Table of Contents
Last updated Sep 28, 2023
The Ultimate Glossary of Golf Score Terms (14 Terms, A-Z)
From bogeys to eagles, handicaps to penalty strokes, golf scoring terms help us add it all up and measure how we did out there!
Written By: Zach Gollwitzer
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘A’
Ace
An ace, also known as a "hole in one" is when a golfer makes their tee shot. This is most common on par 3 holes.
You won't believe what happened on the golf course today. I made an ace!
Read more: Ace
Aggregate Score
Aggregate score is the cumulative score a golfer holds over multiple rounds and is most common in golf tournament scoring. Most PGA Tour events are 4 total rounds and the winner is the golfer with the lowest aggregate score over those 4 rounds.
Tiger Woods had an aggregate score of 275 during the 2019 Masters and won the tournament by a shot.
Read more: Aggregate Score
Albatross
An albatross describes a score of 3 under the designated par for the golf hole. This is equivalent to a hole-in-one on a par 4 hole, a score of 2 on a par 5 hole, and is not possible on a par 3 hole.
An albatross is one of the rarest scores in golf.
Read more: Albatross
All Square
When a match is "all square", that means that two golfers are tied. This is most commonly used in match-play formats like the Ryder Cup.
The match is all square heading into the final hole!
Read more: All Square
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘B’
Birdie
A birdie in golf is a golf term to describe a score made on a golf hole where the golfer takes one stroke less than the designated par for the hole. This is often expressed as "one stroke under par" or more commonly, just "one under".
Wow, great birdie on that last hole!
Read more: Birdie
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘C’
Course Rating
In golf, the "course rating" is a term related to golf handicaps and describes how difficult a golf course is relative to other courses.
The course rating for this course is 75.6 from the championship tees. It's a tough one!
Read more: Course Rating
Course Record
Every golf course keeps track of its course record, generally from the championship tees. This is the lowest documented score ever on the course.
Tiger Woods shot the course record in the final round.
Read more: Course Record
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘D’
Double Bogey
A double bogey is when a golfer makes a score 2 over the designated par. For example, if you make a 6 on a "par 4", you have made a double bogey. For beginners, a double bogey is a decent score and will be very common. For pros, it's considered a bad hole, and many pros will go multiple full rounds of golf without having a single double bogey. But they still make them!
Dang, I made a double bogey again!
Read more: Double Bogey
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘E’
Eagle
An eagle in golf is a golf term to describe a score made on a golf hole where the golfer takes two strokes less than the designated par for the hole. This is often expressed as "two strokes under par" or more commonly, just "two under".
Rory Mcilroy made a magnificent eagle on the last par 5!
Read more: Eagle
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘F’:
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘G’:
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘H’
Handicap
Based on the score a golfer shoots and the assigned difficulty rating of the golf course they played, they will get a "handicap" which is an approximation for how good a golfer is.
My handicap is a 6 right now, but I hope to get it down to a 3 by the end of the year.
Read more: Handicap
Hole in One
A hole-in-one, also known as an "ace" is when you hit a shot from the tee box and make it in the hole. In the golf world, if you are playing with a group and make a hole-in-one, it is tradition to buy drinks for everyone in the group after the round. That is why a golfer who recently got a hole-in-one might say, "That hole-in-one drained my bank account!"
Great hole-in-one! Now you have to buy all of us drinks after the round!
Read more: Hole in One
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘I’:
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘J’:
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘K’:
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘L’:
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘M’:
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘N’:
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘O’
Out of Bounds
Marked with white stakes, out-of-bounds areas on the course require the golfer to re-hit and add 2 penalty strokes to their score.
I sliced it out-of-bounds on the last hole and had to take penalty strokes.
Read more: Out of Bounds
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘P’
Penalty Stroke
A penalty stroke is when a golfer gets penalized for hitting a bad shot or committing a rules infraction and must add 1 or more strokes to their score.
I hit it in the water and had to take a penalty stroke on that hole.
Read more: Penalty Stroke
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘Q’:
Golf Score Terms Beginning With ‘R’:
Golf Score Terms Starting With ‘S’
Slope Rating
Similar to course rating, the slope rating is an approximation of how difficult a course will play for a high handicapper, or "bogey golfer".
The slope rating for this course is 134.
Read more: Slope Rating