Golf Scoring: What is a Bogey?

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Quick Answer

• A bogey means you took one stroke more than par to complete a golf hole.
• It’s a super common score for most players out there.
• Knowing your bogeys helps you track progress and understand your handicap.

Who This is For

• Anyone new to the game who’s trying to figure out that little scorecard.
• Golfers who want to get a clearer picture of how their scores impact their handicap.

What to Check First for Bogey Scoring

• Know the Par: This is the bedrock, folks. Every hole has a “par” – the number of strokes a good golfer should take. Usually 3, 4, or 5. Without knowing par, you’re flying blind.
• Scorecard Savvy: Take a minute to look at the scorecard. You’ll see the hole number, the par for that hole, and boxes to write your score. Simple, but crucial.
• Your Game’s Rhythm: What’s your typical distance off the tee? How many putts do you usually need? Having a general sense of your game helps you gauge if a bogey is a good day or a bad one.
• Course Layout: Some holes are inherently tougher. A par 5 might play like a par 4 for some, and a short par 4 can feel like a par 5 if it’s got hazards. Knowing the course helps contextualize scores.

To truly understand your scores, having a reliable golf scorecard is essential. It’s your personal record of every hole.

Step-by-Step Plan for Bogey Golf Scoring

1. Identify the Hole’s Par. This is your target number for the hole.

• Action: Look at the scorecard or the yardage book before you hit your first shot.
• What to look for: The number designated as “Par” for that specific hole (e.g., Par 4, Par 5).
• Mistake to avoid: Assuming all holes have the same par. They don’t, and this is the most basic error.

2. Count Every Single Stroke. Every time you swing and move the ball, it’s a stroke.

• Action: Keep a running tally in your head or discreetly on your scorecard as you play each hole.
• What to look for: Each time the club makes contact with the ball and it moves, add one to your count. Don’t forget those putts on the green – they are strokes too!
• Mistake to avoid: Forgetting putts, or only counting full swings and ignoring chips or delicate pitches. Every touch matters.

3. Add Any Penalty Strokes. Golf rules are a thing, and sometimes they cost you.

• Action: Be aware of situations where a penalty might apply and mentally (or physically) add those strokes immediately.
• What to look for: Dropping a ball out of bounds, hitting into a water hazard and taking a penalty drop, or declaring an unplayable lie. Each typically adds a stroke.
• Mistake to avoid: Ignoring penalties. This is like cheating yourself and will mess up your handicap and your understanding of your game.

4. Calculate Your Score Relative to Par. Now, do the math to see how you did.

• Action: Subtract the hole’s par from your total strokes for that hole.
• What to look for: If your total strokes are exactly one more than the par number, you’ve made a bogey. For example, if par is 4 and you took 5 strokes, that’s a bogey.
• Mistake to avoid: Simple arithmetic errors. Double-check your addition and subtraction, especially when tired late in the round.

5. Record Your Score Accurately. Log it so you don’t forget.

• Action: Mark your final score for the hole on the scorecard.
• What to look for: The correct box for the hole number, and the total number of strokes you took (including penalties).
• Mistake to avoid: Marking down the wrong number, or marking down your score relative to par instead of your actual strokes.

Understanding Bogey Golf Scoring and Your Game

A bogey is more than just a number; it’s a fundamental building block in understanding your golf game. For the vast majority of golfers, especially those playing casually or working on improving, a bogey is a very common score. It’s that score you often find yourself hovering around on holes where you don’t quite hit your best shots but manage to recover.

When you’re looking at your scorecard after a round, seeing a string of bogeys tells you something specific about your performance. It means you’re consistently taking one extra stroke compared to what an expert golfer would take on those holes. This insight is incredibly valuable. Are you consistently taking an extra shot off the tee? Are you taking an extra putt on the green? Are you getting into trouble and taking penalties? Identifying where those extra strokes are coming from is the first step to improving.

This is where understanding what is a bogey in golf becomes critical for your handicap. Your handicap is designed to level the playing field, allowing players of different skill levels to compete. It’s calculated based on your scores relative to par. A consistent bogey shooter will have a different handicap than someone who is consistently making pars or birdies. For instance, a player who averages a bogey on a Par 72 course is likely shooting an 80 (72 + 8 bogeys). This score is then factored into the handicap formula. If you’re aiming to lower your handicap, targeting pars and minimizing bogeys is the direct path. It’s not about avoiding bogeys entirely, especially when you’re starting, but about making them less frequent and understanding why they happen. For a deeper dive into how these scores impact your overall game and handicap calculations, check out What is a Bogey in Golf and How It Affects Your Score.

How Bogey Golf Scoring Relates to Your Handicap

Your handicap is essentially a measure of your playing ability, and it’s directly influenced by your scores, including bogeys. The handicap system aims to give you a numerical representation of how many strokes above par you’re expected to shoot on an average course. This is where understanding what is a bogey in golf becomes super practical.

Let’s break it down. If you’re shooting a bogey on a Par 4, your score for that hole is 5. If you’re shooting a bogey on a Par 5, your score is 6. These scores, when averaged over a number of rounds, contribute to your handicap index. The USGA Handicap System, for example, uses your “net score,” which is your gross score minus any handicap strokes you receive on a hole. However, the calculation of your handicap index itself is based on your gross scores relative to par.

