Category: Learning Center

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 is the term “Concession”.

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

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

What Is A Concession In Golf?

In golf, a “Concession” is something you award an opponent when you either consider their putt to be guaranteed (as the ball is very close to the hole), or when you give up and let them win a hole or the entire match in match play (if you are losing with little chance of comeback).

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

In golf, the term “Concession” is something you can award an opposing golfer in match play only. A “Concession” does not exist in stroke play, as opposed to “Gimmie” putts, which exist in casual stroke play.

A golfer given “Concession” by their opponent does not physically have to attempt to strike the ball. Instead, they can simply pick up the ball and assume they holed the ball, as if they had struck the ball.

Although concessions can be great to speed up the pace of play, they are optional. A concession is awarded or offered. You cannot ask your opponent for a “Concession” when you hit good shots and are ahead of them.

A synonym of “Concession” in golf is “Conceded Putt”.

There are 3 types of “Concessions” in golf: putt concessions, hole concessions and match concessions.

Putt concessions are similar in feeling to “Gimmie” putts. When a putt concession is awarded, the recipient golfer does not need to putt the golf ball, and can simply pick it up. Putt concessions are fairly common and typically occur when the golf ball is very close to the hole.

Putt concessions are generally awarded when a golfer’s ball is less than 2-5ft away from the golf hole.

Hole concessions are less common and consist in one golfer giving up on a hole and directly awarding it to their opponent. Hole concessions usually happen when one golfer plays their first strokes perfectly, while the other one sends the ball into some kind of hazard.

Hole concessions can greatly improve the pace of play and save one golfer the perceived humiliation of needing to hit many strokes just to get to the point where their opponent is.

Match concessions are very rare and mean that one golfer is completely giving up on the match. These can occur in “Dog Licence” situations, for example. However, awarding your opponent a match concession is generally frowned upon, as it shows a lack of persistence.

There is no maximum distance between the ball and the golf hole outside of which a “Concession” cannot be awarded. Concessions can be awarded at any time in match play, from any distance to the golf hole.

In addition, “Concessions” are part of the Official Rules of Golf, meaning they are part of professional match play golf tournaments.

For example, if one golfer completed a hole in 4 strokes, and his opponent is already at 5 or 6 strokes, the losing golfer can “concede” the hole to their opponent. This improves pace of play and saves the loser extra work for the trailing player.

You can read a real-world of a “Concession” being awarded, down below.

Example:

Joe and Bart are playing some match play golf together.

On hole #14, Joe hits 3 strokes and his golf ball ends only 3 feet from the hole.

On the other hand, Bart hits his balls into a bunker and still has not escaped it by stroke 5.

With Joe’s ball being really close to the hole, Bart shouts to Joe “I’ll concede the hole!”

Joe picks up his golf ball and marks hole #14 as a win on his scorecard.

As you can read in the example up above, “Concession” putts in match play golf save golfers time.

If you would like to get better at golf and increase how often opponents offer you “Concessions”, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Concession”

The origin of the expression “Concession” in golf is very simple and rooted in the English language.

In fact, the word “Concession” literally means a “thing that is granted”. In golf, awarding your opponent a “Concession” means that you are granting them a free putt, a free hole win, or a free match win.

The term “concession” broadly has the same meaning in golf and in the English language.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense where the term “Concession” got its name from in golf.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? What do you think of “Concessions” 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 is the term “Gimmie”.

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

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

What Is A Gimmie In Golf?

In golf, a “Gimmie” is a free putt that is awarded from one golfer to the golfer who has a ball very close to the hole. “Gimmie” putts are awarded in casual golf play to save time. When you have a “Gimmie” putt, you can simply pick up your ball and assume you holed the ball.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Gimmie” is sometimes mentioned on golf courses, but only in casual golf play.

In golf, the term “Gimmie” is the name given to a free putt awarded from one golfer to another when the golf ball is so close to the ball that it would be hard to miss the hole.

If a golfer is awarded a “Gimmie” putt by their opponent, they do not physically have to attempt to putt the ball. Instead, they can simply pick up the ball and assume they holed the putt, while adding 1 stroke to their scorecard, as if they had taken the putt.

