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 ... |
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.
How hard is it to make a birdie in golf?
For average golfers, birdies (and even pars) are far more challenging to make than pros would indicate. MyGolfSpy and TheGrint (a Golf GPS and Golf Handicapping App) analyzed how often users of TheGrint made par, birdie or better, bogey, double bogey, and triple bogey or worse.
Why is a birdie called an 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 a birdie on the PGA Tour?
Birdie - A " Birdie " is when a golfer scores one less stroke than par on an individual golf hole. Ex: 2 strokes on a par-3 hole. In 2019, the PGA Tour average number of birdies per round was just 3.68. Justin Thomas led the way, averaging 4.58 birdies per round.
Is a birdie good 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. For recreational golfers, making a birdie is a thing to celebrate.
What's better than a birdie in golf?
The name "eagle" was used to represent a better score than a birdie due to it being a relatively large bird. An eagle usually occurs when a golfer hits the ball far enough to reach the green with fewer strokes than expected. It most commonly happens on par-fives but can occur on short par-fours.
Is an eagle the best shot in golf?
An eagle shot is certainly something that every golfer should strive for. It is an incredibly impressive stroke in golf and means 2-under par. The number of strokes will change depending on the amount of par. For example, a 6-par eagle shot can have up to four strokes, while a 3-par will allow for only one stroke.
What percentage of golfers get an eagle?
Eagles Are Very Rare, Even For Professional Golfers He made 18 eagles over 2,124 holes (0.85% of holes).
What is better than an eagle in golf?
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 is the best shot in golf called?
An ace, commonly known as a hole-in-one, is the best score out there. When you get an ace, that means you get to write a “1” on the scorecard.
Is an eagle hard in golf?
An eagle is a term used to describe a golf score that is two strokes under par. An eagle can be either a score of 1 on a par 3 (also known as a hole in one), a 2 on a par 4, or a 3 on a par 5. Eagles are extremely rare and are a cause for celebration.
What club would most golfers likely hit from 100 yards?
The majority of golfers are going to hit their gap wedge about one hundred yards. Some people call the gap wedge the approach wedge or the utility wedge, but they are referring to the same thing.
Is an eagle harder than a hole-in-one?
The double eagle, also known as the albatross, is a rare bird on the golf course. Just how hard is it to score a double eagle? Very, very difficult — a double eagle is much rarer than the hole-in-one.
Has anyone made a hole-in-one on a par 5?
Although no one in PGA Tour history has ever recorded an ace on a par-5, there have actually been five records of par-5 holes-in-one. And no, none of them were from Happy Gilmore. The first “condor” occurred in 1962 off the club of Larry Bruce.
What is the lowest golf score ever?
The lowest officially recorded round is 55 by Rhein Gibson (12 birdies and two eagles on a par 71) on May 12, 2012 at River Oaks Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma. This score is recognized by the Guinness World Records.
Why are golf terms named after birds?
A 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 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 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 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 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.
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 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 ...
How many condors are there in the PGA?
Only four condors have been recorded in PGA history. Generally, the only way to accomplish a condor is to massively "cut off" a "dogleg" par-5 golf hole for a hole-in-one. Hole-in-One / Ace - A "Hole-in-One" or "Ace" occurs when a golfer hits their first shot into the hole (cup), completing the hole in just one stroke.
How many strokes to complete a par-3?
A golfer would be even through three holes if they took 4 strokes to complete a par-3, 3 strokes to complete a par-4, and 5 strokes to complete a par-5 hole. Birdie - A " Birdie " is when a golfer scores one less stroke than par on an individual golf hole. Ex: 2 strokes on a par-3 hole.
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.
How many yards is a par 4?
Par-4 – 211 to 400 yards. Par-5 – 401 to 575 yards. The golf scoring term "Par" is also used to reference the combined par of a group of golf holes. Full-length 18-hole golf courses include par-3, par-4, and par-5 holes.
How many chances do you get on a hole in one?
According to American Hole 'N One, the average golfer's chances of making a hole-in-one on a par-3 hole are 12,500 to 1. The odds improve for professional golfers at 2,500 to 1. When aces do occur, it's almost always on a par-3 hole, though hole-in-ones have been accomplished on par-4 and even par-5 holes.
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.
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 "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 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 "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.
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.
