Online Golf Dictionary: H
This is a list of golf terms beginning with the letter H
This is part of our glossary of golf terminology, with the meaning of every golf word.
Index: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
| Golf Terms, Letter H | |
| hack | To chop violently at the ball. To make bad shots. To play bad golf. |
| hacker | An unskilled golfer. Same as "duffer" |
| half | Used in match play when score is tied on a hole. Each side credited with a half. |
| half Shot | A shot played with a less than full swing. |
| halved | When a match is played without a decision. A hole is "halved" when both sides play it in the same number of strokes |
| handicap | The number of strokes a player may deduct from his actual score to adjust his scoring ability to the level of a scratch golfer. It is designed to allow golfers of different abilities to basically compete on the same level. |
| handicap certificate | a document issued by the player's home club or golfing association that indicates his current handicap. |
| hanging lie | A ball resting on a downhill slope |
| hazard | A hazard is any sand trap, bunker or water on the course that may cause difficulty. |
| head | The part of the club that makes contact with the ball. Usually made of wood, iron or some substitute material. |
| heel | The part of the club head nearest the shaft. |
| hickory | Wood from a native North American tree used at the beginning of the 19th century to make club shafts. Use continued until the 1920's. |
| hit | To play a shot or stroke. |
| hog's back | A ridge of ground or a hole having a ridge on a fairway. |
| hold | To hit the ground and stay in place with little roll or bounce. |
| hole | A 4 1/4" (108 mm) round receptacle in the green - at least 4" (100 mm) deep. Also refers to one of the nine or eighteen areas between the tee and the green. |
| hole high | A ball that is even with the hole but off to one side |
| hole in one | A hole made with one stroke. Same as "ace" |
| hole out | To complete the play for one hole by hitting the ball into the cup |
| home and home match | A match made up of rounds played on the home course of each participant or group. |
| home green | The last hole green. |
| home pro | A professional who holds a position at a golf club, teaches, and plays only in local events |
| honor | The privilege of hitting first from the tee. Usually assigned at the first tee. After the first tee, the privilege goes to the winner of the last hole. |
| hook | To hit the ball in a manner that causes it to curve from right to left in the case of a right-handed player or left to right for a left hander. |
| hosel | The hollow part of an iron club head into which the shaft is fitted |
| hustler | A golfer with greater ability who purposely maintains a higher handicap in order to win more bets. |