Golf Scoring Terms Cheat Sheet
| Golf Scoring Term | Explanation |
| Stroke | Any forward club swing that's intended t ... |
| Par | The number of strokes an expert player i ... |
| Birdie | One stroke under par on an individual ho ... |
| Eagle | Two strokes under par on an individual h ... |
Full Answer
What is an eagle birdie and bogey in golf?
What Is an Eagle, Birdie and Bogey? Eagle, birdie and bogey are all golf terms for the number of strokes required to complete a hole. They are relative to par, which is the number of strokes set as the standard for a particular hole. A player scores an eagle when he or she hits the ball in the hole with two strokes fewer than par.
What is par and bogey in golf?
Par (also known as “Even”) is the average number of strokes a good golfer needs to score a hole (+2 putts). This number is usually set by the golf course who calculates the par of each hole with a golf professional or a consultant. A bogey is when your score for a particular hole exceeds par by 1 strike.
What is the difference between an eagle and a double bogey?
An eagle is 2-under par on a hole. A double bogey is 2-over par on a hole. A double eagle (very rare) is 3-under par (also called an "albatross"). A triple bogey is 3-over par.
What's the difference between a par and a birdie?
A very good golfer — or a very lucky golfer — might complete a hole in fewer strokes than the par (called "under par"). And of course, most of us are not "experts" at golf, and so on most holes we'll need more strokes than the par (called "over par"). That's where those other terms — birdies, eagles, bogeys, and so on — come into play.
What are the 7 golf scoring terms?
We've compiled a list of 100+ golf terms that are useful to know, but the golf scoring terms we'll cover in this guide are among the most essential when you're out on the course or watching televised golf.
What is par and birdie in golf?
A player makes a “birdie” when he uses one fewer strokes than the par of the hole. If a player needs one stroke more than par to finish a hole, he makes a “bogey.” So, if you finish a par 4 with only 3 strokes, you make a “birdie”, but if you take 5 strokes to complete a par 4, you make a “bogey”.
What are golf terms?
Beginner Golf Terms. Birdie: Completing the hole in one less stroke than the par. Bogey: Completing the hole in one more stroke than the par. Double Bogey: Completing the hole in two more strokes than the par (catch the trend?). Eagle: Completing the hole in two fewer strokes than the par.
What are the birds in golf?
Birdie. A hole score of one stroke fewer than par (one under par, −1) is known as a birdie, e.g. 2 strokes to complete a par 3 hole or 4 strokes on a par 5 hole. This expression was coined in 1899, at the Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield, New Jersey.
What does Bogie mean in golf?
one over parA Bogey means one over par. Birdie: In the 19th century, the term "bird" was the equivalent of "cool" or "excellent" - golf scholars believe this is where the term came from. An Atlantic City, New Jersey, course claims that the term originated there in 1903. The meaning being a score of one under par.
What is Eagle in golf?
An eagle in golf is a score that is achieved when you are 2-under par. For example, you need to do it in one stroke to score an “eagle” on a par-3 hole and two strokes on a par-4 hole. An eagle is a good indicator of advanced gameplay and is typically not achieved until the professional level.
What par means in golf?
For golf purposes, 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."
What does t mean in golf?
Applies to United States Golf Association (USGA) handicaps. A "T-Score" is any round considered to have been played under a formal competitive setting, such as a sanctioned tournament - i.e., one where a player would not be expected to sandbag.
What is 3 shots under par called?
Albatross. An albatross is—you guessed it—a term for three under par. Like the bird itself, achieving an albatross in golf is rare indeed.
What is a turkey in golf?
Its origin is almost certainly American in nature. In ten-pin bowling, a trio of consecutive strikes is called a turkey, while six in a row is known as a wild, or golden, turkey. It wouldn't be the first time golf has borrowed from another sport to expand its lexicon.
What is 4 birdies in a row called?
1 = Strike. 2 = Double. 3 = Turkey or Gobbler. 4 = Hambone. 5 = Recently heard referred to as yatzee or five bagger.
What is 3 birdies in a row called?
So three birdies in a row is either called the hat trick or a turkey.
