There's a lot of golf jargon out there. Here are 3 terms you need to understand

Learning about the golf swing can feel like learning a new language. Path, lag, casting, you’re too steep, too shallow, you’re coming over the top—the list goes on. Resist the urge to be intimidated by all of these phrases. You don’t need to know them all to be able to have a conversation with a teacher about the golf swing. We talked to Golf Digest Best Young Teacher Joanna Coe about golf terms amateurs should know. Learn what these mean, and you’ll have a better understanding of the golf swing—and be more prepared for your next lesson.

Law of the circle

“The golf club is swung in a big, tilted circle around us,” explains Coe, the director of instruction at Merion Golf Club. “Hopefully, the bottom of that circle is right at or in front of the golf ball. What we do with our body moves that circle up, down, forward, backward, upright, flat, etc.”

Understanding that the golf swing is a circle is critical to understanding how different motions will change the way the club interacts with the ball.

“For example, if you struggle hitting the ground behind the ball, think about what you need to do to move that circle more forward,” Coe explains.

Sequencing

This term refers to the order in which different parts of your body move during the swing. If your sequencing is off, you’ll face a litany of issues, including loss of power and inconsistent contact. Coe says proper sequencing is as follows:

“The backswing starts with the clubhead first, then arms, torso, then lower body. In transition (which is even before we reach the top of backswing) everything switches. The lower body leads (shifts) then the torso starts to unwind and the arms/hands deliver the club head to impact.”

Clubface

The clubface is the part of the club that hits the ball. If you’re saying to yourself that you already knew that, what you don’t know is that most golfers don’t pay enough attention to it, and what affects it.

“Golfers focus way too much on their body and not enough on what is happening with their clubface,” Coe says. “Your grip is a huge factor in the clubface orientation and your only connection to the club. Be sure to establish a solid and consistent grip, depending on your tendencies of an open or closed face. And make sure you never lose touch with what your hands and wrists are doing throughout the swing. And this is all needs to happen way before impact.”