The distance between the golf ball and hole to award a Gimmie can vary from group to group, from player to player, as it is determined by rules you set with your group. Furthermore, not every group likes to play with “Gimmie” putts, as some view it as cutting corners.

You can also use the in-the-leather rule to determine if a ball is close enough to the hole to be awarded as a “Gimmie”. “Gimmie” putts are often awarded when the golf ball is roughly 1ft to 5ft away from the hole, depending on the rules your group plays by.

In addition, “Gimmie” putts generally are forbidden in professional golf. However, there is a derivative of “Gimmie” putts, called “Concessions”, which are allowed in professional golf in match play.

In professional match play, a golfer can often be awarded a “Concession” if they already lost the hole to the golfer awarding the concession. There is no distance requirement between the ball and the hole to award a “Concession” in golf.

For example, if one golfer completed a hole in 3 strokes, and his opponent is already at 4 or 5 strokes, he is sometimes allowed to award his opponent a “Conceded” putt, as it is impossible for the latter to win anymore. This improves pace of play and saves the loser extra work.

“Concessions” only ever occur in match play, while “Gimmie” putts only ever occur in stroke play, and only in non-professional golf.

In casual golf, you can put into play as many “Gimmie” putts as you want, especially if you are with friends and not strangers. To be awarded a “Gimmie”, if your ball is relatively close to the hole, all you have to do is ask your friend if you can have a “Gimmie”.

You can read a real-world of a “Gimmie” being awarded, down below.

Example:

Joe and Bart are playing some casual golf together.

On hole #18, Joe hits 3 strokes and his golf ball ends only 3 feet from the hole.

Being very close to the hole, Joe turns around to shout at Bart “Can I get a “Gimmie”?”

Bart smiles at Joe and gives him a thumbs up.

Joe smiles back and picks up the golf ball, counting a successful put on his scorecard.

As you can read in the example up above, “Gimmie” putts in casual golf save golfers time and can really be valuable if there are impatient or many groups waiting behind yours to play. “Gimmie” putts are also a sign of pleasant sportsmanship that can make friends smile.

If you would like to get better at golf and know you would have holed all of your “Gimmies”, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Gimmie”

The origin of the expression “Gimmie” in golf is very simple and rooted in the English language.

In fact, the term “Gimmie” comes from a distortion of the phrase “Give me!”. When you ask for a “Gimmie” putt, you are essentially asking your opponents “give me this putt for free as the ball is so close to the hole I would surely get it if I tried!”

Over time, the phrase “give me” slowly turned into “Gimmie”, thus leading to a new golf term that can quickly get the point across to describe a more complex situation and request.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense where the term “Gimmie” got its name from in golf.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you like to play with “Gimmies” in casual 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 “Free Drop”.

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

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

What Is A Free Drop In Golf?

In golf, a “Free Drop” is a special case of a “Drop”. It is the act of dropping a golf ball down into a playable lie after your previous stroke landed the ball into an unplayable area, and this, without penalty. In others words, you are getting a “Drop” for “free”, without penalties.

In the great game of golf, the term “Free Drop” is often mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts.

In golf, the term “Free Drop” refers to the act of dropping a golf ball in order to take relief, but without taking penalties such as stroke penalties. A “Free Drop” is a special case of “Drops” in golf, without penalties being incurred for taking relief.

In other words, “Free Dropping” a golf ball allows you to change the location of your golf ball from an unplayable lie to an area with a playable lie, without receiving a penalty.

For example, if you lose your golf ball into a Ground Under Repair (G.U.R.), you will be able to take relief, and this, without a stroke penalty. Grounds Under Repair include areas that are under maintenance, piles of leaves to be removed, animal habitats, and many more.

To perform a “Free Drop” in golf, you must have the right to take relief without penalty. For example, if your golf ball comes to rest in a sprinkler head, which is considered unplayable terrain, you get to take relief as well.

This means you get to move the ball often one or two club lengths away from the sprinkler, in the relief area, thanks to the “Free Drop”. When Free Dropping your golf ball, you can use either your original golf ball, or a new golf ball.

The shape of the relief area is often a half circle, with the flat side of the half circle facing the golf hole, with its center being where your ball was.

The radius of the half circle is usually one or two club lengths of your longest club, other than the putter. This longest club used to define the size of the relief area is often the driver.

