Frequently Asked Questions
To the beginner golfer, golf can be somewhat overwhelming. We have compiled a list of frequent Golf FAQs to answer some of the most common and basic questions asked by the beginner.
Golf FAQ
What is match play?
Matchplay is a head-to-head format of golf where players, or a player, play directly against their opponent(s). Each hole is either won, lost, or tied. Therefore, the winner at the end of the round is the one who has won the most holes.
What is stroke play?
Stroke play is the standard form of golf you are mostly like to see on the golf course. Players record each of their strokes, on a scorecard, and at the end of the round, strokes are added up to give an overall score. Therefore, the player with the lowest score wins the round.
What is a par?
Par is the number of strokes that a scratch player expects to complete the hole. Typically, holes range between a par three and a par five. Par for the course is the summation of the par for all holes.
What is a bogie?
A bogie is one shot over the par for a hole. If you complete a par three hole in four shots, then you have scored a bogie for that hole. However, if you were to complete a par three hole in five shots, that is called a double bogie. Similarly, if it were to take six shots for a par five, that is a triple bogie.
What is a birdie?
You can score a birdie for a hole if you shoot one fewer shots than the par for that hole. Finishing a par four hole in three shots gives you a birdie. However, if you were to complete the par-four in two shots, it would be called an eagle. If you were lucky enough to complete a par four hole in one shot, you would have an albatross.
What is a slice?
The slice is one of the most common problems experienced by golfers and a frequent golf FAQ. A slice is where the ball will follow a flight path to the right for the right-handed golfer, and similarly, to the left for the left-handed golfer.
What is a hook?
A hook is the opposite of a slice. The ball will follow a flight path to the left for the right-handed golfer. Similarly, the left-handed golfer will see their flight path to the right.
What is a fade?
A fade is where the flight path of the ball veers slightly to the right of straight for a right-handed golfer and similarly somewhat to the left for the left-handed golfer. It is not as excessive as a slice.
What is a draw?
A draw is where the flight path of the ball veers slightly to the left of straight for a right-handed golfer, and similarly somewhat to the right for a left-handed golfer. It is not as excessive as a hook.
Flight Paths
The diagram below illustrates the differences between a slice, fade, draw, and hook asked by golf faq readers.
What is a divot?
A divot is the patch of grass removed from the ground after your swing. This occurs when the clubhead bottoms out on the ground, therefore, pulling a strip of grass. The starting point of the divot can help give insight into your swing. For instance, you don’t want a divot to start before your ball.
What is the 19th hole?
An unsurprisingly common golf FAQ is; what is the nineteenth hole? The nineteenth hole in golf refers to the clubhouse. After a round of eighteen holes, golfers often finish in the bar for a beer or other beverage to finish adding up scorecards and determine the winners of the game. Consequently, golf is a great combination of competitive sport and social engagement.
What is a scratch player?
A scratch player is someone who has a zero handicap. For instance, a scratch player can finish a round of golf within the par limit for each hole. In other words, if the par for a course is 72, the scratch golfer is capable of completing the course within 72 strokes.
What is a side bet?
A side bet is a different format of the golf game that can be played alongside a standard game of golf. We have compiled a list of the most common golf side games requested by golf faq readers found here.