What Is A Bogey In Golf
And How You Can Avoid It
What Is A Bogey In Golf?
"Bogey" is a common golf term that is used to describe when a golfer scores one stroke over par on a particular hole.
Is Getting A Bogey Bad?
It really depends on what type of golfer you are.
Professional golfers, scratch golfers, and golfers with low handicap scores would likely be disappointed with getting a bogey. These types of golfers strive to score at or below par on every hole they play. But even these types of golfers can still get double, triple, and even quadruple bogeys (I’ll explain this in the next section).
On the other hand, average golfers would probably be excited to get a bogey because it means they only had one stroke over par. To put this into perspective, if they were to get a bogey on every round they’d get a score of 90 on a par-72 course. That’s a huge accomplishment for someone who is new to golf.
What Do The Different Bogeys Mean?
There are a few different variations of the term bogey:
- A Double Bogey means that a golfer got 2 strokes over par on a hole.
- A Triple Bogey means that a golfer got 3 strokes over par on a hole.
- A Quadruple Bogey means a golfer got 4 strokes over par on a hole.
For example, if a golfer were to get 5 strokes on a par-3 they’d have a double bogey. If a golfer were to get 9 strokes on a par-5 then they’d receive a quadruple bogey.
How Can I Avoid Bogeys?
There are a few simple things you can do to avoid getting bogeys.
1. Be Patient
Being realistic with your golf game will do wonders. No one becomes a pro golfer overnight, it takes patience and determination.
2. Get Familiar With Your Clubs
Analyze the hole you’re on, and then choose your clubs accordingly. Be mindful of woods, water hazards, and anything else that can affect how the ball moves. Take your clubs to the driving range and get a feel for each one.
3. Visualize Your Shot
Golf is an extremely strategic game so you should think about any type of obstacle you may encounter on the course. Think about if the risky shot is worth it, or if it’s better to take a different route. If you don’t think you’ll make the shot, just try something else.
4. Practice Your Short Game
Practicing your putt will increase your chances of lowering your score. You could hit a killer long distance shot, but if you have to hit with your putter several times to get it in the hole you’ll be adding a lot of unwanted strokes.
Check out our other blog posts on how to lower your score so you can avoid those bogeys!
