Bogey golf is when you score one more than the posted par score on a golf hole. For some amateur golfers, it’s a real accomplishment!
This article will cover bogey golf and how to be a bogey golfer. Keep scrolling below for specific tips on how to be a better bogey golfer off your drive, approach, and on the green.
Remember, you can’t score par until you know how to bogey!
Key Takeaways
- Bogey golf involves scoring one stroke over par on each hole, a great accomplishment for amateur golfers.
- Double, triple, and quadruple bogeys indicate higher scores above par and should be minimized.
- The term ‘bogey’ originated in Scotland and England in the late 1800s, representing golf’s original ‘par’ score.
- A bogey golfer’s handicap score is 90, which many golfers find satisfactory.
- To play bogey golf, focus on hitting straight woods and irons and only putt a maximum of two times per hole.
Table of Contents
What is a Bogey in Golf?
A bogey in golf is shooting one stroke over what the par on that individual hole is.
- On a par 3, a bogey is a score of 4.
- On a par 4, a bogey is a score of 5.
- On a par 5, a bogey is a score of 6.
Is Bogey Golf Good?
A bogey is not a bad score in the game of golf. For lots of casual golfers, bogey golf is a great goal!
Golf is a challenging sport to learn. If you are starting out, shooting one stroke over a particular hole’s par rating is a great accomplishment. Most golfers are content to be bogey golfers!
What is a Double Bogey in Golf?
On top of just a regular bogey, a double bogey means shooting two strokes over that hole’s par rating.
- On a par 3, a double bogey is a score of 5
- On a par 4, a double bogey is a score of 6
- On a par 5, a double bogey is a score of 7
For most regular golfers, a double bogey is easily achievable. You can hit one or two bad shots and still save a double bogey score.
Is Double Bogey Golf Good?
Double bogey golf, where a player averages a score of two over par on each hole, isn’t considered as proficient as bogey golf. However, it is still a reasonable standard of play for many weekend golfers and beginners.
Double bogey golf represents a stage in a golfer’s development where they are still learning the game’s nuances and improving their skills. While there’s room to grow from a double bogey standard, achieving this level of play can still offer a satisfying and enjoyable golfing experience.
Remember, the most important part of golf is to enjoy playing the game, and as long as you are doing that, you’re doing great.
What is a Triple Bogey in Golf? Quadruple Bogey?
Triple bogey and quadruple bogey are other scores in golf and mean exactly as they sound.
- A triple bogey means shooting three strokes over par.
- A quadruple bogey means shooting four strokes over par.
These scores are worse than just a regular or double bogey and will quickly increase your score on the scorecard.
Below, we will review a few things you can do as a golfer to limit double bogeys and these other higher scores.
Birdie, Eagle, and Albatross
If you are lucky enough to score under par on a hole, you’ll need to understand what a birdie, eagle, and an albatross is.
- A birdie means shooting one stroke under a hole’s par rating.
- An eagle means shooting two strokes under par.
- An albatross means shooting three strokes under par (usually a 2 on a par 5)!
These scores are really good because they help to offset bogeys that you get on other holes.
What does the word bogey mean?
“bogey” originated in Scotland and England in the late 1800s. It was slang related to the quest for finding the “bogey man” being as hard as getting a perfect score on a golf hole.
When scoring criteria were first introduced on British golf courses, bogey represented the result that the best players were expected to achieve on each hole.
As the game evolved, so did the scoring measures and terms used to describe them. Eventually, all golf courses moved this route, with the bogey showing one stroke above the expected result on each hole.
Is scoring a bogey in golf bad?
It depends on your skill level out on the golf course.
For professional golfers, known as a scratch golfer, getting a bogey is typically considered a bad score. Professional golfers aim to shoot under par, meaning a bogey adds more strokes to their score than they would like.
Only a small percentage of golfers are scratch golfers, so this only applies to a few.
For amateur golfers, a bogey can be viewed as an average to a good score, depending on the hole and how challenging the golf course is.
A bogey can be considered a great score for recreational golfers.
Golf is a challenging sport to pick up and learn. If you can hit the ball consistently to get within one stroke over par, you can consider that a success.
Golf Accessories Every Bogey Golfer Should Have
To play better golf, there are a few key accessories that we think all bogey golfers should invest in:
- Golf Shoes: Proper shoes (spiked or spikeless) give you extra traction on the golf course, which helps you hit more solid golf shots.
- Golf Glove: Like your shoes, proper gloves prevent your hands from slipping on your golf club’s grip. This will help you hit more solid shots.
