100+ Words Related to Golf

October 15, 2023

Did you know that golf is one of the oldest sports in the world that you can still play today? Given its long history, you’ll be surprised that there are many unique words related to golf terms like scramble and fried egg.

The following ten golf terms include some of the most common jargon you will encounter while playing or watching the game. We’ve also included a long list of golf terms at the end.

Table of Contents

Fairway

The fairway is the closely-mowed section of a golf hole. It lies between the tee box(where you start) and the putting green (where you aim to complete the hole). Golfers try to hit tee shots that land on the fairway because it provides a good surface for the next shot.

Miss the fairway, and you’ll find yourself in the “rough” or in a hazard such as a bunker, another word related to golf.

Fun Fact: Players often measure their ability to hit tee shots by how frequently they hit the fairway.

Par

Par is the number of strokes you need to complete a hole. This golf term can also apply to the number of shots required to finish an entire course. Holes are usually categorized as par-3, par-4, or par-5, which roughly indicates their difficulty.

For example, you should finish a par-4 hole in four strokes. If you can finish a hole in fewer strokes than its par rating, you are “under par.” If it takes more, then you are “over par.”

Birdie

If it takes you one stroke less than par to finish a hole, then you get a birdie. One example of a birdie would be if you only needed three shots to complete a par-4 hole. Birdies are a mark of good play.

Albatross

An albatross, also known as a “double eagle,” is one of the most unusual words related to golf. You get an albatross when you finish a hole in three strokes less than par.

An albatross is a rare feat that usually only happens on a par-5 hole. If you complete a par-4 hole in three fewer strokes than par, you would have a “hole-in-one.”

Eagle

You get an “eagle” when you finish a hole in two strokes less than par. For example, on a par-4 hole, completing it in just two strokes would be an eagle. Note that all of the words related to golf that describe an under-par outcome are named after birds, except for the self-descriptive “hole-in-one.”

Mulligan

A mulligan is an informal term players use for a second chance to take a shot. You will only get a mulligan if your playing partners allow it. They usually only occur in casual games and aren’t allowed in official club play or tournaments. Taking a mulligan without notifying your playing partners or having a mutual understanding is cheating.

Handicap

A handicap is a rough measure of your golf ability. In effect, it is an estimate of how many strokes you would need to play a course at par. When playing a round with handicaps, you subtract your handicap from the strokes it takes you to complete the course.

Handicaps allow you to compete with players who have wildly different skill levels than you. You can use handicaps for casual rounds among friends or in formal tournaments. It also helps expand the social aspects of the game. Many players will compare themselves to their peers using their handicaps.

Shank

When you hit the golf ball with the club’s hosel (which connects the club head and shaft), you’ve committed a “shank.” This poor stroke usually causes a wild shot that sprays in an odd direction. Shanking a ball will generally put you in the rough and make it challenging to complete the hole. You’ll make yourself the butt of jokes if you shank a ball while playing a casual game with competitive friends.

Double Bogey

You get a “double bogey” when you need two strokes more than par to finish a hole. For example, if you need six strokes to complete a par-4 hole, you record a double bogey for the hole. For a skilled golfer, a double bogey is a terrible outcome, indicating you played the hole poorly.

Fried Egg

A fried egg is a term golfers use when the ball lands in a bunker and buries itself into the sand. The depression the ball makes in the bunker can look like a fried egg. A fried egg is harder to hit out of the bunker than a ball resting on the surface of the sand. Sometimes, a fried egg won’t move much despite an attempt to hit the ball out of the bunker.

Scramble

A scramble is a play format in which teams of golfers (usually four) compete by hitting from the best shot location of the team members after each stroke. Typically, a foursome will divide themselves into two pairs, and each team will compete against one another. This format is often used in charity or corporate golf events to encourage social interaction between players. It is also known as a “best ball” game.