You must assure yourself that you yourself “Free Drop” the golf ball from knee height. Your caddie or your friend cannot drop the golf ball for you. However, if you are playing in a team tournament, your teammates may drop the golf ball for you.

You can “Free Drop” the golf ball from any stance or position (e.g. squatting down), as long as you drop the ball from the height of where your knees would be if you were standing.

Next, you are not allowed to throw the ball or give it some spin. You must simply let go of the golf ball for it to drop straight down. In addition, while the ball falls from your hand, it cannot touch you or pieces of your equipment.

Finally, the golf ball must drop within the confines of the “Drop zone”, with the random lie caused by the ball bouncing and stabilizing on the turf. You can stand either inside or outside the relief area (“Drop Zone”), as long as the ball’s first bounce is in the relief area.

If the “Free Drop” is performed incorrectly, the golfer with the infringement must reattempt the “Free Drop”, as many times as necessary to satisfy the requirements.

If the “Free Drop” was done incorrectly, and the golfer plays the ball anyways, the golfer receives a one stroke penalty. If you drop the ball incorrectly and play the ball located outside the relief area, you take a two stroke penalty.

If you “Free Drop” the golf ball in the relief area with correct technique, but it rolls out of the relief area, you must attempt a “Free Drop” again. On your second attempt, you must identify the exact spot where the ball drops in the relief area.

On your second attempt, if the ball exits the relief area again even though you dropped it correctly, you need to “place” the golf ball.

Placing the golf ball entails that you literally place the golf ball on the exact point that you previously identified, without dropping it. The ball must be placed on the ground, at rest, after which it will be considered to be “in play”, and you can play it normally.

Origin Of The Term “Free Drop”

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

The verb “to Drop” in English means “to let or make something fall vertically”.

In golf, when you are performing a golf ball “Drop”, you are literally dropping the ball down and letting it fall onto the turf with just the force of gravity.

If you take relief and drop the ball from an unplayable area, then you incur no penalty, meaning you got a “free” pass to drop the ball.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense where the term “Free Drop” shot got its name from in golf, as it literally refers to a Drop taken for free, without any negative consequences.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you think “Free Drops” in golf should exist, or do you think “Drops” should always cause penalties, regardless of where the ball lands? 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 “Alternate Shot”.

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

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

What Is Alternate Shot In Golf?

In golf, “Alternate Shot” is a tournament scoring format in which 2 groups of 2 members compete to win each golf hole or to get the lowest scores. Each team member alternates playing one ball. The members of a team also alternate who tees off the golf ball for each hole.

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

In golf, the expression “Alternate Shot” 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, despite having multiple golfer in each team.

“Alternate Shot” is a scoring format in golf that is typically used in some tournaments with groups of 2 golfers. In the “Alternate Shot” playing format, each team, group or side has 2 golfers, but only uses a single golf ball.

This means that golfers alternate who gets to hit the team’s ball when playing “Alternate Shot”. In fact, each golfer gets one stroke, and then their teammate takes over for the next stroke.

A synonym of the “Alternate Shot” playing format is the “Foursome” playing format.

In addition, the golfers of any particular team must alternate when it comes to teeing off the golf ball. For example, if golfer #1 tees off on hole #5, golfer #2 will tee off on hole #6, golfer #1 on hole #7, and so on.

The “Alternate Shot” playing format in golf is can be used for both match play and stroke play. The “Alternate Shot” playing format is similar to the “Four Ball” playing format, except that the latter format does not alternate balls, and instead has every golfer play their own ball.

In match play “Alternate Shot”, the team who won the most holes in the end wins the tournament. In stroke play “Alternate Shot”, the team with the lowest score wins the tournament.

The “Alternate Shot” playing format introduces some unique challenges in communication with your teammate as both teammates may not be used to the same strategies and shots.

You need to actively communicate with your teammate to know where they would rather take their next stroke from, and you need to do your best to give them that starting point when you strike the ball.

Down below, you can read about a real-world example of a group alternating turns to take the next stroke in “Alternate Shot” format.

Example:

Andy, and Bob are teammates in a “Alternate Shot” tournament.

On hole #1, a par 5, Andy and Bob get ready to tee off.

Andy starts by teeing off the golf ball, and hits it in a decent spot.

On the second stroke, it is Bob’s turn, and he hits the ball further.

