"A" Game

A golfer's best, most consistent performance level.

Ace

A hole-in-one — sinking the ball in a single stroke from the tee.

Afraid of the Dark

Slang for a putt that refuses to drop into the hole.

Airmail

A shot that travels much further than intended, usually flying over the target.

Albatross (Double Eagle)

A score of three strokes under par on a single hole. Extremely rare.

All Square

A tied score in match play.

Alignment

The position of the body and clubface relative to the intended target.

Approach Shot

A shot played toward the green, typically from the fairway.

Army Golf

Hitting left, then right, then left — erratic play that zig-zags down the hole.

Backspin

The reverse spin on a ball that causes it to stop quickly — or even roll back — upon landing.

Banana Ball

A severely curved slice shot, shaped like a banana. Usually unintentional.

Barkies

A side bet won by scoring well despite hitting a tree during the hole.

Beach

Slang for a sand bunker.

Birdie

A score of one stroke under par on a hole.

Bite

Said of a ball with heavy backspin: 'Bite!' means 'stay where you land!'

Block

A shot that flies to the right (for right-handed players) due to a delayed release.

Bogey

A score of one stroke over par on a hole.

Break

The curve or slope on a putt caused by the contour of the green.

Bump and Run

A low shot played near the green that bounces and rolls toward the hole.

Bunker

A sand-filled hazard. Also called a sand trap, beach, or cat box.

Buzzard (Double Bogey)

Slang for scoring two over par on a hole.

Cabbage (Spinach)

Thick, unplayable rough. 'I'm in the cabbage.'

Caddie

A person hired to carry a player's clubs and offer on-course advice.

Carpet

Slang for the putting green.

Carry

The distance a ball travels through the air before landing.

Cat Box

Another term for a sand bunker.

Casual Water

Temporary water accumulation on the course (e.g., after rain). Players may move the ball without penalty.

Chicken Stick

The safe, reliable club a nervous player reaches for instead of a riskier option.

Chili Dip (Fat/Chunk)

Hitting the ground well behind the ball, resulting in a weak, short shot.

Chip

A short, low shot played near the green, meant to roll toward the hole.

Closed Stance

A setup where the feet are angled away from the target, promoting a draw.

Cuban

A putt that doesn't fall — 'needs one more revolution.'

Dance Floor

Slang for the putting green.

Dawn Patrol

Golfers who tee off at sunrise.

Divot

The small chunk of turf displaced when a club strikes the ground. Always replace or fill.

Double Bogey

A score of two strokes over par on a hole.

Double Eagle (Albatross)

Three under par on a hole. One of golf's rarest scores.

Drained

Successfully sunk a putt. 'She drained a 30-footer for birdie.'

Draw

A controlled shot that curves slightly right-to-left (for a right-handed player).

Drive

The first shot played from the tee box, usually with a driver.

Driver

The longest club in the bag, designed for maximum distance off the tee.

Duck Hook (Snap Hook)

A sharp, low shot that curves severely to the left. Usually unintentional.

Duffer (Hacker)

An inexperienced or inconsistent golfer.

Eagle

A score of two strokes under par on a hole.

Executive Course

A shorter course with lower par, great for beginners and practice.

Fade

A controlled shot that curves gently left-to-right (for a right-handed player). The opposite of a draw.

Fairway

The short-mown grass corridor between the tee and the green.

Fat Shot (Chunk)

Striking the ground before the ball, causing a weak, short shot.

Flop Shot

A high, soft shot played with an open clubface near the green, landing with minimal roll.

Foot Wedge

Humorous slang for using your foot to nudge the ball into a better lie. Not allowed.

Fore!

The warning shouted when a ball is heading toward other players. Always shout it.

Four-Jack

Taking four putts on a single green. Painful.

Fried Egg

A ball buried in a sand bunker so only the top half is visible — looks like a fried egg.

Frog Hair

The closely trimmed fringe of grass just off the green.

Gimme

A short putt conceded by opponents in match play (or informally agreed as 'good' in casual rounds).

Get Up!

An expression shouted at a ball that appears to be falling short of the target.

Golfcore

A fashion-forward cultural movement blending golf aesthetics with streetwear and lifestyle style. Central to the Erthe ethos.

Grand Slam

Winning all four Major championships in a single calendar year. Never officially achieved.

Green

The finely manicured area of short grass surrounding the hole where putting takes place.

Grounding

Setting the clubhead on the ground at address. Prohibited in hazards.

Handicap

A numerical measure of a golfer's playing ability, used to level competition between players of different skill levels.

Hole-in-One (Ace)

Sinking the ball in one stroke from the tee. A cause for celebration — and sometimes buying drinks for the entire clubhouse.

