what are the different names of shots on the golf course

by Norbert Turner 6 min read

  • Tee shot or Drive
  • Approach shot
  • Putt
  • Pitch shot
  • Chip shot
  • Bunker shot

Most shots in golf can be categorized into the following types of shot:
  • Drive. This is a long distance shot usually taken from the tee, but can also be taken from the fairway if necessary. ...
  • Approach. ...
  • Putt. ...
  • Lay-Up. ...
  • Chip. ...
  • Punch. ...
  • Flop. ...
  • Draw.

Full Answer

What is the easiest shot in golf?

Most often, players use a short iron or wedge for an easy shot. A layup is one of the simplest shots in golf. The pressure is off somewhat, and all you need to do is swing easily and get the ball into your preferred area of the fairway.

What is a drive golf shot?

The drive is one of the most well-known golf shots, and you're likely to hear the name being used at the start of a hole. It describes a long-distance shot that usually starts from the tee but can also begin on the fairway, if necessary. Drive golf shots are all about distance.

What is a par 3 hole on a golf course called?

Such a hole is therefore called a par-3. And every hole on a golf course is rated as either a par-3, a par-4 or a par-5 (par-6 holes also exist, but they are rare). A very good golfer — or a very lucky golfer — might complete a hole in fewer strokes than the par (called "under par").

What is a hole-in-one called on a golf course?

But a hole-in-one — knocking the ball in the hole with your first shot — is also called an "ace." (On a par-5 hole, making an ace means a golfer is 4-under on that hole and, yes, golfers have a term for that, too: condor.) Scores over par can keep going up, and you just keep adding to the prefix, as in quadruple bogey, quintuple bogey, and so on.

What are the names of the shots in golf?

The Actual Number of Strokes That Result in These Golf ScoresDouble eagle: On a par-5, means you finished the hole in 2 strokes.Eagle: You finished the hole in 3 strokes.Birdie: You finished the hole in 4 strokes.Par: You finished the hole in 5 strokes.Bogey: You finished the hole in 6 strokes.More items...•

How many types of golf shots are there?

I've got all the shots I'm just not sure when I'm going to hit them! Or what about a shank, a top, a blade, a whiff? Okay, there are only nine proper shots that a golfer needs to master. They are the low draw, straight one and fade; the regular height draw, straight one and fade and the high version of each option.

What are the four shots in golf?

Butch Harmon: Four Shots You Need to KnowBUNKER PLAY: YOU'RE UNDER THE LIP. Here your standard bunker shot won't get the ball up fast enough to clear the bank in front of you. ... CHIPPING: THE PIN IS WAY BACK. ... PITCHING: THE BALL IS BURIED.PUTTING: YOU NEED TO MAKE IT.

What are the nine shots in golf?

Looking to add another dimension to your shot shaping ability when on the course? This simple drill will have you ready for anything the course throws at you. Shots include a High Draw, Mid Draw, Trap Draw, High Straight, Normal, Punch, High Fade, Mid Fade, and Low Fade.

What is a short golf shot called?

Chip A short shot (typically played from very close to and around the green), that is intended to travel through the air over a very short distance and roll the remainder of the way to the hole.

What are the 3 swings in golf?

If you look at the golf swings of the great golfers over the past 100 years, you'll start to see what Henry Cotton identified as three different types of releases, which are: Slap Hinge Release. Crossover Release. Push Release.

What is best shot in golf called?

An ace, commonly known as a hole-in-one, is the best score out there. When you get an ace, that means you get to write a “1” on the scorecard.

What is the hardest shot in golf?

The hardest shot in golf is being a foot or two off the green in rough with the pin 15 feet or less away on the green. Brian S. A greenside shot with the ball sitting down in deep rough or a fried egg in a trap to a tight pin with the green running down to a water hazard.

What is a left to right shot called in golf?

A fade moves from left to right. Professional golfers often talk about how they shape their shots, rather than speaking in general terms and saying something like hitting a “straight shot.” Golf swing speed and angle are also important, but here we'll break down these two shots.

How do you play different golf shots?

