With all the lingo and nicknames golf can seem like its own language. That is why we are going to use this article to breakdown all the scoring terms in golf so you can understand exactly what each word means.
Learn Par And The Rest Will Make Sense
The key thing you want to know when learning these scoring terms is to understand par first. Par is simply the number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to take to complete the hole. It is also worth noting that it is assumed the expert golfer will take two putts on each hole.
The number required to score a par changes from hole to hole as the length of each hole is different. depending on the length of the hole it will be considered a par 3, par 4, or par 5.
The longest hole being a par 5 five meaning an expert would take five shots to complete the hole. While a par 3 is the shortest as an expert would take three shots to complete the hole.
When golfing you can score above par , par itself or below par which is where all these scoring terms come into play.
Double Eagle – Three Strokes Less Than Par (Very Rare)
Eagle – Two strokes Less than par
Birdie – One stroke Less than par
Par – The same strokes as the assigned par of the hole
Bogey – One More stroke than par
Doulbe Bogey – Two More strokes than par
Triple Bogey – Three More strokes than par
Now as we stated earlier the par is going to change on each hole. So if it takes you three strokes to complete a hole that is going to be a different score depending on the par of the hole you are playing.
Here is a list of the number of strokes it would take to get these scores based on the par of the hole.
Par 3
One Stroke – Eagle *typically called a hole-in-one when it occurs on par three
Two Strokes – Birdie
Three Strokes – Par
Frou Strokes – Bogey
Five Strokes – Double Bogey
Six Strokes – Triple Bogey
Par 4
One Stroke – Double Eagle *also known as an Albatross
Two Strokes – Eagle
Three Strokes – Birdie
Four Strokes – Par
Five Strokes – Bogey
Six Strokes – Double Bogey
Seven Strokes – Triple Bogey
Par 5
Two Strokes – Double Eagle *also known as an Albatross
Three Strokes – Eagle
Four Strokes – Birdie
Five Strokes – Par
Six Strokes – Bogey
Seven Strokes – Double Bogey
Eight Strokes – Triple Bogey
Other Names for Scoring Terms
Sometimes golfers like to use other terms for scoring in golf, as well as some very rare scoring situations call for some terms that even the majority of avid golfers may not know.
What is a Condor In Golf?
A condor is very unique scoring term and one that virtually never happens. A condor occurs when a golfer scores four strokes under par on a hole. The only way this is possible on a regular golf course is if a golfer scores a hole in one on a par five.
Since par fives are very long holes this feat is almost impossible. It has never been done in professional play though there are several instances in which amateur golfers have scored a condor with witnesses watching.
What Is A Ostrich In Golf?
An ostrich is an even more rare feat in golf as this score requires the golfer to play on a par 6. As we stated earlier par 6 is not an option when it comes to choosing the par of the hole. So for a par 6 to exist the you must be visiting a golf course that has created this hole for fun or as an attraction.
In other words any golf course that follows the rules of golf will not have any par sixes. Now to score an ostrich you must get a hole in one on a par six. No one has been recorded to score an Ostrich at any point so at this point this term is hypothetical.
Conclusion Understanding Golf Scoring Terms
We hope you enjoyed our guide and were able to get a full understanding of all the scoring terms of golf. If you have any questions regarding this article please reach out on our contact page or in the comments below.
If you enjoyed this guide and want to check out some more then check out our guide to understanding slices in golf or our guide to doglegs in golf.