- Golf GPS or Watch: To be better at golf, you must know how far you can hit each club. A golf GPS watch or rangefinder will help you dial in your distances and help you pick the right club for each situation.
Shop some of the top golf accessories for bogey golfers below. Click here to view tons of other gifts for golfers.
A Bogey Golfer’s Average Golf Score
If you finish with a bogey score at the end of 18 holes, your average score will be 90.
Ask yourself:
Would you be happy if you had a score of 90 on a golf round?
How To Play Bogey Golf
If you are looking to score lower, you first need to master how play bogey golf off the tee, on your approach, pitching, chipping, and putting.
Tee Shot
If you aim to play bogey golf, your tee shot becomes critical. Before your shot, you will want to check out the fairway and decide which side of the fairway would be best to land on for a better approach shot into the green.
If the hole is a dogleg left or right, it will make sense to try and get the best view at the green without any obstacles or trees in the way.
This plays the same for a par 3. Look at where the hole is located on the green, then decide which side of the green you want to aim at. This will give you the best look at your second shot.
As a bogey golfer, it is important that your tee shot lands in the fairway or light rough so that you can hit a pure approach shot.
To improve your tee shot, watch this video below! It helped me save strokes off of the tee box.
Approach Shot
Once you have your ball on the fairway (or not), you have to aim your approach shot and decide where to attempt to land the ball on the green. Take a look at where the flag is located.
At most golf courses, there is some indicator on the flagstick to tell you if it is situated in the green’s front, middle, or back.
Another helpful tip I’ve found is to club up on your irons. In most cases, clubbing up will help remove the slope and wind that may be a factor in the course. It also should ensure that you have enough club to get up to the green and past the hole, leaving you an easy chip back near the pin.
You want your approach shot straight towards the hole so that even if you are short or deep, you have a clear next shot.
Pitching and Chipping
When up near the green, you must be careful with pitching and chipping to limit yourself to a bogey.
One helpful tip is that if you can putt the ball from off the green, you should.
If you need to chip, always watch the ball. Place the ball back in your stance and let the wedge’s loft get underneath to pop the ball up and toward your target.
You don’t want to be super aggressive because that will have you sending the ball way past the hole. You will often want to use your pitching or approach wedge, which has the perfect loft for these types of shots.
The goal is to get the ball to stop as close to the hole as possible.
Putting
To be a bogey golfer, it is important that you never putt more than two times on the green on a single hole. This will limit the number of strokes you add to your scorecard when you play golf.
To limit your putts, you need to master your putting weight. You don’t want to be super aggressive because that will have you putting way past the hole. Try to read the slope rating of the green as best as possible.
If you are on the green in regulation, you will also have a great look to score par with a two-putt.
What is a Bogey Golf Handicap?
A bogey golf handicap refers to a handicap of 18 for a standard 18-hole course. This is calculated based on the idea that the golfer will make a bogey, or one over par, on each hole.
According to the United States Golf Association, a bogey golfer is considered a golfer with a course handicap of 20 on a course of standard difficulty. You usually shoot about 20 strokes over the golf course’s par.
If you were to bogey every hole on the golf course, you would be 18 over par. This does equate to an 18 handicap, but several other factors are also taken into consideration.
It is a clear sign of a golfer who has moved beyond beginner status and can maintain a consistent playstyle over the course of a round.
Most amateurs would be happy averaging a bogey per hole, but would you?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a bogey on golf?
In golf, a bogey is a score of one stroke over par on a particular hole.
What is a birdie, bogey, and eagle in golf?
In golf, a birdie is a score of one stroke under par on a hole, a bogey is a score of one stroke over par on a hole, and an eagle is a score of two strokes under par on a hole.
Is a bogey better than a birdie?
No, a birdie is better than a bogey in golf as it is a score of one stroke under par while a bogey is a score of one stroke over par
Is bogey worse than par?
Yes, bogey is worse than par in golf as it means taking one more stroke than the set par for a particular hole.
What’s worse than a bogey in golf?
In golf, a double bogey is worse than a bogey, which means taking two more strokes than the set par for a particular hole.
What is 18 holes of golf called?
In golf, playing a full round of golf consisting of 18 holes is called a “round of golf.”
What are bad golfers called?
There is no specific term for bad golfers, but sometimes the term “hackers” or “duffers” is used.
What does E stand for in golf score?
In golf, “E” stands for “even,” which means the golfer has completed a hole or a round with a score that is equal to par.
What is the purpose of a golf handicap?
The purpose of a golf handicap is to allow golfers of different skill levels to compete fairly against each other. The handicap system adjusts a golfer’s score based on their skill level, so that they can compete on an even playing field with other golfers.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