Par is the most used word in golf
What the value should be to represent the bar is usually derived from 2 putts and the number of strokes to reach the green from the starting point. In most cases, you will find holes being labelled as par-3, par-4 or par-5. Par-6 is sometimes used although it is not very common.
This is the Eagle you are aiming for
Apart from eagle and birdie, another term that needs to be mentioned here would be bogey. Basically, all the three terms refer to the number of strokes that were used to complete a hole by the specific player.
What does "birdie" mean in golf?
Birdie. "Birdie", meaning a score of one stroke under Par, comes from the early 20th century American slang term "bird", meaning anything excellent. The September 1911 edition of Maclean Magazine described a golf shot as - '"bird" straight down the course, about two hundred and fifteen yards.'.
What is the bogey score?
Here Comes the Bogey Man", which was popular at that time. So at Yarmouth and elsewhere the ground score became known as the bogey score. A 'bogle' was a Scottish goblin as far back as the 16th Century and a Bogey-man was a widely used term for a goblin or devil.
What is par in golf?
Par is derived from the stock exchange term that a stock may be above or below its normal or 'par' figure. In 1870, Mr AH Doleman, a golf writer, asked the golf professionals David Strath and James Anderson, what score would win 'The Belt', then the winning trophy for 'The Open', at Prestwick, where it was first held annually from 1861 to 1870. Strath and Anderson said that perfect play should produce a score of 49 for Prestwick's twelve holes. Mr Doleman called this 'par' for Prestwick and subsequently Young Tom Morris won with a score of two strokes 'over par' for the three rounds of 36 holes.
What are the three terms used in golf?
There is quite a history behind the golfing terms bogey, par, birdie, eagle and albatross. Bogey and par were central to the development of handicapping, pioneered by the LGU. The modern meaning of three of the terms - bogey, birdie and eagle - comes from their use in USA. Bogey Par Birdie Eagle Albatross.
What is the meaning of the eagle in golf?
Eagle. "Eagle", a score of two under par for a given hole, was clearly the extension of the theme of birds for good scores from a " birdie " . It would be natural for American golfers to think of the eagle, which is their national symbol and the term seems to have developed only shortly after the 'birdie'.
What is the term for three under par?
Albatross is the term for three under par and is a continuation of the birdie and eagle theme, but is in fact a British term. Ab Smith said his group used the phrase 'double eagle' for three under ( see Birdie above ), which is still the term most Americans and the name for their Double Eagle Club (membership by invitation only).
When was the par standard first used?
Although the first noted use of the word "par" in golf was in Britain and predates the bogey, today's rating system does not and the par standard was not further developed until later. It was the Ladies Golf Association, who, from 1893, began to develop a national handicapping system for women.
What is a birdie in golf?
They describe a golfer's performance on a hole in relation to the hole's par: A birdie is a score of 1-under par on a hole (for example, scoring 4 on a par-5). A bogey is 1-over par on a hole. An eagle is 2-under par on a hole. A double bogey is 2-over par on a hole.
What does "par" mean in golf?
"Par" refers to the number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to need to complete the play of one hole on a golf course. Golf holes of different lengths will require more or fewer strokes by a golfer.
What is the highest par in golf?
A double eagle (very rare) is 3-under par (also called an " albatross "). A triple bogey is 3-over par. Given that a par-5 hole is the highest par most golfers will ever see, there is a limit to how far under par a golfer can go.
What does "double eagle" mean in golf?
Double eagle: On a par-5, means you finished the hole in 2 strokes. Eagle: You finished the hole in 3 strokes. Birdie: You finished the hole in 4 strokes. Par: You finished the hole in 5 strokes.
How many strokes does a double bogey take?
Double bogey: You finished the hole in 7 strokes. Triple bogey: You finished the hole in 8 strokes. Par-4 Hole. Double eagle: On a par-4, means you finished the hole in 1 stroke — a hole-in-one (very, very rare on par-4 holes) Eagle: You finished the hole in 2 strokes. Birdie: You finished the hole in 3 strokes.
What is it called when you need more strokes than the par?
And of course, most of us are not "experts" at golf, and so on most holes we'll need more strokes than the par (called "over par"). That's where those other terms — birdies, eagles, bogeys, and so on — come into play.
