Among the serious players, frisbee golf has its own lingo. Here is a basic dictionary of terms to help you understand what other frisbee golfers are talking about.
A
Ace – Throwing the disc into the basket from the tee box in one throw.
Albatross – A score of three under par. Scoring two on a Par 5 hole or a hole in one on a par 4.
Anhyzer – Throwing a frisbee at the inside angle.
Approach – A throw from short range that lands under or near the basket.
B
Backhand – Throwing style where the back of the players hand faces the basket, similar stance as a backhand shot in tennis.
Bag tag – A way to indicate rank, or skill level within a disc golf club. These are typically made of plastic, wood, or metal and have a different number for each club member. When a person with a higher tag beats a player with a lower bag tag, they swap tags so the winner gets “bragging rights” to display their superior performance.
Bagger – A frisbee golfer who plays in a division lower than their skill level. Also known as a sand bagger.
Basket – Also known as a target, goal, hole, cage, or disc entrapment device. The basket is the “hole” of disc golf. When a frisbee lands inside the basket, they have “holed out” and can move on to the teepad of the following hole.
Bead – A bump found on a frisbee golf disc rim to increase grip. The bead is usually found on putters.
Birdie – A score of one below par. If the hole is a par 3, and a player gets their frisbee in the basket in two shots they score a “birdie.”
Black ace – Unintentionally throwing your frisbee in the wrong basket.
Brick – When a frisbee does not glide much nor stay in the air for very long it is consider a brick.
C
Card – The fellow players playing the round with you at the same time are considered on your “card.” May also refer to the physical device used to keep score during a frolf round.
Casual water – Water that is not a permanent part of the course such as a puddle or small stream. Penalty strokes are not given for landing in casual water.
Chain out — A putt that looks like it is good but somehow slips through the basket and lands outside the basket tray.
Chastity belt – The thick top metal bar found on some brands of disc golf baskets.
Ching – The sound a disc makes as it hits the chains, also a disc golf manufacturer from China that is no longer in operation.
Circle — A 10 meter radius around the basket where according to PDGA rules, players must “show balance” and are not allowed to jump or step forward during their throwing motion.
Come-back — When a putt is missed and you must putt again from the opposite side of the basket this is considered a come back putt.
Crow Hop – Throwing technique where the player hops on the back foot just before releasing the frisbee golf disc.
CTP – A term in frisbee golf that refers to “Closest to the Pin.” During league and tournament rounds there are often prizes for players who can get their initial drive closest to the pin. If a player is closer than any other players they typically write their name on the CTP marker demonstrating that, thus far, they are the CTP winners.
D
Death putt – Description of a putt with an unforgiving background such as a cliff or body of water where the disc can easily be lost.
Disc Golf — commonly misspelled way to describe disc golf or frisbee golf.
Distance Driver – Farthest flying of frisbee golf discs. Distance drivers are very aerodynamic and have thick rims or “wing width.”
Drive – A far throw in frisbee golf is considered a drive. Drives do not necessarily need to be performed with drivers but one can drive with putters and midrange discs as well.
Driver – A thick rimmed aerodynamic frisbee golf disc. Drivers are typically classified as either Distance or Control/Fairway drivers.
Drop zone – A marked spot to take the next throw from if the previous throw went out of bounds. Drop zones are typically used to help players advance on a difficult throw such as an area where they must throw over a body of water.
E
Eagle – The score of two under par. Throwing the frisbee in the basket on the second shot of a par 4 hole.
Escape Shot – A shot that gets a player out of a precarious lie with many trees or obstacles.
F
Fade – This is the last number in the four number flight rating. Fade describes the changing flight pattern as a disc slows down at the end of its flight.
Fairway driver – An aerodynamic disc with a moderately thick rim, also known as a control driver.
Fairway ace (Field ace) – Throwing the frisbee in the basket from a far away distance that is beyond putting range.
Falling putt – Term for not “demonstrating balance” when putting within the “Circle.”
Fan grip – A popular grip used for throwing a frisbee, especially for putting and short range approach shots.
Finesse Shot – A smooth technical throw with the right touch and accuracy.
Flex – The flight of a disc, typically an overstable one, where a disc turns one way but then fades back the other creating an S pattern flight.