On the third stroke, it is Andy’s turn, and he hits a good approach shot that lands the ball on the putting green.

On the fourth stroke, it is Bob’s turn, and he holes the golf ball, scoring a birdie.

The team moves to hole #2, and since they must alternate, Bob gets ready to tee off the golf ball this time.

As you can see in the example above, in “Alternate Shot”, the main takeaway to remember is that golfers within a team must alternate who strikes the golf ball.

The “Alternate Shot” golf tournament format also has the great 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. However, it could also lead to frustrations if one of the golfer’s plays badly, as a bad performance can bring down the teammate’s score.

You can actually find the “Alternate Shot” playing format in certain professional golf tournaments, such as the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup.

Your teammate is also allowed to take any actions for you that you normally could do yourself, except for the stroke itself. These actions include taking drops, lifting, replacing, placing, or marking the ball.

In addition, teammates are allowed to share golf clubs, as long as they do not have more than 14 golf clubs together in total.

If you would like to help your teammate get a great score in “Alternate Shot” consistently, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Alternate Shot”

The origin of the expression “Alternate Shot” in golf is extremely simple and intuitive.

Simply put, in the “Alternate Shot” playing format, teammates literally alternate playing shots on a single golf ball for the team, exactly how the name suggests.

Therefore, it makes complete sense where the term “Alternate Shot” got its name from in golf.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you like playing the “Alternate Shot” 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 “Foursome”.

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

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

What Is Foursome In Golf?

In golf, “Foursome” is a tournament scoring format in which 2 groups of 2 members compete to win each golf hole or to get the lowest scores. Each team member alternates playing one ball. The members of a team also alternate who tees off the golf ball for each hole.

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

In golf, the expression “Foursome” 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, despite having multiple golfer in each team.

“Foursome” is a scoring format in golf that is typically used in some tournaments with groups of 2 golfers. In the “Foursome” playing format, each team, group or side has 2 golfers, but only uses a single golf ball.

This means that golfers alternate who gets to hit the team’s ball when playing “Foursome”. In fact, each golfer gets one stroke, and then their teammate takes over for the next stroke.

A synonym of the “Foursome” playing format is the “Alternate Shot” playing format.

In addition, the golfers of any particular team must alternate when it comes to teeing off the golf ball. For example, if golfer #1 tees off on hole #5, golfer #2 will tee off on hole #6, golfer #1 on hole #7, and so on.

The “Foursome” playing format in golf is can be used for both match play and stroke play. The “Foursome” playing format is similar to the “Four-Ball” playing format, except that the latter format does not alternate balls, and instead has every golfer play their own ball.

In match play “Foursome”, the team who won the most holes in the end wins the tournament. In stroke play “Foursome”, the team with the lowest score wins the tournament.

The “Foursome” playing format introduces some unique challenges in communication with your teammate as both teammates may not be used to the same strategies and shots.

You need to actively communicate with your teammate to know where they would rather take their next stroke from, and you need to do your best to give them that starting point when you strike the ball.

Down below, you can read about a real-world example of a group alternating turns to take the next stroke in “Foursome” format.

Example:

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

On hole #1, a par 5, Andy and Bob get ready to tee off.

Andy starts by teeing off the golf ball, and hits it in a decent spot.

On the second stroke, it is Bob’s turn, and he hits the ball further.

On the third stroke, it is Andy’s turn, and he hits a good approach shot that lands the ball on the putting green.

On the fourth stroke, it is Bob’s turn, and he holes the golf ball, scoring a birdie.

The team moves to hole #2, and since they must alternate, Bob gets ready to tee off the golf ball this time.

As you can see in the example above, in “Foursome”, the main takeaway to remember is that golfers within a team must alternate who strikes the golf ball.

The “Foursome” golf tournament format also has the great 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. However, it could also lead to frustrations if one of the golfer’s plays badly, as a bad performance can bring down the teammate’s score.

You can actually find the “Foursome” playing format in certain professional golf tournaments, such as the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup.

Your teammate is also allowed to take any actions for you that you normally could do yourself, except for the stroke itself. These actions include taking drops, lifting, replacing, placing, or marking the ball.

In addition, teammates are allowed to share golf clubs, as long as they do not have more than 14 golf clubs together in total.

