Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms rarely mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term “Dog License”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is a “Dog License” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Dog License” means in golf.

What Is A Dog License In Golf?

In golf, a “Dog License” refers to winning a match play round of golf against an opponent, with a winning margin of 7 golf holes, with 6 holes left to play. In other words, in 18-hole match play, if you win with a 7-hole margin and 6 holes left to play, you win a “Dog License”.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Dog License” is rarely mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts.

In golf, the term “Dog License” is the name given to a victory in match play with a winning margin of 7&6.

In other words, winning a “Dog License” in golf requires a golfer to have a winning margin of 7 holes over their opponent in match play, with 6 holes left to play, as per match play nomenclature.

As per match play nomenclature, the “7” is the difference in golf holes won between the opposing golfers; the second number, located after the ampersand (&), refers to the number of golf holes left to play.

Down below, you can read a real-world example of a “Dog License” being won.

Example:

Adam & Bob are playing some match play golf together.

After 11 golf holes, Adam has won 8 holes, Bob won 2 holes, and they halved on 1 hole (tied).

Adam’s margin is currently 6 holes over Bob.

The duo still has 18 – (8 + 2 + 1) = 7 holes left to play.

Adam’s score over Bob is currently 6&7 in match play notation.

With 7 holes left to play, Bob can still tie or beat Adam, provided he wins nearly all or all the remaining golf holes.

However, on the 12^th hole, Adam wins again, taking his score to 7&6. This means Adam won 7 more holes than Bob, and there are only 6 holes left to play.

With only 6 holes left to play, it is impossible for Bob to overcome his 7-hole deficit.

Therefore, as the winning margin is 7 holes, and there are 6 holes left, Adam wins a “Dog License”.

As you can see in the example above, getting halves (getting ties) on certain golf holes can change how many golf holes you need to win to get a “Dog License”.

Down below, you can see a chart listing all the possibilities for scenarios in which one can win a “Dog License”.

Golfer #1’s Hole Wins	Golfer #2’s Hole Wins	Halves (Ties)
7	0	5
8	1	3
9	2	1

If you would like to get better at golf and win more often in match play, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Dog License”

The origin of the expression “Dog License” in golf is very unintuitive to those who do not know it. It is based in the 20^th century history of the United Kingdom, in Europe.

In fact, in the United Kingdom, it would cost 7 shillings and 6 pence to buy a license to own an actual living dog. Naturally, some people made a link between the cost of a dog license, and a 7-6 winning margin in match play in golf.

Over time, the term “Dog License” started being used in golf to refer to a golfer leading by 7 holes in match play.

This means the golfer in question likely won 9 out of the first 12 holes, with 6 holes left to play. In such a case, the opponent would have won 2 holes, and scavenged a half (a tie on one hole).

With 6 holes left to play, it is then impossible for the opponent to overcome the 7-hole deficit, thus the leading golfer wins the “Dog License”.

Due to this history of dog licenses in the United Kingdom and the winning margin of 7 holes, it makes sense where the term “Dog License” shot got its name from in golf.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what a “Dog License” is in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Had you heard of the expression “Dog License” before reading this article? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms sometimes mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the expression “Compression”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is “Compression” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Compression” means in golf.

What Is Compression In Golf?

In golf, the term “Compression” generally refers to the pressure a golf ball experiences when hit by a golf club. The “Compression” of a golf ball squeezes it, making it temporarily deform and store potential energy until it is released upon shape restoration into kinetic energy.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Compression” is sometimes mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts, but not that often.

In golf, the expression “Compression” typically refers to the way a golf ball is squeezed and deformed by the pressure caused when it is struck with a golf club.

Once struck, the golf ball is “compressed” by the force of the club head, multiplied by the moment arm (shaft length).

This “compression” temporarily and elastically deforms the golf ball, thus storing potential energy into the deformation. Once the golf ball leaves the golf club, it is free to restore its original shape, releasing the potential energy into kinetic energy that improves shot speed.

The ability of a golf ball to compress and restore its shape afterwards also improves golf ball lifetime and durability.

