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Glossary of Golf Terms

Golf is a game that sometimes seems to have a language all its own. If you've run across golf terms you're unfamiliar with, or you just want more explanation, our glossaries of golf terms should help.

3 In 1

3 In 1 is the name of a golf game that can be played by a group of golfers or as a tournament format. Find out how to play it with this definition of the game.

Long and Short

Long and Short is the name of a golf tournament format for two-person teams. Find out how to play it with this definition of the game.

Low Ball-High Ball

Low Ball-High Ball is the name of a game or format for a group of golfers. How do you play it? Read this definition to find out.

Longest Yard

Longest Yard is the name of a golf betting game for a group of golfers. How do you play it? Read this definition to find out.

The Bear

The Bear is the name of a golf betting game or competition format for a group of golfers. Find out how to play it with this definition.

Nine Points

Nine Points, or 9 Points, is a golf betting game or competition format for a group of golfers. Read the definition to find out how it is played.

Perfecto

Perfecto is a golf format that can be played by a group of golfers as a betting game or competition format. Find out how to play it with this definition.

Fishies Golf Game

Fishies is the name of a side bet or betting game in golf. How do you play it? What does the term mean? Read this definition.

Scuffies

How do you play the golf betting game known as Scuffies? Find out with this definition of the term.

Hogies

How do you play the golf betting game known as Hogies or Hogans? Read this definition for the explanation.

Pinnie Golf Bets

How do you play the golf betting game known as Pinnie or Pinnies? Read this definition of the term to find out.

Greenies

What are greenies in golf? Greenie can refer to a type of betting game among groups of golfers, and also has another mean. Read the definition.

Chippies Golf Bet

What are chippies in golf? The term refers to a golf betting game.

Broomstick Putter

What is the Broomstick Putter in golf? Read this definition to learn more about this type of golf club.

Kitty Litter

Read this definition of the golf slang term kitty litter.

Cat Box

What is the definition of the term 'cat box' when it is used in golf? Here's the definition.

Beach

What is the meaning of 'beach' when it is used in golf? Read the definition of this golf slang term.

Fourball Alliance

Fourball alliance is the name of a golf tournament format. Here is how the format works.

Air Mail

Find out what the golf slang term air mail means with this definition.

Dawn Patrol

What does the golf slang term Dawn Patrol mean? Find out with this definition.

Goat Track

Learn the meaning of the golf slang term goat track with this definition.

Fried Egg

Learn the meaning of the golf term Fried Egg, or Fried Egg Lie, with this definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Rainmaker

Read a definition of the golf slang term Rainmaker.

Duck Hook

Read a definition of the golf term Duck Hook from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Bo Derek

Bo Derek is the name of a famous sex symbol, but it's also a slang term used in golf. Find out the golf meaning with this definition.

Hangman

What does the term Hangman mean in golf? Here is a definition.

Velcro (or Velcro Greens)

What is the meaning of the term Velcro when used in golf? Read the definition.

Banana Ball

What is the meaning of the golf slang term Banana Ball? Read the definition.

Dog Track

Read a definition of the golf slang term Dog Track from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Golf Slang Terms from Golfers Around the World

What golf slang terms do you and your golf buddies use when playing a round of golf? Submit them here, and tell us what they mean.

Golf Slang

This glossary of golf slang terms is part of the About.com Golf Glossary and provides the definitions you need.

Golf Terms - View the Full Golf Glossary

Need a definition of a golf term? Check out this extensive Golf Glossary, which includes hundreds of explanations of common and uncommon golf terms.

Tournament Formats and Betting Games

Find definitions of tournament formats (scramble, best ball, etc.) and betting games (barkies, Arnies, etc.).

Golf Course Terms

Do you need to know the definition of a term related to golf courses? Check out this glossary of golf course terms.

Golf Club Terms

Do you need to look up the meaning of a golf club term? Check this list of definitions relating to equipment.

Golf Handicap Terms

Need the definition of term related to golf handicaps? Check our Golf Handicap Terms list.

Golf Terms: Definitions from the Rules of Golf

Find definitions from the Official Rules of Golf, courtesy of the USGA.

Proxy (or Proxy Contest)

What does the term proxy mean in a golf context? Read the definition of proxy contest and see some examples.

Proxy Marker

What is a proxy marker in golf? Read the definition of this term from the About.com Golf Guide.

Hazard

What is a hazard on a golf course? Here is the definition of what qualifies under that term.

Golf Tee

The golf tee is one of the humblest pieces of golf equipment - but it's still important to golfers.

Tee Box

What is the tee box in golf? Here is a definitionof the term from About.com Golf Guide.

Island Green

What is an island green in golf? Here is an explanation of the term.

Waste Area

Here is a definition of the golf course term waste area from the About.com Golf Guide.

Forgiving

What are forgiving golf clubs? Read this definition of the term for an explanation of how the term forgiving is used in golf.

Forgiveness

The term forgiveness is often hear in relation to golf clubs. What does it mean? Here's the explanation.

Collar

Read this definition of the golf term collar, relating to putting greens.

Par 6 (Par-6 Hole)

What is a par 6 hole in golf? Read the definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Par 5 (Par-5 Hole)

What is a par 5 hole in golf? Read the explanation from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Par 4 (Par-4 Hole)

What is a par 4 hole in golf? Read the definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Par 3 (Par-3 Hole)

What is the definition of a par 3 hole in golf? Read an explanation from the About.com Golf Guide.