If you would like to help your teammate get a great score in “Foursome” consistently, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Foursome”

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

In English, the word “Foursome” literally means “a group of four people”.

In the “Four Ball” playing format, there are 2 teams of 2 players competing against each other.

In total, there are 4 players competing, which successfully constitutes a “group of 4 people”.

Therefore, it makes complete sense where the term “Foursome” got its name from in golf, as there is a group of 4 people in this playing format.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you like playing the “Foursome” 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 “Four-Ball”.

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

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

What Is Four-Ball In Golf?

In golf, “Four-Ball” is a tournament scoring format in which 2 groups of 2 members compete to win each golf hole or to get the lowest scores. Each individual player plays their own ball, and the group’s score is equal to the score of the lowest scoring group member.

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

In golf, the expression “Four-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 scored by a group’s individual team members.

“Four-Ball” is a scoring format in golf that is typically used in some tournaments with groups of 2 golfers. In “Four-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 “Four-Ball” playing format in golf is can be used for both match play and stroke play. The “Four-Ball” playing format is very similar to the “Better Ball” playing format, except that it only allows teams of 2 players.

In match play “Four-Ball”, the team who won the most holes in the end wins the tournament. In stroke play “Four-Ball”, the team with the lowest score wins the tournament.

Naturally, as “Four-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 their 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 “Four-Ball” tournament.

Example:

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

On hole #8, Andy and Bob respectively scored +3, and -1.

Since the best score among the group members is -1, a score held by Bob, the group’s score for hole #8 is -1.

As you can see in the example above, in “Four-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 “Four-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 “Four-Ball” score on each hole, rather than just being active bystanders in a tournament.

The “Four-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.

“Four-Ball” can also be a great strategy game because one golfer can go for safe shots, while the other can go for riskier shots that could land a lower score, but also end up in the rough.

You can actually find the “Four-Ball” playing format in certain professional golf tournaments, such as the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup.

In “Four-Ball”, the members of each individual group get to choose who tees off first, and do not need to alternate.

An interesting note to make is that if your teammate is feeling under the weather, they can stay out of the tournament and let you play alone against two golfers. However, your side will lose the benefit of being able to pick the lowest of two scores for your group.

Your teammate is also allowed to take any actions for you that you normally could do yourself, except for the stroke itself. These actions include taking drops, lifting, replacing, placing, or marking the ball.

In addition, teammates are allowed to share golf clubs, as long as they do not have more than 14 golf clubs together in total.

If you would like to have a better score than your teammate in “Four-Ball” more often, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Four-Ball”

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

In the “Four Ball” playing format, there are 2 teams of 2 players competing against each other.

In total, there are 4 players competing, and each golfer is playing with 1 golf ball. Therefore, there are 4 golf balls in play in a “Four-Ball” tournament matchup.

That being said, it makes complete sense where the term “Four-Ball” got its name from, as there are literally 4 golf balls in play in this format.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you like playing the “Four-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 commonly mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term “Follow-Through”.

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

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

What Is A Follow-Through In Golf?

In golf, a “Follow-Through” is the last part of the golf swing. During the “Follow-Through”, a golfer will swing their club forward in an arc towards the back of their head, right after making contact with the ball, sending it far away and influencing its trajectory.

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

In golf, the term “Follow-Through” is the name given to the last part of the fundamentals of a golf swing. The “Follow-Through” in golf starts as soon as a golfer makes contact with the golf ball.

During the “Follow-Through” phase of a golf swing, a golfer will swing their club forward in an arc motion until it comes back around their head. The club head should finish somewhere around the golfer’s head or their shoulders.

After the golf ball leaves the club, the “Follow-through” does not impact the ball’s trajectory, but it is still important to do to maximize your power. It would feel very awkward to stop your swing motion right after you hit the golf ball, and hard to maximize power this way.

The “Follow-Through” in golf is important for two main reasons.

The first reason is that the follow-through in golf directly impacts the trajectory of your golf ball in the air, as long as there is contact with the golf ball. If you define the “Follow-Through” as not incorporating ball contact at all, then this point is void.

In the case ball contact is part of the “Follow-Through”, a bad follow-through can ruin your golf shots, sending your balls into the rough, and damaging your golf score.

