An Introduction to the Golf Scoring System

Robert “Bob” Juckniess is the chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Buying Group, Inc., in Lisle, Illinois. When he is not managing company operations, Bob Juckniess enjoys playing golf.

There are a variety of ways for individuals and teams to compete against one another on the golf course. Skins and stroke play are two of the most popular styles of play. Virtually every iteration of the golf scoring system requires golfers to complete each hole in as few strokes as possible. Holes on a golf course are given a numerical score, known as par. A golfer who completes 9 or 18 holes of golf with a score of -5, for example, is said to have finished 5 under par, short for 5 strokes under the combined par score for all holes played. A final score of +3, on the other hand, would be read as 3 over par.

There are several scoring terms golfers can use on a hole-to-hole basis. Finishing a hole at 1 stroke under par, for example, is known as a birdie, while 2 strokes under par is referred to as an eagle. There are also terms used for shots made over par, such as a bogey or double bogey for finishing a hole 1 or 2 strokes above par, respectively. Other terms include an albatross for 3 under par and an ace, or hole in one, for completing a hole in one shot.