Learn Golf · Scoring
Golf Scoring Explained
What does −5 mean? What's an eagle? Understanding golf's scoring system makes watching on TV much more rewarding — and it's simpler than it looks.
Score vs Par — The Core Concept
Golf scores are expressed relative to par rather than as a raw number of shots. Par is the expected total score for a scratch golfer over the course — typically 70, 71, or 72 for 18 holes. Going under par (fewer shots than expected) is good. Going over par (more shots) is bad.
Why relative scoring?
Different courses play to different pars and have different difficulties. Expressing scores relative to par allows fair comparison regardless of the course. A score of -10 at a par-72 course means 62 shots; at a par-70 course it means 60 shots — both equally impressive relative to that layout.
Scoring Terms — Complete Reference
Each score on an individual hole has a named term. From the incredibly rare condor to the dreaded triple bogey, here is the full reference.
| Term | Score vs Par | Example on a Par 4 | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condor | 4 under par | Hole-in-one on a Par 5 (or 2 on a Par 6) | Extremely rare — fewer than 10 confirmed in history |
| Albatross | 3 under par | 1 shot on a Par 4 (hole-in-one); 2 shots on a Par 5 | Very rare — a career highlight for any professional |
| Eagle | 2 under par | 2 shots on a Par 4; 3 shots on a Par 5 | Occasional in professional golf, especially on Par 5s |
| Birdie | 1 under par | 3 shots on a Par 4; 2 shots on a Par 3 | Common for professionals — a good round has 5–8 birdies |
| Par | Level | 4 shots on a Par 4; 3 on a Par 3; 5 on a Par 5 | The baseline — expected score for a scratch golfer |
| Bogey | 1 over par | 5 shots on a Par 4; 4 on a Par 3 | Common — even top professionals bogey 2–3 holes per round |
| Double Bogey | 2 over par | 6 shots on a Par 4; 5 on a Par 3 | A serious setback — often ends a professional's round |
| Triple Bogey | 3 over par | 7 shots on a Par 4; 6 on a Par 3 | Rare for professionals — usually involves penalty strokes |
| Worse | 4+ over par | 8+ on a Par 4 | Very rare in professional golf; more common in amateur play |
Tournament Scoring
In a 72-hole stroke play event, a player's score is the cumulative total across all four rounds, expressed relative to the course par. The player with the lowest score (furthest under par) wins.
Example: A 72-hole total
| Round | Shots | vs Par (72) | Running Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 (Thursday) | 67 | -5 | -5 |
| Round 2 (Friday) | 70 | E | -5 |
| Round 3 (Saturday) | 65 | -7 | -12 |
| Round 4 (Sunday) | 68 | -4 | -16 |
Total: 270 shots (4 × 72 = 288 par − 16 = 272). A total of -16 would contend in almost any professional event.
Reading the TV Leaderboard
When you watch golf on Sky Sports or BBC Sport, the on-screen leaderboard displays several pieces of information at once. Here is what each column means.
| Pos | Player | Total | Today | Thru |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Player A | -14 | -4 | 12 |
| 2 | Player B | -12 | -3 | F |
| T3 | Player C | -10 | E | F |
The Hole in One
The hole in one — or ace — is every golfer's dream: hitting the ball from the tee directly into the hole in a single shot. In professional golf, holes-in-one occur on par 3 holes, where the green is directly reachable from the tee. On a par 4 or par 5, a hole-in-one would constitute an albatross or condor respectively — vanishingly rare events.
Professional golfers average approximately one hole-in-one for every 2,500 par 3 shots played. A typical PGA Tour event produces a handful of aces across the week. They are celebrated moments — expect the TV broadcast to cut away to slow-motion replays when one occurs.
Notable Scoring Records
Jim Furyk, Travelers Championship, 2016. The only sub-59 round in PGA Tour history, shot on a par-70 course (-12).
Multiple players have shot 59 in PGA Tour events — the "magic number" that was once considered almost impossible to break.
Nine consecutive birdies has been achieved by multiple players on the PGA Tour — a remarkable streak of sustained excellence.
What About Handicaps?
Handicaps are used in amateur and recreational golf to allow players of different abilities to compete on equal terms. A player with a handicap of 18 receives 18 shots allowance per round — effectively one extra shot on each hole — bringing their adjusted score closer to par.
Professional golfers do not use handicaps in tournament play. All professionals compete on scratch (zero handicap) terms — every shot they take counts as-is. The World Handicap System (WHS) is the global standard for amateur handicapping, used in golf clubs across the UK and worldwide.