An interesting fact to note is that different golf ball models from different manufacturers have different levels of hardness. Some balls are harder, some balls are softer, and this impacts how much each individual golf ball can actually compress.

Golf balls usually have a compression rating ranging from 30 to 120, with 30 being the softest, and 120 being the hardest. A harder golf ball will compress less easily, meaning it is best suited for golfers with a high swing speed.

On the other hand, if you have a slower swing speed, you can play with a softer golf ball, as it is often designed to travel the furthest distance with a slower swing speed.

If you have an average swing speed, there are medium-hardness golf balls available on the market for you.

However, as it is known that a higher swing speed is better to generate large carry distance on golf shots, it can be worthwhile to work your way up to being good enough to use a hard golf ball while still retaining optimal swing technique.

Softer golf balls are known to travel far away while harder golf balls can give you more accuracy. This is because a softer golf ball “compresses” more, so it has more energy to release when it restores its shape.

If you are a really good golfer, you can still get great distance from the more accurate and harder golf balls. This is because your swing speed will be quick enough to compress even the harder balls.

Another factor that impacts which golf ball hardness you should be playing with is the outside temperature of your environment.

In fact, the colder your weather, the harder your golf ball will feel, so you might want to play with softer balls to offset the weather’s effect. On the other hand, if it is as warm as 100F where you play golf, your balls are likely to feel softer than they are rated to be.

If you would like to work your way up to be able to compress the hardest golf balls that professionals use, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Compression”

The origin of the expression “Compression” in golf is extremely simple, and based in the English language.

The verb “to Compress” in English means “to apply pressure on an item or to squeeze it”.

When you apply pressure on a golf ball, it elastically and temporarily deforms, which is roughly the English definition of “compression” being applied.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense why the term “compression” is used to describe the deformation of a golf ball when subjected to the pressure of the golf club.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what “Compression” means in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Did you know a golf ball compresses once struck? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms sometimes mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term “Chip-In”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is a “Chip-In” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Chip-In” means in golf.

What Is A “Chip-In” In Golf?

In golf, a “Chip-In” is a special case of a “Chip” shot in which the ball ends up in the hole after landing. A “Chip” shot counts as a “Chip-In” whether the ball lands directly in the hole, or rolls into it after landing or bouncing a few times.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Chip-In” is mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts every now and then.

In golf, the term “Chip-In” is the name given to a special case of “Chip” shot. In fact, a “Chip-In” shot is a “Chip” shot that sends the golf ball into the hole, whether it lands directly in it, or rolls or bounces into it.

As a “Chip” shot special case, a “Chip-In” typically gives the ball a parabolic trajectory over a relatively-small distance, before landing, bouncing, and rolling into the hole.

It is extremely rare for a “Chip-In” shot to land the golf ball directly into the golf hole without bouncing or rolling.

In many cases, a “Chip-In” shot’s rolling distance will be superior to its carry distance, as the maximum height reached by the ball is typically not that significant.

The golf ball will often spend more time rolling on the turf than travelling in the air during a “Chip-In” shot.

“Chip-In” shots in golf usually occur near or on the putting green. These shots are notorious for being difficult to pull off, and will raise the cheer of spectators.

 “Chip-In” shots are easier to hit with certain types of golf clubs, such as wedges and short irons. However, “Chip-In” shots can potentially be achieved with just about any club.

When you “Chip-In” the ball in golf, you do not use full power, as it is a finesse-based type of shot. For this reason, the club head should often only be raised up to knee level during the backswing of a “Chip-In” shot.

Down below you can see an example of a “Chip-In” shot’s trajectory.

As you can see in the image above, a “Chip-In” shot’s trajectory often features a parabolic ball path over a short distance that quickly turns to bouncing, and finally, rolling into the hole.

If you would like to perform more “Chip-In” shots and improve your golf score, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Chip-In”

The origin of the expression “Chip-In” in golf is quite simple, and is based in the English language.

The verb “to chip” in English means “to cut or break a small piece from something”.