If your follow-through does not move the club head to hit the golf ball in the correct way, you will not get the shots you want, which will lead to frustration. You can think of a good follow-through as being a target to hit. If you hit this target, you will likely have good ball contact.

The second reason why the golf “Follow-through” is important is because it can be used as a hint as to whether your technique is good or not. In fact, when you end your “follow-through”, you should not be out of balance, and most of your wait should be on your front side.

If you nearly fall over during or after the “Follow-through”, or lose your balance, then that means you are doing something wrong in your golf swing.

You need balance to get a good golf swing. If you do not have balance during the follow-through, odds you were not balanced during the rest of the golf swing.

Make sure your knees are bent just the right amount and that you are controlling your movements and sending force in the correct directions.

Other elements of a good golf “Follow-Through” is having your upper body and hips facing the target at the end of the motion, as well as the back heel lifted off the ground.

Your arms should also fully extend after hitting the golf ball, right before allowing arms to bend back like in the example down below, where your club finishes behind your head and shoulders. Your arms will probably cross over slightly during the full arm extension.

Down below, you can see an image of a golfer at the end of his follow-through.

As you can see in the image above, the end of a good golfer’s follow-through is marked by the club being behind the head, the upper body facing forwards, good balance, and the back heel lifted off the ground.

If you are having a hard time finishing with your chest towards the target at the end of the “Follow-Through”, focus on progressively turning your hips during the swing, and realize your back foot can move as well.

If you are right-handed, your “Follow-Through” will wrap your club around the left side of your head. If you are left-handed, your “Follow-Through” will wrap your club around the right side of your head.

If you would like to achieve flawless “Follow-Through” technique, and improve your golf score, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Follow-Through”

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

The verb “to Follow” in English means “to go or to come after”. In golf, the “follow-through” is the last part of the golf swing, and it “comes after” the other parts of the golf swing.

You can easily see the parallel between the verb “to follow” and the term “follow-through”.

In addition, during the “follow-through” part of a golf swing, a golfer is swinging their golf club forward, “through” the golf ball.

By assembling the verb “to follow” and the word “through” into one single word, you obtain the “follow-through”.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense where the term “Follow-Through” got its name from in golf.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? 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 “Drop”.

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

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

What Is A Drop In Golf?

In golf, a “Drop” is the act of dropping a golf ball down into a playable lie after your previous stroke landed the ball into an unplayable or penalty area, or after you lost your ball. When dropping a golf ball from a penalty area, you incur a stroke penalty.

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

In golf, the term “Drop” refers to the act of dropping a golf ball in order to take relief. In other words, “Dropping” a golf ball allows you to change the location of your golf ball from an unplayable lie to an area with a playable lie.

You can also take relief with a golf ball “Drop” when you lose your golf ball and cannot find it. However, performing a golf ball “Drop” often comes at the cost of a stroke penalty.

For example, if you lose your golf ball in a water hazard, out-of-bounds, or in another penalty area, you will be able to take relief, but you will incur a stroke penalty.

To perform a “Drop” in golf, you must have the right to take relief. For example, if your golf ball comes to rest in a sprinkler head, which is considered unplayable terrain, you get to take relief.

This means you get to move the ball often one club length away from the sprinkler, in the relief area, thanks to a “Drop”. When dropping your golf ball, you can use either your original golf ball, or a new golf ball.

The shape of the relief area is often a half circle, with the flat side of the half circle facing the golf hole, with its center being where your ball was.

The radius of the half circle is usually one or two club lengths of your longest club, other than the putter. This longest club is often the driver.

You must assure yourself that you yourself drop the golf ball from knee height. Your caddie or your friend cannot drop the golf ball for you. However, if you are playing in a team tournament, your teammates may “Drop” the golf ball for you.

You can drop the golf ball from any stance or position (e.g. squatting down), as long as you drop the ball from the height of where your knees would be if you were standing.

Next, you are not allowed to throw the ball or spin it. You must simply let go of the golf ball for it to drop straight down. In addition, while the ball falls from your hand, it cannot touch you or pieces of your equipment.

Finally, the golf ball must drop within the confines of the drop zone, with the random lie caused by the ball bouncing and stabilizing on the turf. You can stand either inside or outside the relief area, as long as the ball’s first bounce is in the relief area.

