't need to be holed. Gimmes don't exist in official stroke play.
- GreenPutting green
- The specially prepared putting surface around each hole. Only putting is permitted on the green. Another player's line of putt must not be stepped on or touched.
- Green fee
- The fee paid to play a round at a golf course, typically separate from any cart or caddie fees.
H
- Handicap Index
- A portable measure of a player's playing ability calculated by the World Handicap System (WHS) from the best rounds submitted. It's the number that travels with you from course to course.
- HonourThe honor
- The right to play first from the tee. Goes to the player with the lowest score on the previous hole (stroke play) or who won the previous hole (match play). Rule 5.4.
L
- Lie
- The position of the ball on the ground. A "good lie" means the ball is sitting up cleanly; a "bad lie" or "plugged lie" means it's sitting down in grass or sand.
- Line of putt
- The path the player expects the ball to travel from its position to the hole. It must not be touched or stepped on. Rule 13.2.
- Loft
- The angle of the clubface relative to vertical. Higher loft = higher trajectory, shorter distance. A driver has the least loft (7°–12°); a sand wedge has the most (54°–60°).
M
- Match play
- A hole-by-hole competition format. The player who takes fewer strokes on a hole wins that hole. The match ends when one player is more holes up than there are holes left. Rule 3.2.
- Medal playStrokeplay
- A format where every stroke across all 18 holes is counted. The lowest net total wins. Rule 3.3.
- Mulligan
- An informal "second chance" shot replayed without penalty. Not permitted under the Rules of Golf in any official form. Exclusive to casual social golf.
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N
- Net score
- A player's gross score minus their handicap strokes received. Competitions played with handicap are won on net score.
O
- Out of BoundsOB
- Areas outside the course boundaries, marked with white stakes. Penalty: stroke and distance — you must replay from where the previous stroke was made. Rule 18.2.
P
- Par
- The standard number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to take on a hole or an entire round. Holes are par-3, par-4, or par-5. Most 18-hole courses have a total par of 70–73.
- Penalty area
- Areas of water, waste ground, or other defined terrain marked with red or yellow stakes. If a ball enters a penalty area, the player takes 1-stroke penalty relief. Rule 17.
- Pitch
- A high-trajectory approach shot that lands softly on or near the green, used when an obstacle lies between the ball and the green or minimal run-out is needed.
- PitchmarkBall mark
- The indentation made when a ball lands on the putting green from height. Must always be repaired. Since 2019, spike marks and other damage may also be repaired. Rule 13.1c(2).
- Playing Handicap
- The handicap used in a specific competition, obtained by applying an allowance percentage to the Course Handicap (e.g. 95% for Medal/Stableford, 100% for Match Play).
- Provisional ball
- A second ball played from where the previous stroke was made, while searching for a ball that may be lost or out of bounds. Saves time returning to the tee if the original is found. Rule 18.3.
- Putt
- A stroke played on the putting green with a putter to roll the ball toward or into the hole.
- Putter
- A club with a flat or nearly flat face designed for putting on the green. It is typically the most-used club in any round.
R
- Ready Golf
- The R&A and USGA-endorsed practice of playing when ready and safe to do so, without waiting for strict honour order. Recommended in stroke play. Can save a group 20–40 minutes per round.
- Relief
- The process of taking the ball out of a situation (penalty area, abnormal course condition, unplayable lie) and putting it back in play, often with a penalty stroke.
- Rough
- The longer, less-maintained grass bordering the fairway. Shots from the rough are typically harder to control due to the greater resistance of the grass on the club.
S
- Scratch
- A Handicap Index of 0. A scratch player is expected to complete a course in par under normal conditions. Used as the baseline in the WHS handicap system.
- Skins
- A social format where each hole has a "skin" (a set value) at stake. If two or more players tie the best score, the skin carries over to the next hole. The winner of the next hole takes all accumulated skins.
- Slope RatingSlope
- A number between 55 and 155 (standard: 113) measuring a course's difficulty for a bogey golfer relative to a scratch golfer. A high Slope means the course is relatively harder for higher-handicap players.
- Stableford
- A points-based scoring format: 1 point for bogey, 2 for par, 3 for birdie, 4 for eagle. A terrible hole scores 0 and is forgotten. The most popular amateur format in most countries. Rule 21.1.
- Stroke IndexSI
- A number 1–18 assigned to each hole indicating the order in which handicap strokes are allocated. The hole with SI 1 is the first to receive an extra stroke when a player's handicap allows.
- StrokeplayMedal
- A format where every stroke over 18 holes is counted. The lowest net total wins. The most exacting format — every bad hole affects the final scorecard. Rule 3.3.
T
- Tee
- Either the defined area from which the hole begins (teeing area), or the small wooden or plastic peg used to elevate the ball for the first shot of a hole.
- Texas Scramble
- A team format where all players hit every shot, the best ball is selected, and all players play their next shot from that position. Ideal for social events and mixed-ability groups.
U
- Unplayable ball
- A ball declared by the player as too difficult or impossible to play from its current position. Three relief options are available, each with a 1-stroke penalty. Only the player can declare their own ball unplayable. Rule 19.
W
- Wedge
- A high-loft club (typically 44°–64°) used for short approach shots, chips, pitches, and bunker play. Common types: pitching wedge (PW), sand wedge (SW), gap wedge (GW), lob wedge (LW).
- WHSWorld Handicap System
- The unified global handicap system adopted in 2020, replacing multiple national systems. Calculates the Handicap Index from the best 8 of a player's last 20 submitted rounds.
Y
- Yardage
- Distance measurement in yards (1 yard = 0.9144 m) used on course maps and in GPS apps. Most courses also provide metric distances.