In golf, when you swing to hit a “Chip” shot, you actually dig up a piece of turf out of the ground, creating a divot. This movement “breaks” the integrity of the turf, resulting in chipping.

During a “Chip-In” shot, you both “chip” the golf ball, and hit it “in” the golf hole, which is the definition of a “Chip-In” shot.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense where the term “Chip-In” shot got its name from in golf, as it is effectively the act of “chipping in” the golf ball into the hole.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what a “Chip-In” is in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Have you ever managed to perform a “Chip-In”? How often do you pull off a “Chip-In” when you play golf? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms commonly mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term “Chip”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is a “Chip” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Chip” means in golf.

What Is A Chip In Golf?

In golf, a “Chip” is a shot type in which the ball follows a parabolic trajectory, over a relatively short distance, often accompanied by some rolling upon landing. A “Chip” is somewhat of a lobbed shot, generally resulting in the ball travelling more roll distance than carry distance.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Chip” is often mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts.

In golf, the term “Chip” is the name given to a shot type in golf in which the ball is “chipped” in the air over a relatively-small distance, following a parabolic trajectory, before landing and often rolling a considerable distance.

In many cases, a “Chip” shot’s rolling distance will be superior to its carry distance, as the maximum height reached by the ball is often not that significant. This means that the ball will often spend more time rolling along the turf than travelling in the air during a “chip” shot.

“Chip” shots in golf are mainly reserved to short-to-middle game near or on the putting green. The slight lobbing trajectory of “chip” shots make them great tools for avoiding obstacles or longer turf such as in the rough near the green.

Chip shots can also make great approach shots in some situations, to land the ball closer to, or straight onto the putting green.

“Chip” shots are easier to hit with certain types of golf clubs, such as wedges and short irons. However, “chip” shots can be achieved with just about any club.

An interesting note to mention is that “chipping” a golf ball often leaves a divot in the turf, as a chunk of turf is ripped out of the ground during the swing. If you would like to know how to chip in golf, you can read our guide: How To Chip In Golf?

If you create a divot in the ground after chipping the golf ball, it is part of golf etiquette to fix it with a divot tool. As divots can ruin the fun experience of playing golf, especially during short game, it is often forbidden to chip the ball off the green in golf.

When you “chip” the ball in golf, you do not use full power, as it is a finesse-based type of shot. For this reason, the club head should often only be raised up to knee level during the backswing of a “chip” shot.

Down below you can see an example of a “Chip” shot’s trajectory.

In the image above, you can see the approximate trajectory that many “chip” shots follow. You can see a parabolic ball path over a short distance that quickly turns to bouncing, and finally, rolling.

When you hit a “Chip” shot and the ball lands into or rolls into the hole, you performed a “Chip-In”. “Chip-ins” are considered impressive and will garner you some applause from the crowd.

If you would like to get better at accurately hitting your “Chip” shots and improve your golf score, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Chip”

The origin of the expression “Chip” in golf is quite simple, and is based in the English language.

The verb “to chip” in English means “to cut or break a small piece from something”.

In golf, when you swing to hit a “Chip” shot, you actually dig up a piece of turf out of the ground, creating a divot. This movement “breaks” the integrity of the turf, resulting in chipping.

It makes perfect sense where the term “Chip” shot got its name from in golf, as the swing causes the chipping of the turf.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what a “Chip” is in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? How often do you “Chip” when you play golf? In which situations do you personally “chip” in golf? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms sometimes mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term “Break”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is the “Break” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Break” means in golf.

What Is The “Break” In Golf?

In golf, the “Break” is the extra movement imposed on a golf ball after it is struck, due to the slopes and the topography of the turf it travels on. For example, if you putt a ball straight and it turns to the left once it meets a small slope, then it is “breaking left”.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Break” is often mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts.

In golf, the term “Break” is the name given to the phenomenon of a putted ball changing directions on a putting green, due to the slopes and the topography of the putting green itself. The “Break” refers to the extra movement imposed on a golf ball due to the slopes it rolls on.

