Skip to content
    • Tour Homepage
    • PGA Tour
    • LIV Golf
    • DP World Tour
    • LPGA
    • LET
    • The Masters
    • The Open
    • The Players
    • US Open
    • PGA Championship
    • Ryder Cup
    • Solheim Cup
    • WITB
    • Betting
    • News
    • Features
    • Equipment Homepage
    • Reviews
    • Drivers
    • Fairway Woods
    • Hybrids
    • Irons
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Golf Balls
    • DMDs
    • Apparel
    • Shoes
    • Trolleys
    • Features
    • News
  • Buying Advice
    • Rules
    • WHS
    • Features
    • News
    • Instruction Homepage
    • Driving Tips
    • Long Game
    • Iron Play
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Learn from the pros
    • Course Management
    • Fitness
    • Mental Game
    • Nutrition
  • Giveaways
    • Top 100 Rankings
    • Travel
    • Top 100s Tour
    • Society Guide
    • NCG Golf Podcast
    • NCG Top 100s Podcast
    • Your Golf Podcast by NCG
  • Magazine
    • Why walking is how golf is meant to be played
    • Why walking is the only way to truly appreciate a golf course
    • Is walking in golf just as important as the swing?
    • NCG recommends: Nine US public golf courses you should walk when you are in the country
National Club GolferNational Club Golfer Logo
  • TourHas submenu items

    Tour Homepage

    • PGA Tour
    • LIV Golf
    • DP World Tour
    • LPGA
    • LET
    • The Masters
    • The Open
    • The Players
    • US Open
    • PGA Championship
    • Ryder Cup
    • Solheim Cup
    • WITB
    • Betting
    • News
    • Features
  • EquipmentHas submenu items

    Equipment Homepage

    • Reviews
    • Drivers
    • Fairway Woods
    • Hybrids
    • Irons
    • Wedges
    • Putters
    • Golf Balls
    • DMDs
    • Apparel
    • Shoes
    • Trolleys
    • Features
    • News
  • Buying Advice
  • ClubHas submenu items
    • Rules
    • WHS
    • Features
    • News
  • InstructionHas submenu items

    Instruction Homepage

    • Driving Tips
    • Long Game
    • Iron Play
    • Short Game
    • Putting
    • Learn from the pros
    • Course Management
    • Fitness
    • Mental Game
    • Nutrition
  • Giveaways
  • CoursesHas submenu items
    • Top 100 Rankings
    • Travel
    • Top 100s Tour
    • Society Guide
  • PodcastsHas submenu items
    • NCG Golf Podcast
    • NCG Top 100s Podcast
    • Your Golf Podcast by NCG
  • Magazine
  • The Joy of WalkingHas submenu items
    • Why walking is how golf is meant to be played
    • Why walking is the only way to truly appreciate a golf course
    • Is walking in golf just as important as the swing?
    • NCG recommends: Nine US public golf courses you should walk when you are in the country

Sign up here for our newsletter and you'll never slice a drive again. Promise.

Newsletter sign up

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
National Club Golfer Logo

© 2026 National Club Golfer | 2 Arena Park, Tam Lane, LS17 9BF

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Editorial Policy
  • Meet the NCG Team
  • Privacy
  • Terms & Conditions
Country: gb Page generated at: Wednesday, 15 July 2026 at 6:08:30 British Summer Time
club
Glossary
NCG’s Equipment glossary

published: Mar 7, 2016

|

updated: Apr 17, 2024

NCG’s Equipment glossary

NCGLink

FacebookXInstagramYouTubePodcast0 comments

Welcome to the NCG equipment glossary. Below is an A-Z of all things equipment…

NCG's Equipment glossary

Attack wedge: An attack wedge is another name for a ‘gap wedge’. This fits between your pitching wedge and sand wedge in a set of clubs.

Bore-through: Bore-through refers to a golf club whose shaft goes into the club head and through to the bottom of the sole of the club, as opposed with a traditional hosel which only goes partially into the club head.

Coefficient of Restitution (COR): COR is a technical term describing the energy transfer between two objects. So when a golf club collides with a golf ball, energy is transferred from the club to the ball. The more energy transferred, the father the ball can travel.

 


Centre of Gravity (CG): Centre of Gravity, or CG as it’s most commonly referred to is the point within the head of a golf club at which it would be perfectly balanced. Having a low CG that is to the back of the club will result in a higher trajectory.

Dimples: Dimples are simply the indentations that cover a golf ball. Changing the shape and depth of individual dimples has an effect on the flight of the golf ball. Having deeper dimples on your golf ball will result in lower trajectory.

 

 

Forgivness: This refers to the construction and design elements in a golf club that help lessen the effects of bad swings and off-centre hits. If you hit the ball off the toe, or the heel of the club and still get good distance, that club will be known to be ‘very forgiving’ or offer a lot of ‘forgiveness’.

