What Is 22 Under in Golf?

Hearing a score like 22 under par in golf can stop you in your tracks, and for good reason - it’s an astronomically low number that seems almost impossible. This article will break down exactly what 22 under means, explain the circumstances where a score this low is actually possible, and give you the strategic insights behind these incredible team performances.

First, What Does "Under Par" Actually Mean?

To understand a score like 22 under, we need a quick refresher on golf's scoring fundamentals. Every hole on a golf course has a designated "par," which is the expected number of strokes a highly skilled golfer should take to complete it. Most holes are a par-3, par-4, or par-5.

Your score on a hole is always relative to its par:

• Birdie: One stroke under par (e.g., a 3 on a par-4).
• Eagle: Two strokes under par (e.g., a 3 on a par-5).
• Albatross (or Double Eagle): Three strokes under par (e.g., a 2 on a par-5).
• Par: Meeting the expected score (e.g., a 4 on a par-4).
• Bogey: One stroke over par (e.g., a 5 on a par-4).

When you hear a score like "22 under," it's a cumulative total for the entire round, usually played over 18 holes. For a standard par-72 course, shooting 22 under par means the final score was 50 strokes (72 - 22 = 50). Seeing that number should immediately tell you that this wasn't the work of a single golfer playing their own ball. The lowest single-player score ever recorded on the PGA Tour is a 58. A score of 50 pushes into the realm of team golf.

Breaking Down the Mind-Boggling Score: 22 Under Par

A final score of 50 is a truly spectacular achievement that showcases a near-perfect round of golf. It's the kind of score that shows up on the leaderboard at a charity outing or a company tournament, and it lights up the scoreboard. But how does a team get there?

Let's do the math. To get to 22 under par on a par-72 course, you have to do way better than just making a birdie on every hole. Eighteen birdies would only get you to 18 under par (a score of 54). To reach 22 under, you need a combination heavy on eagles, which are worth two strokes under par.

Here’s one possible way a team could shoot a 50 (-22):

• 10 Birdies: -10 strokes
• 8 Eagles: -12 strokes

Total: -22 strokes under par.

That means on eight different holes, the team made the ball in two fewer strokes than par. On a typical course with four par-5s, this implies eagles on all par-5s, plus on four other holes - likely a few drivable par-4s holed out in two strokes. This level of scoring isn't just good, it's practically flawless and requires a special format to make it happen.

How is 22 Under Possible? The Magic of Team Golf Formats

Scores this low are almost exclusively achieved in team formats that allow a group of golfers to combine their best efforts on every single shot. The most common format to produce these eye-popping numbers is the scramble.

The All-Mighty Scramble: The Most Common Path to Ultra-Low Scores

A scramble, typically with four players, is designed for fun and to produce low scores. It takes the pressure off any individual golfer and lets the team shine. Here’s how it works:

1. All four players on the team hit their own tee shot.
2. They walk up and look at all four shots. They choose the _best one_.
3. The other three players pick up their balls and drop them within one club-length of that best shot's location.
4. All four players then hit their second shot from this new, ideal spot.
5. They repeat this process - choosing the best shot and everyone playing from that spot for the next one - until the ball is in the hole. The team records one single score for the hole.

You can see how this format encourages incredibly low scores. You get to take the longest drive, the purest iron shot, and the closest chip. On the green, everyone gets a look at the putt, often watching the line from their teammates' attempts before holing the one that counts. This gives a team four chances to execute every single shot perfectly, which a single player never has.

Imagine your four-person team has one player who hits 300-yard drives, another who is an incredibly accurate iron player, and a C-Player who happens to be a great putter. In a scramble, you can combine all those strengths into one "super golfer." That's the recipe for shooting 22 under.

Best Ball (Fourball): Another Team Power Format

Another popular team format is Best Ball, also known as Fourball. This is what you see at the Ryder Cup and the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic. Unlike a scramble, every player plays their own ball from tee to green for the entire hole.

Here’s the process for a two-person Best Ball team:

1. Both Player A and Player B play the hole normally, teeing off, hitting their approach, and putting out completely.
2. At the end of the hole, they compare scores. If Player A made a 4 and Player B made a 5, the team's score for that hole is a 4 - the "best ball" or lower of the two scores.

This format also produces low scores because one player's bad hole can be erased by their partner's good one. One player can be aggressive and go for an eagle while the other plays it safe to secure a par. However, shooting 22 under in a Best Ball format is significantly more difficult than in a scramble because you don’t get the advantage of playing from the best-shot location on every stroke. A 22 under score here is almost unheard of and would require both players to have unbelievably great individual rounds simultaneously.

Putting it in Perspective: Just How Good is 22 Under?

To really appreciate a score of 22 under, let's put it in the context of professional golf. In team events, even the best players in the world find these numbers hard to reach.

For example, in a two-man scramble, anything in the high 50s is considered elite. During the 2021 QBE Shootout, a professional team event, Jason Kokrak and Kevin Na shot a 13-under-par 59 in the scramble format. That's a phenomenal score for two of the world's best. A four-person amateur team reaching 22 under par (a score of 50) is playing on that same legendary level for a day, fueled by the benefits of having four opportunities on every shot.

Achieving this requires more than just skill. It demands a perfect storm of:

• Smart Team Strategy: Deciding who hits first, who plays safe, and who can be aggressive.
• Complementary Skill Sets: A team a long-hitter, an iron specialist, a short-game wizard, or an elite putter has a huge advantage.
• Clutch Putting: You can hit 18 greens in regulation, but someone still has to make the putts. Having four chances to read and drain a putt is the biggest key to scoring low.
• Favorable Conditions: Often, scramble tournaments have generous pin positions, well-manicured courses, and let you play the ball "up," which helps a ton.

Three Key Strategies for Lowering Your Team's Score

If you find yourself in a scramble and want to chase a low number, it’s not all about luck. Smart strategy will separate the good teams from the truly great ones. Here are a few tips to guide your team.

1. The "Safe" vs. "Aggressive" Player Strategy

This is the classic scramble tee shot strategy. Have your most consistent, reliable driver go first. Their only job is to get a ball in the fairway, no matter the distance. Once that safe shot is "in the barn," the other three players are freed up. They can swing for the fences, take more aggressive lines over corners or hazards, and try to get the ball as close to the green as possible. This same logic applies to approach shots - get one ball safely on the green first, then let others fire right at the flagstick.

2. Putt to Your Strengths

How you order your putters matters. Don't just go in a random order. Often, it’s smart to let a good, but not necessarily your best, putter go first. Their job is to hit a confident putt and show the rest of the team the exact line and speed. The other players get to watch a "test run." Save your most clutch, confident putter for last. By the time it’s their turn, they’ve seen the line from three other attempts and have all the information they need to drain the putt.

3. Course Management and Smart Decision-Making

Even in a go-for-broke format, you need to think. Talk as a team before every shot. On a par-5, should you lay up from the best drive to a perfect 100-yard distance, or try to hit a 3-wood onto the green from a tricky lie? The answer depends on your team's strengths. Maybe the best shot isn't the longest drive, but one that leaves you with a flat lie and a clear angle to the pin. Making smart, collective decisions can shave off a couple of strokes that average teams might waste.

Final Thoughts

A score of 22 under in golf is a monumental team accomplishment, typically achieved in a four-person scramble by posting a score around 50. It’s a showcase of brilliant strategy, complementary skills, and clutch performance where a team essentially becomes one "super-golfer" for the day.

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