Lunch Ball

What does the phrase Lunch Ball mean in golf? Read the definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Sunday Ball

What does the phrase Sunday Ball mean in golf? Here is the definition.

Tee Ball

What does the golf term Tee Ball mean? Read the definition from the About.com Golf Guide.

Tee Shot

What is the definition of the golf term Tee Shot? Here is the meaning from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Quadruple Bogey

What does the term Quadruple Bogey mean in golf? Read the definition and view scoring examples.

Triple Bogey

What is the meaning of the term Triple Bogey in golf? Here is the definition, with scoring examples, from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Private Course

What is the definition of the term Private Golf Course? Here is an explanation from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Semi-Private Course

Here is the defintion of the golf term Semi Private Course from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Resort Course

What is a resort golf course? Here is the explanation of the term from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Daily Fee Course

What is a daily fee golf course? Here is the definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Public Course

What is a public golf course? Here is a definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Parkland Course

What is a parkland golf course? Read the definition from the About.com Golf Guide.

Desert Course

What is a desert golf course? Read the definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Heathland Course

What is the meaning of the golf term Heathland Course? Read the definition.

Yardage Book

What is the Yardage Book in golf? Here is an explanation of the term from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Pin Sheet

What is a Pin Sheet in golf? Read the definition of the term from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Pin Placement

What is the meaning of the golf term Pin Placement? Read the definition.

Reciprocals (Reciprocal Agreement)

What are reciprocals in golf? Here is an explanation of reciprocal agreements between private clubs.

Mark the Ball (Marking the Golf Ball)

Find out the meaning of the terms Mark the Ball and Marking the Golf Ball as they are used by golfers.

Small Ball

What was the small ball in golfer? It was a smaller golf ball that part of the golf world used for decades, while another part of the golf world couldn't use it.

American Ball

The so-called American Ball was the golf ball used in competitions govered by the USGA, and for decades differed in size from one of the balls approved for play by the R&A.

British Ball

What was the so-called British Ball, or small ball, in golf? It was a smaller golf ball in use under R&A rules. Learn more about it.

Concession

What is a concession in golf? Read the definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

Cart Path Only

Cart Path Only is a term heard at golf courses, and that influences how golfers move around the course. What does the term mean? Here's a definition.

Hole In One

What is a hole in one in golf? Here's the definition, along with some information about odds, unusual aces, and a way for you to share your own hole in one story.

Hole-in-One Insurance

What is hole-in-one insurnce, who provides it, and how does it work? Here's a definition of the term.

Hole Out (Holed Out)

What is the meaning of the golf term hole out or holed out? Read the definition from the About.com Golf Glossary.

4BBB Golf Tournament Format

4BBB Golf Tournament Format

Arizona Shuffle Golf Tournament Format

Arizona Shuffle Golf Tournament Format

MAP

The term MAP is sometimes found in news about new products and merchandise on the retail market. What does it stand for, and what does the term actually mean in regards to the pricing of merchandise? Here is an explanation.

MSRP

What does the acronym MSRP stand for, and how is the term used? It's a term you'll find in news coverage about new products on the marketplace, and on company websites and press releases. Here's an explanation.

Knockdown Shot

What is a knockdown shot in golf? Here is an explanation of the term from the About Golf Glossary.

Stinger (or Stinger Shot)

A stinger is a type of golf shot, and a term popularized by Tiger Woods. But what does the term mean? Here is the definition.

Four-Point Game

The Four-Point Game in golf is a betting game or points game for four golfers. How do you play it? Here is the definition.

Q-School

The term Q-School is often used in golf, but what does it mean? It refers to the qualification process for professional golf tours. Read the full definition here.

Ladies Tees

What are the ladies in golf, and why are they called that? Read this definition of the term, which explains.

Ladies Playday

What is a 'ladies playday' in golf? The term now refers to a type of tournament, but used to mean something different. Read this explanation to learn why.

Garbage Golf Game

How do you play the golf betting game known as Garbage? Decide on the bets that will count and how many points each is worth. Read this definition of the term for the explanation.

Red Tees

What does the term 'red tees' mean in golf? Read the definition here for an explanation of this common term.

Long Putter

What is the Long Putter in golf? Read this definition to learn more about this type of golf club.

Hanging Lie

What is a hanging lie in golf? Read the definition of this term from the About Golf Glossary.

Joker's Wild

Read this explanation of the Joker's Wild format to learn how to play this tournament.

Three Little Pigs

Read an explanatio of the Three Little Pigs format to learn how this type of tournament is played.

Definition: Swat Tournament

What is a Swat or SWAT golf tournament? Read this definition to find out.

Beat the Worst

Beat the Worst is a golf format that can be played by a group of golfers as a betting game or competition format. Find out how to play it with this definition.

One Person Captain's Choice

The One Person Captain's Choice is a golf tournament format. How is it played? Read this definition.

Toe-Balanced Putter

What is a toe-balanced putter in golf? This definition explains, and includes info about what types of golfers benefit from this kind of putter. These putters are also called toe-weighted or toe-down.

Definition: Monday Qualifying

What is Monday Qualifying in golf? Read the definition and learn how Monday qualifiers help set the fields for professional golf tournaments.

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