Here is a list of golf terms that are commonly used on the golf course.
Handicap Terms |
| Adjusted Gross Score (AGS) |
A golfer's gross score must be adjusted at the end of each round for
holes with particularly high strokes. Golfers can use the USGA Equitable Stroke
Table, to determine what the maximum number of strokes that golfer can take is
on each hole. The Adjusted Gross Score is used to prevent a golfer from padding
their handicap by purposely taking extra shots on a particular hole. |
| Course Handicap (CHcp) |
A course handicap determines how many strokes a golfer gets to take
off their score at the end of a round to arrive at a net score. |
| Handicap Formula |
HCP = (S - CR) x (StdSR / SR) x 96% |
| Course Rating (CR) |
The course rating is a number used to calculate your golf handicap. This number is assigned to each set of tees on the golf course and meassures the difficulty of a course. The number is set by the usga by estimating what the average professional golfer would shoot on a course.
The difficulty of the course can be determined by using the following formula:
Result = (S - CR)
A hard course has a course rating that is greater than par.
An easy course will have a differential that is lower than
par. |
| Differential Score (D) |
A differential score is a number calculated after each round. Used
as a big part of the handicap formula, a differential score measures the number
of strokes you are over par after adjusting for the difficulty of the course.
The differential is calculated by the following formula:
D = (S - CR) x (StdSR / SR) |
| Handicap Index (HcpI) |
A handicap index is number used in golf to allow golfers of
different skill levels to play competitively with each other. The handicap index
is used to calculate your Course Handicap. |
| Net Score (NS) |
A net score is a golfers gross score minus their course handicap.
The net score can be used to level the playing field among golfers of different
skill levels. |
| Scoring Record (SR) |
A scoring record is composed of a golfers last twenty golf
differential scores. The scoring record is used to determine you handicap by
averaging the best ten of your last twenty differentials and then multiplying by
96%. |
| Slope Rating (SR) |
The slope rating is a number used in the handicap formula to adjust
for the difficulty of the course. This number is a derivatived from the length
of the course and the speed of the greens. |
| Standard Slope Rating (StdSR) |
The standard slope rating is a fixed variable used in the handicap
formula. Set to 113, this number represents the slope rating of the average golf
course and is used to determine the difficulty of a golf course.
The difficulty of the course can be determined by using the following formula:
Result = stdSR / SR
If the result is greater than 1 the harder the course is.
If the result is less than 1 the easier the course is. |
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Common Terms |
| Double Eagle |
Three strokes under par (-3). If par is 5 for the hole and you
finish the hole with 2 strokes you got a double eagle. |
| Eagle |
Two strokes over par (-2). If par is 4 for the hole and you finish
the hole with 2 strokes you got an eagle. |
| Birdie |
One stroke under par (-1). If par is 4 for the hole and you finish
the hole with 3 strokes you got a birdie. |
| Par |
The number of strokes the average professional golfer would take on
a particular hole. |
| Bogey |
One stroke over par (+1). If par is 4 for the hole and you finish
the hole with 5 strokes you got a bogey. |
| Double Bogey |
Two strokes over par (+2). If par is 4 for the hole and you finish
the hole with 6 strokes you got a double bogey. |
| Triple Bogey |
Three strokes over par (+3). If par is 4 for the hole and you
finish the hole with 7 strokes you got a triple bogey. |
| Slice |
The flight path a ball takes when it curves away from the golfer
after impact. For a right handed golfer the ball would curve to the right. |
| Hook |
The flight path a ball takes when it curves back toward the golfer
after impact. For a right handed golfer the ball would curve to the left. |
| Fade |
The flight path a ball takes with a small slice. |
| Draw |
The flight path a ball takes with a small hook. |
| Break |
The movement of the ball due to the slope of the green. |
| Fore |
The word a golfer yells when he thinks his ball is about to hit
another group of golfers.
The term "fore" originated from the use of forecaddies. The forecaddy's job was
to stand out in the fairway where they thought the ball might land to keep the
golfer from losing the ball. When the golfer would hit the ball, they would yell
"FORE!" to let the forecaddy know the ball was comming. |