3:1111:36You NEED to learn these golf shots! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo experiment with ball position i'd now play my ball position i'm trying to hit it lower just backMoreSo experiment with ball position i'd now play my ball position i'm trying to hit it lower just back from center i don't go as extreme to the right foot.

What are the different golf swings?

We will be going over in this passage 5 different types of golf swings.Swing Style 1: Rotational Based Swing. ... Swing Style 2: Hands And Arms Based Swing. ... Swing Style 3: Separation Based Swing. ... Swing Style 4: Directing The Momentum Swing. ... Swing Style 5: Single Plane Swing.

How do you hit different trajectory golf shots?

0:589:11How to Control Golf Ball Flight Trajectory with Irons - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipDown here's some simple things that i can do the first thing that you can do is change your speed.MoreDown here's some simple things that i can do the first thing that you can do is change your speed. All right so if i swing this club. At my normal speed with my six iron let me hit it again.

Any Round of Golf Will Require Basic Shots to be Played to Complete Every Hole

The opening shot on each par 4 or par 5 is mostly played with the driver. Not only is it the longest club in the bag, but it is the most difficult to control. The loft on the driver can vary from 6 degrees up to 12 degrees.

Shots to Improve your Game

The ability to hit different shape shots during play is the key to lowering the handicap and lower scores. Golf courses are designed to challenge the player with every shot, and to meet this challenge requires some advanced skills. Here are the types of shots and a brief description of how to execute them:

How to Hit a Fade?

As with the draw, there are a few basics that encourage a shot with a fade bias.

1. The Punch Shot

This is played mostly when the ball is in the trees with over-hanging branches that block the intended target line. It can be played with any club in the bag, but the main criteria are to keep the ball flight below the tree branches.

2. Stinger

Tiger Woods perfected this shot and often plays it off the tee with a 2 or 3 iron. It is a low fade that stays beneath the wind. A great shot for links courses. The shot is played with the ball set back in the stance and the clubface “hooded” or slightly closed through impact.

3. The Flop Shot

Phil Mickelson is the master of this shot. It is played from a fluffy lie over a greenside bunker or water, to a tight pin position. The shot is played forward in an open stance, with an open face sand wedge or lob wedge. It flies high, and over the hazard with plenty of backspin, and stops quickly.

Final Thoughts

Learning to play a draw or fade is important if the intention is to lower the handicap and improve the all-around game. Doglegs will no longer present problems, and when out of position on a hole, it is a “get out of jail” card. Manufacturing a shot on the course successfully is almost as good as hitting a 300-meter drive!

What are the different types of golf shots?

There are several different types of approach shots such as chip shots, pitch shots and flop shots.

What is a chip shot in golf?

Chip shots are meant to hit golf balls toward the cup where they can be putted in to complete the hole. The flagstick typically remains in the hole during the chip shot, meaning there is the potential for the golf ball to clank against the flagstick and bounce away from the whole or directly into the hole.

What is a drive in golf?

Drives are shots hit from the tee in the tee box. This is the initial shot a golfer hits on a golf hole. The majority of these initial tee shots are hit with a driver. However, some tee shots are hit with low-numbered irons.

What is a fade shot?

Fades are golf shots in which right-handed golfers hit the ball from the left to the right. Alternatively, a left-handed golfer executes a fade shot when hitting the ball from the right to left. If the fade is excessive, it qualifies as a slice as detailed above. Fade shots begin straight yet curve to one side as they move toward the hole. Fades result from a clubface that slightly points to the side or an outside-in style golf swing. Though fade shots are often a mistake made by beginning and intermediate level players, the golf experts use fade shots in a strategic manner. Fade shots help talented golfers avoid objects in the flight path of their golf ball, ultimately making it that much easier to hit the intended target landing area.

What is a three quarter shot?

Three-quarter shots are those in which the golfer restricts his backswing’s length to 75% of the swing amplitude. Three-quarter golf shots are used when golfers are close enough to the flagstick or other target, necessitating a swing with 75% power.

What is a pitch shot?

A pitch shot is best described as a type of approach shot performed with a golf club that has a comparably high loft. Pitch shots are hit high in the air in order for the golf ball to land softly on the surface of the green and hopefully roll toward the hole.