Grass club: This is the historical equivalent of the driver, back when clubs had real wooden shafts. A term most commonly used prior to the 20th century.

Hosel: The hosel is a part of the clubhead. It is the part where the shaft is fitted and secured, a lot like a socket. the entry point at the top of the hosel is often covered by plastic to hide the connection between the shaft and clubhead.

Advertisement


Launch angle: This is the initial angle the golf ball ascends immediately after impact with the club face.


Loft: The ‘loft’ is a measurement in degrees of the angle at which the club face lies relative to the shaft of the golf club. The lowest loft will be in your driver, more often between 9- 12.5 degrees. As you move through the set loft will increase, until your reach your wedges where the lofts are normally set between 48-64 degrees.


Moment of Inertia (MOI): The moment of inertia, which is commonly shortened to the MOI is simply the club heads ability to twist on impact. A club with a higher MOI will be more resistant to twisting in comparison to a club with a low MOI. This is why clubs with a high MOI are more forgiving, as off centre hits will result in the club head twisting to straighten the ball flight out.


Offset: Offset is a design in golf clubs where the leading edge of a club face is set back from the hosel or neck of the club. Offset originated in putters to help golfers get their hands in front of the ball. It is also good for players who slice the ball as it allows more time to square the club face up before impact.


Shaft: The shaft of a golf club is the long tapered tube that connects the golfers hands to the clubhead. Shafts come in various different designs in order to help different abilities to effectively strike the ball with force.


Torque: Torque is simply a measurement of how much a shaft is prone to twisting during the swing. A shaft with a low torque will resist twisting, whereas a shaft with a high torque will result in more twisting during the swing.

Advertisement

Comments (0)

Leave a Comment

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!

What's Popular

Golfer on their mobile phone | Source: Adobe Stock

I’ve changed my mind on mobile phones – they shouldn’t be anywhere near the golf course

By Steve Carroll | Jul 8, 2026

Read full article I’ve changed my mind on mobile phones – they shouldn’t be anywhere near the golf course

Best Budget Irons 2026

By | Jun 18, 2026

Read full article Best Budget Irons 2026
A giant pitch mark on a golf green | Source: NCG

‘We don’t teach people how to play golf anymore’: Do we need to start handing out etiquette lessons at clubs?

By Steve Carroll | Jun 26, 2026

Read full article ‘We don’t teach people how to play golf anymore’: Do we need to start handing out etiquette lessons at clubs?
lost golf ball rule

You find your ball in the rough – then it disappears. What do the Rules say?

By Steve Carroll | Jun 30, 2026

Read full article You find your ball in the rough – then it disappears. What do the Rules say?
Bryson DeChambeau at LIV Golf Korea | Source: LIV Golf

Show me the money! How much has each LIV player made since signing up?

By Matt Chivers | Jun 10, 2026

Read full article Show me the money! How much has each LIV player made since signing up?
SOUTHAMPTON, NY - JUNE 17: Brooks Koepka of the United States celebrates with the U.S. Open Championship trophy after winning the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 17, 2018 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

What are the US Open cut rules?

By Matt Coles | May 9, 2025

Read full article What are the US Open cut rules?
Martin Kaymer of the LIV Golf Cleeks team | Source: Getty Images

Big DP World Tour events still allow LIV Golfers to compete, but how?

By Matt Chivers | Jun 29, 2026

Read full article Big DP World Tour events still allow LIV Golfers to compete, but how?

Best Golf Balls for Seniors 2026: Distance and feel for those with slower swing speeds

By Max Mcvittie | Jul 10, 2026

Read full article Best Golf Balls for Seniors 2026: Distance and feel for those with slower swing speeds
Best Golf Balls 2026 | Source: NCG

Best Golf Balls 2026: The Ultimate Guide for Every Swing Speed and Handicap!

By Max Mcvittie | Jun 23, 2026

Read full article Best Golf Balls 2026: The Ultimate Guide for Every Swing Speed and Handicap!
SOUTHAMPTON, NEW YORK - JUNE 15: Jon Rahm of Spain looks on prior to the 126th 2026 U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 15, 2026 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Stroke penalties are the perfect antidote to the most entitled and poorly behaved brats in professional golf

By Matt Chivers | Jun 25, 2026

Read full article Stroke penalties are the perfect antidote to the most entitled and poorly behaved brats in professional golf
The 18th Hole and 9th Hole of Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in the Southampton, N.Y. on Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (Copyright USGA/John Mummert)

How much does it cost to play at Shinnecock Hills?

By Matt Chivers | Jun 14, 2026

Read full article How much does it cost to play at Shinnecock Hills?
richest golfers of all time

Who are the richest golfers of all time?

By Matt Chivers | Oct 1, 2025

Read full article Who are the richest golfers of all time?