A quick reference to every golf term in our glossary that starts with C — 35 terms in total. Each one links through to a full plain-English definition.
- CabbageCabbage Cabbage is golf slang for the thickest, deepest rough on a course. It refers to tall, dense grass well off the fairway where finding or advancing the ba
- CaddieCaddie A caddie is a person who carries a golfer’s clubs and provides advice and assistance during a round of golf. The term can also be spelled “caddy.” What i
- Caddie TipCaddie Tip A caddie tip is a cash gratuity that a golfer gives to their caddie at the end of a round of golf. It is separate from the caddie fee charged by the
- CalcuttaCalcutta A Calcutta in golf is an auction-style betting pool where participants bid to “own” the tournament’s players or teams, and the winning bids form a pot
- CarpetCarpet Carpet is golf slang for the putting green, named for its smooth, tightly mown surface that looks and feels like indoor carpet underfoot. What is a carpe
- CarryCarry Carry is the distance a golf ball travels through the air, measured from the point of impact with the club to the spot where it first lands on the ground.
- Carry DistanceCarry Distance Carry distance is the distance a golf ball travels through the air, from the point of impact to where it first lands. It does not include any bou
- Cart GirlCart Girl A cart girl is a beverage cart attendant on a golf course who sells drinks and snacks to players from a mobile cart during their round. What is a cart
- Cart PathCart Path A cart path is a paved or surfaced route on a golf course that golf carts follow as they move between holes. Most cart paths are made from concrete or
- CastingCasting Casting in golf is the early release of the wrist hinge at the start of the downswing, where the wrists unhinge too soon, and the clubhead is thrown out
- Cavity BackCavity Back A cavity back is a type of golf iron with a hollowed-out area on the back of the clubhead, where weight has been moved from behind the face to the p
- Championship CourseChampionship Course A championship course is a golf course built, designed, and maintained to a standard high enough to host a serious professional or amateur g
- Chili DipChili Dip A chili dip is a mishit chip or pitch shot in which the clubhead strikes the ground behind the ball, gouging up turf and leaving the ball well short o
- Chip ShotChip Shot A chip shot is a short, low-flying golf shot played from just off the green that rolls more than it flies. The aim is to land the ball on the putting
- ChipperChipper A chipper is a specialty golf club that combines the loft of a short iron with the length and stance of a putter, designed for low, running shots from j
- ChunkChunk A chunk in golf is a mishit where the club strikes the ground behind the ball before reaching it, taking a divot, and sending the ball much shorter than t
- Closed ClubfaceClosed Clubface A closed clubface in golf is when the leading edge of the clubface points to the left of the target line at impact (for a right-handed golfer).
- Closed OutClosed Out In golf, “closed out” means a match play match has been won before the 18th hole because the opponent can no longer mathematically catch up. What is
- Closed StanceClosed Stance A closed stance in golf is a setup position where a right-handed golfer’s feet, hips, and shoulders are aligned to the right of the target, with t
- Closest to the PinClosest to the Pin Closest to the pin is a golf contest in which the player whose tee shot stops nearest the cup on a designated par-3 hole wins a prize. It is
- Club FittingClub Fitting A club fitting is a session where a trained fitter matches the specs on a golfer’s clubs (length, lie angle, loft, shaft flex, grip size) to that p
- Clubface AngleClubface Angle Clubface angle is the direction the clubface points at impact, measured in degrees relative to the target line. A square face points straight at
- Clubhead SpeedClubhead Speed Clubhead speed is the velocity of the golf club’s head at the moment it strikes the ball, measured in miles per hour (mph). It is the singl
- ClubhouseClubhouse A clubhouse is the main building at a golf course, where players check in, access the pro shop, locker rooms, and dining, and gather before or after a
- CoilCoil A coil in golf is the rotation of the upper body against a stable lower body during the backswing, creating tension between the shoulders and hips that sto
- CollarCollar In golf, the collar is a narrow ring of grass surrounding a putting green, mowed slightly higher than the green itself but lower than the surrounding rou
- CompressionCompression Compression in golf describes how much a golf ball deforms when it is struck by a club. It is rated on a numerical scale, typically from 30 to 120,
- ConcedeConcede A concede in golf is when a player formally gives their opponent’s next stroke, a hole, or even the entire match in match play, allowing the resul
- ConcessionConcession A concession in golf is when a player tells their match-play opponent that they don’t have to finish a stroke, hole, or the entire match. The concede
- CondorCondor A condor is a score of four strokes under par on a single hole. It is the rarest score in golf, achieved either by a hole-in-one on a par-5 or by holing
- Course ManagementCourse Management Course management in golf is the strategic decision-making a player uses on each hole, including club selection, target choice, and the weighi
- Course RatingCourse Rating A course rating is a number, expressed in strokes, that shows the score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot from a specific set of tees under no
- CrosswindCrosswind A crosswind in golf is a wind that blows across the line of play, from either left to right or right to left, pushing the ball sideways from its inten
- CupCup A cup in golf is the round hole cut into the putting green where the golf ball must come to rest for a hole to be completed. It measures 4.25 inches (108 mm
- Cut LineCut Line A cut line is the score in a professional golf tournament that decides which players advance to the final rounds and which players go home early. It is