Golf glossary

48 terms with plain-language definitions. From scoring and shot types to tournament formats and mental game constructs.

Scoring

Ace

Holing a tee shot. Also called a hole-in-one.

Albatross

Three strokes under par on a single hole. Called a double-eagle in the US.

Birdie

One stroke under par on a single hole.

Bogey

One stroke over par on a single hole.

Eagle

Two strokes under par on a single hole.

Par

The expected score on a hole for an expert player.

Strokes and shots

Fairway hit (FH)

A tee shot that finishes in the fairway, on a par-4 or par-5.

Green in regulation (GIR)

Reaching the green at least two strokes under par.

GIR

See "Green in regulation."

Fairway in regulation (FIR)

Tee shot that finishes in the fairway. The standard metric for driving accuracy.

Putts per round

Total number of strokes taken on the green. PGA Tour average is about 29; mid-handicap amateurs average 33-36.

Three-putt

Taking three putts to hole out from on the green. The single biggest source of avoidable strokes for amateurs.

One-putt

Holing out with a single putt from anywhere on the green.

Up-and-down

Successfully getting the ball in the hole in two shots from off the green — typically chip plus putt.

Scrambling

The percentage of times a player makes par or better when they miss the green in regulation.

Tee shot

The first shot of a hole, struck from the teeing area.

Approach

Any shot intended to finish on the green, typically the second on a par-4 or third on a par-5.

Chip

A short shot from near the green that flies briefly and rolls toward the hole.

Pitch

A short, lofted shot from 20-80 yards that lands softly with minimal roll.

Fade

A controlled left-to-right ball flight for a right-handed golfer.

Draw

A controlled right-to-left ball flight for a right-handed golfer.

Slice

An exaggerated and unintended fade — typically caused by an open clubface at impact.

Hook

An exaggerated and unintended draw — typically caused by a closed clubface at impact.

Equipment

Driver

The longest club in the bag, used primarily from the tee on par-4s and par-5s.

Wedge

High-lofted club (typically 46-60 degrees) used for short approaches, chips, and bunker shots.

Putter

Flat-faced club used on and around the green to roll the ball into the hole.

Hybrid

A cross between an iron and a fairway wood, designed to be easier to launch from rough or long-grass lies.

Mental game

Commitment (mental construct)

The share of shots where you decided on the shape, club, and target — and executed without changing mid-swing.

Routine (mental construct)

Adherence to your pre-shot process — visualisation, practice swing, alignment, breath, go.

Reset (mental construct)

How quickly you let go of a bad hole. Strong correlation with avoiding consecutive blow-up holes.

Aim (mental construct)

Whether you selected a specific target before each shot rather than a general area.

Steadiness (mental construct)

Self-rated sense of control on a hole. The most subjective of the five constructs and the most correlated with score.

Consistency score (GolfStack)

A 0-100 number that combines driving accuracy, putting efficiency, and scoring discipline into a single round-by-round metric.

Tournament formats

Stableford

A points-based scoring system that rewards good holes and limits the damage of bad ones.

Stroke play

A scoring format where total strokes for the round determines the winner.

Match play

Hole-by-hole competition where the winner of each hole earns a point.

Scramble

A team format in which each player tees off, the team selects the best shot, and all players play their next shot from there.

Four-ball

Two-player team format. Each player plays their own ball; the lower of the two scores counts for the team.

Foursomes

Two-player team format in which the partners share one ball and alternate shots.

Rules

USGA 14-club limit

The maximum number of clubs a player may carry during a stipulated round.

Out of bounds (OB)

Areas marked off the course, usually by white stakes. A ball OB requires a stroke-and-distance penalty.