Flick – Another term for a forehand or sidearm throw where a player generates a significant amount of power with the flick of the wrist.
Flight plate – The center part of a frisbee golf disc.
Flippy – Slang for an understable disc, or a disc that turns to the right with a right handed backhand throw.
Folf — Acronym created by combining the first letter in Frisbee with the last part of gOLF. Slang term used to shorten frisbee golf.
Foot fault – Stepping beyond the playable lie.
Forehand – A throw where the player grips the disc facing the basket with the palm of the hand facing up similar to a forehand shot in Tennis. Also known as a sidearm or flick.
FROLF – Acronym created by combining the first letters of FRisbee with the last part of gOLF.
Frisbee – Plastic flying object thrown in the air invented by Walter Frederick Morrison.
Frisbee Golf – Playing a form of golf with Frisbees.
G
Gimme – A shot so easy you’re guaranteed to make it.
Glide – The second number in the four digit flight rating system. Glide represents how long a disc will float or stay in the air.
Grip – How you hold the disc with your hand.
Grip lock – Holding onto a disc too tightly resulting in an errant “grip lock” throw.
Guardian – An object, typically a tree, that stands between you and the intended target.
H
Hammer — A throwing style where one throws the disc overhand. Also referred to as a tomahawk throw.
Head banger – A shot that lands so close to the basket that you will bonk your head when reaching down to pick up your frisbee.
High-speed stability — Term that describes the ability of a disc to stay “stable” or avoid turning over at high speeds.
Holing out – Finishing a hole by making your putt.
Hot Stamp — The process usually used to put artwork on a frisbee where heat and pressure bond foil to the plastic flight plate.
Hyzer – Throwing angle where the disc dips down away from the players body.
Hyzer flip – Throw where the disc begins at a “hyzer” angle but flies up to flat because of high speed turn. This is easiest to accomplish with understable discs.
I
Island – A landing area surrounded by out of bounds. In frisbee golf, Islands are rarely physical islands actually surrounded by water but are typically roped off areas or grassy patches surrounded by pavement.
J
Jump putt – A putting motion where a player jumps forward as they release the disc providing them with extra power.
K
Kick – When a disc bounces in an abnormal direction off of an object. There can be good kicks and bad kicks.
L
Lay-up – A shot where the player simply tries to get close to the basket rather than actually go in the basket.
Lid – Nick name for a deep traditional frisbee that looks like well, a lid.
Lie – Where your next throw is from or how many strokes away from
Line – The pathway the disc can take to reach the desired destination is referred to as the line, or available line.
Low-speed stability – The ability of a disc to fade at low speeds at the end of the flight. The fourth number in the four digit disc flight ratings indicate the fade or low speed stability.
M
Mando – Or mandatory. This is typically a tree or other object with an arrow on it that indicates that your disc must fly on a mandatory side. If your throw fails to pass the mando, a one stroke penalty is applied and the players next throw is typically from a drop zone next to the mando marker.
Meathook – Description of a disc that is so overstable it is like “throwing a meathook” and begins fading the second it leaves your hand.
Midrange – Disc type with moderate rim width that lies somewhere between a driver and a putter. In the early days of Frisbee golf, modern midranges where actually considered distance drivers.
Mini marker – A small object (usually a small version of a frisbee) used to mark your lie, most often used before putting during tournament play.
N
Nose — The front side of the disc. Discs can be thrown nose up which will cause them to lift, or nosed down.
O
OB – Out of Bounds. A place where if your disc lands, you are not allowed to throw from and are instead assessed a one stroke penalty.
Overhead shot – An overhand throw. Thumbers and Tomahawks are the most common overhead shots, but a Turbo putt could also be considered one as well.
Overstable – Description of a disc that fades hard. In some areas disc golfers use the term “stable” to refer to a disc that fades hard.
P
Par – How many strokes a player is expected to score on a given hole.
Parked – A shot that lands very close to the basket is considered “parked.”
PDGA – The Professional Disc Golf Association. This is the governing body for disc golf. The PDGA sets rules for tournament play and what discs can be used.
Penalty stroke – A stroke awarded that is not the result of a throw as a direct result of a violation. For example, if a throw goes out of bounds, a player receives a penalty stroke for the out of bounds violation.
