What Is KP In Golf?

What Is Kp In Golf

Do you know what KP in golf is? If not, don’t worry, I’d never heard that term either and I’ve been playing for 30+ years.

Apparently, it’s a term used in nearest-the-pin competitions, presumably in the USA only as I’ve not come across it.

KP apparently stands for ‘Kitchen Patrol’ and it’s a term used in the military where you have been given a punishment or something degrading to do.

Presumably, the fact that someone is standing around waiting to measure everybody’s attempts at getting close to the hole is considered a punishment duty and hence the use of KP but it seems pretty tenuous to me.

Closest To The Pin

At professional golf tournaments, they will often have a car as a prize for a hole-in-one on a par-3 (or sometimes all the par-3s). For mere amateurs, you might find that a competition organizer gets some prizes for nearest the hole on the par-3s instead as it’s quite unlikely there will be a hole-in-one.

Whoever ends the day closest to the hole on each of the par-3s wins the prize. The events I’ve played in down the years rely on the honesty of the players involved since the only proof that you were nearer the pin than previous players is the fact you put your name down on the clipboard that is left by the green with a measure of how far you were from the hole. A tape measure is usually supplied along with a large ball marker (usually a ball with a large nail through it) to give everyone a quick idea of how close they need to be when they are standing on the tee.

I suppose in larger amateur events with more expensive prizes on offer you might see if you can get a volunteer to do the measuring but I’ve not seen that in all the years I’ve played golf.

What Is KP In Golf: Conclusion

KP appears to be a shorthand for nearest the hole. Some suggest it is short for keenest position but I think that is even less likely than Kitchen Patrol!

Ever wondered why golf uses so many bird names?

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ]

What does KP stand for in golf?

In golf, KP stands for Kitchen Patrol. Supposedly this refers to someone who is hanging around a par-3 all day measuring the shots for the closest to the pin competition.

Not a term I’ve ever heard in the UK although it is usually up to the players themselves to measure when they hit the green on a nearest the pin hole.

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