Dance floor
1. the putting surface 2. on the putting surface, though perhaps not as close as you'd like (also "green, putting green, putting surface, dancing, aboard")
Dead
a term used when a player is faced a very difficult shot or situation on the golf course (also: toast, jailed, buried)
Dead hands
a technique in which the hands hold the club with very little tension and do not move much, if at all, in relation to the arms, typically used to create soft shots with less spin than usual (also "dead hand shot, dead-handed shot")
Dead weight
the total weight of a golf club (also: "overall weight")
Depth charge
a putt that is lagged softly down a slippery (fast) slope and intended to just get close rather than hit the mark
Deuce
a score of 2 on a hole of any par
Dew sweepers
slang for the first groups of golfers on the course in the early mornings (also: dawn patrol, early birds)
Digger
a club whose loft angle is such that the sole's leading edge is substantially lower than its trailing edge, thereby causing the club to gouge into the turf or ground too abruptly
Dimples
the indentations which cover the surface of a golf ball; these are scientifically designed to enable the ball to make a steady and true flight, by reducing drag, allowing a golf ball to stay in the air longer than would possible with a smooth golf ball surface
Dip
downward movement of the spine and head during the swing - not desirable
Disconnected
when the arms move separately from, or independently in relation to, the torso, particularly through impact
Divot
the chunk of grass (either fairway or rough) displaced when club is swung through the ball
**The indentation on the green caused by the ball landing on an approach shot is called a pitch mark or ball mark, not a divot
Divot mix
(also "sand and seed") a combination of sand, soil and grass seed (and perhaps even fertilizer in some cases) used to fill in divots, optionally dyed green to blend more closely with the color of the grass
Divot tool
a small (usually) two-pronged fork-like tool used mainly for repairing the putting surface (also "divot repair tool, ballmark repair tool, pitchfork")
Dogleg
a hole on which the fairway has an angle, turn or bend in it like a dog's rear leg
Dog track
a derogatory term for a run-down, poorly maintained or poorly designed golf course
Don’t give the hole away
an instruction to aim the putter and/or stroke the ball inside the edge of the cup (also "keep it inside the hole")
Dormie
a match play situation where one player or team is ahead (or "up") by the same number of holes as are remaining in the match (meaning that the other player or team can tie the match, at best, but cannot win) (also "dormy")
Double bogey
a score of two over (more than) par for a hole
Double break
a putt with two distinctive breaks, or curves, on the ball's path/line to the hole (also: "double breaker, snake, roller coaster")
Double cross
when a player attempts to hit a curved shot curve one direction (draw or fade) and unintentionally hits a shot that curves in the opposite direction
Double eagle
a score of 3 under (less than) par for a hole (also: "albatross")
Double green
one putting green surface shared by two separate holes, usually with two separate flags and cups, etc. (also "shared green")
Double hit
contacting the ball twice with one swing, which results in a penalty stroke in addition to the stroke itself
Double sandy
when one plays an approach shot from a fairway bunker into a greenside bunker, then holes the ball in two from there (3 total strokes from the fairway bunker)
Down
1. playing the ball as you find it, with no alteration of its position or condition (also "as it lies") 2. behind in a match (usually counted by holes in match play, but could also apply to the number of strokes a player is behind their opponent)
Downhill lie
when the ball rests on a downhill slope in the intended direction of play
Downswing
the portion of the swing that starts from the top, or end, of the backswing (or transition) and reverses movement and momentum back in the direction of the ball and target (also "downward swing, forward swing")
DQ
scoreboard abbreviation for "disqualified" (for rules violation, etc.)
Drain
to sink a putt (also "drained, canned, buried, drain-o")
Draw
a shot that curves gently from right to left (for right-handed player) (also "slinger, turn over, turn it over”) an excessive draw is called a hook
Drink
another term for a water hazard, pond or lake
Drive
the shot on each hole, made from an area called the tee box, or teeing ground on par 4 or par 5 holes (also: tee shot)
Drive and pitch
1. the type of hole on which the green can easily be reached with a drive and a pitch 2. could also refer to a shorter course where all holes are of this type (also: pitch and putt)
Drive for show and putt for dough
a cliché referring to the fact that hitting long beautiful tee shots may look nice and be impressive, but good putting, more often than not, will be responsible for scoring and, therefore, winning matches, tournaments, bets, money, etc. (research shows that stokes made with a putter make up 43% of the average golfers shots taken on a golf course, with most golfers averaging over two putts per hole played)
Driver
term for the number 1 wood or lowest lofted club
Driving iron
an alternate name for a number 1 or 2 iron
Driving range
an area, separate from the golf course, designated for hitting practice balls (also "practice range, practice tee, range")
Drop
when the ball is released by hand (with an extended arm at shoulder height) and put back in play after being lifted under various situations within the rules of golf
Drop area
an area of ground (usually marked with a white circle and labeled "Drop Area" or "DA", etc.) where players can drop their ball, usually in situations where there is not another practical area to take a drop or for maintenance reasons
Dub
a badly misplayed shot, usually associated with the ball never leaving the ground as a result of hitting the top or side of the ball or hitting the ground well behind the ball
(also "duff, top")
Duck hook
a shot that curves abruptly and severely right to left (right-handed player) (also "snap hook, snapper, quacker")
Duffer
an unskilled golfer (also "hacker, beater, chopper")
Dunk
1. to hit your ball into water 2. to hole a shot on the fly or without touching the green