In short

A dogleg is a golf hole whose fairway bends to the left or right, so you often cannot see the green from the tee. The name comes from the bent hind leg of a dog. Players who handle the bend wisely save strokes and avoid trouble.

Dogleg in golf: the meaning explained

Most holes lead fairly straight from the tee along the fairway to the green. On a dogleg that is different. The hole bends somewhere along the way. You stand on the tee and look at a fairway that turns left or right after a number of metres. The green sits beyond the bend and is often hidden by trees, bushes or terrain.

Doglegs appear mainly on par 4 and par 5 holes. These have enough room for a bend. On short par 3 holes, where the tee shot goes straight to the green, they are rare.

The word dogleg refers to the hind leg of a dog and its clear bend. In English the word has long described anything with a sharp angle, not only golf holes. In golf it has become the fixed term for holes with a curve.

Dogleg left and dogleg right: the difference

The direction of the bend is described from the tee. If the fairway turns to the left, it is a dogleg left. If it turns to the right, it is a dogleg right. This has nothing to do with how a player swings. It is simply the view from the tee.

For right-handed players there is a rule of thumb: a dogleg left suits a ball that curves gently from right to left, a draw. A dogleg right suits a fade, which curves from left to right. This is not a requirement. Many players take the bend with a straight ball by choosing a different target. For left-handed players the rule of thumb is reversed.

Bends also differ in strength. A slight dogleg is hardly more than a gentle curve. A sharp dogleg turns almost at a right angle. Occasionally a hole has two bends in a row, a so-called double dogleg. Such holes demand particularly careful planning.

How to play a dogleg: three options

On a dogleg you usually have three options. Which one fits depends on your distance and your nerve.

• Play to the bend: choose a club from the tee that safely brings the ball short of the corner, for example a hybrid or a long iron. The ball stays on the fairway. The second shot then goes around the corner to the green.
• Cut the corner: you play directly over trees, rough or hazards towards the green and shorten the hole. That saves metres, but a miss often costs a penalty stroke or a difficult lie.
• Play through: the ball flies too far straight and ends up on the far side of the bend in the rough or in the trees. This happens often when you hit the driver and do not allow for the curve.

For most beginners the first choice is the safest. You do not play against the hole, you play a shot you can really control. This approach is also called a layup, because you deliberately stay shorter.

Example from practice: a par 4 bending left

Imagine a par 4 of 340 metres. The fairway runs straight for the first 190 metres and then bends left. The green lies beyond the bend. Your driver flies 200 to 220 metres on average. With the driver you would reach the bend and possibly go past it, where trees stand on the right-hand side.

You decide on a hybrid that flies about 170 metres. The ball stops a good 20 metres before the bend on the fairway. About 170 metres remain to the green, played around the corner. With a hybrid or a 5 wood you do not always reach the green with the second shot, but you are safely on the fairway.

Your second shot gets you close to the green, a pitch brings the ball onto it and two putts finish the hole. You write down five strokes, a bogey. That is a solid result. If you choose the driver and end up in the woods, you quickly write down a six or seven. The numbers are a worked example. Your own distances may differ.

Typical mistakes on a dogleg

The same mistakes happen to beginners again and again on doglegs.

• The driver is always the first choice: many players reach for the longest club by reflex. On a dogleg the shot is usually too long.
• Aiming at the green: the green is often out of sight. Choose a target on the fairway, such as a tree or a marker at the bend.
• Cutting the corner too tightly: to play over trees you need height and length. If you lack both, the ball ends up in the undergrowth.
• Not playing a provisional ball: if your ball might disappear into the woods, you may play a provisional ball under the 2023 Rules of Golf. That saves the walk back to the tee if the first ball cannot be found. After three minutes of searching a ball is lost.
• Not knowing the distance: without a clear view, a course map, a yardage book or a rangefinder helps.

Why doglegs exist: the course architect's view

Golf course architects build doglegs because they give a course variety. A hole that only goes straight asks for little thought. A bend forces a decision: boldness or safety? Experts call this risk and reward. Those who risk more can gain an advantage, while safe play usually costs one extra stroke.

The terrain also plays a part. A slope, a pond, a patch of woodland or the boundary of a neighbouring property are natural reasons for a curve. In this way a course can be fitted sensibly into the landscape. Bends also help to separate neighbouring holes.

On measuring: the length of a hole is usually measured along the line of play, that is the middle of the fairway around the bend. It is therefore longer than the straight line between tee and green. If you cut the corner, you actually play fewer metres than the scorecard shows.

Dogleg compared with related terms

A dogleg only describes the shape of a hole. It is not a hazard and not a separate zone with special rules. Under the Rules of Golf your ball lies in the general area as long as it is not in the teeing area, a bunker, a penalty area or on the putting green.

It should be told apart from the hole as a whole. That covers everything from the tee to the green. The dogleg is a feature of that hole. A layup is also something different: it is the decision to deliberately hit less far than you could. On a dogleg a layup is often sensible, but it also occurs in front of water or on a long par 5.

The terms draw and fade describe the flight shape of a ball. On a dogleg a deliberate shape can help but is not required. Slice and hook are unwanted, strong curves. On a dogleg they can quickly turn a safe shot into a problem.

Try it at Golf Lounge

You can practise planning a hole with hazards on the 9-hole Black course at Golf Lounge Resort Hamburg. It is a par 33 with par 3 and par 4 holes, plus water hazards, bunkers and protected greens. It can be played with the Platzreife (DGV) and is open from April to December. Up to four players can book a tee time online.

View the 9-hole course

Frequently asked questions

What is a dogleg in golf?

A dogleg is a golf hole whose fairway bends to the left or right. The green lies beyond the bend and often cannot be seen from the tee. Doglegs mostly appear on par 4 and par 5 holes. The name literally means dog's leg and describes the bent shape.

What does dogleg left and dogleg right mean?

The direction describes the bend of the hole as seen from the tee. On a dogleg left the fairway turns left, on a dogleg right it turns right. For right-handed players a gentle draw often suits a dogleg left and a fade a dogleg right, but it is not a requirement.

What is the best way to play a dogleg?

For beginners it is usually best to hit a club that safely brings the ball short of the bend on the fairway, such as a hybrid. From there you play the second shot around the corner. Cutting the corner gains distance but carries a higher risk of penalty strokes and difficult lies.

Where does the name dogleg come from?

The name comes from English and means dog's leg. It refers to the hind leg of a dog, which has a clear bend. In English the word has long described anything with a sharp angle. In golf it has long been used for holes whose fairway turns in a similar way.

Are there doglegs on par 3 holes too?

Rarely. On a par 3 the tee shot usually goes straight towards the green and the hole is short. A bend needs space, so it appears mainly on par 4 and par 5 holes. A few short holes do bend slightly.

Related terms

• Golf Hole (Spielbahn)
• Fairway
• Layup
• Draw
• Fade
• Slice
• Provisional ball