How to Read Golf Scores on TV

Watching a professional golf tournament without understanding the scoreboard is like watching a mystery movie where you can't hear the dialogue. You see the action, but you’re missing the entire story. This guide will walk you through everything you see on a golf broadcast, from the big numbers on the leaderboard to the tiny symbols on a player's scorecard, so you can follow along like a seasoned fan.

The Foundation of All Golf Scores: Understanding Par

Before any plus or minus signs make sense, you have to understand the concept of “Par.” Par is the predetermined number of strokes a professional golfer is expected to take to complete a hole. Think of it as the target score for each hole.

Every hole on a golf course has a par assigned to it, usually Par 3, Par 4, or Par 5. The number is based on the hole’s length and an assumption of how many shots are needed:

• Par 3: Expectation is one shot to the green, and two putts. Total: 3 strokes.
• Par 4: Expectation is two shots to the green, and two putts. Total: 4 strokes.
• Par 5: Expectation is three shots to the green, and two putts. Total: 5 strokes.

An entire 18-hole golf course also has a par, which is simply the sum of the par for all 18 holes. Most professional courses are a Par 72 (a common combination is four Par 3s, ten Par 4s, and four Par 5s). Some are a Par 71 or Par 70. This course par is the benchmark for the entire tournament. When you hear that a player is “four under,” it means they are four strokes better than the total par for the holes they’ve played.

Reading the Leaderboard: The Big Numbers

The main leaderboard you see on TV tracks each player’s overall performance in the tournament. It’s what tells you who is winning and by how much. Here’s how to make sense of the most important part: the score column.

Score to Par (Red is Good!)

A golf score is almost always shown relative to par, not as a total number of strokes. This keeps things clear and simple.

• Red Numbers (like -4): A negative number means the player is under par. In golf, a lower score is better, so red numbers indicate a great performance. A player at -4 is leading a player at -2.
• Black or Blue Numbers (like +2): A positive number means the player is over par. This is a score you want to avoid. A player at +2 is two strokes worse than the par benchmark.
• E or EVEN: This means the player is at even par. Their total number of strokes exactly matches the total par for the holes they've completed. This score sits between the red and black numbers.

So, if Player A is at -5 and Player B is at +1, Player A is currently winning by six shots. The goal is to get the most negative (and therefore lowest) score possible.

Deconstructing a Round: The Golfer’s Lingo

Next to a player’s score to par, you'll often hear commentators use specific terms for scores on a single hole. These named scores are what add up (or subtract) to create their overall score. Knowing them will help you follow the play-by-play action.

Scores Better than Par

• Birdie: One stroke under par on a hole (e.g., scoring a 3 on a Par 4). This subtracts one shot (-1) from the player's total score.
• Eagle: Two strokes under par on a hole (e.g., scoring a 3 on a Par 5). This subtracts two shots (-2) from their total. Eagles are exciting and much rarer than birdies.
• Albatross (or Double Eagle): Three strokes under par on a hole (e.g., a 2 on a Par 5). This is an incredibly rare and spectacular shot, subtracting three strokes (-3).

Scores Worse than Par

• Bogey: One stroke over par on a hole (e.g., scoring a 5 on a Par 4). This adds one shot (+1) to the player's total.
• Double Bogey: Two strokes over par on a hole (e.g., scoring a 6 on a Par 4). Things are starting to go wrong here, adding two shots (+2).
• Triple Bogey: Three strokes over par on a hole. This adds three shots (+3) and can seriously damage a player's round.

A "Par" is when a player's score equals the par for that hole. It is a neutral score (0) and does not change their overall score a great example of a par is a score of 4 on a par 4.

Putting It All Together: The TV Leaderboard Explained

Now that you know the basics, let's look at a full leaderboard graphic. It usually contains a few standard columns of information that tell a complete story about a player's status in the tournament.

You’ll typically see:

• POS (Position): The player’s current rank in the tournament. "1" is the leader. "T2" means they are tied for second place.
• PLAYER: The name of the golfer.
• TOT or SCORE: Their total score relative to par for the entire tournament. This is the main number that determines their position.
• THRU or THROUGH: A very important column that tells you which hole a player has just finished in their current round. If it says "THRU 12", the player has completed 12 of the 18 holes for that day. This context is vital because a leader at -10 who is THRU 18 is in a much better position than a player at -9 who is THRU 12, as the player behind them still has chances to make birdies.
• TODAY or RND: The player's score for today’s round only. For example, a player could be -8 for the tournament (TOT) but +1 for today (TODAY), meaning they started the day at -9.

If you see an "F" in the a player's 'Thru' position, it means they have finished their round for the day. If a tee time is listed instead, it indicates they have not yet started their a round for the day.

Decoding the On-Screen Player Scorecard

Sometimes the broadcast will show a detailed scorecard for an individual player to highlight their hot or cold streaks. These graphics use colors and shapes to give you a quick visual summary of their round.

• Red Circles: Birdies (-1)
• Red Double Circles: Eagles (-2)
• Blue or Black Squares: Bogeys (+1)
• Blue or Black Double Squares: Double bogeys (+2)

The numbers inside the boxes represent the holes (from 1 to 18). Any hole number without a shape around it means the player made par. A quick glance can tell the story: a scorecard full of circles indicates an incredible round in progress.

Other Formats and Terms to Know

While most PGA Tour events use stroke play, you’ll occasionally see different formats, especially in team events and specific tournaments.

The Cut Line

On Thursday and Friday broadcasts, you'll hear a lot about the "cut line." After the first two rounds (36 holes), the field of players is reduced, or "cut." Usually, only the top 65 players (and ties) get to play on Saturday and Sunday and have a chance to win money. Players who fall below the cut line go home. Their score is shown as “CUT.”

Match Play Scoring

Events like the Ryder Cup and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play use a different scoring format. Instead of competing against the entire field, two golfers (or two teams) compete head-to-head on a hole-by-hole basis.

The score is kept by how many holes up one player is on the other. For example:

• 1 UP: A player is leading by one hole.
• AS or All Square: The match is tied.
• 3 & 2: A player has won the match. This is read as "three and two." It means they were 3 holes up with only 2 holes left to play, making it impossible for their opponent to catch up.

Don’t worry about strokes to par here, all that matters is winning more individual holes than your opponent.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to read golf scores on TV transforms a passive viewing experience into an engaging one. By understanding par, the leaderboard, and golfer lingo, you can appreciate the strategy, drama, and incredible skill on display every single weekend.

That same sense of clarity can completely change how you approach your own game. Golf can feel complicated, especially when you're facing a tough lie or are stuck between clubs, which is why having on-demand guidance from an expert makes such a difference. With Caddie AI, you can get instant advice on shot strategy or rule questions right from your pocket, giving you the confidence to play smarter and take the guesswork out of your game.