In some cases, people use the term the “Break” to refer to the slope or the topography of a putting green.

Why does the “Break” exist in golf? The answer is simple. Most putting greens are not perfectly flat, and are purposely designed to have all sorts of slopes and undulations. These slopes and undulations create more difficult and challenging putts, and are the cause of “Breaks” in golf.

If you watch professional golf, you may have noticed that many of the professional golfers like to squat down before putting to examine the putting green. What they are doing in those moments is analyzing the “Breaks” and the slopes of the putting green.

Knowing how to “read” the “breaks” allows a golfer to counteract the effect of a break and compensate by aiming a bit more towards the slope that would cause a “break”.

Being able to read and compensate for breaks allows golfers putt the ball in the hole with a much higher success rate.

Down below, you can see an example of a “Break” during a golf putt.

As you can see in the example above, not reading the “break” of a putting green will force your strokes to miss, and cause you great frustration. In this example, although there are multiple paths to victory, to one-putt this ball, you could aim more to the left to account for the “break”.

“Breaks” are tricky to deal with in golf. They are one of the main reasons why the short game is such a challenging aspect of golf.

It is hard to see with your eyes exactly what the topology of a putting green is, and even if you can, you still have to translate that vision to your golf clubs in a pure game of inches in order to hole the ball.

If you initially hit a ball straight ahead on the putting green, but its path curves to the left due to the slopes it travels on, then it is said to be “breaking left”. If the ball path curves to the right side (like in the image above), then it is “breaking right”.

Furthermore, how much your golf ball breaks when it encounters a slope depends on many factors such as slope angle, the turf characteristics, and how fast the ball is travelling.

In fact, if your golf ball is travelling along a sloped surface at a fast speed, it will not spend a long time on the slope, so it will not be affected that much.

However, if a golf ball is travelling slowly along a slope, then it will spend a long time on the slope, and the “break” will be significant.

If you would like to have a better chance of taming the “Breaks” on a putting green, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Break”

The origin of the expression “Break” in golf is extremely simple.

When you are putting then golf ball on a flat putting green, your intended ball path will be a straight line from the ball to the hole.

However, when you introduce a certain slope along the straight ball bath, it will “break” or interrupt the actual ball path.

Therefore, the “Break” in golf is the effect a slope has of “breaking” the straight theoretical path a ball would follow to the hole. In other words, the destructive connotation of the term “break” in golf makes sense due to the meaning of the term.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what the “Break” means in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you find it hard to read the “breaks” in golf? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms sometimes mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the expression “Better Ball”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is “Better Ball” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Better Ball” means in golf.

What Is “Better Ball” In Golf?

In golf, “Better Ball” is a 2-golfer-per-group tournament scoring format in which every group member plays their own ball, but the group only keeps the best score. The group’s score for each hole is equal to the best score for each hole scored by the groups’ individual members.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Better Ball” is sometimes mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts, most notably in tournaments.

In golf, the expression “Better Ball” is the name given to a specific playing format that pits groups of 2 golfers against each other. To make the comparison of scores between groups easier, each group only has one score, the “Better” score.

“Better Ball” is a scoring format in golf that is typically used in some tournaments with groups of 2. In “Better Ball”, each member of a group plays their own ball on every hole, but the group only keeps the best score for each hole as the score of the group.

In other words, the group’s score for each individual hole is equal to the better score for each hole among those scored by the group’s individual members.

In “Better Ball”, each team of 2 golfers ultimately compare their scores against the scores of every other team in the tournament. When everyone finished playing, the team with the lowest “Better Score” wins the tournament.

The “Better Ball” playing format in golf is often used for stroke play, but it can also be used in match play. The “Better Ball” playing format is very similar to the “Best Ball” playing format.

Naturally, as “Better Ball” retains for the group the better scores among those score by multiple golfers, the group’s score is generally lower than the usual scores each individual golfer would score alone.

The only way the group’s score can be equal to an individual golfer’s score is if one individual golfer in the group scores better than or equal to his teammate on every single hole.

