What Does Pin High Mean In Golf?

If you are brand new to golfing the golf term pin high might seem foreign to you. For those of you with a couple years experience, I bet you have heard this yelled a time or two during one of your own games or while watching a tournament.

The golfing term pin high definition is that a golfer has hit a golf ball far enough however it is either to the left or right of the pin. You didn’t hit the ball long or short but rather hit it the perfect distance. All that needs to be adjusted for when you get a pin high is the direction and angle using a hook or slice.

I know I would rather be pin high than pin low personally. I always do better going equal to or a bit over the distance to the pin ( flagstick ) versus shooting short and trying to make up the distance with my not so impressive at times putting skills.

What Does Pin High Mean?

As stated above, pin high means exactly that. You shot the perfect distance to the pin but need to dial in your accuracy so the ball will hit the actual spot you were aiming for.

Would You Rather Be Pin High or Pin Low?

There are actually plenty of golfers who prefer to be pin low versus pin high. I myself prefer the opposite. It would depend on the slope of the green and what sort of hazards are in the immediate area of course but most players prefer one over the other.

As far as pin low goes, sure you have your aim down but really need to step up your golf swing to dial the distance down. Accuracy can trump distance but like most sports, there really is the strategy when it comes to distance and angles on a golf course.

You can almost look at it as a pool table. There are many ways to get your ball in the hole but which way is best for you, your accuracy, and how much power you put on the stick is all that matters.

What Does Pin Low Mean?

Pin low is actually not a bad thing due to you having far better accuracy with the golf club than I could ever have. I can swing a golf club pretty hard at the driving range but my accuracy needs some improvement.

Pin Low is when you hit the ball accurately but lack the distance to get the ball in the hole. If you work on the power behind your swing, the pin low issue will actually be easier to correct than a pin high where your accuracy isn’t exactly perfect.

Now that you know what it means, which do you think you tend to do more often than not?

Why Is It Called A Pin In Golf?

Where I am from a pin in golf has always been called a flagstick. I do understand why the name flagstick and pin are interchangeable. Just like most golf slang, your location does matter for sure lol.

It is called a pin in golf because it literally looks like a pin in a corkboard. Many people make the mistake of calling it a pen and assume it is because it looks like a pen which is incorrect.

What do you call the flagstick around your part of the globe? Have you ever heard of a weird nickname for the golf pin ever? Let us know as a comment below.

What Does Hole High Mean?

This feels more like a golf slang and where you reside situation. Hole High actually means the same exact thing as Pin High. These are interchangeable golfing terms just like pin and flagstick are.

Hole High vs Pin High

From my research, most golfers refer to it as pin high versus hole high. This has actually got me wondering and from now on, anytime I go to the driving range or my local golf course stomping grounds I am going to ask around and see what other golfers think is the correct term.

At the moment the current tally as of March 2022 is:

75% Pin High

25% Hole High

 Is It Better To Leave The Pin In Or Take It Out?

This really depends on the golfer. Most pros have the ability to shoot from further distances and keeping the pin in makes perfect sense especially when you want to judge wind and direction from long distances.

The benefit to leaving the pin in is that when the ball hits the fiberglass flagstick ( pin ) it dramatically reduces the speed of the ball and increases the chances of it dropping into the hole.

I used to always remove it due to me thinking that it was actually easier to sink the putt without the pin in the hole versus it being there. After I have tested it myself, I know for a fact that it is always best to remove the pin when putting.

What Happens If You Hit The Pin In Golf?

Well first things first, it depends on if this is a friendly game among friends or an actual golf tourney. The best thing to do is ask your group what rules they would like for your game before you get started.

Standard golf rules state that you would get a two stroke penalty if you are in a stroke play game and it would be a loss of a hole if you are playing in a match game.

This rule does change from location to location so it is always best to ask the locals if you are on a new course or in a new area ( especially a new state ).

How To Fix Being Pin High Or Pin Low?

 The moment you figure it out will you please let me know??? Just kidding LOL. This is actually one of the many golf training shots I have been working on when I go to the driving range. I used to just focus on how far I could get the ball to fly and thought that was the most important “technique” to learn in golf.

To fix being pin high or pin low there are only a couple of small changes that need to be made to your stance and golf swing. If you are pin high, you have your swing down perfectly when it comes to overall distances on the course. If you are pin low, just focus on increasing the power behind the ball without it affecting your accurate golf shots.

All you need to do is practice on accuracy shots. Instead of just trying to hit the ball hard, try and hit the ball precisely and focus on your follow through. Soon you will see your pin high starting to dial in and get more accurate over time.