What do all of These Golf Scoring Terms Mean

February 18, 2008

GV, I just started playing but honestly I need help with all of these golf terms. A birdie, a bogey an albatross…
- Dennis in Des Moines, IA

And you forgot to mention an Eagle, Bogey, Double Bogey and Triple Bogey… wow what a mouth full for a virgin huh? First off, I want to say that I’m proud of you for publicly acknowledging that you have no clue what all these golf terms mean. Good for you.

Here’s how it works my new fangled golf buddy. Par is the number of strokes a pro golfer is expected to play on each hole. If a hole is a par 4, it’s commonly agreed upon that you should be able to get your ball into the hole in 4 strokes or less. Golf courses are referred to in terms of par. Usually, 18-hole courses have four par-three, ten par-four, and four par-five holes with the total par of a regulation course being 72. Feel free to send over questions for any golf term that you need help with.

As for the golf terminology that you need defined. See below.

Double Eagle: Three shots less than par (Also known as an Albatross in the U.K.)
Eagle: Two shots less than par
Birdie: One shot less than par
Par: The number of strokes it should take in theory for a “good golfer” to finish a hole.
Bogey: One shot more than par
Double bogey: Two shots more than par
Triple bogey: Three shots more than par 

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