What is the purpose of a wedge in golf?

Clubs with particularly high lofts, such as wedges, are used to execute chip shots with the overarching goal of the golf ball bouncing onto the green and rolling toward or even into the hole. Another part of what distinguishes chip shots from other shots is chips require a comparably short motion.

What is a golf shot?

A golf shot is the name for the shot that a player makes when hitting a golf ball. This could be with any club over any distance. A 300 yard shot is called a golf shot and so is a 2 yard shot.

What are the different shots called in golf?

There are 9 basic types of shot in golf. These basic shots mostly depend on how far you are hitting the ball and the type of club you are using:

What is a chip shot in golf?

The chip shot (or just “chip”) is a bit like a pitch shot but even shorter. A chip is played when the golfer has just missed the green. The shot may be no longer than 10 yards in length.

What are approach shots?

An approach shots is any shot which is hit with the intention of getting the ball on the green. This is because the player is “approaching” the green.

The Slice

For right-handed golfers, a slice is a shot that curves from left to right. It is the opposite of a draw. A golfer who hits many slices may wish to adopt an open stance to reduce their tendency toward a slice.

The Push Draw

The push-draw are the types of golf shots in which the ball starts out to the right of the golfer and curves back to the left before it comes to rest. For right-handed players, it will begin well to their left and fade back towards their body. Lefties will see the ball start left and fade right.

A knockdown Shot

Shot selection is important when designing a golf course. Many golf courses have mounds and other natural obstructions to consider, such as trees and ravines. Players must decide what technique will provide the best result if they are to play an accurate shot.

A bump-and-run shot

Golfers generally use their woods off the tee since they are longer than irons. However, if a player wants to hit it further but still has control of where they want to hit it on the fairway, this shot is recommended.

Flop

A flop shot is the opposite of a punch and is designed to take the ball over objects. The ball takes a very high arched trajectory compared to the distance it travels forwards. Flop shots are also used when the player wants the ball to stop quickly upon hitting the ground.

Shank

The shank is the type of golf shot that happens when the player miss-hits the ball. The club strikes the ball too near the joint between the clubface and the shaft causing the ball to dramatically veer off to the right for a right-handed player or left for a left-handed player.

Chip Shot

A chip shot is a shot played with an abbreviated swing, usually made with a short iron, and executed from the ground near the green. It gets its name because it borrows aspects of chipping in the game of golf; namely, using the leading edge to lift and propel the ball towards its target.

What is the highest par in golf?

A double eagle (very rare) is 3-under par (also called an " albatross "). A triple bogey is 3-over par. Given that a par-5 hole is the highest par most golfers will ever see, there is a limit to how far under par a golfer can go.

What does "par" mean in golf?

"Par" refers to the number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to need to complete the play of one hole on a golf course. Golf holes of different lengths will require more or fewer strokes by a golfer.

What is a birdie in golf?

They describe a golfer's performance on a hole in relation to the hole's par: A birdie is a score of 1-under par on a hole (for example, scoring 4 on a par-5). A bogey is 1-over par on a hole. An eagle is 2-under par on a hole. A double bogey is 2-over par on a hole.

What is it called when you need more strokes than the par?

And of course, most of us are not "experts" at golf, and so on most holes we'll need more strokes than the par (called "over par"). That's where those other terms — birdies, eagles, bogeys, and so on — come into play.

How many strokes are required to finish a 150 yard hole?

So a 150-yard hole is one on which the expert is expected to hit the green with his tee shot, take two putts, and, therefore, require three strokes to finish that hole.

What does "double eagle" mean in golf?

Double eagle: On a par-5, means you finished the hole in 2 strokes. Eagle: You finished the hole in 3 strokes. Birdie: You finished the hole in 4 strokes. Par: You finished the hole in 5 strokes.

What is a hole in one called?

But a hole-in-one — knocking the ball in the hole with your first shot — is also called an " ace .". ( On a par-5 hole, making an ace means a golfer is 4-under on that hole and, yes, golfers have a term for that, too: condor .)

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