A dogleg is a golf hole whose fairway bends left or right partway down, like the bent hind leg of a dog. You can't see the green from the tee on many doglegs, so the hole asks you to pick a target, a club and a line before you swing. A "dogleg left" turns left; a "dogleg right" turns right. Holes that bend twice are called double doglegs.
What does dogleg mean in golf?
The fairway runs straight out from the tee, then turns at an angle. The spot where it turns is called the corner or the elbow. Course designers use doglegs to reward an accurate tee shot, to fit holes around water, trees or property lines, and to make long hitters think instead of just swinging hard.
Doglegs show up on par 4s and par 5s. A par 3 can't really dogleg, because you're hitting straight at the green. If you're new to how holes are rated, our guide to what par means explains it.
Dogleg left vs dogleg right: which is harder?
It depends on your shot shape. For a right-handed golfer:
- Dogleg left suits a draw, a ball that curves gently right to left. Push a draw too far and it turns into a hook that can run through the corner into trouble.
- Dogleg right suits a fade, a ball that curves left to right. A slice will often cut the corner by accident, which is why slicers sometimes like these holes.
Left-handed golfers get the reverse. If you're not sure which shape you naturally hit, our draw vs fade guide walks through it.
How do you play a dogleg?
- Find the corner on the scorecard or yardage book. Many courses list the distance to the turn. If the corner is 230 yards out and you carry your driver 250, a straight driver could run through the fairway.
- Pick a target that leaves a full view of the green. The best second shot usually comes from the outside of the bend, where you can see the flag, not from tight against the inside trees.
- Don't automatically hit driver. A 3 wood, hybrid or long iron that stops short of the corner is often the smart play. You give up a little distance and gain a clear second shot.
- Only cut the corner when the math works. Going over the trees or bunkers on the inside can leave a short wedge in, but you need to know your carry distance, not your best-ever drive.
- Play your stock shape. If you hit a fade, aim down the left side of a dogleg right and let it work. Trying a brand new shot on the tee is how big numbers happen.
What clubs help on doglegs?
Doglegs are where a reliable fairway wood or hybrid earns its spot in the bag. Most golfers hit them straighter than a driver, and they stop the ball short of the corner without much thought. You can browse used fairway woods and used hybrids, each listed with exact specs and a 1 to 10 condition grade. If your driver keeps running through the corner, it may also be worth checking whether your shaft fits your swing; see what shaft flex you need.
Where does the term dogleg come from?
The word comes from the shape of a dog's hind leg, which bends sharply at the hock. English used it for bent things long before golf: Etymonline traces "dog-legged" to 1703, when it described a staircase with two flights that turn back on each other, and "dog-leg" to 1843. Merriam-Webster gives 1803 as the first known use of the noun in its general sense of something with an abrupt angle, and 1940 for the verb, as in "the fairway doglegs left."
Dictionaries don't give a separate date for when golfers first called a bending hole a dogleg, and we couldn't find a reliable first use. What's clear is that golf borrowed an existing word for anything with a sharp bend, rather than inventing a new one.
Dogleg FAQ
Is a dogleg a par 4 or a par 5?
Either. Most doglegs are par 4s, but par 5s often bend too, and some bend twice.
What is a double dogleg?
A hole that bends one way and then the other, or bends twice in the same direction. They are usually par 5s.
Should I hit driver on a dogleg?
Only if the corner is far enough away that your normal drive stays in the fairway. If it's close, a fairway wood, hybrid or iron to the corner is usually the better play.
Is a dogleg the same as a blind shot?
Not always. Many doglegs hide the green from the tee, but a gentle dogleg can still show you the flag.
More golf words explained in our golf terms glossary.
