A quick reference to every golf term in our glossary that starts with P — 34 terms in total. Each one links through to a full plain-English definition.
- Pace of PlayPace of Play Pace of play is the time it takes a group of golfers to complete a round, usually measured against a target time set by the course or the governing
- ParPar Par is the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to take to complete a hole, a round, or a full course. Each hole has its own par, usually 3, 4, or
- Par-3 CoursePar-3 Course A par-3 course is a golf course on which every hole is a par 3. Holes usually range from about 90 to 220 yards, and a full 18-hole layout has a par
- Parkland CourseParkland Course A parkland course is an inland golf course built on lush, grassy land with tree-lined fairways and meticulously maintained turf. The name comes
- Penalty AreaPenalty Area A penalty area is a marked part of a golf course, typically containing water, from which a player can take relief for a one-stroke penalty under Ru
- Penalty StrokePenalty Stroke A penalty stroke is an extra stroke added to a golfer’s score for breaking a Rule of Golf or for choosing to take relief from a difficult situati
- Perched LiePerched Lie A perched lie in golf is when the ball comes to rest sitting up on top of the grass, supported by blades underneath so that there is visible space b
- Pete Dye DesignPete Dye Design A Pete Dye design is a golf course created by American architect Pete Dye (1925–2020), recognisable by signature features like railroad-tie bulk
- PGA ChampionshipPGA Championship The PGA Championship is one of the four major championships in men’s professional golf, contested annually each May and run by the PGA of
- PinPin A pin in golf is the flagstick placed in the hole on a putting green to show players where the hole is from a distance. It’s the official “flagstick” in the
- Pin HighPin High Pin high in golf refers to an approach shot that finishes level with the flagstick, meaning the ball traveled the correct distance to the hole, even if
- Pin PlacementPin Placement Pin placement is the location of the hole on the putting green on a given day. Courses change the location regularly to protect the turf and to va
- Pin PositionPin Position Pin position is the exact spot on a putting green where the hole has been cut for the day. It tells a golfer where the flagstick is located within
- Pitch ShotPitch Shot A pitch shot is a short, high-flying golf shot played with a lofted wedge that lands softly on the green with little roll. It is most often played fr
- Pitching WedgePitching Wedge A pitching wedge is the lowest-lofted wedge in a standard golf set, with a clubface angled between roughly 43 and 48 degrees. It is used for full
- Play It As It LiesPlay It As It Lies “Play it as it lies” is a core principle in golf that requires a player to hit their next shot from wherever the ball comes to rest, without
- Playing ThroughPlaying Through Playing through in golf is when a faster group of players is allowed to pass a slower group on the course, so both groups can continue at their
- PluggedPlugged In golf, plugged describes a ball that has buried itself in its own pitch mark on landing, with part of the ball below the level of the ground. A plugge
- Plugged LiePlugged Lie A plugged lie is when a golf ball comes to rest in its own pitch mark with part of the ball sitting below the level of the ground, usually after lan
- Plus HandicapPlus Handicap A plus handicap in golf is a Handicap Index lower than zero, held by golfers who, on average, score better than par. Unlike most players, who subt
- Pot BunkerPot Bunker A pot bunker is a small, circular sand trap with steep, often vertical walls and a deep, narrow base. It is most common on links golf courses, where
- Practice GreenPractice Green A practice green in golf is a putting surface set aside for golfers to practice their putting and warm up before a round. It sits separately from
- Pre-Shot RoutinePre-Shot Routine A pre-shot routine is the consistent sequence of mental and physical steps a golfer goes through before every shot. Its purpose is to settle th
- Preferred LiesPreferred Lies Preferred lies is a temporary local rule in golf that lets a player lift, clean, and place their ball on closely mown parts of the course when co
- PressPress A press in golf is a side bet started during a round that runs alongside the original wager. The trailing player or team uses it to open a new match on th
- Pro Golf Tours and TournamentsProfessional golf isn’t one tour — it’s a dozen of them, plus four majors, plus a handful of team events, plus the qualifying ladders that move play
- Pro ShopPro Shop A pro shop is a specialty retail store at a golf course or club where golfers buy equipment and apparel, book tee times, pay green fees, and arrange le
- Provisional BallProvisional Ball A provisional ball is a second ball a golfer plays from the spot of the previous stroke when the original ball might be lost outside a penalty
- PullPull A pull in golf is a shot that travels in a straight line but flies left of the intended target for a right-handed golfer (or right for a left-handed golfer
- Punch ShotPunch Shot A punch shot is a low-trajectory golf shot played with a shorter, controlled swing to keep the ball under wind or obstacles like tree branches. It tr
- PushPush A push in golf is a shot that starts off-target and flies straight on that line, without any curve back toward where the player was aiming. For a right-han
- PuttPutt A putt is a golf stroke, almost always played with a putter on the putting green, designed to roll the ball into the hole. What is a putt? Once the ball re
- PutterPutter A putter is the golf club used on the putting green to roll the ball into the hole. It has a flat, low-loft face and is built for accuracy rather than di
- Putts Per RoundPutts Per Round Putts per round is the total number of putts a golfer takes during a full 18-hole round of golf. Lower numbers indicate better putting performan