Peninsula – Like an Island but with some area that is not surround by out of bounds.
Power grip – A method of holding a frisbee with a tight grip around the rim. Most players use a power grip for distance throws.
Push putt – A putting style where a player pushes the disc towards the basket with very little spin. This is also referred to as a loft or shovel putt.
Putt – A short range throw where the goal is to land the disc in the basket.
R
Rating – A method determined by the PDGA to determine how skilled a player is and what division they should play in. A flawless round on tournament level courses would earn a player a rating of 1000.
Rim – The outer edge of the frisbee.
Ring of Fire – A putting game where many people surround a basket in a circle and all putt at exactly the same time, usually with prizes on the line for the last person to not miss the putt.
Roller – A disc golf throw where the player intentionally throws their disc to the ground in a motion that will allow it to roll towards the basket. On many courses, disc golfers can get more distance with roller shots rather than air shots.
S
Safari hole – Playing from a teepad to a basket that is different than the original course design.
Scooby shot – With a scooby throw the disc is gripped like it is for a backhand, only upside down with the thumb along the inner rim. This throw is also referred to as a Grenade.
S-curve – The flight of a disc in the pattern of an S where the disc turns one direction at high speed and then fades the opposite direction at the end of the flight.
Sidearm – Throwing motion similar to a baseball sidearm throw with the palm facing upward. Also known as a forehand, or flick.
Speed – This is the first number on the four digit universal disc golf flight ratings. Speed refers to how fast a disc cuts through the air. It generally has to do with the rim width and overall aerodynamics of the disc.
Spike hyzer – Throw, usually with an overstable disc, that starts and ends with the inside of the disc pointing (or hyzering) towards the ground.
Spin putt – Putting style where a player puts lots of spin on the disc.
Spit out – When a putt hits chains but fails to drop into the chain.
Stability — Frisbee term meaning, the ability to resist high speed turn, or turnover. Some people refer to stable as “straight” while others use the term “stable” to mean over-stable.
Stamp – The design or logo that is put on a frisbee by the manufacturer.
Star frame – When everyone on the card gets the exact same score on an individual hole.
Step putt – Taking a step forward as you putt for extra power. Also often referred to as a jump putt.
Straddle putt – Putting style where legs are spread out in a straddle and the putting motion goes back between the legs and then forward towards the target.
Strong side – The side of the disc golf basket where the spinning motion of the frisbee will push the putter into the basket rather than out of it. For right handed players, this is the right side.
T
Taco – Description of what happens to a frisbee when it hits a tree and folds in half.
TD – Acronym for Tournament Director — the person who is in charge of and runs a frisbee golf tournament.
Tee pad – The area marked for the first throw on each hole. Also known as the launch pad.
Thumber – Overhand throwing style where the thumb wraps tightly around the inner edge of a discs rim.
Tomahawk – Overhand throwing style where the fingers wrap tightly around the inner edge of a a discs rim.
Tree love – A favorable bounce or kick off of a tree that produces a positive outcome for the player.
Trilogy – Term for the three disc golf brands manufactured by Latitude 64 in Sweden; Latitude 64, Dynamic Discs, and Westside Discs.
Turbo putt – A putting style where the disc is thrown overhead with the fingers at the back of the disc and the thumb on the bottom side of the flight plate.
Turn – The third number in the four digit universal flight ratings. An understable disc will turn one direction at high speeds. Also referred to as high speed stability.
Turnover shot – A disc golf throw where the disc flys in a direction opposite the normal fading direction. Turnover shots are most easily accomplished with understable discs.
Two-meter rule – This is an old rule used in some tournaments that penalize players if their frisbee gets stuck in a tree, higher than two meters high. In most tournaments this is not a penalty and you simply mark the lie directly below the vertical plane of the frisbees landing point.
U
Understable – Disc golf flight term meaning that the disc will turn hard to the right for a right handed player throwing backhand or left for a forehand throw.
Upshot – A short throw towards the basket.
W
Weak side (of basket) – Opposite of strong side. The Weak side is the side where the spinning motion of the disc is more likely to kick the disc away from the center pole.
Wing – The rim of the disc. Wing Length refers to the thickness of a disc.