If the “Drop” is performed incorrectly, the golfer with the infringement must reattempt the “Drop”, as many times as necessary to satisfy the requirements.

If the “Drop” was done incorrectly, and the golfer plays the ball anyways, the golfer receives a one stroke penalty. If you dropped the ball incorrectly and play the ball located outside the relief area, you take a two stroke penalty.

If you “Drop” the golf ball in the relief area with correct technique, but it rolls out of the relief area, you must attempt a “Drop” again. On your second attempt, you must identify the exact spot where the ball drops in the relief area.

On your second attempt, if the ball exits the relief area again even though you dropped it correctly, you need to “place” the golf ball.

Placing the golf ball entails that you literally place the golf ball on the exact point that you previously identified, without dropping it. The ball must be placed on the ground, at rest, after which it will be considered to be “in play”, and you can play it normally.

If you would like to require “Drops” less often and improve your golf score, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Drop”

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

The verb “to Drop” in English means “to let or make something drop vertically”.

In golf, when you are performing a golf ball “drop”, you are literally dropping the ball down and letting it fall onto the turf with just the force of gravity.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense where the term “Drop” shot got its name from in golf, as it literally refers to a drop.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Do you think “Drops” in golf should exist, or should we suffer in difficult-to-play lies? 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 “Draw”.

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

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

What Is A Draw In Golf?

In golf, a “Draw” is a golf ball hit in such a way that it has a slightly curved trajectory. The trajectory goes from right to left for right-handed golfers, and from left to right for left-handed golfers. A “Draw” is generally the result of good technique and nearly straight.

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

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

A “Draw” shot in golf is generally desirable, and the result of good swing technique. “Draws” keep the golf ball moving relatively straight towards your target, without reducing much the carry distance the ball travels.

“Draw” shots are very common in golf, and become increasingly more common as the skill levels of observed golfers increases. A “Draw” shot is more or less as desirable as a “straight” or “Fade” shot type.

“Draw” shot have the advantage of being a relatively predictable shot in golf, leading to a high accuracy.

Unfortunately, inexperienced or beginner golfers often struggle to hit a good, relatively straight shot such as a “Draw”.

Instead, these beginner golfers tend to instead “hook” the golf ball, meaning its initial trajectory is towards the outside, and it curves even further outside, and generally into the rough. Many beginners will mistakenly call their undesirable “hook” shots “Draw” shots.

On the other hand, the best golfers on the planet focus on mostly using straight or only slightly-curved shots such as “Draws”, depending on the situation and their position on a specific golf hole.

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

In the image above, you can see the approximate curve that a “Draw” shot will follow if you hit the ball in a certain way. As you can see, the golf ball starts out pushed towards the outside, before it “draws” or curves back in towards the inside of the golfer.

This type of fairly-straight trajectory is typically very accurate and will help you get a good golf score. A straighter shot does not significantly reduce the carry distance your ball travels, and can travel straight enough to avoid landing the ball in the rough or other hazards.

For a right-handed golfer (as most golfers are, such as in the image), a Draw shot will give the golf ball an initial trajectory slightly towards the right, before slightly curving back towards the left side.

For left-handed golfers, a Draw shot will do the opposite, and give the ball an initial trajectory slightly to the left, before curving back towards the right side. You can literally mirror the image up above to know what a Draw would look like for a left-handed golfer.

The curved trajectory of a “Draw” 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.

Hitting consistent “Draws” in golf is the result of consistently controlling the club head path and the openness of the club face in a certain way.

In golf, the openness of your club head’s face relatively to the golf ball will have a strong impact on its initial trajectory. On the other hand, the path in which the club head travels to strike the golf ball will typically influence in which direction the ball curves.

In the case of “Draw” shots, the club head’s face is typically slightly open, in order to give the ball an outwards initial trajectory (towards the right for right-handed golfers, towards the left for left-handed golfers).

To continue, the club head’s path in a “Draw” shot should move from the inside towards the outside of the golfer, which, if executed well, should make the golf ball curve from the outside towards the inside of the golfer.

For right-handed golfers, this club head path will curve the ball from right to left. For left-handed golfers, this club head path will curve the ball from left to right.

If you are having a hard time hitting “Draws” when desired, focus on these two elements to improve your rate of success. Additionally, you may be failing at hitting “Draws” if you are not holding your golf club correctly.

