Adding to the complexities of the game of golf are the multiple scoring features and formats employed on the golf course. In this post, I provide a crash course on golf scoring and explain how it works and the terms to know.

By broadening your knowledge of the scoring features of golf, it helps you maximize your enjoyment of the game. Plus, your newfound knowledge will undoubtedly impress your playing partners.

How Golf Scoring Works

The handicap system evens the playing field when you play strokeplay or Stableford. In the scorecard above, you’ll see 2 figures in each block. The first is the gross score, while the second figure represents Stableford points.  (Apologies for the Spanish, as it’s from my last round at the Palermo Golf Club in Buenos Aires.)

The scorecard shows four golfers with handicaps ranging from scratch to 36. You’ll notice that on the par 3 5th hole, Martin scored the same quantity of points for a double bogey as Rich and Bill did for a par.

Since Martin is a 36 handicapper, he double strokes every hole on the golf course. Therefore, to level out the playing fields, a double bogey for him is equivalent to par for lower handicappers.

Par

Every hole on the golf course is assigned a par score between 3 and 5. The shortest holes on a standard par 72 golf course are par 3’s, while the longest are par 5’s. Par 4 holes are the most common and typically range from 300 to 450 yards. 

The par total is tallied for the front and back nine and the entire 18-hole golf course. The average par rating for 9 holes is 36, resulting in a par-72 golf course for 18 holes. Naturally, this differs depending on the golf course design.

My home course operates on a par rating of 35 for the front 9 holes and 36 for the back 9 holes. A total of 71.

Stroke

Golf holes are assigned a stroke rating from 1 to 18, which determines the difficulty of each hole. The most challenging hole is usually a stroke 1, while the easiest is stroke 18. On a stroke 1 hole, every golfer with a handicap of 1 and above receives a stroke on that hole.

This is relevant for keeping score in Stableford tournaments, where points are awarded relevant to your handicap. For example, when a 1 handicapper makes a par on a stroke 1, they receive 3 points in line with the Stableford score.

However, a 19 handicapper earns 4 points for making par on a stroke 1. This is because the 19 handicapper has a double-stroke advantage on this hole. This is a better accomplishment than the 1 handicapper who scored the same.

In addition, if a 37 handicapper pars that same hole, they receive 5 points for their efforts as they triple stroke that hole.

The stroke also impacts your net score on each hole. For example, if a 37 handicapper scores a double bogey 6 on a par 4, stroke 1, the net score is adjusted to 4. Similarly, if a 19 handicapper cards a bogey 5 on the same hole, their net is altered to a par score of 4.

Format

Stableford and stroke play are the most common formats used in golf. The handicapped Stableford scoring system assigns points to golfers to level the playing field, regardless of your golf handicaps.

Stroke play is based on the premise that every shot counts, and it is the format most commonly used on the PGA Tour. In this form of golf, you do not stop keeping score until the ball is in the cup.

The other format played from time to time is match play, where the player with the lower score on each hole wins 1 point. If the players tie on a hole, the overall score remains unchanged. Unlike other forms of golf, matchplay can finish before you reach the 18th hole. 

If your adversaries score is 4 up and only 3 holes remain, the game is over since you cannot come back. 

Golf Scoring Terms

Par

A par is scored when your number of strokes correlates to the assigned par score. For example, when I card a 4 on a par 4, that is par. 

In addition, when you score a par, your overall score for the round remains the same. If you are 10 over par for the golf round before making a par, your total strokes remain 10 over.

Birdie

Birdies mean you scored one stroke lower than the par for that hole. For example, you get the ball into the hole for 4 strokes on a par 5. If your overall score was 10 over par for the round before that hole, you are now 9 over par. 

Eagle

An eagle is a superior score to a birdie, as it helps you reduce your total score by two strokes. You card an eagle when your ball ends in the cup for two fewer strokes than the par score for that hole. 

They are most common on shorter par 5 holes, where longer hitters can reach the green in two and make the putt. You can find players making an eagle on a par 4, but this is rarer, given the distance control and accuracy required to sink your second shot.

I am proud to report that my first eagle came on a short driveable par 4 but involved great luck to slow my ball down. If your score was 5 over par before the hole, an eagle would reduce the overall tally to 3 over par.

