Golf Scoring Terms ( Par, Birdie, Bogey And More) – Golfer Vibes

Have you ever found yourself watching a golf game, listening to players chat, or tuning into a golf broadcast only to feel like they were speaking a different language you couldn’t understand? You’re not alone!

Terms like ‘Birdie,’ ‘Par,’ or ‘Bogey’ may seem like a baffling code, leaving beginners scratching their heads.

However, there’s beauty in this complexity, and understanding these terms can transform your view of the game. It’s a way to know how good you are at the game.

Well, it’s time to decode that language. This easy-to-follow guide is all about golf scoring terms on the course, breaking them down in a way that’s easy to grasp.

1.  What Is Par In Golf 

In golf, “par” is a key term that signifies the number of strokes or shots an expert golfer is expected to complete a hole or the entirety of the course.

If the definition of Par is fuzzy, relax — I can simplify it with some easy examples:

• Par 3: Imagine a short distance hole where you could hit the ball from the starting point (tee) and get it very close to the hole with just one stroke. Then, you need two more strokes, one to get the ball onto the green (the smoother grass around the hole) and another to put it into the hole. That’s a total of three strokes, making it a Par-3 hole. If a player successfully completes a par three hole in 3 strokes, he has achieved Par.

• Par 4: Now, think about a slightly longer hole. Here, you might start with a big swing to cover a lot of ground (this is your drive), then use a second stroke to get closer to the green, a third to get the ball onto the green, and finally, a fourth stroke to putt the ball into the hole. This would be a Par-4 because it ideally takes four strokes to complete.
• Par 5: Imagine an even longer distance that requires three strokes to get close to the hole, plus two more to finish — one to reach the green and another to putt the ball in. This totals five strokes and is called a Par-5.
• Par 6: These holes require at least four shots to reach the green for the average skilled golfer, followed by two putts. They are extremely rare.
• Par 7: These holes are even more uncommon, with very few examples worldwide. They require at least five shots to reach the green for an expert golfer, followed by two putts, presenting a unique challenge that is not typically found in the traditional structure of golf courses.

Par values typically range between 3 and 5, but a few examples of par 6 and par 7 are found worldwide.

Par in golf is the heart of scoring and strategy. As an expert in golfing, I’ve seen firsthand how understanding Par can transform a player’s game, making it not only about the strokes but also about the journey toward improvement and mastery.

2.  Components of Par (A Golf Scoring Term)

a. Tee Shot

The initial shot from the tee box (starting point) is aimed at getting the ball as close to the green as possible.

b. Approach Shot

Shots were taken after the tee shot to get the ball onto the green. The number varies based on the hole’s Par and the distance covered by the tee shot.

c. Putts

Once on the green, the player puts the ball into the hole. Ideally, it takes two putts to complete this part, which is factored into the hole’s Par.

3.  Determining the Par

Determining the PAR in golf involves assessing several key factors:

The first thing to consider when setting the PAR for a hole is how far the hole is from the tee. The more the distance, the higher the Par will be.

For example, if a hole is 200 yards from the tee to the green, it might be considered a PAR 3.

Obstacles between the tee and the hole, such as ponds, sand traps, and trees, significantly impact the hole’s difficulty and, consequently, its PAR rating.

The fairway is the part of the course between the tee and the green that’s well-maintained and easy to play on. If the fairway twists a lot (dogleg) or the green is very small or sloped, it can make the hole more challenging. This might affect the PAR.

Height, terrain, elevation changes (uphill or downhill shots), and altitude can also impact Par. However, distance is usually a more significant factor in deciding PAR than the obstacles.

After considering these factors, golf course designers develop a PAR number for each hole.

Then, professional golfers play the hole to see if the PAR seems right based on their experience. If all the professional golfers finish the hole in the set number of strokes, the PAR is likely set correctly.

This is how Par varies from hole to hole.