Think about it this way: if you consistently make pars, your handicap will be very low, perhaps even scratch (zero). If you consistently make bogeys, your handicap will be higher, reflecting that you typically need more strokes than par to finish a hole. For example, if you average a score of 5 on all Par 4 holes, you’re one over par, a bogey. This consistent performance will lead to a higher handicap than someone who averages a 4 (par) on those same holes.

The beauty of the handicap system is that it accounts for the fact that most golfers aren’t shooting par on every hole. It recognizes that bogeys are a normal part of the game for most players. The system is designed so that a player with a certain handicap will theoretically shoot around that number of strokes over par on an average course. So, if your handicap is 20, you’re expected to shoot around 20 over par on a course of average difficulty. This means your scores will likely include a mix of pars, bogeys, and perhaps some double bogeys or worse, balanced out by occasional birdies.

Understanding your bogey frequency can help you set realistic goals. If you’re aiming to lower your handicap, the most straightforward way is to reduce the number of bogeys you make and increase your pars. This often involves working on specific aspects of your game, like improving your driving accuracy, your short game, or your putting. For instance, if you find you’re consistently making bogeys because you’re taking three putts on many greens, focusing on your putting stroke can directly lead to more pars and fewer bogeys, thus lowering your handicap. For a more detailed look at how your scores, including bogeys, are used in this process, refer to What a Bogey Means in Golf.

If you’re consistently making bogeys due to specific issues like putting, consider exploring golf training aids to hone those skills.

Common Mistakes in Bogey Golf Scoring

• Mistake: Not knowing the par for a hole.
• Why it matters: This is the most fundamental error. You cannot determine if you’ve made a bogey (or any other score relative to par) if you don’t know the target number. It’s like trying to hit a bullseye without knowing where the center is.
• Fix: Make it a habit to check the scorecard or course guide for the par of each hole before you tee off. It takes two seconds and is essential.
• Mistake: Forgetting penalty strokes.
• Why it matters: This is a sneaky one that really inflates your perceived performance. If you hit a ball out of bounds or into a water hazard and don’t add the penalty stroke, your recorded score is lower than it should be. This misrepresents your actual game and can mess up handicap calculations.
• Fix: Be vigilant. As soon as a penalty situation occurs, acknowledge it and mentally add the stroke(s). Don’t wait until you’re on the green to try and remember.
• Mistake: Miscounting putts.
• Why it matters: Putts are strokes, plain and simple. Many golfers underestimate the number of putts they take, especially on longer holes or when they’re struggling on the greens. Missing even two putts can turn a potential par into a bogey.
• Fix: Be conscious of every single stroke, especially on the green. Count them as you go. It’s better to be slightly overzealous in counting than to miss one.
• Mistake: Confusing bogey with other scores (par, double bogey, birdie).
• Why it matters: This leads to a fuzzy understanding of your game. Calling a score a bogey when it’s actually a double bogey means you’re overestimating your performance on that hole.
• Fix: Keep the basic definitions clear: Birdie = one under par; Par = on target; Bogey = one over par; Double Bogey = two over par. If you’re unsure, do the math: Total Strokes – Par = Score Relative to Par.
• Mistake: Not accounting for “gimmies” or conceded putts incorrectly.
• Why it matters: While friendly concessions are common in casual play, they aren’t officially part of the Rules of Golf for scoring purposes unless playing under specific formats. If you’re trying to track your score accurately for handicap or serious play, you need to count every stroke.
• Fix: In official play or when serious about your handicap, always count all putts until the ball is holed. If playing casually, agree beforehand on how “gimmies” will be handled for scoring.
• Mistake: Relying solely on memory for scores.
• Why it matters: Especially on a long course or after a few beverages, memory can fail. You might forget a penalty stroke or misremember your total strokes on a few holes.
• Fix: Mark your score on the scorecard after each hole. This is the most reliable way to ensure accuracy.

FAQ

• What is a par in golf?

Par is the standard number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to take to complete a hole. It’s typically set at 3, 4, or 5 strokes, depending on the length and difficulty of the hole.

• How many strokes over par is a double bogey?

A double bogey is a score of two strokes over par on a single hole. So, if a hole is a Par 4, a double bogey would be a score of 6.

• Does a bogey count for my handicap?

Absolutely. Every score you post, whether it’s a birdie, par, bogey, or worse, contributes to your handicap calculation. The handicap system uses your scores relative to par to provide an equitable measure of your playing ability.

• Is a bogey a good or bad score?

It depends on your skill level. For a beginner or mid-handicap golfer, a bogey is often a common and acceptable score. For a highly skilled player (like a scratch golfer with a 0 handicap), a bogey is generally considered a disappointing score they’d aim to avoid.

• What is the score called if it’s one stroke under par?

That score is called a birdie. It means you completed the hole in one less stroke than par.

• What if I take 6 strokes on a Par 5?

If you take 6 strokes on a Par 5, that means you are one stroke over par. Therefore, you have made a bogey on that hole.

• How do I know if I made a bogey on a Par 3?

To make a bogey on a Par 3, you would need to take 4 strokes to complete the hole (Par 3 + 1 stroke = 4 strokes).

Sources:

• What is a Bogey in Golf and How It Affects Your Score
• What a Bogey Means in Golf