What is a Bogey Golfer?

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Quick Answer

• A bogey golfer shoots, on average, one stroke over par per hole.
• This typically translates to a handicap index in the neighborhood of 18-20 for men and 20-24 for women.
• You’re in the intermediate player category – solid, but still got room to grow.

Who This Is For

• Golfers who are trying to figure out where they stand on the course and track their progress.
• Players who want to set achievable goals and see real improvement in their game.

Understanding What is a Bogey Golfer

What to Check First

• Your Average Score Per Hole: Be honest with yourself. How often are you one over par on a hole? This is the core of it.
• Your Official Handicap Index: This is the number that really tells the story. Make sure it’s current and official.
• Recent Round Consistency: Take a look at your last five to ten rounds. Are your scores in the same ballpark? Consistency is key.
• Course Difficulty: A bogey on a beast of a course is different than on a friendly executive layout. Keep course rating in mind.

Step-by-Step Plan to Identify if You Are a Bogey Golfer

1. Action: Meticulously track your score for every single hole you play.

What to look for: A score of one over par (that’s your bogey) on a good chunk of the holes across your rounds.
Mistake to avoid: Skipping holes or fudging numbers. You need the raw data, not a fantasy score.

To accurately track your score for every hole, a good golf scorecard is essential. This will help you identify where you’re consistently making bogeys.

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2. Action: Calculate your average score per hole over a decent stretch of rounds.

What to look for: An average score that consistently lands around one stroke over par.
Mistake to avoid: Relying on just one or two rounds. Golf is a game of ups and downs; you need a broader sample size.

3. Action: Determine your official handicap index.

What to look for: For men, this usually falls between 18 and 20. For women, it’s typically between 20 and 24.
Mistake to avoid: Using an old handicap or one that wasn’t calculated properly. It’s gotta be legit.

4. Action: Review your performance on different types of holes (par-3s, par-4s, par-5s).

What to look for: Are you consistently making bogeys on par-4s, for example? Or are your struggles more on par-5s? This gives you insight.
Mistake to avoid: Thinking all holes are created equal. Your bogey game might be stronger on some than others.

5. Action: Compare your scoring trends to established player benchmarks.

What to look for: See how your average score per hole stacks up against known bogey golfer statistics or player rankings.
Mistake to avoid: Ignoring the benchmarks. They exist for a reason – to give you context.

6. Action: Analyze your “blow-up” holes – the ones where you take significantly more strokes than par.

What to look for: How often do you have a double bogey or worse? Reducing these big numbers is a direct path to improvement.
Mistake to avoid: Brushing off those triple bogeys. They’re the biggest drag on your average score.

The Bogey Golfer: Defining Your Place in the Game

Common Mistakes When Assessing if You Are a Bogey Golfer

• Mistake: Only looking at your total score for the round, not breaking it down hole by hole.

Why it matters: The very definition of a bogey is tied to your performance on individual holes relative to par. Your overall score can be misleading if you don’t know where you lost strokes.
Fix: Keep a detailed scorecard that logs your strokes for each hole. It’s not that hard, and it’s crucial.

• Mistake: Using only one or two recent rounds to judge your game.

Why it matters: Golf scores are notoriously streaky. A single great round could be an outlier, and a bad round could just be a bad day. You need to see the trend.
Fix: Average your scores over a minimum of 5-10 rounds. This gives you a much more reliable picture of your typical performance.

• Mistake: Misunderstanding or miscalculating your handicap index.

Why it matters: The handicap system is designed to provide a fair comparison of players of different abilities. An inaccurate handicap means you don’t truly know your playing level.
Fix: Familiarize yourself with the official handicap system rules (like the USGA’s) or consult with a golf professional or your club’s handicap chairperson.

• Mistake: Forgetting about the impact of course rating and slope.

Why it matters: Different courses have different challenges. A score that’s a bogey on a flat, easy course might be a par or even a birdie on a hilly, difficult one. Course rating and slope adjust for this.
Fix: Ensure your handicap calculations properly incorporate the course rating and slope of the courses you play regularly. This is a fundamental part of the system.

• Mistake: Confusing a bogey with other scoring terms like “par” or “birdie.”

Why it matters: Knowing the basic scoring terminology is fundamental to understanding your game and the game itself. It’s like not knowing what a strike is in baseball.
Fix: Take a few minutes to learn the definitions of par, birdie, bogey, double bogey, etc. It’s basic golf literacy.

• Mistake: Attributing your score solely to skill and ignoring luck or conditions.

Why it matters: Sometimes you get a lucky bounce, and sometimes the wind is brutal. While skill is paramount, acknowledging external factors helps maintain perspective.
Fix: While you can’t control the weather, focus on the controllable aspects of your game. Aim for consistency, and let the good bounces be a bonus.

FAQ

• What is par in golf?

Par is the standard score that an expert golfer is expected to achieve on a particular hole. It’s typically set at 3, 4, or 5 strokes, based on the hole’s length and difficulty. For a standard 18-hole course, par is usually around 70-72.

• How is a handicap index calculated?

Your handicap index is calculated using your best scores from your most recent rounds. The calculation involves taking the difference between your gross score and the course’s “Course Handicap” (which is derived from the course rating and slope rating), and then averaging these adjusted scores over a set number of your best recent rounds. The USGA provides detailed formulas for this.

• Is a bogey a good score?

For someone striving to be a scratch golfer (a 0 handicap), a bogey is not a good score; it’s one stroke over their target. However, for a bogey golfer, it’s their average, so it represents their typical performance level. It’s a measure of consistency for that skill level, not necessarily “good” in an absolute sense.

• What’s the difference between a bogey and a double bogey?

A bogey is simply one stroke over par on a hole. A double bogey is two strokes over par on that same hole. So, on a par-4, a bogey is a 5, and a double bogey is a 6.

• Can a bogey golfer break 100?

Absolutely. A bogey golfer, with a handicap index around 18-20, is typically shooting scores in the mid-90s on a standard par-72 course. Breaking 100 is well within reach and often achieved regularly by players in this category. The goal is to get closer to the low 90s or even high 80s.

• How many bogeys does a bogey golfer make per round?

On average, a bogey golfer aims for one bogey per hole. On a par-72 course, this would translate to a score of approximately 90 (72 + 18). So, they might make 18 bogeys, or a mix of pars and bogeys that averages out to one over par per hole. They’ll also likely have some pars and potentially a few birdies, balanced by some double bogeys or worse.

• Is a bogey golfer considered an advanced player?

No, a bogey golfer is generally considered an intermediate player. They’ve moved past the beginner stage and have a solid understanding of the game and its rules. However, they are still a significant distance from advanced players like single-digit handicappers or scratch golfers, who consistently score at or below par.

If you’re looking to move beyond the intermediate stage and improve your consistency, consider exploring various golf training aids. These can help refine specific aspects of your swing and game.

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