Ever found yourself baffled by golf scores, wondering what on earth a “birdie” or “eagle” means? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. We’ll break down golf scoring terms in plain and simple language. It’s all about making the golf course less mysterious and more fun. Let’s get started on our journey to understand the scores in golf, no fancy lingo required!
Understanding golf scoring terminology is crucial for appreciating the game’s history, strategy, and the tradition it carries. These terms not only help in keeping track of scores but also enrich the playing experience by connecting us to the game’s rich heritage.
| Golf Scoring Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Stroke | Any forward club swing that’s intended to hit the golf ball. |
| Par | The number of strokes a professional player expects to make for a given hole or a group of holes. A par of 4 means completing the hole in 4 strokes. |
| Birdie | One stroke under par on an individual hole. |
| Eagle | Two strokes under par on an individual hole. |
| Albatross / Double Eagle | Three strokes under par on an individual hole. |
| Condor | Four strokes under par on an individual hole. |
| Ace / Hole-in-One | Getting the ball in the hole in one stroke. |
| Bogey | One stroke over par on an individual hole. |
| Double Bogey | Two strokes over par on an individual hole. |
| Triple Bogey | Three strokes over par on an individual hole. |
| Quadruple Bogey | Four strokes over par on an individual hole. It’s been a rough day |
Golf Scoring Terms Explained
Stroke – The governing bodies of Golf (USGA & R&A) tell us that a stroke is *“*The forward movement of your club made to strike the ball.” You can think of it as any shot/putt you make on the course, including intentional swings that miss the ball.
Par – The total number of strokes a professional level player expects to need to complete an individual hole.
Par always includes two putts for each hole. On a par 4 hole, an expert golfer should reach the green in two shots, then complete the hole with two putts (less is better!)
“Effective distance” (the distance a hole plays after accounting for whether it’s uphill/downhill, its elevation etc.) is the main factor in a hole’s par rating.
Here are the USGA’s distance guidelines
For men:
- Par-3 – Up to 260 yards
- Par-4 – 240 to 490 yards
- Par-5 – 450 to 710 yards
For women:
- Par-3 – Up to 220 yards
- Par-4 – 200 to 420 yards
- Par-5 – 370 to 600 yards
Golfer scores on individual golf holes contribute significantly to their overall performance, with par serving as the benchmark for measuring success.
Birdie – A birdie is when a golfer completes an individual golf hole in one stroke less than par, showcasing their skill in achieving fewer strokes. For example 2 strokes/shots to complete a par 3 course. Even professional golfers do not score many birdies per round.
MyGolfSpy and The Grint (a Golf GPS and Golf Handicapping App) analyzed how often players using The Grint app made par, birdie or better, bogey, double bogey, and triple bogey or worse.
As you can see below, golfers with a 11-15 handicap only average 0.5 birdies or better per round. The Grint users at the same handicap range made 5.1 pars.
It isn’t until single digit handicaps that you see an average of more than one birdie per round.
Eagle – An eagle is when a golfer completes a hole in two strokes less than par. For example 3 strokes on a par 5 hole.
Albatross/Double Eagle – An albatross or double eagle is when a golfer completes a hole in three strokes less than par. For example 2 strokes on a par 5 hole. This is far less common than scoring a hole in one (ace).
Condor – A condor is when a golfer completes a hole in four strokes less than par. For example, a hole in one on a par 5.
Only four condors have ever been recorded in PGA history. Generally the only way to do it is by taking a shortcut on a dog leg par 5 (a hole that bends like the hind leg of a dog)
Ace/Hole in One – An ace or hole in one occurs when a golfer hits the ball into the hole in one shot.
It’s an incredibly rare occurrence. According to the National Hole in One registry the odds of an average golfer making a hole in one are 12500 to 1. Broken down further here are the odds of
- Tour player making an ace: 3,000 to 1
- Low-handicapper making an ace: 5,000 to 1
- Two players from the same foursome acing the same hole: 17 million to 1
- One player making two holes-in-one in the same round: 67 million to 1
Bogey – A bogey is when you take one extra stroke OVER par to complete an individual golf hole. For example 5 strokes on a par 4 hole.
As a beginner golfer if you got a bogey on every hole of a par 72 course, you’d shoot 90. This can be a major milestone for newer golfers.
As a professional golfer a bogey is a bad result.
Double Bogey – Like the bogey except you’re taking 2 strokes OVER par to complete a hole.
Triple Bogey – A triple bogey is when you take 3 strokes OVER par to complete a hole.
Quadruple Bogey – A quadruple bogey is when you take 4 strokes OVER par on a hole. For example scoring 8 on a par 4. No one likes to score a double bogey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the term par originate from?
The word “par,” officially entered the golf lexicon in 1911 when the USGA put it in play. But the word itself was around for some time before that.
Generally, “par” was used when talking about stocks, as in, “a stock may be above or below its normal or par figure,” according to the USGA.
For the purpose of golf, the USGA defined “par” as, “the score that an expert player would be expected to make for a given hole. Par means expert play under ordinary weather conditions, allowing two strokes on the putting green.”
Prior to the 1900s, “par” was actually a term used interchangeably with “bogey,” but “bogey” was the term more universally used.
Eventually, it was decided that “par” should be used to identify the “ideal score” on a given hole, while “bogey” would be the term used to describe a score that recreational golfers would be happy with.
Where do the golf hole terms **birdie**, **eagle** and **albatross** originate from?
The term ‘birdie’ originated in the United States in 1899, back then in American slang, ‘bird’ was the word when it came to anyone or anything excellent or wonderful.
So on the golf course, a great shot — one that led to an under-par score — came to be known as a “bird,” which was then transformed into “birdie.” The term birdie was in worldwide use by the 1910s.
The next logical step up from ‘birdie’ was of course the term ‘eagle’ and from there the ‘albatross’.
Where do the terms **bogey** and **double bogey** originate from?
The term ‘bogey’ comes from a song that was popular in the British Isles in the early 1890s, called “The Bogey Man” (later known as “The Colonel Bogey March”). The character of the song was an elusive figure who hid in the shadows: “I’m the Bogey Man, catch me if you can.”
The USGA said that Golfers in Scotland and England equated the quest for the elusive Bogey Man with the quest for the elusive perfect score. By the mid to late 1890s, the term ‘bogey score’ referred to the ideal score a good player could be expected to make on a hole under perfect conditions, by the 1900s the ideal score was referred to as ‘par’.
Since then, for more than a century, golfers have been trying to avoid the ‘bogey man’ on the golf course.
Final Thoughts
It can be overwhelming starting golf as a beginner however you’ll do well as long as you understand the basics before setting out. If you’d like to learn more about beginning golf try our best tips for golf beginners page. Happy golfing!
