Golf terms, slang and scoring words — the complete glossary
Golf has its own language. Some of it is obvious, some of it makes no sense at all — dormie, sandbagger, chili dip. Here is a plain-English glossary of the golf terms you actually hear on the course.
The short answer
- Birdie is one under par, bogey is one over, eagle is two under.
- Par is the score a scratch player is expected to make on a hole.
- Dormie means a match lead equal to the holes remaining.
- Sandbagger is a golfer who keeps an artificially high handicap.
Scoring terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Par | The number of strokes a scratch golfer is expected to take on a hole. |
| Birdie | One stroke under par on a hole (a 3 on a par 4). |
| Eagle | Two strokes under par (a 3 on a par 5). |
| Albatross (double eagle) | Three strokes under par — extremely rare. |
| Bogey | One stroke over par. |
| Double bogey | Two strokes over par. |
| Triple bogey | Three strokes over par. |
| A "snowman" | Slang for an 8 on a hole. |
| Buzzard | Slang for a double bogey. |
| Under par / over par | Your score relative to par for the round. |
Beyond triple bogey, most golfers stop naming the score and just call it "a number."
Course and shot terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tee box | The starting area where you play your first stroke on a hole. |
| Fairway | The closely mown area between tee and green. |
| Rough | The longer grass bordering the fairway. |
| Green | The putting surface around the hole. |
| Fringe (apron) | The closely mown collar just off the green. |
| Bunker | A sand-filled hazard. |
| Penalty area | Water or other marked area — red or yellow stakes. (The old term was "water hazard.") |
| Divot | The chunk of turf your club takes out of the ground. |
| Pitch mark | The indentation your ball leaves when it lands on the green. |
| Slice / hook | A big left-to-right (slice) or right-to-left (hook) curve for a right-handed golfer. |
| Fade / draw | A controlled, gentle version of the slice/draw curve. |
| Shank | A shot hit off the hosel that shoots violently sideways. |
| Chili dip | Hitting the ground behind the ball and chunking it. |
| Thin / fat | Hitting the ball too low (thin) or striking the ground behind it (fat). |
Format and play terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Handicap | A numerical measure of your ability that levels the field. |
| Scramble | Team format: everyone hits, best shot is chosen, all play from there. |
| Shamble | Best tee shot chosen, then everyone plays their own ball in. |
| Best ball (four-ball) | Everyone plays their own ball; team takes the lowest score. |
| Stableford | Points format: bogey 1, par 2, birdie 3, eagle 4. |
| Match play | Hole-by-hole competition — you win holes, not strokes. |
| Stroke play | Total strokes; lowest score wins. |
| Dormie | A match lead equal to the holes remaining — the leader cannot lose. |
| All square (tied) | The match is level. The modern term is simply "tied." |
| Mulligan | An unofficial do-over in casual play. Not in the Rules of Golf. |
| Breakfast ball | A mulligan on the first tee — often the first shot of the day. |
| Sandbagger | A golfer who keeps an artificially high handicap to win bets. |
| Gimme | A conceded putt — legal in match play only. |
| Pin / flagstick | The flag and pole in the hole. |
| Provisional ball | A second ball played when your first might be lost or OB. |
| GIR (green in regulation) | Reaching the green with enough strokes left for two putts to make par. |
| Scrambling | Making par or better after missing the green in regulation. |
Golf slang you'll hear on the course
- "Breakfast ball" — a free mulligan on the 1st tee.
- "Snowman" — an 8. Write it down and move on.
- "You're still away" — the furthest from the hole plays next.
- "Sleepy" — a putt that stops just short of the hole.
- "Dance floor" — the putting green.
- "Fried egg" — a ball plugged in a bunker with sand piled up around it.
- "Up and down" — getting on the green and holing the putt in two from off the green.
- "Worm burner" — a low, skidding shot.
- "Barkies" — hitting a tree; in informal games, sometimes a shot you can replay.
Frequently asked questions
What is a birdie in golf?
A birdie is a score of one stroke under par on a hole — for example, making a 3 on a par 4 or a 4 on a par 5. The term comes from early American slang where 'bird' meant something excellent.
What does par mean in golf?
Par is the number of strokes a scratch golfer is expected to take to complete a hole, based on its length and difficulty. Par is an expectation, not a requirement.
What is the difference between a bogey and a double bogey?
A bogey is one stroke over par on a hole; a double bogey is two strokes over par. A triple bogey is three over, and beyond that most golfers just call it a number.
What does dormie mean in golf?
Dormie describes a match-play situation where a player leads by exactly as many holes as remain to be played. Because the trailing player cannot get ahead, the leader is guaranteed at least a tie.
What is a sandbagger in golf?
A sandbagger is a golfer who deliberately maintains a higher handicap than their true ability in order to win net competitions and bets. It is considered a serious breach of golfing integrity and clubs can review and adjust handicaps.
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Learn the language and the rules together
Knowing the slang gets you through the banter. Knowing the rules gets you through the scorecard. The Save Strokes reference card covers the situations that come up most, and the Golf Bet Games Bundle gives you the side games to use that new vocabulary.