4.  Par And Hole Distance

Par values themselves do not differ based on gender. But courses are typically longer for men, with:

• Par 3: Typically up to 250 yards (up to 229 meters)
• Par 4: Ranges from 251 to 470 yards (230 to 430 meters)
• Par 5: Ranges from 471 to 690 yards (431 to 630 meters)
• Par 6: Ranges from 690 to 800 yards (630 to 730 meters)
• Par 7: More than 900 yards (823 meters)

Courses are set with shorter distances for women, with:

• Par 3: Typically up to 210 yards (up to 192 meters)
• Par 4: Ranges from 211 to 400 yards (193 to 365 meters)
• Par 5: Ranges from 401 to 575 yards (366 to 525 meters)
• Par 6: Ranges from 570 to 690 yards (520 to 630 meters)
• Par 7: More than 800 yards (731 meters)

5.  Calculating Par for a Golf Course

a. Total Par for 18 Holes Golf Course

Now, let’s say you’re playing an 18-hole golf course. If every hole is a Par 4, the total Par for the course would be 18 holes multiplied by 4 shots each, which equals 72 shots in total.

b. Variation Across Different Courses

A typical golf course consists of a mix of par-3, par-4, and par-5 holes, leading to a total par usually ranging between 69 to 75.

For Example, If an 18-hole course has

• Four PAR 3 holes (4 holes x PAR 3 each =12 par).
• Eight PAR 4 holes (8 holes x PAR 4 each = 32 par).
• Six PAR 5 holes (6 holes x PAR 5 each = 30 par).

Then, the total PAR for the course would be the sum of all the Par.

12+ 32 +30 = 74 par

This is how Par varies from course to course, but Par’s official values remain the same.

c. Total Par for 9 Holes Golf Course

The total Par for a 9-hole golf course is 36 if every hole is a PAR 4. It typically ranges between 32 and 40.

6.  Scoring Relative to Par

A golfer’s score in relation to PAR indicates how they perform on each hole.

a. Over Par

• If you shoot a score of 93 on a par-72 course, it means you took 93 strokes to play all 18 holes.
• Since the standard Par is 72, you took 93 – 72 = 21 more strokes than the Par.
• This is described as “21 over par” or “21 over.” It means you need 21 more strokes than an expert golfer is expected to need.

b. Over Par Individual Hole Scoring Terms

In golf, several terms are used to describe scores over Par. Here are some commonly used terms:

• Bogey:

A bogey is one stroke over Par on a hole. For example, if a hole is a Par 4, and a golfer completes it in 5 shots, they have made a bogey.

• Double Bogey:

Two strokes over Par on a hole. If a golfer completes a Par 4 hole in 6 shots, they’ve made a double bogey.

• Triple Bogey:

Three strokes over Par on a hole. For instance, if a golfer takes 7 shots to complete a Par 4 hole, they’ve made a triple bogey.

• Quadruple Bogey:

Four strokes over Par on a hole. If a golfer completes a Par 3 hole in 7 shots or Par 4 hole in 8 shots, they’ve made a quadruple bogey. “Quadruple Bogey” is a formal scoring term used in golf to describe this situation.

• Snowman:

In golf, “snowman” is a playful term used to describe a score of 8 on a single hole, derived from the shape of the number 8, which resembles the round body and head of a snowman.

It can be used regardless of the hole’s Par. While it often occurs on a Par 4 hole, where it represents being four strokes over Par, it can also happen on Par 5 (3 strokes over Par, scoring 8), Par 4 (4 strokes over Par, scoring 8) or even Par 3 holes (5 strokes over Par). Essentially, whenever a golfer takes eight shots to complete a hole, they make a “snowman.”

• Octuple Bogey:

An octuple bogey occurs when a golfer takes eight strokes over Par on a hole. It’s a rare and challenging score to recover from.

c. Under Par

• On a par-5 hole, if you took 4 strokes to complete it, you did better than the expected standard.
• The Par for the hole is 5, but you took only 4 strokes, which is 1 less than the Par.
• This is called “one under par” or “one under.” It indicates you were more efficient by one stroke than the expected standard.

d. Under Par Individual Hole Scoring Terms

In golf, several terms are used to describe scores under Par. Here are the commonly used terms:

• Birdie:

One stroke under Par on a hole. For example, if a hole is a Par 4, and a golfer completes it in 3 shots, they’ve made a birdie.

• Eagle:

Two strokes under Par on a hole. If a golfer completes a Par 5 hole in 3 shots, they’ve made an eagle.

• Albatross (Double Eagle):

Three strokes under Par on a hole. If a golfer completes a Par 5 hole in 2 shots, they’ve made an albatross.