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.

If you would like to hit some good “Draws” more often, and improve your golf score, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Draw”

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

When you hit a “Draw” shot, the path the golf ball follows goes slightly outwards, after which it curves back inwards the other way.

In the English language, the verb “to draw” means “to pull or drag something”.

In golf, in the case of a “draw” shot, the ball is being “drawn” or “pulled” or “dragged” in its trajectory, from the outside towards the inside of the golfer.

Therefore, the origin of the term “Draw” in golf is simply an application of the meaning of the verb “to draw” to the golf ball’s flight during this shot type.

It makes perfect sense where the term “Draw” got its name from in golf.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned exactly what a “Draw” is in golf. You also got to see an example of what the trajectory of a “Draw” shot may look like.

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? How often do you hit a “Draw” 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 sometimes mentioned on golf courses and TV broadcasts is the term “Dormie”.

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

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

What Is A Dormie In Golf?

In golf, a “Dormie” refers to the situation in match play during which one side is leading by as many holes as there are left to play. In a “Dormie” situation, the leading golfer or team mathematically cannot lose, even if the trailing side wins all remaining holes; only a tie remains possible.

In the great game of golf, the expression “Dormie” is rarely mentioned on golf courses and on TV broadcasts. Since 2019, the term “Dormie” has actually been removed from the official Rules of Golf.

In golf, the term “Dormie” is the name given to the situation in which a golfer, a team, or a side is leading the opposing side in match play by as many holes as the number of holes remaining to be played.

In a “Dormie” situation, the leading side (golfer or team) mathematically cannot lose to the opposing team, even if the opposing side wins all remaining holes. In a “Dormie” situation, the trailing side can tie the leading side, at best, by winning all remaining holes.

For example, if a golfer is leading their opponent by 2 holes, and there are only 2 holes remaining, that is a “Dormie”.

Down below, you can read a real-world example of a “Dormie” situation occurring.

Example:

Adam & Bob are out together on the golf course in match play.

Adam won 8 of the first 13 holes, while Bob won 5 holes.

After winning hole #14, Adam brings his total to 9 wins.

The margin between Adam & Bob is 9 – 5 = 4 holes.

There are 18 – (9 + 5) = 18 – 14 = 4 holes left.

Adam & Bob are in a “Dormie” situation because Adam leads by 4 holes, and there are exactly 4 holes left to play.

Down below, you can see a chart listing all the possibilities for scenarios that would constitute a “Dormie” between two opposing golfers or teams.

Golfer #1’s Hole Wins	Golfer #2’s Hole Wins	Holes Left
9	8	1
9	7	2
9	6	3
9	5	4
9	4	5
9	3	6
9	2	7
9	1	8
9	0	9

If you would like to get better at golf and be on the leading end of “Dormies” more often, you can read our guide: How To Improve Your Golf Score? – 9 Pro Tips.

Origin Of The Term “Dormie”

The origin of the expression “Dormie” in golf is very unintuitive to English speakers because it actually comes from the French language.

In fact, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots and Queen of France many centuries ago, loved the game of Golf. Mary Stuart also knew how to speak French pretty well. Some people believe that the 16^th Century Queen is responsible for coining the term “Dormie”.

When there is a “Dormie” in golf during match play, it means one side is winning against the other side by as many holes as the number of holes left to play (e.g. 2 hole advantage with 2 holes left to play).

In a “Dormie” situation, the leading side mathematically cannot lose, as the trailing side can only tie the score if they win all the remaining holes. Therefore, some people might argue that the leading team can take it easy while playing the final remaining holes.

The term “Dormie” comes from the French term “dormir”, which literally translates to the verb “to sleep”. When leading in a “Dormie” situation, one can exaggerate by saying that they can practically go to sleep and still win the match.

The origin of the term “Dormie” is basically an exaggeration of how easy it is to win when leading by as many holes are left, and how much one in that situation can relax and play softly.

For this reason, you can imagine why the French term for sleeping is where the inspiration for “Dormie” came from.

Conclusion

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

Do you have any other golf expressions you wish to know more about? Had you heard of the term “Dormie” before reading this article? Are you sad to see the term no longer being part of the Rules Of Golf? Let us know in the comments down below!