Hearing the phrase one over used on a golf broadcast or from your playing partners can be a little confusing when you're just starting out. Put simply, scoring one over on a hole means you took one more shot than the expected score for that hole, which is also known as making a bogey. This article will break down exactly what it means to be one over, why it's a fundamental part of golf scoring, and most importantly, how to start turning those bogeys into pars and birdies.
Before we can fully grasp what "one over" means, we have to talk about its counterpart: par. You've likely seen it on a scorecard. Every single hole on a golf course has a designated par. This is the score an expert golfer is expected to make on that specific hole.
Par is determined primarily by the hole's length. It includes the two putts a skilled golfer is expected to take on the green. Here's a quick breakdown:
Now, back to our original question. Scoring "one over" on a hole means your score for that hole was one stroke higher than its par. In the language of golf, this is officially called a bogey. The notation on a scorecard is often "+1."
Let's look at a few clear examples:
This is the most common use of the term. If you just finished a par-4 and someone asks what you made, you could say "I was one over" or "I made a bogey." Both mean exactly the same thing: you scored a 5.
"One over" doesn't just apply to a single hole, it's also used to describe your total score for the entire round. A standard 18-hole golf course usually has a total par of between 70 and 72. This is calculated by adding up the par for all 18 holes.
As you play, you keep a running tally of your score in relation to that total par. For instance:
This running tally continues for all 18 holes. If you were to play a par-72 course and finish with a final score of 73, your final result would be "one over par." On professional leaderboards, you'll see this written as +1.
Conversely, if you shoot a score of 71 on that same par-72 course, you finished "one under par," which would be noted as -1.
As a golf coach, this is one of the most important things I teach new players. So many golfers beat themselves up over every little mistake, but whether a bogey is good or bad depends entirely on your skill level and your goals for the day.
If you are new to the game, listen closely: a bogey is a fantastic score. A bogey means you navigated a hole that is hundreds of yards long in only one_more_ stroke than an expert. It means you avoided the big, frustrating numbers - the 7s, 8s, and 9s that can make you want to wrap a club around a tree. Making bogeys consistently is a sign of huge progress. Don't let yourself get frustrated by them, see them as a stepping stone and a win for that hole.
Many amateur golfers have a goal of breaking 90. The concept of "bogey golf" is a framework for this goal. On a par-72 course, if you were to make a bogey on every single hole, you would shoot a score of 90 (72 + 18). So, for a golfer aiming to break 90, a bogey is a perfectly acceptable score. The goal here is to eliminate the "other," which means the double bogeys (+2) and triple bogeys (+3). When you have a bad hole, walking away with "just a bogey" is often a strategic victory.
For a highly skilled player trying to shoot par or better, a bogey represents a lost stroke and a step backward on the quest for a low score. On TV, you will see a pro hit their shot in a greenside bunker, fail to get it up-and-down for par, and walk away with a look of frustration. In their world, a bogey is a mistake they'll want to get back with a birdie somewhere else. But remember, they are playing a different game at a different level. Applying their standards to your game is the quickest way to kill your enjoyment of golf.
Alright, so we understand what one over is and its place in the game. But how do we start making fewer of them? Bad shots will happen - that's golf. But most bogeys aren't caused by one awful swing, they're the result of a series of small, preventable mistakes. Let's look at the most common ways amateurs make bogeys and how to fix them.
The number one source of bogeys and doubles is poor decision-making. You hit your drive into the trees. You see a tiny window to the green 150 yards away. Your brain screams, "I can totally hit a low fade through that gap!" A few moments later, your ball hits a tree and drops deeper into trouble. The smart play was to take your medicine, punch the ball sideways back to the fairway, and try to get up-and-down for par from there. Making a bogey here is a win, trying the hero shot almost always leads to a double bogey or worse.
Your Action Plan: Before every shot, especially from a tough position, ask yourself: what is the highest percentage play? Not the most exciting play. Aim for the center of the green, not at a threatening pin location. This simple mindset shift will eliminate dozens of mistakes over a round.
Here's a familiar story: you miss the green with your approach shot. You have a straightforward chip. But you chili-dip it, leaving it short. Now you have another chip. Now the pressure is really on. This is where easy pars turn into stressful bogeys.
Your Action Plan: When you're just learning, forget about getting the chip close. Your only goal for your first chip is to get it somewhere on the putting surface. Choose a club that you feel confident will get the ball onto the green, even if it rolls out a bit. Committing to getting on the green with your first chip turns a potential three-shot sequence (chip, chip, putt) into a two-shot sequence (chip, putt). That difference is the line between bogey and double.
The other big source of bogeys for amateurs happens on the green. You hit a great shot to 30 feet, but then you race your first putt 8 feet past the hole. You miss the comeback putt. You just turned a great birdie opportunity into a sloppy bogey. It's deflating.
Your Action Plan: Stop focusing on trying to make long putts. The pros only make about 15% of their putts from 20-25 feet. Instead, focus on your speed control. Your goal on any putt outside of 10 feet is to roll it into a 3-foot "tap-in circle" around the hole. Practice stroking putts from 30, 40, and 50 feet with the goal of getting them to die near the cup. Turning a three-putt into a two-putt is the fastest way to save a stroke and avoid bogeys.
Understanding "one over," or a bogey, is foundational to understanding how a round of golf is scored. It is a benchmark against the expected score (par), and your feelings about it should change as you grow as a player - from a milestone for a beginner to an accepted part of the game for an intermediate player. By practicing smarter course management and sharpening up your short game, you can start to drastically reduce those frustrating bogeys.
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