Hook

A shot that curves sharply from right to left for a right-handed player.

Honors

The right to tee off first, given to the player with the best score on the previous hole.

Hot

A ball that comes off the clubface faster than expected.

Iffy Lie

A ball in an awkward position with an uncertain outcome.

In the Leather

A putt close enough to the hole that it's informally conceded — roughly the length of a putter's grip.

Jungle

Deep, thick rough. 'I'm in the jungle on 14.'

Juicy Lie

A ball sitting up nicely on top of the grass — an ideal contact opportunity.

Kick

The bounce of a ball after landing. 'Good kick' = lucky bounce. 'Bad kick' = into the rough.

Knee-Knocker

A short, pressure-packed putt — typically 3–4 feet — that makes the knees shake.

Lag Putt

A long putt played conservatively, meant to leave the ball close to the hole for an easy tap-in.

Lay Up

A strategic shot played short of a hazard or target to set up a safer next shot.

Links

A golf course built on seaside linksland — exposed, windswept, and firm. St. Andrews is the most famous example.

Lip Out

When a putt hits the edge of the hole but doesn't fall in. Heartbreaking.

Loft

The angle of the clubface, which determines ball trajectory. Higher loft = higher ball flight.

Match Play

A format where the goal is to win individual holes, not accumulate the fewest total strokes.

Mulligan

An unofficial do-over on a shot — typically used informally on the first tee. Not legal under the rules of golf.

Nassau

A popular betting format awarding points for winning the front nine, back nine, and overall 18 holes.

19th Hole

Slang for the clubhouse bar. The most important hole.

Nuked

A shot hit significantly farther than usual. 'He absolutely nuked that drive.'

Out of Bounds (OB)

Areas outside the playable course, usually marked with white stakes. Hitting OB results in a penalty stroke and replay.

Open Stance

A setup where the lead foot is pulled back, promoting a fade or left-to-right ball flight.

Par

The standard number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to take on a hole (3, 4, or 5) or for an entire round (typically 72).

Pin (The Stick)

The flagstick placed in the hole on the green to mark its location.

Playing Through

When a faster group passes a slower group ahead of them on the course.

Provisional Ball

A second ball played when the first may be lost or out of bounds, to save time.

Punch Shot

A low, controlled shot played with an abbreviated swing — useful in wind or under tree limbs.

Rainmaker

A shot with an extremely high trajectory.

Ready Golf

An informal pace-of-play agreement where players hit when ready rather than strictly by order.

Rough

The longer, thicker grass bordering the fairway. The penalty for missing the short stuff.

Sandbagger

A golfer who deliberately plays poorly to maintain an inflated handicap for competitive advantage. Frowned upon.

Scratch

A handicap of zero — a golfer expected to shoot par.

Scramble

1. To recover from trouble and still make par. 2. A team format where everyone plays from the best shot.

Slice

A shot that curves sharply from left to right for a right-handed player. One of the most common swing flaws.

Snowman

Slang for scoring an 8 on a single hole (the number 8 looks like a snowman).

Stroke Play

A format where the winner is the player with the fewest total strokes over a round or rounds.

Sunday Bag

A lightweight carry bag — perfect for a quick, casual round. No cart needed.

Tap-In

A very short, easy putt — close enough to the hole to tap straight in.

Tee Box

The designated area where each hole begins. Players tee off from within the marked boundaries.

Texas Wedge

Using a putter from well off the green instead of chipping.

The Turn

The halfway point of a round — the transition between the 9th and 10th holes, often where the snack bar is.

The Tips (Back Tees)

The farthest tee markers from the green — the most challenging tee position.

Thin Shot (Skull)

Striking the ball near its equator, producing a low, line-drive trajectory.

Toursauce

Anything saucy done in the style of a tour pro — a club twirl, a dramatic look at the yardage book, an exaggerated reaction to a putt.

Up and Down

Successfully holing the ball in two strokes when chipping or pitching near the green.

U-Turn

A putt that rolls almost entirely around the rim of the cup before staying out.

Victory Lap

The circle a putt makes around the rim of the cup before dropping in.

Waggle

A pre-swing motion used to relax the hands and establish rhythm before takeaway.

Watery Grave

Slang for a ball lost in a water hazard.

Whiff (Air Ball)

A complete miss — swinging and failing to make contact with the ball.

Worm Burner

A shot that barely leaves the ground, rolling or skimming along the turf.

Yank

A putt pulled sharply to the left.

Yips

A psychological condition causing involuntary jerking or trembling, usually in putting or the short game. Dreaded by all.

Zone

The state of peak focus and performance. 'He's in the zone.'