Eagles also occur on par-3 holes when a player hits the perfect shot to get the ball into the cup from the tee box. However, golfers rarely call this an eagle. Instead, they refer to it as an ace or hole-in-one,

The National Hole-In-One Registry states that the odds of an average golfer bagging an ace are 12,000 to 1. If you are a low handicapper, the odds drop to 5,000 to 1. I know two golfers who have struck 3 aces in their lives, and after 28 years on the links, I have nothing to show for my efforts.

Albatross

Carding an albatross or a double eagle, as it is also known, is an exceptionally unusual event on the course. However, I am glad to have witnessed one in my lifetime. It transpired on a short par-4 hole, where my playing partner creamed a 3-wood off the tee into a blind green. 

We searched for his golf ball for 2 minutes before our buddy looked in the cup and saw it sitting at the bottom. He holed out for a 3 under par albatross, moving the needle from 2 over par to 1 under for the round. It was a game-changer for my buddy that day, but he has yet to repeat the feat 20 years on. 

Condor

After spending a great deal of my adult life in Argentina, I can confirm that a condor is both majestic and rare to spot. Similarly to the bird, the golf score is both scarce and beautiful to experience.

According to the PGA, only 5 golfers in history have achieved the feat of 4 under par on one hole. The only way to pull off the unthinkable is to hole your tee shot on a par-5 hole, which is impossible for most of us.

However, when the conditions are appropriate, plus the hole is designed ideally, you can achieve it. There are 5 of our peers that have proven it over the years.

Let’s say you are even for the round, and you score a condor, you immediately shave 4 shots off the score and move to 4 under par for the day. Although I consider myself a lucky chap, I have never been that lucky to watch a condor.

The longest condor ever recorded was at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club by Mike Crean. He bombed his drive 517 yards on the par 5, 9th hole. The conditions needed to be perfect for this shot, and the added advantage of Denver’s altitude produced less drag and superior aerodynamics.

Bogey

A bogey is a dreaded score that causes you to drop one shot on a hole. When you card a dreaded bogey, it increases your overall score by one. For instance, if you are 10 over par before, an unfortunate bogey score leads you to 11 over. A bogey on a par 3 is 4, while on a par 4, it is 5, and a par 5 would be a score of 6.

Double Bogey

A double bogey is worse than a bogey as it adds 2 extra strokes to your total score. Players with a score of 5 over for the round would walk off the green with 7 over after a double bogey. 

Although no golfer is exempt from a double bogey, it is more probable to see high-handicappers sporting doubles on their cards than low-handicappers or professionals. 

A double bogey is often the highest score you can obtain when employing the Stableford scoring method. Golfers with higher handicaps may reach into the realm of a triple or quadruple bogey.

Triple Bogey

As the name suggests, a triple bogey leads to a score reaching 3 over par on one hole, which can ruin your round instantly. As a junior, I often played in medal tournaments where every shot counts. On a few occasions, I notched up a triple bogey which obliterated my chances of a worthy round. 

In one of the golf tournaments I played as a junior, I sat even after 17 holes and tripled the par 3 18th to end 3 over par. Unfortunately, I lost the tournament by 2 shots and am still kicking myself 18 years later.

Quadruple Bogey

A quadruple bogey is a rare incident in Stableford golf unless you possess a handicap that risks your scores reaching this point. As the name suggests, a quadruple represents 4 over par on one hole. To put it into context, a quadruple is a 9 on a par 5, 8 on a par 4, and 7 on a par 3.

Typical Golf Scores Across Skill Levels

This chart breaks it down:

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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Golf often gets a bad wrap sheet for stuck-up individuals who do not welcome outsiders to their private establishments. Despite that stereotype, there is a lighter side to the game.

In this post, I take you through 30 funny golf terms and sayings every golfer should know.

I have compiled a list of classic terms that golfers globally can relate to. Plus, I included some that I learned growing up in South Africa. These terms refer to the conditions of courses, shot shapes, and scores.

1. Goat Track

When you grow up in a rural area as I did, you become used to poorly-maintained layouts and cheesy livestock references. A goat track was the term of choice in my neck of the woods for shoddy golf courses. You struggle to distinguish the fairway from the rough, and the greens are actually brown.

