Golf Terms Starting With H

A quick reference to every golf term in our glossary that starts with H — 14 terms in total. Each one links through to a full plain-English definition.

  • Halved
    Halved In golf, halved is the match play term for a tie. A hole is halved when both sides take the same number of strokes, and a match is halved when the overal
  • Handicap
    Handicap A golf handicap is a number that represents a player’s skill level, used to adjust scores so golfers of different abilities can compete fairly. The low
  • Handicap Index
    Handicap Index A Handicap Index is a number that reflects a golfer’s demonstrated playing ability under the World Handicap System. It allows players of differen
  • Handicap System
    Handicap System A handicap system is the framework that allows golfers of different skill levels to compete fairly by adjusting their scores based on each playe
  • Hazard
    Hazard A hazard in golf is the traditional name for course features designed to penalise wayward shots, mainly bunkers and bodies of water. The official Rules o
  • Headcover
    Headcover A headcover is a padded sleeve that fits over the head of a golf club to protect it from damage in the bag. They are most common on drivers and putter
  • Heathland Course
    Heathland Course A heathland course is an inland golf course built on sandy heath, where heather and gorse frame firm, fast-running fairways edged by scattered
  • Hole-in-One
    Hole-in-One A hole-in-one is a score of one on a single golf hole, made when a player’s first shot from the tee finishes in the cup without any further st
  • Honour
    Honour The honour in golf is a player’s right to tee off first on a hole. A golfer earns it by posting the lowest score on the previous hole, or wins it by rand
  • Honour System
    Honour System The honour system in golf is the convention that gives the player with the lowest score on the previous hole the right to tee off first on the nex
  • Hook
    Hook A hook is a golf shot that curves sharply from right to left in the air for a right-handed golfer (left to right for a left-handed golfer), caused by the c
  • Hosel
    Hosel A hosel is the socket at the top of a golf clubhead into which the shaft is inserted and bonded. What is a hosel? The hosel is the hollow, cylindrical sec
  • Hosel Rocket
    Hosel Rocket A hosel rocket is golf slang for a shank: a shot where the ball strikes the rounded hosel of the club instead of the clubface, sending it sharply s
  • Hybrid
    Hybrid A hybrid is a golf club that combines features of a long iron and a fairway wood, designed to launch the ball higher and forgive off-center contact bette

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