Golf has its own entire language. When you step onto a golf course for the first time, listening to experienced players talk can feel like trying to understand a foreign dialect.

“I hit a slice off the tee, so I took a mulligan. Then I shanked my approach into a bunker.”

If that sentence made absolutely zero sense to you, do not worry. You are not alone. Every single golfer had to learn these weird, old-fashioned terms at some point.

Here is a complete beginner’s dictionary to the 12 most common golf slang words you will hear on the course.

The Warning Words

1. “Fore!” If you only learn one word on this list, make it this one. “Fore” is the universal warning yell in golf. If someone hits a ball and it is flying toward another human being, they will scream “Fore!” at the top of their lungs. If you hear this word, do not look up to see where the ball is. Duck, cover your head, and face away from the yelling.

The Forgiveness Words

2. Mulligan A “Mulligan” is a do-over. If you hit a terrible shot (usually off the very first tee), your friends might say, “Take a mulligan.” This means you get to drop a new ball and try again without adding a penalty stroke to your score. (Note: Mulligans are technically illegal in official tournament golf, but everyone uses them in casual weekend games).

3. Gimme If your ball is resting mere inches away from the hole, your playing partners might say, “That’s a gimme.” This means the putt is so short that you are guaranteed to make it, so you don’t actually have to hit it. Just pick the ball up and add one stroke to your score.

The “Bad Shot” Words

4. Slice A slice is the most common mistake for right-handed beginners. It is a shot that starts straight but violently curves far to the right, usually deep into the trees. (For left-handed players, a slice curves to the left).

5. Hook The exact opposite of a slice. For a right-handed player, a hook is a shot that violently curves far to the left.

6. Shank This is a terrifying word for golfers. A shank occurs when you accidentally hit the ball with the “hosel” (the round metal tube connecting the clubhead to the shaft) instead of the flat clubface. The ball will instantly shoot 90-degrees to the right.

7. Fat Hitting a shot “fat” means your club hit the dirt before it hit the ball. You will dig up a massive chunk of grass, and the ball will only travel a few yards.

8. Thin Hitting a shot “thin” means the bottom edge of your club struck the middle of the ball. It sends the ball rocketing low across the ground. (This is also commonly called “topping” the ball).

The Course Words

9. Bunker A bunker is a giant pit filled with sand. (Many beginners call these “sand traps,” but the official golf term is a bunker).

10. Divot When you take a swing and your iron scrapes the ground, a chunk of grass and dirt will fly up into the air. That missing chunk of grass is called a “divot.” It is good etiquette to find the chunk of grass and place it back in the hole to help it heal.

11. The Rough The very tall, un-mowed grass that lines the outside edges of the hole. It is very difficult to hit a ball out of the rough.

12. The Fairway The beautifully manicured, short grass in the middle of the hole. This is exactly where you want to hit your ball!

By memorizing these 12 words, you will sound like a seasoned pro the next time you visit the driving range. Now get out there and try not to hit it in the bunker!