A goat track in my town meant the same as the phrase dog track that you employ in the United States.

2. Robbed

I am well versed in this term. Being robbed on a golf course happens when your ball lips out of the cup. Then it stops on the edge of the cup or just rolls by. On a good day, that would drop, but when the Golfing Gods are against you, you cannot win.

3. James Joyce

James Joyce was an Irish novelist praised for his intellect and wit. However, his work is lost on many readers who find it difficult to understand and follow. The golf term references putting lines that are near impossible to judge. This is especially true on links courses where undulation attacks at every turn.

4. The Cat Box

A cat box in golf references a sand trap. While you fill your feline’s toilet with absorbable clay, bunkers generally contain Silica sand. Either way, you do not want to drop your cat’s litter or a sand bunker.

5. Dew Sweepers

When possible, I prefer to grab the earliest tee time of the day. The course is quiet, and you do not have anyone in front of you, enabling you to set the pace of play. Getting up this early makes me part of the elite global senior’s club called the dew sweepers. Jokes aside, a dawn patrol round is an ideal way to start your day.

6. The 19th Hole

Although your scorecard only caters to 18-holes, it is the 19th which is most important in my eyes. This is the bar. A social environment to reminisce about the round and forge lifelong friendships. No matter how well or bad you played, the 19th hole makes you remember what matters in life.

7. Fresh Air Shot

None of us wish to admit it, but we have all had a freshy at some point in our golfing careers. A fresh air shot happens when you swing and miss the ball completely. Despite not touching the ball, your intention to strike it counts as a stroke. This is unfortunate for the victim but forever hilarious to their playing partners.

8. Banana Ball

Think about the shape of a banana. It curves slightly, the same direction your golf ball does when you catch it with an open or closed clubface. A banana ball describes a sliced shot, where your ball curves from left to right if you are right-handed. Yet another term you do not want to hear.

9. Rainmaker

If you generate excess backspin rpm off the clubface, your ball balloons into the heavens before falling rapidly back to earth. The term rainmaker suggests that your ball flew so high that it descends rapidly from the sky like a rainstorm.

10. Texas Wedge

My putter is my favorite club in my golf bag. So much so that I use it off the green whenever I can. I am not alone in this philosophy, and there is a slang term to describe this heathenism. It is called a Texas wedge.

Ben Hogan is said to have coined the phrase based on his experience in the lone star state. The small dome greens, high winds, and tight lies made it safer to putt than pitch your ball.

A recent example of spectacular Texas Wedge play came from Cam Smith at the 2022 Open Championship. He putted the ball from off the green, around a bunker, setting himself up for a testing par attempt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqgPmJk5vCQ

11. Four-Jack

Four-Jack, like Three-jack, refers to the number of putts you had on a hole. Four-Jack specifically represents a 4-putt, which is painful and humiliating. Especially if you hit a par 5 green in 2 and a 4-putt for a bogey.

12. Snowman

A snowman is a score you never want on your scorecard. An 8 represents a snowman, based on the shape of the number. If you make an 8 on a par 3, you record a quintuple bogey, while the same score on a par 4 is a quadruple bogey. Finally, an 8 on a par 5 is a triple bogey.

13. Fried Egg

Landing in the bunker is demoralizing, but as bad as you think it is, there is always the chance of it being worse. A fried egg is one way to rain on your parade.

This means that most of your golf ball is lodged into the sand, and only the top part sticks out. It resembles a fried egg, with the yolk towering over the egg whites below. A fried egg is difficult to control for amateurs and professionals, leading to erratic results.

14. The Dance Floor

A funny synonym for the green is the dance floor. This is where all the action happens, and you must bring your A-game. If your putting stroke is off, you miss opportunities, lose strokes and go home feeling sorry for yourself. Much like a night out with the lads.

15. Mickey Mouse Course

A Mickey Mouse course takes a goat track to a new level. These layouts have short holes compared to other golf courses and suffer from poor maintenance. You needn’t be a long hitter to knock your ball onto the green. However, good luck trying to read the putts on the cabbage patch greens.

16. Victory Lap

When your ball does a victory lap, it is nerve-racking for every golfer. Your ball makes it to the cup and decides to inspect the layout of the land. It circumnavigates the hole before dropping in. Rolling around the cup counts as the victory lap before the ball sinks into the hole to secure a lower score.

