The arrival of spring doesn’t just mean better weather; it also means golf outings. Is this the year you finally pick up the sport? Whether you are just starting out, have an avid golfer in your life, or just want to understand the golf terms that show up in everyday conversation, we’ve got you covered. The Pinehurst golf experts are here to break it down for you.
Golf terms to know:
Course
A golf course consists of either 9 or 18 holes with varying grass levels to increase or decrease the difficulty of play:
- Teeing Ground – the area where play begins on any particular hole. The teeing ground has two tee markers to show the boundaries of the tee area. This can also be referred to as the tee box.
- Fairway – a long stretch that runs from the tee box to the green. You’ll know the fairway by its well-maintained grass.
- Green – the smooth grassy area around the hole located at the end of the fairway. The grass is maintained specifically for putting and positioning the ball into the hole.
- Rough – taller grass that borders the sides of the fairway. The rough stretches from the tee box to the green.
- Bunker – a concave area containing sand or the like. A bunker is a hazard, which is anything on the golf course that could be hazardous to your score.
Gameplay
A round of golf typically consists of playing a set number of holes in a given order:
- Drive – the initial shot on a hole, designed to move the ball a great deal of distance. The drive begins at the teeing ground.
- Approach – a shot taken by a player from the fairway to the green.
- Over Clubbing – using a club that will hit the ball further than necessary.
- Fore – a warning to anyone nearby that the ball is headed towards them.
Scoring
Golf is played for the lowest number of strokes:
- Par – every hole is rated by the number of strokes the golfer is expected to play on that hole. Most holes are par-3, par-4, or par-5. The par can indicate how long that hole is. A par-6 hole is rare.
- Birdie – score of 1 under par on a hole.
- Eagle – score of 2 under par on a hole.
- Bogey – score of 1 over par on a hole.
- Ace – hitting the ball into the hole in only one stroke, essentially a hole-in-one.
- Handicap – a way of rating players. It’s the average number of strokes above par a player scores on one round of golf.
- Mulligan – a “do-over” shot to replace a poorly hit one. In other words, the stroke for the do-over won’t count towards the score. This is used in casual play only.
Head to the Links
Golf is a unique sport that has been around for hundreds of years. As a result, it has a language all of its own. Knowing that language will have you sounding like a pro, even if you are just a novice on the course.