# golf

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɡɒlf/ · frequency rank #2,679

## Definitions
1. A ball game played by individuals competing against one another in which the object is to hit a ball into each of a series of (usually 18 or nine) holes in the minimum number of strokes.
2. Alternative letter-case form of Golf from the NATO/ICAO Phonetic Alphabet.

## Etymology
The word is first known in English from the 17th century as a borrowing from Middle Scots golf, gouff. Although the etymology is uncertain, the most likely origin is that it comes from the Middle Dutch colve, colf (“club”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *kulbaz (“club”), related to German Kolben (“piston, rod”), Swedish kolv (“piston, rod”), Old English clopp (“rock; cliff”), English kelp.

## Easily confused with
- **got** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-got)
- **GOP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gop)
- **goo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-goo)
- **gul** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gul)
- **gow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gow)
- **gor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gor)
- **good** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-good)
- **gone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gone)
- **gulf** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gulf)
- **gosh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gosh)
- **gore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gore)
- **gown** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gown)
- **gong** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gong)
- **goth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-goth)
- **goon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-goon)
- **GOTO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-goto)
- **gout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gout)
- **gull** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gull)
- **goof** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-goof)
- **gory** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/golf-vs-gory)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ggolf`, `glof`, `gofl`, `golff`, `gollf`, `oglf`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/golf