Down below, you can read about a real-world example of a group figuring out what their score is for a particular golf hole in a “Better Ball” tournament.

Example:

Andy, and Bob are teammates in a “Better Ball” tournament.

On hole #5, Andy, and Bob respectively scored +2, and -2.

Since the best score among the group members is -2, a score held by Bob, the group’s score for hole #5 is -2.

As you can see in the example above, in “Better Ball”, it is possible for a great golf player to carry a weaker player to victory in a tournament.

Therefore, if you have a large gathering of friends with various skill levels, or want to organize your own golf tournament, using the “Better Ball” playing format can be great.

By putting one of the better players in each group, the weaker players can still feel like they have a chance of winning the tournament.

In addition, you could also incorporate a handicap system so that the weaker players also have a chance to contribute to the “Better Ball” score, rather than just being active bystanders in a tournament.

The “Better Ball” golf tournament format also has the great added bonus of fostering a great sense of team spirit and camaraderie between the 2 members of a group. This playing format can be great to play as a team building activity, or even potentially for a romantic date.

If you would like to have the “Better Ball” in your group more often, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Better Ball”

The origin of the expression “Better Ball” in golf is extremely simple.

In the “Better Ball” playing format, teams of golfers literally choose as their group score the score of the ball with the score that is “better” than all the others.

For example, if 2 golfers in a same group respectively scored +3 and +1 for a given golf hole, then the “Better Ball” is the ball that scored +1, which is a better score than +3.

Therefore, in the “Better Ball” golf playing format, groups literally pick the “better-scoring balls” as their group score. This reason is why the “Better Ball” playing format is called the way it is.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what “Better Ball” means in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you like playing the “Better Ball” playing format in golf? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms sometimes mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the expression “Best Ball”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is “Best Ball” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Best Ball” means in golf.

What Is “Best Ball” In Golf?

In golf, “Best Ball” is a group tournament scoring format in which every group member plays their own ball, but the group only keeps the best score. In other words, the group’s score for each hole is equal to the best score for each hole scored by the groups’ individual members.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Best Ball” is sometimes mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts, most notably in tournaments.

In golf, the expression “Best Ball” is the name given to a specific playing format that pits groups of golfers against each other. To make the comparison of scores between groups easier, each group only has one score, the “Best” score.

“Best Ball” is a scoring format in golf that is typically used in some tournaments with groups of 2 to 4 golfers. In “Best Ball”, each member of a group plays their own ball on every hole, but the group only keeps the best score for each hole as the score of the group.

In other words, the group’s score for each individual hole is equal to the best score for each hole scored by the group’s individual members.

The “Best Ball” playing format in golf is most often used for stroke play, but it can also be used in match play. The “Best Ball” playing format is very similar to the “Better Ball” playing format.

At the end of a “Best Ball” tournament, the team with the lowest score and beats the other teams and wins.

Naturally, as “Best Ball” retains for the group the best scores among multiple golfers, the group’s score is generally lower than the usual scores each individual golfer would score.

The only way the group’s score can be equal to an individual golfer’s score is if one individual golfer in the group scores better than or equal to his teammates on every single hole.

Down below, you can read about a real-world example of a group figuring out what their score is for a particular golf hole in a “Best Ball” tournament.

Example:

Andy, Bob, and Cam are teammates in a “Best Ball” tournament.

On hole #3, Andy, Bob, and Cam respectively scored +4, -1 and +1.

Since the best score among the group members is -1, a score held by Bob, the group’s score for hole #3 is -1.

As you can see in the example above, in “Best Ball”, it is possible for a great golf player to carry weaker players to victory in a tournament.

Therefore, if you have a large gathering of friends with various skill levels, or want to organize your own golf tournament, using the “Best Ball” playing format can be great.

By putting one of the better players in each group, the weaker players can still feel like they have a chance of winning the tournament.

In addition, you could also incorporate a handicap system so that the weaker players also have a chance to contribute to the “Best Ball” score, rather than just being active bystanders in a tournament.