When is a bogey a par?
A player scores a bogey when he or she completes a hole one stroke over par. According to About.com, the term bogey was first used in the 1890s and, at that time, had a meaning similar to par. ADVERTISEMENT.
What is an eagle birdie?
What Is an Eagle, Birdie and Bogey? Eagle, birdie and bogey are all golf terms for the number of strokes required to complete a hole. They are relative to par, which is the number of strokes set as the standard for a particular hole.
When do you score a birdie?
A player scores a birdie when he or she completes a hole one stroke below par. Birdies are more common than eagles, more so among professionals and skilled amateurs. Golf historians believe that the term birdie first appeared in the United States around the end of the nineteenth century.
How do you score an eagle?
A player scores an eagle when he or she hits the ball in the hole with two strokes fewer than par. For example, if par is five, a player scores an eagle by completing the hole in three strokes. Scoring an eagle is rare among recreational golfers.
It All Starts with Par
Par is probably the golf term most people recognize. From televised tournaments to miniature golf courses, par is seen everywhere.
What is a Bogey in Golf?
We’ll start on the “bad” side of par and explain what a bogey means. A bogey is one stroke over par, so a golfer took one extra shot to get the ball into the hole in relation to par.
What is a Birdie in Golf?
A birdie is when a golfer shoots one stroke under par on a hole. Watch a PGA or LPGA tournament and you will see golfers convert many birdies. A birdie is also a score that is attainable for the average golfer. A good drive, lucky bounce or perfectly placed long putt can result in a birdie every now and then.
What is an Eagle in Golf?
An eagle – two strokes under par on a hole – is tricky and average golfers could go a lifetime without ever recording one. It takes a very skilled golfer to put the ball into position to record an eagle. Eagles are most often scored on par-5 holes where long hitters can reach the green in two strokes and then sink the ensuing putt.
What is an Albatross in Golf?
An albatross in golf is just as spectacular as the bird that is its namesake. An albatross in nature is a flying seabird with the largest wingspan of any bird – up to 11 feet wide. In golf, an albatross is three strokes under par on a hole.
What is a Condor in Golf?
For good measure, there’s also a term for four under par on a single hole. While it may as well be called a unicorn, given the mythical odds, making a hole-in-one on a par-5 is called a condor. And yes, as unbelievable as it may sound, it has happened before.
How it Looks on a Scorecard
If you’ve been tracking your birdies and bogeys with circles and squares on your scorecard, it’ll be easy to tally up your score at the end of the round. Simply add up the squares, subtract the circles, and that’s your score in relation to par. Add that to the par of the course, and that’s your score for the round.
What is a par in golf?
The best place to start is with the term “par”. You’ve probably heard it used before, for example: “I’m not feeling up to par today”. Par is considered the desired score, hence why “not feeling up to par” can be used to mean “not feeling very well”.
What is a birdie in golf?
Now we know what a par is, it should be fairly easy to understand what a birdie is. A birdie is simply 1 shot under par on any hole. This is a good thing, it’s actually better than a par.
What is an eagle in golf?
An eagle is a score of 2 under par on 1 hole. As with a birdie, an eagle can be scored on any hole including a par 3, par 4, or a par 5.
What is an albatross in golf?
In golf, an albatross is something very rare, just the like the bird itself! It’s the name given to a score of 3 under par on a signle hole. An albatross can only be scored on a par 4 or a par 5. That’s because it’s not possible to score lower than 1 on a par 3 (which would be an eagle)!
What is a condor in golf?
A condor in golf is something so rare that not many golfers even know it exists. It is the name given to a score of 4 under par on just one hole! It can only be acheieved on one type of hole and it requires a hole-in-one!
What is a bogey in golf?
A bogey is the name for a score of 1 over par on a hole. Unlike a birdie, eagle, albatross, or condor, a bogey is generally considered a poor score. Since the golfer is supposed to make a par on average, a bogey is generally considered as losing a shot or “dropping a shot”.
What is a double bogey?
A double bogey is a score of 2 over par on a hole. It’s called a double bogey because it’s twice as far over par as a bogey. It’s not the most inventive name but it serves a purpose.