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Dogleg

By Brent Kelley, About.com

Valhalla - Dogleg

An overhead shot of a dogleg hole at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.

David Cannon / Getty Images
Definition: This term refers to the direction of an individual golf hole. Many holes are straightaway from the tee box to the green. However, some holes bend, usually near the middle, in one direction or the other. A hole that bends is called a dogleg. If the hole turns to the left, it is called a "dogleg left." If it turns to the right, it is called a "dogleg right." The change of direction of a dogleg usually occurs near the point where a good drive is expected to land. A hole that bends twice - first one direction, then another - is a "double dogleg" (only par-5s are long enough to be true double doglegs).
Common Misspellings: Dog leg

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