The “Best Ball” golf tournament format also has the great added bonus of fostering a great sense of team spirit and camaraderie between the members of a group. This playing format can be great to play as a team building activity.

You can actually find the “Best Ball” playing format in certain professional golf tournaments, such as the Ryder Cup. In the case of the Ryder Cup, which uses 2-player groups with match play rules, the “Best Ball” format has a special name: “Four Ball”.

The term “Four Ball” comes from the fact that there are four golf balls and 4 players in play when 2 groups are up against each other in this format.

If you would like to have the “Best Ball” in your group more often, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Best Ball”

The origin of the expression “Best Ball” in golf is extremely simple.

In the “Best Ball” playing format, teams of golfers literally choose as their group score the score of the ball with the best score.

For example, if 2 golfers in a same group respectively scored +3 and +1 for a given golf hole, then the best ball is the ball that scored +1, which is a better score than +3.

Therefore, in the “Best Ball” golf playing format, groups literally pick the “best-scoring balls” as their group score. This reason is why the “Best Ball” playing format is called the way it is.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what “Best Ball” means in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you like playing the “Best Ball” playing format in golf? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms often mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term “Slice”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is a “Slice” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Slice” means in golf.

What Is A Slice In Golf?

In golf, a “Slice” is a golf ball hit in such a way that it has a sharply curved trajectory. The trajectory goes from left to right for right-handed golfers, and from right to left for left-handed golfers. A “Slice” is generally the result of bad technique, and to be avoided.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Slice” is very often mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts.

In golf, the expression “Slice” is the name given to a golf shot that follows a sharp outwards trajectory. A “Slice” curves from left to right for right-handed golfers, and from right to left for left-handed golfers.

You generally want to avoid “Slice” shots in golf, as they reduce the distance the ball travels. “Slices” are also likely to curve too much for your benefit, and to end up in an area with a bad lie, bunkers, or other elements that will impede you.

“Slice” shots are very common in golf, and more often than not, not intentional. In many cases, it is preferable to hit a straight, predictable shot in golf. Beginners often hit “Slice” shots unintentionally, and land their ball in the rough, which can be incredibly frustrating.

On the other hand, the best golfers on the planet sometimes intentionally use curved shots such as “Slices”, depending on the situation and their position on a specific golf hole.

However, one caveat to note is that “Slices” feature quite a dramatic curve, and professional golfers will often prefer a more docile “fade” shot when they require a curved trajectory.

If you yourself are performing many “Slices”, you need to fix them and turn them into “fades” in order to become a better golfer with lower scores. “Fades” in golf are like “Slices”, but with a curved trajectory that is less sharp, easier to control, and more accurate.

Later in this article, we explain how to turn your “Slices” into “Fades”.

Down below is a real-world example of the curve a Slice shot follows.

In the image above, you can see the approximate curve that a Slice shot will follow if you hit the ball in a certain way.

This type of curved trajectory can be extremely damaging to your golf score as it reduces the carry distance your ball travels, and can land it in the rough or other hazards.

However, in a few specific cases, the “Slice” could be useful for getting around a dogleg golf hole, or avoiding certain obstacles.

For a right-handed golfer (as most golfers are, such as in the image), a Slice shot will send the ball flying far to the right.

For left-handed golfers, a Slice shot will do the opposite, and send the ball flying far towards the left. You can literally mirror the image to know what a Slice would look like for a left-handed golfer.

The curved trajectory of a “Slice” shot is caused by an open club head face at ball impact, along with a club head path that brings the club head in closer to your feet.

For a right-handed golfer, the open club head face gives the golf ball an initial trajectory towards the right side, and the club head path towards the left side brushes the ball in such a way that its trajectory curves to the right.

If you are hitting many “Slices” and want to turn them into “Fades”, you will generally want to work on the club head path.

Instead of brushing your club head aggressively inwards, try giving your club head path a more neutral, straighter path towards your target, with a slight inward bias.

If that does not fix your “Slices”, you should also try closing your club face a bit more upon ball impact. Try to give your club head face a more neutral point of impact with the golf ball.

