A sharp bend or jog in a path, road, or structure resembling the bent leg of a dog; in golf, a hole that bends sharply left or right.
Compound from 'dog' plus 'leg,' referring to the angular, uneven bend that resembles a dog's hind leg. The golf term became standard in the early 1900s as the sport professionalized.
Golf architects deliberately design dogleg holes to add challenge and strategy—the term perfectly captures how the fairway bends awkwardly, forcing players to navigate the 'bend' rather than hitting straight to the pin.
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