How to Play Double Bogey Golf

Playing Double Bogey Golf is the single fastest way for most amateur golfers to finally break 100. This isn’t a strategy for playing poorly, it’s a brilliant strategy for playing smarter, eliminating the dreaded blow-up holes, and taking all the pressure off your game. This guide will walk you through the simple, stress-free mindset and on-course decisions that make smashing your scoring goals a reality.

Forget Par, Embrace Your Personal Par

Let's get one thing straight right away: on your journey to breaking 100, par is not your target. Chasing par is what leads to frustration and high scores. Instead, I want you to adopt a new target: the double bogey. If you were to make a double bogey on every single hole, you would shoot a 108. That score is already better than what many weekend golfers post.

So, the moment you make a few bogeys - or even a lucky par - you are playing better than Double Bogey Golf and well on your way to a score in the 90s. Think about the profound shift in your mindset when a double bogey is no longer a failure, but a success. It means you stayed on track. A bogey is a bonus. A par is a celebration.

Your "personal par" for the day becomes a 6 on a par 4, a 7 on a par 5, and a 5 on a par 3. Every hole, you have extra strokes to work with. This simple mental switch removes so much pressure. You no longer feel like you have to hit a perfect tee shot or a precise approach. You just have to play efficient, low-stress, smart golf. The objective is no longer to make a heroic 4, but to avoid making a disastrous 8.

Eliminate "Hero Golf" Off the Tee

The number-one score killer for the average golfer is the tee shot that goes out of bounds, lands in the water, or dives deep into the woods. The mighty driver, while seductive, is often the main culprit. The goal of playing Double Bogey Golf is to put your ball in play, giving you a chance to hit your second shot from the fairway, or at least the friendly rough.

Your New Best Friend: The Fairway Wood or Hybrid

On most par 4s and par 5s, leave the driver in the bag. Seriously. Put the ego aside and grab a club you know you can control. For many, this is a 5-wood, 7-wood, or a trusted hybrid.

Here’s why this works:

• More Loft, Less Side-Spin: Higher lofted clubs impart less side-spin on the ball. This means your typical slice or hook becomes much less severe. A shot that would be 40 yards offline with a driver might only be 15 yards offline with a 5-wood. That’s the difference between being in the trees and being in the first cut.
• Better Contact: The shorter shaft of a fairway wood or hybrid makes it easier to strike the ball solidly. You'll find you make good contact more often, leading to predictable distances.
• Smarter Math: Let's say you're on a 380-yard par 4. You could try to smash a driver 240 yards and risk going out of bounds. Or, you could hit two comfortable 7-irons, each 150 yards. That puts you 300 yards down the fairway in two shots, with a simple wedge into the green. You’ve taken two shots and have a great look at your third. Meanwhile, the player who hit their driver into the woods is now hitting their fourth shot from the fairway after a penalty. Playing conservatively off the tee isn't weak, it's brilliant course management.

Think "in play," not "how far." A 160-yard tee shot down the middle is infinitely better than a 220-yard drive in the junk.

The Advancement Shot: Your Second Shot Philosophy

Once your ball is in play off the tee, the next temptation is to try and hit a "pro-level" second shot onto the green from a long way out. This is another trap we want to avoid. Welcome to the "advancement shot" philosophy. The purpose of your second shot on a par 4 (or third on a par 5) is rarely to hit the green. Its purpose is to advance the ball to a position where you can hit your favorite club for your next shot.

Let’s say you’ve hit a nice hybrid 170 yards off the tee on that 380-yard par 4. You are now 210 yards from the green. The old you might stand over the ball, grip a 3-wood for dear life, and try to blast it onto the green.

The Double Bogey Golfer, however, is much smarter. You ask yourself, "What's my favorite club?" For many, it's a pitching wedge or a 9-iron. Let's say you hit your pitching wedge about 90-100 yards.

So, from 210 yards out, you take out a 7-iron. You aren’t trying to hit an amazing shot. You’re just trying to hit a standard, easy 7-iron about 120-130 yards straight down the fairway. Suddenly, you've taken just two shots, you’re in the middle of the fairway, and what’s left? A comfortable 80-90 yard shot into the green - your favorite distance!

