
What does the term Boggie mean in golf?
What Are the Types of Bogeys?
- A double bogey means you are two over par
- A triple bogey means you are three over par
- Birdy means you’re actually one under par
- An eagle means you’re two under par
- An albatross means you’re three under par
Is a bogey good in golf?
For the beginner golfer, bogey golf is good. Overtime, the golfer can continue to build his or her skill and improve, eventually striving to make more pars or even birdies. For the more advanced golfer, a bogey is often a disappointing score on a hole. The best golfers might only make 1-2 bogeys per round.
How does bogey became a golf term?
- On a par 3, a score of 4 will be called a bogey
- On a par 4, a score of 5 will be called a bogey
- On a par 5, a score of 6 will be called a bogey
- On a par 6, a score of 7 will be called a bogey
What is a 'double bogey' score in golf?
“Double Bogey,” “Triple Bogey,” “Quadruple Bogey”
- A “Double Bogey” is a score of 2 strokes over par on any individual hole.
- A “Triple Bogey” is a score of 3 strokes over par on any individual hole.
- A “Quadruple Bogey” is a score of 4 strokes over par on any individual hole.

Why is it called a boogie in golf?
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."
What does Bougie in golf mean?
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”.
Is Boogie good in golf?
A bogey is typically considered to be a fairly bad score on a golf hole, as it is a single stroke above par. However, less experienced golfers may view a bogey as an average score since shooting par is not always an easy task. Bogeys are better than double bogeys, triple bogeys, quadruple bogeys.
What is considered a bogey golfer?
Bogey Golfer-A player with a USGA Handicap Index of 17.5 to 22.4 strokes for men and 21.5 to 26.4 for women. Under normal situations the male bogey golfer can hit his tee shot 200 yards and can reach a 370-yard hole in two shots.
What is worse than a bogey?
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. A double eagle (very rare) is 3-under par (also called an "albatross").
Which is better par or bogey?
Bogey is the golf term for a score that's 1 over par on a single hole. A double bogey represents a score of 2 over par for one hole. Therefore, a bogey is always a better score than a double bogey.
What is my handicap if I play bogey golf?
17.5 to 22.4 strokesIn rating the difficulty of golf courses through course rating and slope rating, the USGA defines a bogey golfer this way: "A player with a USGA Handicap Index of 17.5 to 22.4 strokes for men and 21.5 to 26.4 for women.
What handicap is a 100 golfer?
a 28What is your handicap if you shoot 100? If you shoot around 100 for 18 holes, your handicap is roughly a 28 (100-72 = 28).
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.
Is a bogey golfer a high handicap?
A bogey golfer, in this use, is a male golfer with a handicap index of 17.5 to 22.4, who hits his drives 200 yards and can reach a 370-yard hole in two and a female golfer with a handicap index of 21.5 to 26.4, who hits her drives 150 yards and can reach a 280-yard hole in two.
What is my handicap if I shoot 90?
Golf Handicap If You Shoot 90 Over time, the handicaps will decrease as the player improves. In simple terms, a person playing on a par 72 golf course and shooting 90 is said to have a handicap of 18.
How do I find my bogey rating?
The formula for determining a course's Bogey Rating: Divide its Slope Rating by 5.381 for men, or 4.24 for women, then add the result to the Course Rating. The final number is the target score for a Bogey Golfer.
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'.
When was the first birdie hole?
The Atlantic City Club date the event to 1903. The First Birdie Hole, Courtesy of Atlantic City County Club. By 1913, the term had crossed the Atlantic and Bernard Darwin writing in the September 1913 issue of Country Life of a visit to the USA said.
When were bogey competitions introduced?
This allowed the introduction of bogey competitions, which we would call handicap competitions or stablefords. On 2nd January 1892, The Field reported that 'a novelty was introduced in the shape of a bogey tournament for a prize. ... Fourteen couples started but the bogey defeated them all.'.
What is a Bogey in Golf?
In the sport of golf, a bogey is defined as having a score of one over par. Believe it or not, the score has been used for over a century now. The history of the bogey is something we will go into in our next section. Bogey is used in both professional and recreational golf.
What is the History of the Bogey in Golf?
As with anything else in the world, the bogey has a history. We’ll go a little bit into that history below.
What Are the Types of Bogeys?
While getting a bogey might strike fear in the hearts of golfers everywhere, it’s bound to happen and is nothing to be afraid of. What you do need to note, however, is that there are different types of bogeys to consider. We will list the terms and their definitions for you below.
What is a Bogey Golfer?
A Bogey Golfer is a term used by golfers to describe a golfer whose average is usually around one bogey per hole. However, the term also has a place in the golf lexicon as a formal definition approved by the USGA handicap system. We will look at both of the meanings of a bogey golfer below.
What is a Bogey Golfer in Common Language?
In common usages, such as a recreational golfer, being a bogey golfer means that you are averaging around one bogey per hole. If you’re doing that on a par-72 golf course, then your average will be around 90 as an average score.
What is a Bogey Golfer in the USGA Handicap System?
The above is a definition in common language, that’s not what being a bogey golfer means in the USGA Handicap system, however. Not only does the term have a specialized meaning in professional golf, but it is also considered to be an important term and is used for the rating systems for handicaps.
Why is it called a bogey in golf?
