Blog · 37 posts
Golf Basics
Golf terms, scores and shots explained in plain English: par, birdies and bogeys, clubs and loft, lies, and the parts of a hole.
- Basics Carry vs Roll in Golf: What Is Carry Distance? Carry is how far a golf ball flies in the air before it lands. Roll is how far it travels after landing. Add them together and you get total distance. · 5 min read
- Basics Closest to the Pin Explained: Rules, Scoring and Tips Closest to the pin is a golf contest where the tee shot that finishes nearest the hole on a par 3 wins. Here are the usual rules, how it's measured, and tips. · 5 min read
- Basics Draw vs Fade in Golf: Which Shot Shape Should You Play? A draw curves gently right to left and a fade left to right (for a right-hander). Here's what causes each shot shape, the pros and cons, and when to use them. · 5 min read
- Basics Fat vs Thin Golf Shots: What They Are and How to Fix Them A fat shot hits the ground before the ball and comes up short; a thin shot catches the ball too high and flies low and long. Here's why, and the fix. · 5 min read
- Basics Golf Club Distance Chart: How Far Amateurs Hit Each Club A golf club distance chart with typical amateur carry ranges for every club, from driver to lob wedge, plus why your numbers differ and how to find them. · 5 min read
- Basics Hook vs Slice: What Causes Each and How to Fix Them A slice curves sharply right and a hook sharply left (for a right-hander). Learn what causes each miss, how to tell them apart, and simple fixes to try. · 5 min read
- Basics How Wind Affects a Golf Ball: Headwind, Tailwind and Crosswind A headwind makes a golf ball fly higher and shorter, a tailwind makes it fly lower and further, and a crosswind pushes it sideways. Here's how to adjust. · 5 min read
- Basics Old Golf Club Names: Mashie, Niblick, Spoon, Brassie and More Before numbered irons, golf clubs had names like mashie, niblick, spoon, brassie, cleek and jigger. Here's what each one was and its modern equivalent. · 5 min read
- Basics Out of Bounds in Golf: White Stakes, Penalty and Rules A ball is out of bounds when it lies fully outside the course boundary, marked by white stakes. The penalty is stroke and distance: one stroke, then replay. · 5 min read
- Basics Par 3 vs Par 4 vs Par 5: What's the Difference? Par 3s, par 4s and par 5s differ in length and in how many shots it takes to reach the green. Here's how each one plays and how to approach it. · 5 min read
- Basics Parts of a Golf Hole: Tee Box, Fairway, Rough, Green and Hazards A golf hole runs from the tee box down the fairway to the green, with rough, fringe, bunkers and penalty areas along the way. Here's what each part is. · 5 min read
- Basics Sand Wedge vs Lob Wedge: What's the Difference? A sand wedge has about 54-56 degrees of loft and plenty of bounce; a lob wedge has 58-62 degrees for higher, shorter shots. Here's when to use each one. · 5 min read
- Basics Stroke Play vs Match Play: The Two Main Ways to Play Golf In stroke play you count every shot and the lowest total wins. In match play you win holes, and the most holes wins. Here's how each works and which suits you. · 5 min read
- Basics What Does Fore Mean in Golf? The Warning Shout Explained Fore is the warning golfers shout when a ball might hit someone. Here's what it means, where the word probably comes from, and what to do when you hear it. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Bogey in Golf? Bogey, Double Bogey and Triple Bogey A bogey is one stroke over par on a hole. Here's what bogey, double bogey and triple bogey mean, how they're scored, and why bogey golf is a good goal. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Bunker in Golf? Sand Traps, Types and the Rules A bunker is a prepared area of sand on a golf course, often in a hollow, designed to catch wayward shots. Here are the main types and the rules to know. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Condor in Golf? The Rarest Score Explained A condor is four strokes under par on one hole, almost always a hole in one on a par 5. Here's how it happens, why it's so rare, and how it compares. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Dogleg in Golf? Left, Right and Double Doglegs A dogleg is a golf hole whose fairway bends left or right partway along, like a dog's hind leg. Here's how doglegs work and why designers use them. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Green in Regulation (GIR) in Golf? A green in regulation means your ball is on the green in par minus two strokes: one on a par 3, two on a par 4, three on a par 5. Here's why the stat matters. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Hole in One? The Ace Explained A hole in one, or ace, is when your tee shot goes straight into the hole. Here's how it's scored, where it happens, the traditions, and why it's so rare. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Links Golf Course? Seaside Golf Explained A links golf course is built on sandy coastal land between the sea and farmland, with firm turf, few trees, pot bunkers and plenty of wind. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Mashie Golf Club? History of the Old Iron A mashie is an old hickory-shafted iron with about the loft of a modern 5 iron, used for approach shots. Here's its history and what replaced it. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Pitch and Putt Course? Short Golf Explained A pitch and putt is a golf course of very short par-3 holes, played with a wedge or two and a putter. Here's how it works and how it differs from a par-3 course. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Pitching Wedge? Loft, Distance and When to Use It A pitching wedge is the least-lofted wedge, usually 43-48 degrees, used for full approach shots, pitches and chips. Here's its loft, distance and uses. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Plugged Lie in Golf? Fried Eggs and Embedded Balls A plugged lie is when your ball sinks into its own pitch mark. In a bunker it's called a fried egg. Here's the relief rule and how to play it. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Three-Putt in Golf? Why It Happens and How to Avoid It A three-putt is taking three putts to hole out once your ball is on the green. Here's why it costs you a shot, what causes it, and how to make fewer. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is a Topped Shot in Golf? Causes and Simple Fixes A topped shot is when the club strikes the top of the ball, so it scuttles along the ground instead of flying. Here's why golfers top the ball and how to stop. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is an Up and Down in Golf? Meaning and How to Do It An up and down is holing out in two shots from off the green: a chip, pitch or bunker shot, then one putt. Here's how it works and how to make more. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is Loft in Golf? How Club Angle Changes Every Shot Loft is the angle of a golf club's face from vertical. More loft sends the ball higher and shorter with more spin. Here's how it works, with a loft chart. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is Par in Golf? A Simple Explanation for Beginners Par is the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to need on a hole. Here's how par is set, what par 3, 4 and 5 mean, and how course par works. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is the Sweet Spot on a Golf Club? How to Find and Hit It The sweet spot is the point on the clubface that gives the most distance and the least twisting. Here's how to find it, why it matters and how to hit it more. · 5 min read
- Basics Golf Handicap Explained in Plain English What a golf handicap is, how the World Handicap System calculates one, what a course handicap is, and how handicaps let golfers of any level play a fair game. · 6 min read
- Basics What Is a Birdie in Golf? A birdie in golf is one stroke under par on a hole. Here's what that means on par 3s, 4s and 5s, where the name comes from, and how often golfers actually make one. · 5 min read
- Basics What Is an Eagle in Golf? (And an Albatross) An eagle is two strokes under par on a hole; an albatross is three under. Here's how each one happens, how rare they are, and the famous shots behind the names. · 5 min read
- Basics Golf Scoring Explained: Par, Birdie, Bogey and More New to golf? Here's what par, birdie, bogey, eagle and hole in one mean, and how to read a golf scorecard in plain English. · 4 min read
- Basics Golf Terms for Beginners: A Plain-English Glossary Fairway, green, carry, par, bogey: a beginner-friendly glossary of the golf words you'll actually run into, explained without the jargon. · 3 min read
- Basics Irons, Chips and Putts: A Beginner's Guide to Golf Clubs What's the difference between an iron, a chip and a putt? A plain-English guide to the shots in golf and when to use each one. · 3 min read
Nine short holes. Irons, chips and putts.
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