Golf Glossary
Learn the language of Golf — answer-first definitions with real examples, beginner to pro.
23 terms
- Attack AngleAdvancedAttack angle is the vertical direction the clubhead is moving at impact. Negative means hitting down on the ball; positive means hitting up.
- Ball SpeedIntermediateBall speed is how fast the ball leaves the clubface, measured in miles per hour. It is the single biggest driver of carry distance.
- Carry DistanceBeginnerCarry distance is how far the ball travels through the air before it first lands — distinct from total distance, which includes roll.
- Club PathAdvancedClub path is the horizontal direction the clubhead is moving through impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. Positive is in-to-out (a draw bias); negative is out-to-in (a fade or slice bias).
- Club SpeedIntermediateClub speed is how fast the clubhead is moving just before impact, in mph. It sets the ceiling for ball speed and distance — but only if contact is clean.
- DispersionAdvancedDispersion is how spread out your shots are, plotted as a pattern. A tight dispersion means repeatable contact; a wide one signals inconsistency in face, path, or strike.
- DivotIntermediateA divot is the strip of turf taken after impact with an iron. Its location and direction reveal your low point and club path — a free, visible feedback tool.
- DrawBeginnerA draw is a controlled shot that curves gently from right to left for a right-handed golfer (the opposite for a lefty). It is produced by a clubface slightly closed to the swing path but still open to the target line.
- Dynamic LoftAdvancedDynamic loft is the actual loft presented by the face at impact — not the loft stamped on the club. It is the main driver of how high the ball launches.
- Face AngleAdvancedFace angle is where the clubface points at impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. It determines roughly 75–85% of the ball’s starting direction.
- Face-to-PathProFace-to-path is the difference between face angle and club path at impact. It is the single number that determines how much, and which way, the ball curves.
- FadeBeginnerA fade is a controlled shot that curves gently from left to right for a right-handed golfer. It is the playable version of a slice, produced by a face slightly open to the swing path.
- GripBeginnerThe grip is how your hands hold the club. It is the only contact you have with the club, so it controls the clubface more than any other fundamental.
- HookBeginnerA hook is a shot that curves sharply toward and past the target line — to the left for a right-handed golfer. It happens when the clubface is closed relative to the swing path at impact.
- Launch AngleIntermediateLaunch angle is the vertical angle, in degrees above horizontal, at which the ball leaves the face. Together with spin it determines how high and far the ball flies.
- Low PointProLow point is where the clubhead reaches the bottom of its arc through impact. Controlling it — keeping it at or just ahead of the ball with irons — is the basis of pure contact.
- SliceBeginnerA slice is a shot that curves sharply away from the target — to the right for a right-handed golfer. It happens when the clubface is open relative to the swing path at impact.
- Smash FactorIntermediateSmash factor is ball speed divided by club speed — a measure of strike efficiency. A driver smash factor near 1.50 means the ball left the face at 1.5× the clubhead speed, the practical maximum.
- Spin LoftProSpin loft is the angle between the dynamic loft of the face and the attack angle at impact. It is the primary driver of spin and a key lever for controlling distance and flight.
- Spin RateIntermediateSpin rate is how fast the ball spins after impact, in revolutions per minute. It controls how the ball climbs, holds the air, and stops on landing.
- StanceBeginnerYour stance is how you position your feet, weight, and body at address before the swing. It sets your balance, swing width, and low point.
- Swing PlaneIntermediateSwing plane is the tilted circle the club travels on around your body during the swing. A consistent plane makes it easier to return the club squarely and on path at impact.
- TempoBeginnerTempo is the overall timing and rhythm of your swing — the ratio of how long the backswing takes versus the downswing. A smooth, repeatable tempo is what makes contact consistent.
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