This term has stayed with the game and now a bogey refers to any time a player scores one over par. Bogey golfers are the most common in the sport, with an average of 70 bogeys per 100 holes.
History of Bogey
The phrase “bogey” was used in British folklore in the early 1890s to describe a hideous or terrible figure that moved about at night. In Britain, during this era, a song called “The Bogey Man” (later known as “The Colonel Bogey March”) became popular. I’m the Bogey Man; if you can, try and capture me.
What Is A Bogey?
A bogey, or bogie, is a score of one stroke over par, but what is the difference between bogeys and birdies?
How Is Par Determined?
Golf holes are assigned numerical values that reflect the maximum number of strokes a skilled golfer should require to complete that hole.
Is Bogey Golf Good?
Bogey golfers (those who score one stroke over par on a hole) make up the majority of players. A bogey represents an excellent round of golf, and if you shoot a bogey on every hole or even on most holes, there’s nothing wrong with that.
What Counts As A Bogey?
There are many scoring combinations possible in golf that produce the same result of one over par, including double-bogey (score of two strokes above par on a hole), triple-bogey (three strokes above par on a hole), etc. In this sense, it is better to think of ‘bogey’ as shorthand for “one above par” rather than strictly meaning one stroke over.
Why Are Bogey Golfers The Majority Of Players?
There are many possible reasons for this including more holes on average in an 18-hole course means that there is a greater chance to have bad luck. There are also physical and experience limitations that may prevent you from scoring better than par.
What does "bogey" mean in golf?
If you ask golfers what a bogey means, many will respond with the 1-over par explanation, but few will be able to explain the origins and how it relates to par. Bogey, like so many other golfing terms, has 2 connotations dependent on the period in history and context that you refer to. To put the term in perspective, ...
What is the meaning of the song "I'm the Bogey Man"?
Other versions suggest that the term is derived from an English dance hall song titled “The Bogey Man” which included the lyrics, “I’m the Bogey Man, catch me if you can .”.
What is a bogey on a par 5?
On a par 5, a score of 6 will be called a bogey. On a par 6, a score of 7 will be called a bogey. Unlike scores below par having different avian terms, the bogey remains the only term used for scores over par. Some golfers have tried to get the term “buzzard” accepted for a double bogey, but this has not become common use.
How many shots higher is a bogey score than a par?
Generally, the bogey score for a round will be approximately 5-6 shots higher than par. When developing the frequently used Stableford scoring system, Dr.
How to record a bogey?
To record a bogey, you have to score 1 shot more than the regular par score set by the golf club for the specific hole. On a par 3, a score of 4 will be called a bogey. On a par 4, a score of 5 will be called a bogey. On a par 5, a score of 6 will be called a bogey. On a par 6, a score of 7 will be called a bogey.
What is a buzzard in golf?
Some golfers have tried to get the term “buzzard” accepted for a double bogey, but this has not become common use. Scoring 2 over par is called a “double bogey”, 3 over par a triple bogey, 4 over par a quadruple bogey, 5 over par a quintuple bogey, and higher scores, which you are unlikely to score, follows the trend.
When was bogey invented?
What Exactly Is A Bogey? The concept of bogey was invented in 1890 by Mr. Hugh Rotherham, then secretary of the Coventry Golf Club. The idea behind this was to set a standard score for good golfers on every hole. This was called the “ground score”.
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.
What is a hole in one called?
But a hole-in-one — knocking the ball in the hole with your first shot — is also called an " ace .". ( On a par-5 hole, making an ace means a golfer is 4-under on that hole and, yes, golfers have a term for that, too: condor .)
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.
What is a stroke in golf?
Golf Scoring Terms Explained. Stroke - In golf, a "Stroke" is any forward club swing, including when putting, that a golfer is trying to hit the ball. You can essentially use "Stroke" as a synonym for a shot/putt, but keep in mind that it also includes "whiffs" if you miss the ball when trying to hit it. Par - " Par " is the number of strokes that ...
What is a forward club swing?
Any forward club swing that's intended to hit the golf ball. The number of strokes an expert player is expected to make for a given hole or a group of holes (usually 9 or 18). One stroke under par on an individual hole. Two strokes under par on an individual hole. Three strokes under par on an individual hole.
Is a bogey bad for golf?
While a bogey is a bad result for a low handicap or professional golfer, new and less skilled golfers are often fine with only needing one more stroke than par to complete a hole. If you got a bogey on every hole of a par-72 course, you'd shoot a 90. This is a major milestone for newer golfers.
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.
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.
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.
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.

The Specific Scores That Result in A Bogey
How Did 'Bogey' Become A Golf term?
- Yes, the golf term "bogey" is related to the Bogey Man. And golfers definitely don't enjoy letting the Bogey Man get us! But you might be surprised to learn that when bogey first entered the golf lexicon, in the 1890s, its meaning was different than the way we use it today. It was closer to the modern definition of "par" in meaning.
Other Forms and Uses of 'Bogey' in Golf
- The term "bogey" shows up in several other golf terms. A bogey golferis a golfer whose average score is about 1-over par per hole (e.g., a golfer who usually shoots around 90), but that term also has a specific meaning within the USGA Handicap System. "Bogey rating" is another handicap term and refers to an estimate of a golf course's degree of dif...