This approach has turned a long, intimidating, high-risk second shot into two easy, low-pressure swings. You have completely removed the chance of a horrible slice, skull, or fat shot with a long club you don't hit well. You have three shots left to get down for a double bogey, and you are feeling confident.

Simplify the Short Game: The 100-Yard & In Rule

Most golf bags are filled with multiple wedges - a pitching wedge, a gap wedge, a sand wedge, maybe a lob wedge. For the pros, this allows for precision. For the amateur trying to break 100, it creates confusion and indecision.

Instead of trying to be a master of four different wedges, become a master of one. I advise picking just one club - usually your pitching wedge or gap wedge - and learning to hit it three reliable distances.

Here’s a simple system to practice:

• Full Swing: Take a smooth, full, balanced swing. Pace this out on the range. Maybe this goes 100 yards for you. This is your go-to shot from that distance. You see 100 yards, you pull this club, you make this swing. No guesswork needed.
• Three-Quarter Swing: Now, create a shorter swing where your hands only go back to about shoulder height (think 9 o'clock on a clock face). This might go 75 yards. It's a controlled, repeatable motion.
• Half Swing: Finally, practice a small swing where your hands only come back to waist height (about 7:30 on the clock face). This might fly 40-50 yards.

By just learning these three "feel" shots with a single club, you have covered the majority of situations you will face inside 100 yards. The confidence you build from having a simple, go-to system for these crucial scoring shots is enormous. You aren't worried anymore, you just execute the shot you practiced.

Greenside Strategy: "On the Green" is a Gigantic Win

You’ve navigated the tee shot and the approach shots beautifully. You’re now just off the green. This is where many scores completely fall apart, usually from trying to get too fancy.

Go for the Highest Percentage Shot

The glorious, high-spinning flop shot you see on TV? Forget it exists. It's the highest-risk shot in golf, and you don’t need it. Your goal is simply to get the ball rolling on the putting surface. Period.

Your new shot checklist:

1. Can I putt it? If the fringe or fairway is cut tight and there’s nothing between you and the hole, use your putter. It is impossible to skull or chunk a putt. It’s the safest play by a mile.
2. If I can't putt, can I chip with less loft? Don't automatically grab your 60-degree sand wedge. Reach for an 8-iron or 9-iron. Stand closer to the ball, use your putting grip and stroke, and just focus on popping the ball a few feet onto the green and letting it roll like a putt the rest of the way. The smaller swing reduces the margin for error.

Your goal is not to chip it into the hole. Your goal is to get it anywhere on the green to give yourself a chance to putt.

Embrace the Two-Putt (or Even Three-Putt!)

Double Bogey Golf gives you permission to three-putt! Remember that beautiful cushion you built for yourself? A chip and three putts is still a double bogey on a par 4 if you took two shots to get greenside. That’s an on-track hole!

This means your number one priority for your first putt isn't to make it - it's to get it close. Erase the idea of holing long putts. Instead, visually draw a three-to-four-foot circle around the hole. Your only job is to get your ball to stop inside that circle. This focus on lag putting - prioritizing speed over line - is what transforms chronic three-putters into solid two-putters. You’ll be stunned at how walking away with two putts from 40 feet feels like a birdie when you've removed the pressure of making the first one.

Final Thoughts

Adopting the principles of Double Bogey Golf isn't about setting low expectations, it's a calculated, intelligent system for managing your game and your mind. By avoiding big risks, eliminating penalty strokes, and playing to your strengths, you transform a frustrating round into a strategic success, giving you a clear and achievable path to finally breaking 100.

Knowing exactly when to play it safe versus going for it is the core of smart golf. We designed Caddie AI to be your personal strategist for just that decision-making process. Instead of guessing which club keeps you out of trouble or how to navigate a tricky lie after a mistake, you can get a simple, clear plan right on your phone. It takes the emotional, high-pressure decisions out of your hands so you can focus on making a relaxed, confident swing.