How to Understand Golf Scores

Making sense of a golf scorecard is the first step toward tracking your progress and truly appreciating the strategy of the game. It’s a language all its own, but it's simpler to learn than you might think. This guide will walk you through the essential terms, show you how to score your round step-by-step, and explain how it all comes together so you can focus on what matters: playing better golf.

The Foundation of Scoring: What is Par?

Before we can talk about birdies or bogeys, we need to understand the concept of "par." Par is the predetermined number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to take to complete a hole. It’s the benchmark you measure your performance against on every single tee.

Every hole on the course has its own par, which is generally determined by its length:

• Par 3: These are the shortest holes, typically under 250 yards for men. The expectation is one shot to get onto the green and two putts to get the ball in the hole. Total: 3 strokes.
• Par 4: These are mid-length holes, usually between 251 and 470 yards. The goal here is to hit your tee shot, an approach shot onto the green, and then use two putts. Total: 4 strokes.
• Par 5: These are the longest holes, over 471 yards. For these, the standard is three shots to reach the green, followed by two putts. Total: 5 strokes.

When you add up the par for all 18 holes, you get the total par for the course. Most standard 18-hole golf courses are a Par 72. This is usually made up of four par 3s, ten par 4s, and four par 5s. Your final score is often expressed in relation to this number (e.g., "1-under Par").

The Language of a Scorecard: Common Scoring Terms

So, you know that par is the target. But what do you call it when you do better or worse than the target? This is where golf's unique scoring terminology comes in. Your score on any given hole is described by its relationship to par.

When You Beat Par (The Good Stuff)

These are the scores that bring you back to the course. Getting a score under par on a hole is an accomplishment worth celebrating.

• Birdie: This means you took one stroke less than par. It’s an excellent score.
  • On a Par 3, you made it in 2 strokes.
  • On a Par 4, you made it in 3 strokes.
  • On a Par 5, you made it in 4 strokes.
• Eagle: Even better! An eagle is when you score two strokes less than par. It’s a fantastic feeling.
  • On a Par 4, you took 2 strokes. Likely you holed out from far away.
  • On a Par 5, you took 3 strokes, which is usually one really long hit, one shot onto the green, and one putt instead of two.
• Albatross (or Double Eagle): This is one of the rarest feats in golf. An albatross is three strokes less than par. This almost exclusively happens on a par 5 when a player makes the ball in only two shots.

When You Match Par

This is solid, consistent golf. Making par means you met the hole’s standard.

• Par: A score that matches the par of the hole. For example, a 4 on a par 4 or a 3 on a par 3. Often written as "E" (for Even) on a summary board.

When You Go Over Par (Room for Improvement)

Don't worry, everyone hits more shots than par. This is where most casual golfers spend some of their time.

• Bogey: A score of one stroke more than par. A very common score among average golfers who play for fun on the weekend.
  • On a Par 3, you finished with 4 strokes.
  • On a Par 4, you finished with 5 strokes.
  • On a Par 5, you finished with 6 strokes.
• Double Bogey: As the name suggests, this is two strokes more than par. A 'double' can be frustrating, but shaking it off and moving on is the key.
  • On a Par 3, it took you 5 strokes.
  • On a Par 4, it took you 6 strokes.
  • On a Par 5, you scored 7 strokes.
• Triple Bogey & Beyond: The pattern continues. A triple bogey is three over par (+3), a quadruple bogey is four over par (+4), and so on. These 'blow-up' holes happen, although thankfully they are more rare.

How to Score Your Round: Putting It All Together

Alright, you understand the terms. Now, how do you track it all on your scorecard during one of your rounds? Here's the step-by-step process.

Step 1: Get to Know the Scorecard

When you check in at the course, you’ll be given a scorecard. Take a moment to look at it. You’ll see a grid with rows for each hole (1-18) and columns for important information like the hole number, its par, its distance (yardage), and an empty box for you to write your score.

Step 2: Record Your Score After Each Hole

This sounds simple, but it’s the most important habit to build. As soon as you finish a hole, count up all the strokes you took and write that number in the box for that specific hole. Don't write 'bogey.' If you took 5 shots on a par 4, write down ‘5.’ That’s your gross score for the hole.

Remember: A 'whiff' (swinging and missing the ball completely) still counts as one stroke! And so do penalties for things like hitting one out of bounds.

Step 3: Keep a Running Total

Most scorecards have room to calculate your score in relation to par after each hole, which is a great way to stay mindful of where you stand.

• After Hole 1 (Par 4), you score a 5. You are +1.
• On Hole 2 (Par 3), you score a 3. That’s a par, or "even" (E) for the hole. Your total running score is still +1.
• On Hole 3 (Par 5), you score a 4. That’s a birdie, or -1 for the hole. You were +1, so now your total running score is back to Even (E).

Keeping a running total helps you see the flow of your round.

Step 4: Add Up Your Nines

An 18-hole course is split into the "front 9" (holes 1-9) and the "back 9" (holes 10-18). Your scorecard will have a box to total your gross scores for each nine. At the turn (after you finish the 9th hole), add up all your strokes from holes 1 through 9. Then do the same for the back nine when you finish your round.

Step 5: The Grand Total

Finally, add your front 9 total to your back 9 total. This amounts to your final gross score for the round. This is how you answer the question, “What did you shoot?” You can also announce it as over par: “I shot a 90, which is 18-over-par” on a typical par-72 course.

Advanced Scoring Concepts

As you progress in your golf game, a couple of other concepts in scoring become very important.

Understanding Handicaps: Leveling the Playing Field

Have you ever wanted to play against a friend who's much better than you? That's what a handicap allows players to do. After you log several golf rounds, a handicap index will be calculated as a way of representing your average score potential. Then that numerical rating lets less experienced golfers compete more fairly against each other.

Your Net Score is your gross score minus your course handicap. This is the score used to determine who won a match between players with different skills. So even if your friend shoots a raw 85 while you score a 100, your net score may be lower and you would have won the match.

Fun Alternatives to Scoring in Golf

The system we described above is called Stroke Play, which is where every shot counts toward the final total score. But there are many other formats of golfing too.

• Match Play: This format is played as a direct contest on each hole. The player with the lowest score on any hole "wins" the hole. The person winning the most holes at the end of the round wins.
• Stableford: This is a points-based scoring method. Rather than just counting your strokes, you get points based on your score relative to par (e.g., a birdie might be worth 2 points and a par is 1 point). This format will reward more aggressive approaches to the hole because the penalties for large scores are a bit lower than in stroke play.