Golf Terminology For Beginners

Wednesday, January 19th, 2022
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When you’re first starting out in golf, it’s easy to get confused hearing all of the different terms. You’ll more than likely hear things like birdie, bogey, and fore and wonder what they mean. If you’re a beginner, it’s important to know the basic terminology so you’re prepared for the course. Here are some of the most common golf terms explained.

Par

Par is the number of strokes it should take a golfer to finish a hole. Each hole has a par based on its length and difficulty. Holes can be par-3, par-4, or par-5.

Ace

An ace, which is also known as a hole in one, happens when a player puts the ball in the hole in one shot. This is the best score you can get, and when it happens, you write a “1” on the scorecard. These are very rare, but usually happen on par-3’s and par-4’s.

Albatross

An albatross is also very rare and tricky to achieve, but it has happened before by professional golfers. This term is used when players use three shots less than a hole’s par score, either by finishing the hole on the second shot on a par-5 hole, or making a hole-in-one on a par-4.

Eagle

An eagle is a score of two strokes below par. This is pretty rare for beginners, but usually happens on par-5 and par-4 holes. When you finish the hole in three shots on par-5, and two shots on par-4, it’s considered an eagle.

Birdie

A birdie is a score of one under par. Some examples of a birdie include scoring a two on a par-3 hole, a three on a par-4 hole, and a four on a par-5 hole.

Bogey

A bogey is when a player scores one over par. Two over par is a double bogey. Scoring a four on a par-3, five on a par-4, and six on a par-5 is a bogey. Most players get disappointed when they get a bogey, but it’s very common and isn’t always considered a bad score.  

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Now that you’ve learned some basic golfing terms, it’s time to get on the course! To learn more about golfing basics or to take a class, visit the Academy of Golf Dynamics at 1700 Kahala Sunset Drive in Spicewood, Texas. You can reach us at (512) 261-3300 or Send Us An Email for more information.