What Does Up and Down Mean in Golf?

Getting “up and down” in golf means saving par or better on a hole. While it may seem easy initially, these two strokes can make or break a round.

Every stroke matters, from the tee shot to putting out to finish the hole. But there’s no bigger test for a golfer than being just off the green, needing to get up and down to save par.

In this article, we’ll provide some information on ups and downs and some essential tips to help you avoid those dreaded bogeys on your next trip to the golf course.

What does getting up and down in golf mean?

Getting up and down means finishing the hole in two strokes when your ball is just off the green. This scenario is accomplished with a good chip or pitch shot and a solid putt that finds the hole.

One of the biggest reasons golf coaches want players to work on their short game is that the common golfer may only hit a green in regulation around 20-30% of the time.

By hitting a great short-game shot that lands softly on the putting surface and near the hole, you dramatically reduce the odds of posting a bogey on your scorecard.

How does mastering ups and downs in golf affect my score?

If you want to jump from one handicap level to the next, saving strokes via the up-and-down is essential. Let’s say your approach shot on 10 holes resulted in a missed green each time.

So that’s ten up-and-down opportunities you are facing. If you are successful five out of ten times, you have saved at least five strokes on your final score.

Let’s say a player hits a poor chip onto the green, and the golfer is faced with a golf ball sitting over 30 feet away from the cup to save par. In that instance, he’s leaving themself with the possibility of a devastating three-putt.

This scenario is why mastering the up-and-down is so important to the health of your handicap.

What are some strategies to improve my up and down success rate?

One of the best ways to improve your up-and-down success rate is to use one club for shots around the green. Maybe you feel more comfortable hitting chips with a 7-iron or a sand wedge.

Whatever club works best for you, take the time to master that club when you hit shots onto the green.

You’ll find that most PGA Tour pros typically have a favorite club they use on their first shot around the green.

Is a sand save an up and down?

Yes, sand saves are considered an up-and-down. Sand saves are when you find yourself in a greenside bunker, get out of that bunker, and card a par with the next putt.

This scrambling stat is on the PGA Tour for every golfer, giving you a sense of how good they are around the green.

Getting up and down from the sand can boost your confidence and aid you in playing the rest of the course.

What does play down mean in golf?

One of the biggest confusions for golfers comes when a fellow competitor suggests they “play down” for their round.

This type of golf doesn’t involve an up-and-down, but rather simply means that golfers will play their next shot where it lands. Golfers cannot improve their lie or pick the ball up and get the mud off the outer surface.

What does club up and down mean?

Another common misnomer among golfers comes when someone says they need to “club up” or “club down. Just like “play down,” this phrase means that you take another club in either direction.

For example, you would typically hit an 8-iron around 150 yards, but the wind is in your face at 10 mph for your third shot on a longer par 5. You might “club up” and use a 7-iron to combat the wind and get the yardage you need to reach the green.