It is possible that your club face is too open because you have a bad golf club grip technique; your wrist may simply be turned too much around the grip by default, which will curve all your shots outwards too much.

To learn the best and correct golf club grip technique, you can read our guide: How To Hold A Golf Club?. Holding your golf club correctly will give your club head face a more neutral position by default, or a slightly closed bias, which will help your entire golf game.

These 3 fixes should turn your “Slices” into the “Fades” the Tour professionals commonly love to use.

If you would like to get better at turning your “Slices” into “Fades”, and improve your golf score, read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Slice”

The origin of the expression “Slice” in golf is intuitive, but not that simple.

When you hit a “Slice” shot, the path the golf club head follows and the openness of the club face make it almost feel like you are “slicing” through the ball with a sharp sword.

Instead of hitting the golf ball head on and sending it flying straight ahead, the “brushing” or “slicing” of the golf ball makes it curve outwards and lose distance.

Due to the “slicing the ball” metaphor, it makes perfect sense where the term “Slice” got its name from in golf.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what a “Slice” is in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you get frustrated when you hit a “Slice” shot in golf? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms rarely mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term “Banana”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is a “Banana” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the term “Banana” means in golf.

What Is A Banana In Golf?

In golf, a “Banana” is a golf ball hit in such a way that it has a curved trajectory. The trajectory goes from left to right for right-handed golfers, and from right to left for left-handed golfers. A “Banana” is essentially the same shot type as a “slice” in golf, and generally to be avoided.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Banana” is seldom mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts.

In golf, the expression “Banana” is the name given to a golf shot with the same curved trajectory as a “slice” shot. A “Banana” curves from left to right for right-handed golfers, and from right to left for left-handed golfers.

You generally want to avoid “Banana” slices in golf, as they reduce the distance the ball travels, and are likely to curve too much and into an area with a bad lie.

“Banana” shots are very common in golf, and often not intentional. In many cases, it is preferable to hit a straight, predictable shot in golf. Beginners often hit “banana” shots unintentionally, and land their ball in the rough, which can be incredibly frustrating.

On the other hand, the best golfers on the planet sometimes intentionally use curved shots such as “Bananas”, depending on the situation and their position on a specific golf hole.

However, one caveat to note is that “Bananas” feature quite a dramatic curve, and pros will often prefer a more docile “fade” shot when they require a curved trajectory.

If you yourself are performing many “Bananas”, you need to fix them and turn them into “fades” in order to become a better golfer with lower scores. “Fades” in golf are like “Bananas”, but with a curved trajectory that is less sharp, easier to control, and more accurate.

Later in this article, we explain how to turn your “Bananas” into “Fades”.

Down below is a real-world example of the curve a Banana Slice shot follows.

In the image above, you can see the approximate curve that a banana slice will follow if you hit the ball in a certain way.

This type of curved trajectory can be extremely damaging to your golf score as it reduces the carry distance your ball travels, and can land it in the rough or other hazards.

However, in a few specific cases, the “Banana” could be useful for getting around a dogleg golf hole, or avoiding certain obstacles.

For a right-handed golfer (as most golfers are, such as in the image), a banana slice will send the ball flying far to the right.

For left-handed golfers, a banana slice will do the opposite, and send the ball flying far towards the left. You can literally mirror the image to know what a banana would look like for a left-handed golfer.

The curved trajectory of a “Banana” shot is caused by an open club head face at ball impact, along with a club head path that brings the club head in closer to your feet.

For a right-handed golfer, the open club head face gives the golf ball an initial trajectory towards the right side, and the club head path towards the left side brushes the ball in such a way that its trajectory curves to the right.

If you are hitting many “Bananas” and want to turn them into “Fades”, you will generally want to work on the club head path.

Instead of brushing your club head aggressively inwards, try giving your club head path a more neutral, straighter path towards your target, with a slight inward bias.

If that does not fix your “Bananas”, you should also try closing your club face a bit more upon ball impact. Try to give your club head face a more neutral point of impact with the golf ball.

