A-Player - the teammate with the lowest handicap, regardless of gender or the tees they play - the most skilled player. The "B-Player" is the second-most skilled team member, etc. The A-Player typically serves as the representative or "captain" of the team.

Adjustment for Par - for handicap competition which takes place from various tees, or men and women competing from the sames tees, some handicap methods allow an adjustment of the playing handicaps of golfers for differences in par.

Adjustment for Tee Ratings - for handicap competition which takes place from various tees, or men and women competing from the sames tees, some handicap methods allow an adjustment of the playing handicaps of golfers on the more difficult tees (by Course Rating).

Allowance - the portion of a golfers playing handicap used to calculate net competition scores. For example, the Course Handicaps of teammates in a Four-Ball might be adjusted by an allowance of 90% (men) or 95% (women) to determine the net team score.

Best Ball - what most golfers call the better ball of two players, gross or net. The most common score used for team betting.

Better Ball - team competition of 2 or more teammates in which the team score is the better ball of the teammates at each hole. Better Ball match play between 2-person teams is a Four-Ball.

Bowmaker - a team competition of 4 teammates in which the team score at each hole is:

Callaway System - a handicapping system for individual play which computes a one-time handicap based on hole-by-hole scores and the total gross score of the round. Generally, it produces net scores in the mid-70's, with an occasional sub-par result.

Carryover - in hole-by-hole competition, the betting value of a tied hole – carried forward and added to the betting value of the next hole. Carryovers accumulate until a competitor wins a hole, collecting its value and the accumulated carryover. In Skins, a carryover represents unclaimed skins - the previous holes at which no skin was awarded - to be collected by the player who next wins a skin.

Cha-Cha-Cha - a competition for teams of 3 or more in which the team's score at each hole is determined as:

repeating beginning with hole no. 4.

Cha-Cha - a competition for teams of 2 or more in which the team's score at each hole is determined as:

repeating beginning with hole no. 3.

Chapman - a competition of two-person teams in which partners both hit a tee shot at each hole, the teammates play their partner's drive for their second shot, the team selects the preferred ball which is then played alternately until holed. Also called a Pinehurst or American Foursomes.

Chicago - a form of scoring in which points are earned by the score (gross or net) at each hole:

Chicago scoring is commonly used in Point-Quota competitions, using a maximum quota of 39 points. 

See Stableford, Half Stableford, Modified Stableford, The INTERNATIONAL™

Competition Score - some handicapping systems require special evaluation of scores made in official or high level competition. Those scores are identified as "competition" scores or "tournament" scores in handicapping calculations.

Course Handicap - under the World Handicap System, the trademarked term for your calculated playing handicap.

Course Rating - in general, a numeric gender-specific measure of the difficulty of a golf course from a particular set of tees according to the standards of the governing body responsible for rating the course. In the World Handicap System, it's the trademark for the measure of the difficulty of the course for scratch (expert) golfers.

Danish - "A flute with no hole is not a flute. A donut with no hole is a Danish." Bashō

Four-Ball - a match in which two play their better ball against the better ball of two other players. What many call a Best Ball match.

Foursomes - a match in which two play one ball alternately, alternating tee shots, against a ball played similarly by two other players. What many call Alternate Shot.

GHIN (Golf Handicap Information Network) - the USGA's handicap computation service to which golf clubs and associations and their members subscribe.

Golf Canada (Royal Canadian Golf Association) - the ruling body for golf in Canada. They administer and license the RCGA Handicap System to their member clubs and associations, used to compute a Handicap Factor® for their members.

Green-in-Regulation - when a player reaches the putting surface in regulation strokes (par less 2 strokes) or less.

Greensomes - a competition of two-person teams in which partners both hit a tee shot at each hole, the team selects the preferred drive which is played alternately until holed. Also called Alternate Shot with selected drive, Foursomes with selected drive or Canadian Foursomes.

Gross Score - the unadjusted number of total strokes, including penalty strokes, taken on a hole or during a round.

Half Stableford - a form of scoring in which points are earned by the score (gross or net) at each hole:

See Stableford, Modified Stableford, Chicago, The INTERNATIONAL™

Handicap (Hole) - a numeric rank of the benefit to a higher handicapped player of receiving a handicap stroke at a given hole. Also called a handicap stroke allocation. A hole handicap of 1 identifies the hole at which a stroke is most likely to be needed against a better player. 18 identifies the hole at which a stroke is least likely to be beneficial.

Handicap (Your) - a measure of your skill as a golfer, usually calculated to a tenth of a stroke (your Handicap Index®, Exact Handicap, or Handicap Factor). Also, the whole number of strokes you're allowed when playing a particular course from a particular set of tees (your Course Handicap or Playing Handicap).

Handicap Authority - one of the major national or international organizations responsible for publishing and promoting the standards, including handicapping systems, of the game of golf. These include the World Handicap System, the USGA, Golf Canada, Golf Australia, the EGA and CONGU.

The INTERNATIONAL™ - a points scoring system used in The INTERNATIONAL™ PGA Tour event. At each hole:

See Stableford, Half Stableford, Modified Stableford, Chicago

Irish Four-Ball - a team competition of 4 teammates in which the team score at each hole is

Frequently played with Stableford scoring to limit damage - and called an Irish Stableford.