17. The Drink

There is nothing intelligent about this term, only logic. The drink refers to the nearest water hazard in play. When the drink is in play, you can play safe and lay up or go for glory, bearing in mind a high risk.

18. Oscar Bravo

I like the name Oscar Bravo, it has a ring to it. This slang term takes the code words from the phonetic alphabet for O and B. O represents out of, while B stands for bounds. Therefore, you say Oscar Bravo when you are your playing partner sacrifices their ball out of play.

19. An Ostrich

As an African, I had to throw in one term that was thrown around my club. An ostrich is the grandest known living bird, but it cannot fly. However, it gathers some impressive speed, sprinting up to 43 mph.

On the links, we called an ostrich a shot that struggled to get off the ground but ran an impressive distance.

20. Yips

Yips are a psycho-neuromuscular impediment that hampers your muscle memory and ability to swing the club and strike the ball. I remember watching Sergio Garcia at the Nedbank Million Dollar when he got the yips. He literally couldn’t strike a golf ball. A few years later, I experienced the same. I could not stroke anything within 5 feet cleanly.

21. Scrambling

Scrambled eggs generally contain a mix of ingredients that form a delicious creamy texture to be enjoyed on toast or as is. Scrambling references a mixed bag of shots, yet you still manage to make a par.

For example, you hit your drive into the woods, then your second into the bunker. Next, you send your third shot 15 feet past the hole and drain the putt. Therefore, you were all over the place and still managed a par.

22. Breakfast Ball

An unwritten rule among buddies. When you tee off first thing in the morning, casual golfers enable a breakfast ball. This credits you with a mulligan should your first shot finish in an undesirable lie.

23. Ace

Ace is derived from the Latin term ‘asa.’ Asa was the smallest coin denomination in Ancient Rome. Therefore it is featured at the top of the list of denominations. The English later adopted the term to mean the ‘first one’ or the ‘best one at something.’

Therefore, when you card a hole-in-one the term Ace is fitting, as it describes you being the best one at that hole. Hole-in-ones are most common on par 3’s, where the achievement is also called an eagle. In addition, I have played with two players who carded aces on a par 4. That is also known as a double eagle or albatross.

24. Foot Wedge

I am not condoning this behavior but instead telling it how it is. A foot wedge is not a golf club. The term describes a golfer who kicks the ball into a favorable position. This is cheating and should not happen on a golf course.

25. Chicken Stick

A chicken stick is the most trustworthy golf club in your bag. No matter the lie, you can rely on this club to get you out of trouble and back into play.

26. Hosel Rocket

Another term you never want to hear coming your way is ‘hosel rocket.’ This is a classic shank where your hosel connects the ball and sends it rocketing directly right if you are right-handed. After a freshy, this is the most embarrassing result for a golfer.

27. Duck Hook

A duck hook is an unpleasant sight if you are the one who struck the ball. However, your playing partners find it hilarious. Your ball leaves the clubface and hooks violently to the left for right-handers.

Golf Monthly alleges that the animal reference in the name has less to do with the fuzzy creature and more to do with the action. When your ball hooks ferociously, it ducks into the rough or woods, leaving you with limited options for your second shot.

This definition of duck refers to taking cover or evading duty or responsibility. Therefore, your ball ducks behind trees, evading the fairway.

28. Platypus

The opposite of a duck hook is a platypus. The rarity of sighting a platypus makes it an apt comparison for hitting your ball out of bounds and still making par. It is uncommon and deserves a unique name.

Over in my neck of the woods, we would use fitting names for the area, such as a white rhino.

29. Swing Oil

Every time I hear this saying, it reminds me of Bender from Futurama. He needs hard liquor to keep him oiled and operational. On the golf course, swing oil generally means a beer. However, if hard tac or wine enhances your performance, keep doing what works for you.

30. Toothed It

If someone says they toothed their shot, they hit the ball off the bottom of the clubface. This means the ball produces less spin, flies low, and does not sit down rapidly. Plus, it sends vibrations up the shaft and shocks your hands.

Related Reading: Speaking of golf terms, we have more where that came from. Find yourself the perfect golf companion with our 50 pick-up lines to help you score.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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