There are many different ways to play golf, each with its own set of rules and scoring. You might be a scratch golfer who just wants to enjoy the scenery, or you might be a pro who wants to know exactly how many strokes they need in order to win the tournament.
Either way, we’ve got your back! Here are some common terms used in golf:
Golf Score Explained for Beginners
The score in golf is determined by the number of strokes a player takes to complete a hole or a round. A round of golf consists of 18 holes.
Each hole on the course is assigned a “par” value, which is the number of strokes that a skilled golfer is expected to take to complete the hole.
A beginner should aim to take no more than double the par of a hole to complete the hole.
- A score of one over par for a hole is called a “bogey”.
- A score of one under par for a hole is called a “birdie”.
- A score of two under par for a hole is called an “eagle”.
- A score of two over par for a hole is called a “double bogey”.
- A score of three over par for a hole is called a “triple bogey”.
- A “hole-in-one” is getting the ball into the hole with one stroke on a par 3 hole
- A “condor” is four strokes under par.
So, at the end of the round, you sum all your strokes taken on every hole and get the final score. The player with the lowest score wins.
It’s worth noting that golf scoring can also be more detailed and include different scorekeeping methods like match play and stroke play, but these are the basics that you should understand.
Types of Golf Score with explanations
Birdie:
A birdie occurs when a golfer completes a single hole in one stroke under par.
It’s a good golf score, and it can be achieved by any golfer who plays the game well. An eagle occurs when a golfer completes the hole in two strokes under par.
This is an even better score than a birdie: it requires more skill to pull off, but rewards those who do so with an outstanding result!
Bogey:
A bogey occurs when a golfer completes a single hole one stroke above par.
The term also refers to a single hole on which a golfer completes all nine shots in one stroke above par, or worse. The lowest score on any given hole is known as “the bogey.”
A golfer can make up for their bogey by shooting lower in later holes and earning birdies; however, they will not be able to improve their score unless they achieve better results on the remaining holes.
Double Bogey:
A double bogey takes place when a golfer completes a single hole two strokes above par. It is a score of two over par.
In golf, it’s not uncommon for players to make mistakes on their way to making birdies or eagles, even though they may have hit the ball well enough to have gotten up and down from every hole except one (or more).
If you’re lucky enough to get through each hole with your score intact, congratulations! You’ve just won yourself an ace!
Triple Bogey:
A triple bogey takes place when a golfer completes a single hole three strokes above par.
A bogey is the lowest possible score in golf, and it’s used to describe anything lower than par. So if you hit a shot that’s par but not birdies, then your ball will be called a “bogey.”
If you hit an exact shot at all levels of difficulty from tee boxes to greens, the latter being difficult because they’re elevated and don’t go straight down into them as traditional greens do. Then it’ll be called an “ideal” (or perfect) drive.
Handicap Score
Golf scores can also be determined by your handicap score, which is the number of strokes you add to your actual score to get your net score.
Another way to determine a golf score is by using your handicap. A handicap is the number of strokes you add to your actual score to get your net score, which helps golfers who have played at different levels understand where they stand with their abilities.
The amount of strokes added varies by golfer and club type but typically ranges from -1 or -2 for low-handicappers to +3 or +4 for those with high scores.
For example, if you find yourself playing alongside another player who has a better game than yours but still has an average skill level of 14-15 on most days, that means he’s probably only 70% as good as his opponent (14/15=0.7).
Your task as a competitor will be finding ways around this opponent so that every day counts toward improving your own skillset while making sure yours doesn’t suffer due to someone else’s better play!
Double Eagle:
A double eagle is when a golfer completes the hole in three strokes under par. The term “double” refers to the number of strokes under par, while “eagle” refers to the bird that is on the golf course.
If you get an eagle on your scorecard, it means that you’ve completed a hole with an amazing score, and given yourself another chance at getting more holes knocked out of your card!
Conclusion
We’ve covered a lot of information about how to score in golf and the different types of holes (18-holes and 9-holes) you might encounter on your way to victory. You should now have a good understanding of how to play the game, as well as what it means for your score if you make an eagle or bogey. Now get out there and start swinging those clubs!