• Hole-in-One (or Ace):

A hole-in-one occurs when a golfer completes a hole with just one stroke, hitting the ball directly into the hole from the tee. This achievement is typically on par-3 holes.

• Condor:

Informally known as a “condor,” this term signifies four strokes under Par on a single hole. It is an infrequent occurrence and usually happens on a Par 5 hole when a golfer completes it in just one stroke.

So, Par can also be defined as the scoring system in golf courses.

Suppose you finish a hole in fewer shots than the PAR. Fantastic job! But if it takes you more shots, don’t worry. It just means you need a bit more practice. This is how PAR helps you know if you’re doing well or if you need to get better.

Learning the unique scoring terms in golf is part of the journey that makes this sport so addictive. However, there are days when even the most seasoned golfers might find their performance lacking, as I’ve explored in ‘Why Am I Suddenly Bad at Golf‘.

7. Strategic Planning And Par

Par provides a target score for each hole, guiding golfers in setting their strategic goals.

Knowing the Par helps golfers mentally prepare for the challenges ahead and decide when to play conservatively (aiming to meet Par) and take risks (aiming for birdies or better).

On a par-5, for example, a golfer might decide whether to “lay up” with a second shot to a comfortable distance for the third shot or attempt to reach the green in two for a chance at an eagle.

The distance associated with different pars influences club choice.

For example, on a par-3 hole, golfers might use a higher-lofted club to ensure accuracy and control. On longer par-4 or par-5 holes, drivers or woods are chosen to maximize distance on the tee shot.

Implementing this approach will enhance your outcomes.

8.  Scorecard

A scorecard in golf is a physical or digital document used to record the scores of players during a round of golf.

It typically consists of a grid with rows for each hole on the course and columns for each player’s score on each hole. Scorecards also often include other information, such as the Par for each hole, the course rating, and the slope rating.

Golfers use scorecards to keep track of their scores and those of their playing partners, allowing for easy comparison of performances and calculation of handicaps.

How Par Scores Are Recorded

In a standard 18-hole golf course, for example, with a par of 72, a scorecard records the scores for each player on each hole.

Hole Numbers: The scorecard lists the numbers of the 18 holes sequentially, usually from 1 to 18.

• Par Values: The par value for that specific hole is indicated next to each hole number. For example, Hole 1 might have a par value of 4; Hole 2 might have a par value of 3, and so on, until Hole 18.
• Player Names: The scorecard provides space for the players’ names to participate in the round.
• Scores: With each player’s name, rows correspond to each hole. Golfers record their scores for each hole by writing the number of strokes taken to complete it. For instance, if a player completes Hole 1 in 4 strokes, they would write “4” in the box next to Hole 1.
• Subtotals and Totals: The scorecard may include columns for subtotals, where the scores for the front nine holes (Holes 1-9) and the back nine holes (Holes 10-18) are added separately. The total score for the entire round (all 18 holes) is typically shown at the bottom of the column.

Here’s how it typically looks:

+—————+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—–+—–+—–+—–+—–+—–+

|   Holes       | 1 |  2 | 3 | 4  | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8  | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Total  |

+—————+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—–+—–+—–+——+—–+—–+

|     Par         | 4 |  3 | 5 | 4  | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3  | 4 |  3  |  4  |  4  |   5  |  4   |  3   |  4  |  4  |  4  |   72   |

+—————+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—–+—–+—–+—–+—–+—–+

| Player 1     | 4 |  3 | 5 | 4  | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3  | 4 |  3  |  4  |  4  |   5  |  4   |  3   |  4  |  4  |  4   |   73   |

| Player 2     | 3 |  4 | 4 | 5  | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4  | 5 |  4  |  4  |  5  |   3  |  5   |  4   |  5  |  5  |  3   |   77   |

| Player 3     | 5 |  5 | 3 | 4  | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5  | 4 |  5  |  4  |  4  |   5  |  3   |  4   |  4  |  4  |  4   |   80   |

+—————+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—-+—–+—–+—–+—–+—–+—–+

If you have understood the concept of Par, then let me know by responding to the following questions in the comment section:

1. Which player emerged as the winner in this game – player 1, 2, or 3? (If it is a stroke play)
2. Can you tell me the score of all players relative to Par in terms of scoring?
3. Which player had the most birdies?
4. How many bogeys did Player 3 score?
5. Did any player score an eagle?