| R & A - The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews |
| Rabbit - A professional who tours that must qualify to compete for an opportunity to play in tournaments. An amateur golfer with little achievement. |
| Range - A practice area for golfers. |
| Rap - When a golfer putts firmly. |
| Reading the green - When a golfer decides the favoured path for the ball to take on it's way in the hole. |
| Recover - When a golfer takes a shot to bring their ball back into a suitable place from a disadvantageous one i.e. rough, hazard. |
| Regular shaft - A golf club shaft with standard flex. |
| Release - This refers to the movement of a player's hands during their swing. It is the point in the downswing where a golfer uncocks their wrists. |
| Reverse overlap - A common grip used for putting. When a golfer overlaps the index finger of their right-hand with the little finger of their left. The reverse for left-handed golfers. |
| Rifle - When a golfer hits a long and precise shot. |
| Rim - When a golfer hits a shot that circles the rim of the cup. |
| Rim(ed)/Rim out - When a golfer hits a shot that runs round the lip of the hole and the ball does not fall in. |
| Road hole - This hole is the 17th hole at St. Andrews. |
| Rough - The tall grass sections of a golf course that are near to the greens and fairways. |
| Round - 18 holes of golf is one round. |
| Round robin - A competition in which all golfers have the chance to play all other participants. |
| Rub of the green - An unanticipated bounce of a golf ball once it has hit the ground. |
| Run - The length a golf ball carries on travelling once it has landed on the ground. |
| Run-up - When a golfer strikes a ball on or close to the ground. |
| Running iron - A golf club that is used to make short shots which roll. |