What Is a Dogleg in Golf?
A dogleg is a golf hole where the fairway bends to the left or right partway between the tee and the green. The name comes from the shape: from above, the hole looks like the bent hind leg of a dog.
On a straight hole you can see the flag from the tee. On a dogleg you often can't, so the first shot is about getting to the bend in a good spot, not about getting as close to the green as possible.
The parts of a dogleg
Golfers use a few words to describe a dogleg hole:
- The corner (or elbow): the point where the fairway turns.
- The inside of the corner: the shorter line, usually guarded by trees, bunkers, water or thick rough.
- The outside of the corner: the longer, safer line, with more fairway to land on.
- The landing area: the stretch of fairway at or just before the bend, where most tee shots are meant to finish.
Types of dogleg
| Type | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Dogleg left | The fairway bends to the left |
| Dogleg right | The fairway bends to the right |
| Double dogleg | The fairway bends one way, then the other, in an S shape |
| Slight or gentle dogleg | A soft curve rather than a sharp turn |
| Sharp dogleg | A near right-angle turn, often with a blind second shot |
Doglegs are most common on par 4s and par 5s, because a hole needs some length before there's room for it to turn. A par 3 is normally a single shot from tee to green, so it has no fairway corner to bend round. For more on hole lengths, see par 3 vs par 4 vs par 5.
Why course designers build doglegs
A dogleg asks a question on the tee: how much risk do you want to take?
- Cutting the corner: aim over the inside of the bend. If it comes off, you have a much shorter second shot. If it doesn't, you're in the trees, the sand or the water.
- Playing it safe: aim at the outside of the corner. You'll have a longer approach, but from the fairway.
Doglegs also stop long hitters from simply blasting the ball as far as they can on every hole. A tee shot that's too long can run straight through the corner and into the rough on the far side, so the right club off the tee is often less than a driver.
Designers use them to fit holes round natural features too: a pond, a copse of trees or the edge of the property.
Does the shape of your shot matter?
It helps. A right-hander who naturally curves the ball from right to left (a draw) will find a dogleg left fits their eye, because the ball turns with the hole. A player who fades the ball (left to right) is more at home on a dogleg right. You can read more in draw vs fade in golf.
If your shot curves the wrong way for the hole, aim for the widest part of the fairway and accept a slightly longer second shot.
Simple dogleg tips for beginners
- Pick a target at the corner, not the flag you can't see.
- Work out the distance to the bend and choose a club that finishes short of it, not through it.
- Favour the outside of the corner unless you're confident of the carry over the inside.
- Think about your second shot: the best spot is the one with a clear view of the green.
There's a full walk-through in how to play a dogleg.
Try it in Mashy
Mashy has a whole course built round them: Dogleg Downs is a parkland nine with five par-4 doglegs that bend round copses and ponds. With no driver or woods in the bag, you choose an iron for the tee shot, aim for the corner, and then decide whether to go for the green or play round the trees. Practice mode lets you replay any hole on the course until the corner feels familiar.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called a dogleg in golf?
It's named after the shape of a dog's hind leg, which bends sharply partway down. Seen from above, a hole that runs straight and then turns left or right has a similar angled shape, so golfers started calling it a dogleg.
Can a par 3 be a dogleg?
Almost never. A par 3 is designed to be reached with one shot from the tee, so the ball flies straight at the green and there's no fairway corner to turn round. Some very long par 3s have curved fairways, but true doglegs are found on par 4s and par 5s.
Should you use a driver on a dogleg?
Not always. If the corner is closer than your driver distance, a long tee shot can run through the bend into the rough or trees. Many players use a fairway wood, hybrid or long iron so the ball finishes at the corner with a clear view of the green.
What is a double dogleg?
A double dogleg is a hole whose fairway bends twice, first one way and then the other, making a rough S shape. They're usually long par 5s, and each of the two corners usually has its own landing area to aim for.
Is it better to cut the corner on a dogleg?
Only if you can reliably carry whatever guards the inside of the bend. Cutting the corner leaves a shorter approach, but a miss often costs a penalty or a chip out sideways. For most beginners, the outside of the corner is the better percentage play.