Medal/Match Play - head-to-head individual or team Match Play by holes scored as points - usually 2 points for winning a hole, 1 point for halving a hole. Winner is the constestant with the most accumulated points.

Modified Stableford - a form of scoring in which points are earned by the score (gross or net) at each hole:

See Stableford, Half Stableford, Chicago, The INTERNATIONAL™

Nassau - a golf match with 3 bets - over the first nine, the second nine, and the entire round.

Net Score - a player's score after subtracting their playing handicap strokes from their gross score. A "plus" handicap player adds their handicap strokes to their gross score to determine a net score.

9’s (also called Nine Point Game or Nine Points) - a points scoring game for 3 or more players in which 9 (or more) points are available at every hole. For 3 players:

Ties are averaged:

For more than 3 players:

Peoria System - a handicapping system for individual play which computes a one-time handicap based of the competitor's scores at 6 randomly selected holes:

A Modified Peoria uses a slightly different technique to compute a handicap from:

Playing Handicap - the general term for the number of strokes a player receives based on their official handicap, the difficulty of the tees played, and the handicapping system under which the handicap is computed, frequently called a Course Handicap.

The portion of your playing handicap used in a particular competition is your Handicap Allowance. In the World Handicap System, your Playing Handicap represents your total handicap strokes available for a particular style of competition, including any allowance or adjustment.

Point Quota - a competition for Individual golfers or teams in which some form of Stableford scoring is used to reflect the competitor’s performance relative to their established handicap. A player's “quota” - the number of points they're expected to earn - is computed as 36 (39 in Chicago) less their playing handicap for 18 holes. A team's quota is the sum of its members’ quotas. Scoring is then conducted at scratch (no handicaps). Each competitor’s score is determined as the difference between the points they earn and their quota (their “points gained”), which might be zero, positive, or a negative value.

On a Scorecard or in an Event, set Players' scoring to a Stableford system, a Team scoring method (optional), and Point Quota as the Allowance.

Press - a new bet, usually beginning at the next tee, that duplicates the value and duration of an existing bet. Requested by the side trailing in the original bet, it represents a chance for that side to get even - if they win the "press" bet. Some presses can be invoked automatically:

The Ritz - a team competition of 3 or more teammates in which the team score is the total of the best gross score of the teammates plus the best net score of the remaining teammates. The gross score must be considered first and the net score determined from another ball. The Ritz in Reverse scores the low net score of the teammates first, then the best gross score of the other balls.

Scheid System - a handicapping system for individual play or a Scramble which computes a one-time handicap based on hole-by-hole scores of the round. Generally, it results in net rounds near par in which the low gross score usually wins.

Scramble - a team competition of 2 or more teammates at which each player plays from the tee, the team selects the preferred result, each player then plays from that selected location, which is repeated until the ball is holed. The team's score is the total of the selected shots. Also known as an Ambrose.

Shamble - a team competition of 2 or more teammates at which each player plays from the tee, the team selects the preferred result, each player then completes the hole from that selected location. The team's score at each hole is the better ball of the teammates. May be known as a Best Ball or Better Ball with selected drive.

Side - nine holes from a particular set of tees on a particular nine. Or, the 9-hole components of a round of golf - the front side and the back side.

Six Point Game - a points scoring game for 3 players in which 6 points are available at each hole:

Ties are averaged:

Skins - a multi-player game in which the winner of a hole is the competitor who has the lowest score on the hole and is untied. Skins may be contested with gross or net scores. Competition is between the players on a Scorecard or all the players in an Event.

Slope Rating - the service mark for the gender-specific measure of the relative difficulty of a course from a particular set of tees for non-expert golfers. Slope Ratings range from 55 through 155. An unrated course or a course of standard playing difficulty has a Slope Rating of 113.

Stableford - a form of scoring in which points are earned by the score (gross or net) at each hole:

See Half Stableford, Modified Stableford, Chicago, The INTERNATIONAL™

System 36 - a handicapping system for individual play which computes a one-time handicap based on hole-by-hole scores relative to par.

Tournament Score - see Competition Score.

Two Best Balls - a team competition, usually of 4 teammates, in which the team score at each hole is the total of the 2 best balls of the teammates. Also played as Three Best Balls. In both forms, known as a Four-Ball Alliance.

USGA (United States Golf Association) - the official ruling body for golf in the United States and elsewhere in the world. They administer and license, with the R&A, the World Handicap System to their member clubs and associations, used to compute a Handicap Index® for their members.

Waltz - a competition for teams of 3 or more in which the team's score at each hole is determined as:

Sometimes called a 1-2-3 Best Ball. A Modified Waltz requires only 2 best balls of the teammates at par-3 holes.

World Handicap System - a handicapping system introduced in 2020 by an association of golf handicap authorities around the world (USGA, Golf Canada, Golf Australia, European Golf Association, CONGU, and others) in an effort to unify, standardize and simplify golf handicapping and course rating.

ZIG-ZAG - a handicapping system for a Scramble which computes a one-time team handicap based on the total gross score of the team and the scores of 3 randomly selected holes. The resulting net scores produce fairly random sub-par results.