Duff
A duff is a golf shot in which the club hits the ground before reaching the ball, producing weak contact and short distance. Many golfers also use “duff” loosely for any badly mishit shot.
What is a duff in golf?
The word “duff” carries two related meanings on a golf course. In its specific sense, it describes a shot where the swing bottoms out too early. The clubhead strikes turf before ball. Contact is weak, and the ball travels a fraction of its intended distance. In its looser sense, it covers any mishit at all, the way “flub” or “miss” might.
The Historical Dictionary of Golfing Terms by Peter Davies (1993) traces the word to Scottish schoolboys’ slang “dowf” or “duff,” meaning to bounce a ball up with the fist. That bouncing image fits how a fat-struck shot behaves: the club hits ground first, then jumps up into the ball. The same dictionary defines “duff” as “to mishit (a shot) by hitting the ground behind the ball and then topping the ball.” The verb shares roots with “duffer,” the long-standing slang term for an unskilled golfer.
How a duff happens
In a clean iron strike, the lowest point of the swing arc sits just past the ball, so the clubface meets ball first and turf second. A duff reverses that order. The low point arrives too far back. The club catches turf, slows down, and either bounces up to clip the top of the ball or shoves a slice of grass between clubface and ball.
Either way, little energy reaches the ball. A mild duff may travel a fraction of its intended distance. A severe one might move only a few feet, sometimes with a chunk of turf landing on top of it.
Duff vs. chunk vs. chili dip and other mishits
Several golf terms describe ways of mishitting the ball, and the boundaries between them often blur. The table below lays out the most common ones.
| Term | What it means | Where it shows up |
|---|---|---|
| Duff | General mishit, or specifically a fat shot | UK and Irish slang, used with any club |
| Chunk | Fat shot that takes a large divot before the ball | Most common with irons and wedges |
| Chili dip | Fat shot, usually on a chip or pitch | Short game; Merriam-Webster defines it as a mishit “especially a chip shot, by hitting the ground before the ball” |
| Sclaff | Older Scottish term for a fat shot | Rarely heard today |
| Flub | Generic term for any mishit | Casual conversation |
| Fat shot | Plain technical name for the same miss | Used by instructors and broadcasters |
| Thin or blade | Striking only the lower edge of the ball | Opposite problem; club arrives too high |
| Top | Striking the top half of the ball | Extreme thin shot, ball rolls along the ground |
| Shank | Striking the ball with the hosel | Ball shoots sharply sideways |
| Whiff | Missing the ball entirely on a swing | Counts as a stroke under the Rules of Golf |
In casual play, “duff” and “chunk” overlap heavily. Within stricter usage, “chili dip” tends to describe short-game fat shots, and “chunk” tends to describe full-swing iron fat shots, though plenty of golfers use both freely.
Common situations where a duff happens
Duffs cluster around certain shots more than others. Chip and pitch shots near the green are the most frequent home for them, partly because nerves and deceleration creep into short swings. Iron shots from the fairway also produce duffs when a player’s weight stays on the back foot through impact, leaving the low point of the swing behind the ball. Tight lies, where there is little grass under the ball, leave almost no margin for a fat strike.
Drivers rarely get duffed because the ball sits up on a tee, lifted clear of the ground. Fairway woods, hybrids, and irons hit from a flat or hardpan lie are far more vulnerable. Even tour professionals are not immune. Both Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have chunked chip shots on televised rounds, evidence that pure contact is hard to find every time.
Duff vs. duffer
“Duff” describes the shot. “Duffer” describes the player. The two words share Scottish roots, though the order in which they entered golf vocabulary is unclear. Merriam-Webster gives the second sense of “duffer” as “an incompetent, ineffectual, or clumsy person; especially: a mediocre golfer.” Outside golf, “duffer” once meant a peddler of cheap or counterfeit goods.
Calling a high-handicap weekend player a duffer is a fair description and is rarely taken as an insult. Calling a low-handicap player or a teaching pro is another matter.
Related Golf Terms
- Chili dip — A fat shot near the green, usually on a chip.
- Chunk — A fat shot that takes a large divot before the ball.
- Drop zone — A designated area where a player may drop the ball under certain rules.
- Duck hook — A severe hook that dives quickly to the left for a right-handed golfer.
- Drop shot — A high, soft shot that lands with minimal roll.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you duff a shot with a driver?
Almost never. Because the ball sits on a tee, the clubhead has clearance even on a steep angle of attack. Duffs happen most often with irons and wedges, plus the occasional fairway wood or hybrid mishit from a tight lie.
How much distance does a duff cost?
A mild fat strike may travel only a fraction of its intended distance. A heavy one might move just a few feet, especially when a chunk of turf lands on top of the ball.
Is “duff” mainly a British term?
It carries a stronger UK and Irish flavor, where chip-shot mishits are commonly called “duffs.” American golfers tend to say “chunk,” “fat shot,” or “chili dip” for the same miss.
Is a duff the same as a chili dip?
Close, but the usage tilts different ways. “Chili dip” is most often heard around the green, on chips and pitches. “Duff” applies anywhere on the course.
Why is it called a duff?
The Historical Dictionary of Golfing Terms traces the word to Scottish slang “dowf” or “duff,” which described bouncing a ball up with the fist. The bouncing motion mirrors what happens in a fat shot, when the club hits the ground and then jumps up into the ball.
Sources
- Davies, Peter. The Historical Dictionary of Golfing Terms. Robson Books, 1993.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “Chili-dip.” merriam-webster.com.
- Wikipedia. “Glossary of golf.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_golf.
- Golf Compendium. “What It Means to Duff a Golf Shot.” golfcompendium.com.
- Hole19. “Duff.” hole19golf.com/glossary/duff.
