You might be familiar with a draw, a fade, a flyer or a line drive but if you spend enough time around golfers, you’ll hear a whole different vocabulary. One that includes everything from “hosel rockets” to “Texas wedges.” Some of these golf shot names are regional. Others have multiple variations depending on where you play. Yes, there are dozens more you may use in your group that may or may not be appropriate for this list. Here are the golf shot names most golfers should know.
Classic golf shot names
If you are talking about standard directional shot types, here are the basics.
Draw – Controlled right-to-left shot (RH golfer)Fade – Controlled left-to-right shotHook – Severe right-to-left shotSlice – Severe left-to-right shotPush – Starts right and stays rightPull – Starts left and stays left
Golf shot slang names
Here are the golf shot names you’ve probably heard, maybe with a few different twists. While there are entirely separate lists for shot lies or the names we give certain types of golfers, this one sticks to terms that specifically describe golf shots themselves.
Banana ball – Big, exaggerated sliceHosel rocket – A shot hit off the hosel of the club (aka shank)Chili popper – Another slang term for a shankWorm burner – Low screamer that skims across the grassStinger – Low, piercing shot (sometimes intentional)Missile – Low and very fastChili dip – Chunked shot hit well behind the ballSkull – Thin strike that often skips across the green on shorter shots Bladed – Hit with the leading edge of an ironTopped – Hit the top of the ball, causing it to roll weakly and barely advanceShank – A hosel-hit that shoots the ball hard right (RH golfer)Dropkick – A bounce off the turf into the ballSlinger – Big draw or hook, often used to shape around a doglegSidewinder – Curving stinger-style shotTugged – Pulled shot, usually with short ironsTexas Wedge – Using a putter from off the greenRope Hook – Low, hard snap hookZipper – Wedge shot with backspin that zips backwardDead duck – Shot that hits and stops immediatelyAirmail / overcooked – Shot that flies way past the targetSmoked / torched / cooked – Slang for a flushed or crushed driveFlyer – Ball that travels farther than expected (from rough)Mulligan – A do-over, most often taken on the first tee (unofficial, but common)Gimme – A short putt conceded without being holed, usually within a few feetDouble cross – When you aim for a fade or draw and hit the oppositeBreakfast ball – First-tee mulliganSplash – Classic bunker shot that lifts sand and ball togetherCut shot – Intentional shot that curves gently left to right (RH golfer)Duck hook – A severe, low hook that turns hard left and divesSky ball / Pop-up – Tee shot hit high off the face that balloons and lands shortDuff / flub / chunk – A fat shot where you hit the ground well before the ballWhiff / air shot – A total miss where the club doesn’t make contact at allBump and run – Low approach that lands short and rolls out toward the holeFlop shot – High, soft shot that lands with little to no rolloutPunch shot – Low, controlled shot used to keep the ball under trees or windFlushed / pure – A perfectly struck shot with solid, centered contactAce – A hole-in-one
Final thoughts
You might have a hard time working all of these phrases into your next round, but chances are you’ll hear or experience plenty of them over time. What did we miss? Which golf shot names do you and your playing partners use out on the course?
The post Golf Shot Names Explained: From Hosel Rockets to Worm Burners appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
