What does Birdie mean in golf scoring?
Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. "Birdie" is one of the basic scoring terms used by golfers, and it means a score of 1-under par on any individual golf hole.
What is a birdie on a par 4 hole?
For instance, a birdie on a par four hole would be a score of 3. Par represents the standardized score for any hole relative to its length, so an under-par score means it took fewer shots than expected to hole the ball from start to finish. The purpose of golf is to get the ball into the hole in as few strokes as possible.
Do golfers call 2-under par a birdie or a bogey?
The word " bogey " means 1- over par on a hole, and 2-over is a " double bogey ," 3-over is a " triple bogey ," and so on. Does the same pattern hold with birdie? If 1-under is a birdie, do golfers call 2-under a "double birdie"? No. Two-under on a hole is an " eagle ." And 3-under on a hole is an " albatross " ... or a " double eagle ."
How many strokes do you need to play a birdie in golf?
That means that an expert golfer should need three strokes, four strokes and five strokes, respectively, to play those holes. So a birdie is a very good score on a hole, one that mid-handicappers don't see often and high handicappers rarely see.
How Did Birdie Become a Golf Term?
"Birdie" isn't just a golf term that originated in the United States, it's one of the earliest innovations in the game that originated in America.
What score do you get for a birdie?
The Scores That Result in a Birdie. As for your actual score: If you make a "birdie" on a hole then you have: Scored a 2 on a par-3 hole. Scored a 3 on a par-4 hole. Scored a 4 on a par-5 hole. Par-6 holes are rare in golf, but they do exist. So you can also claim a birdie by making a score of five on a par-6 hole.
What is a birdie putt?
A "birdie putt" is a putt that, if the golfer makes it, results in a score of birdie on the hole. A "natural birdie" is a term some golfers use for a gross birdie. On a par-4 hole, if you take only three strokes, you made a "natural birdie.".
What does "Birdie" mean in golf?
Brent Kelley. Updated May 24, 2019. "Birdie" is one of the basic scoring terms used by golfers, and it means a score of 1-under par on any individual golf hole. Par, remember, is the expected number of strokes it should take an expert golfer to complete a hole.
When did the birdie happen?
The transformation of "bird"—as in, "hey, that was a bird of a shot"—into " birdie " is believed to have happened around the dawn of the 1900s, at a specific golf course, within a specific group of golfers in New Jersey.
Is a birdie a good score?
So a birdie is a very good score on a hole, one that mid-handicappers don't see often and high handicappers rarely see. For recreational golfers, making a birdie is a thing to celebrate.
Who celebrates birdies?
Even the pros (in this case, Dustin Johnson) celebrate birdies. For recreational golfers, the birdie is a rare treat. Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images
What is a birdie in golf?
A birdie in golf is a term for a score that is one under par. For instance, a birdie on a par four hole would be a score of 3. Par represents the standardized score for any hole relative to its length, so an under-par score means it took fewer shots than expected to hole the ball from start to finish.
How to Score a Birdie in a Golf ball?
Since recording a birdie requires the golfer to hit at least one good shot per hole, let’s take a look at several different shots hit during play of a par four hole to provide tips for practicing and improving your chances of scoring a birdie.
The Scores That Result in A Birdie
How Did Birdie Become A Golf term?
- "Birdie" isn't just a golf term that originated in the United States, it's one of the earliest innovations in the game that originated in America. (In fact, The Historical Dictionary of Golfing Terms cites a 1913 quote by the great English golf writer Bernard Darwin: "It takes a day or two for the English onlooker [in the U.S.] to understand that ... a birdie is a hole done in a strokeunder par.") The wor…
Other Forms and Uses of Birdie in Golf
- Do "double birdies" exist? The word "bogey" means 1-over par on a hole, and 2-over is a "double bogey," 3-over is a "triple bogey," and so on. Does the same pattern hold with birdie? If 1-under is a birdie, do golfers call 2-under a "double birdie"? No. Two-under on a hole is an "eagle." And 3-under on a hole is an "albatross" ... or a "double eagle." Hey, nobody ever claimed golf's scoring terms …
Birdie Is Also Known as ...
- Other ways golfers say they made a birdie on a hole: 1. bird 2. 1-under 3. 1-under par 4. circle on the scorecard. Let's explain that last one. Some golfers like to mark their scorecardsin away that makes under-par and over-par scores stand out. The tradition is to circle birdies on the scorecard. If you write down a "3" on a par-4 hole, you can circle the "3" to make it stand out as a birdie. Hen…