Dog Balls

Sometimes referred to as the “snowman,” dog-balls is a term used in golf to a player that scores an eight to every single hole. It is a circumstance that every golfer wishes to avoid. Scoring an eight will greatly affect the scorecard of the golfer.

Origin of the Term

A dog-ball is a slang term, as well as the snowman. If you look at the score eight, the number resembles that of a snowball. The one round snowball on the top of another round snowball takes the shape of an “8,” which is a shape of a snowman.

Usage of the Term

A commentator for the sports uses the term if the player scores an eight. He or she would simple announce that the golfer scored a snowman. Sometimes if the player realized that he scored an eight, he would be the one to tell the marker to “place a snowman on the scorecard.” There are also cases when a fellow competitor would be the one to point out that you scored a snowman or dog-balls.

Disadvantages of Dog-Balls

Scoring dog-balls is not good for your scorecard. It can greatly affect your overall performance. As the snowman brings down your score, it can also create a negative impact on your ranking. It is the reason why golfer tends to avoid scoring an eight as they know the kind of trouble that they will be facing.

Another downside of scoring an eight is if the golfer gets two or more eights during the round. If the player experiences such a situation, then it is called a “blizzard.” If he makes eights too often, the golfer is nicknamed as “frosty”.

Avoiding Dog-Balls

Dog-balls can be avoided if the golfer continuously practices his swing technique. The player also needs to practice using the right club when hitting the ball into a hole. A golfer that knows how to gauge the type of club and swing technique to use to score can prevent a snowman from happening. However, if the player does get to score an eight, the golfer should do his best not to score another snowman. Otherwise, the scores of eight will pull down his stats.