Dogleg (Golf Hole)
Also known as: dogleg, what is a dogleg, dogleg left, dogleg right, how to play a dogleg, cutting the corner on a dogleg
A dogleg is a golf hole that bends to the left or right partway along the fairway, like a dog's hind leg. A dogleg left turns left and a dogleg right turns right. The bend usually comes around where tee shots land.
On a dogleg, you can't see the green from the tee, or you see it at an angle. You have two choices. Play to the corner, at the bend, for a safe angle into the green. Or cut the corner by flying the ball over the inside of the bend, which leaves a shorter shot but brings more trouble into play.
Your shot shape matters. A right-handed golfer who draws the ball often likes a dogleg left. A golfer who fades it often likes a dogleg right. Check the yardage to carry the corner and to run through the fairway.
If you are not sure, choose a club that stops short of the bend. A shorter shot from the middle of the fairway often beats a long one from the trees.
Tips by skill level
Find the distance to the corner first. Pick the club that stops in the fairway short of it.
Know your carry distance to clear the inside corner with your usual miss, not your best shot.
Example
On a dogleg right, a golfer hits a hybrid to the corner instead of driver over the trees. He has a clear 140-yard shot and makes par.
Why it matters
Doglegs reward planning. Choosing the right club and line off the tee sets up the whole hole.
Common mistakes
- Hitting driver through the fairway at the bend
- Trying to cut a corner you can't carry
- Aiming without checking the distance to the bend
Frequently asked questions
How do you play a dogleg hole?
Usually aim for the corner of the bend with a club that stays short of running through the fairway. Cut the corner only if you can comfortably carry it.
What does dogleg left mean?
The fairway bends to the left partway down the hole.
Related terms
- Course ManagementCourse management is your strategy for where to aim, which club to hit, and how to play each hole. The goal is to limit risk and score well for your skill level.
- Club SelectionClub selection is picking the right club for each shot from real carry distance, lie, wind, elevation, and hazard placement. It is one of the biggest scoring decisions.
- Forced CarryA forced carry is a shot where the ball must fly over trouble, such as water, a ravine or a waste area. This is because it can't roll through. You need enough carry distance, not total distance, to clear it. Many holes offer a safer route or forward tees to avoid it.
- Parts of a Golf Course (Tee Box, Fairway, Rough, Fringe and Green)A golf hole runs from the teeing area, or tee box, to the putting green, where the hole or cup sits. The fairway is the closely mown strip between them. The rough is the longer grass around it, and the fringe or apron is the short collar around the green.
- Laying Up (Going for the Green vs Laying Up)Lay up when going for the green brings big trouble into play and you rarely reach it from that distance. Hit to your favorite full-wedge distance on the safe side of the fairway instead. Go for it when a miss still leaves an easy recovery or the reward clearly outweighs the risk.
Related guides & benchmarks
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