It is possible that your club face is too open because you have a bad golf club grip technique; your wrist may simply be turned too much around the grip by default, which will curve all your shots outwards too much.

To learn the best and correct golf club grip technique, you can read our guide: How To Hold A Golf Club?. Holding your golf club correctly will give your club head face a more neutral position by default, or a slightly closed bias, which will help your entire golf game.

These 3 fixes should turn your “Bananas” into the “Fades” the Tour professionals commonly love to use.

If you would like to get better at turning your “Bananas” into “Fades”, and improve your golf score, read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Banana”

The origin of the expression “Banana” in golf is quite simple.

When you hit a “Banana” shot, the curved trajectory the ball follows has a curve similar to the curve of a banana.

Essentially, the trajectory of a “banana” shot looks exactly like a banana.

For this reason, it makes perfect sense where the term “Banana” shot got its name from in golf.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what a “Banana” is in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you get hungry when you hit a “Banana” shot in golf? Let us know in the comments down below!

Golf is known to be a technical sport full of technical terms that you may not know the meaning of. One of those golf terms commonly mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term the “Front”, or “Front Nine”.

If you are reading this article, you may wonder: What exactly is the “Front” or “Front Nine” in golf?

In this article, we will explain to you exactly what the expression “Front” means in golf.

What Is The “Front” Or “Front Nine” In Golf?

In golf, the “Front” or “Front Nine” of an 18-hole golf course refers to the first 9 holes of the course. The “Front Nine” holes of an 18-hole golf course are the holes numbered 1 through 9. Synonyms of the “Front Nine” include “Outward Nine”, “Front Side”, and “First Nine”.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Front” or “Front Nine” is often mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts alike.

In golf, the expression “Front” or “Front Nine” is the name given to the first 9 holes of an 18-hole golf course. In other words, the “Front Nine” of a golf course refers to holes numbered 1 through 9.

Explicitly, the “Front Nine” holes of an 18-hole golf course are the holes corresponding to the following numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9. The second half of golf holes is referred to as the “Back Nine” or “Back”.

Considering how long it takes to play 18 holes of golf, It is very common for golf courses to install bathrooms and sometimes refreshments providers in between the “Front Nine” and the “Back Nine” tee boxes.

These restrooms prevent golfers from needing to walk all the way back to the clubhouse to relieve themselves or grab some much-needed refreshments, thus giving golfers an overall better experience.

Synonyms of the “Front” or “Front Nine” include the “Front Side”, the “First Nine”, and the “Outward Nine”.

When you look on a scorecard, and there are boxes to tally your score “Out” and “In”, the “Out” box refers to your score for the “Front” 9 holes, while the “In” box refers to your score for the “Inward Nine”, or the last 9 holes of a golf course.

On many golf courses, you can decide to skip the “Back Nine” and only play the “Front Nine” holes of the golf course. This allows golfers who do not have the time or energy to play only 9 holes. Furthermore, playing only 9 holes is cheaper than playing 18 holes, in many cases.

If you are playing on a 9-hole golf course, then there is no notion of “Front Nine” or “Back Nine”, as that notion is reserved to 18-hole golf courses.

If you are playing on a weird golf course that does not have 18 holes, but it does have an even number of holes, like for example, 16 holes, then you can use the notion of “Front”, but without the number reference, such as in “Front Nine”.

If you would like to get a much better score over time on the “Front Nine” of a golf course, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Front”

The origin of the expression “Front” or “Front Nine” is based in the history of golf.

In fact, in the beginnings of golf, golf courses were often organized in a very particular way. These golf courses separated their holes in two halves.

To play the first half of holes, the “Front” holes, you had to walk away, or “out” from the clubhouse. To play the second half of holes, the “Back” holes, you had to start from the end of the “Front” half, and walk “in” towards the clubhouse.

Therefore, the “Front” nine holes are played in front of the clubhouse, while the “Back Nine” holes are played while moving back towards the clubhouse.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what the term “Front” or “Front Nine” means in golf.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Let us know in the comments down below!