The short answer
- Birdie is one under par, bogey is one over, eagle is two under.
- Par is the score a scratch player is expected to make on a hole.
- Dormie means a match lead equal to the holes remaining.
- Sandbagger is a golfer who keeps an artificially high handicap.
Scoring terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Par | The number of strokes a scratch golfer is expected to take on a hole. |
| Birdie | One stroke under par on a hole (a 3 on a par 4). |
| Eagle | Two strokes under par (a 3 on a par 5). |
| Albatross (double eagle) | Three strokes under par — extremely rare. |
| Bogey | One stroke over par. |
| Double bogey | Two strokes over par. |
| Triple bogey | Three strokes over par. |
| A "snowman" | Slang for an 8 on a hole. |
| Buzzard | Slang some golfers use for a double bogey. |
| Under par / over par | Your score relative to par for the round. |
Beyond triple bogey, many golfers stop naming the score and just call it "a number."
Course and shot terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Teeing area (often called the tee box) | The starting area where you play your first stroke on a hole, two club-lengths deep behind the tee markers. |
| Fairway | The closely mown area between tee and green. |
| Rough | The longer grass bordering the fairway. |
| Green | The putting surface around the hole. |
| Fringe (apron) | The closely mown collar just off the green. |
| Bunker | A specially prepared area of sand, often a hollow where turf or soil was removed. |
| Penalty area | Water or other marked area — red or yellow stakes. (The old term was "water hazard.") |
| Divot | The chunk of turf your club takes out of the ground. |
| Pitch mark | The indentation your ball leaves when it lands on the green. |
| Slice / hook | A big left-to-right (slice) or right-to-left (hook) curve for a right-handed golfer. |
| Fade / draw | A controlled, gentle version of the slice/hook curve. |
| Shank | A shot hit off the hosel that shoots violently sideways. |
| Chili dip | Hitting the ground behind the ball and chunking it. |
| Thin / fat | Hitting the ball too low (thin) or striking the ground behind it (fat). |
Format and play terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Handicap | A numerical measure of your ability that levels the field. |
| Scramble | Team format: everyone hits, best shot is chosen, all play from there. |
| Shamble | Best tee shot chosen, then everyone plays their own ball in. |
| Best ball (four-ball) | Everyone plays their own ball; team takes the lowest score. |
| Stableford | Points format: bogey 1, par 2, birdie 3, eagle 4. |
| Match play | Hole-by-hole competition — you win holes, not strokes. |
| Stroke play | Total strokes; lowest score wins. |
| Dormie | A match lead equal to the holes remaining. The leader can't lose the match in regulation; at worst it's tied. |
| All square (tied) | The match is tied (the Rules use both terms). |
| Mulligan | An unofficial do-over in casual play. Not in the Rules of Golf. |
| Breakfast ball | A mulligan on the first tee — often the first shot of the day. |
| Sandbagger | A golfer who keeps an artificially high handicap to win bets. |
| Gimme | A conceded putt — legal in match play only. |
| Pin / flagstick | The flag and pole in the hole. |
| Provisional ball | A second ball played when your first might be out of bounds or lost outside a penalty area. |
| GIR (green in regulation) | Reaching the green with enough strokes left for two putts to make par. |
| Scrambling | Making par or better after missing the green in regulation. |
Golf slang you'll hear on the course
- "Breakfast ball" — a free mulligan on the 1st tee.
- "Snowman" — an 8. Write it down and move on.
- "You're still away" — the furthest from the hole plays next.
- "Dance floor" — the putting green.
- "Fried egg" — a ball plugged in a bunker with sand piled up around it.
- "Up and down" — getting on the green and holing the putt in two from off the green.
- "Worm burner" — a low, skidding shot.
- "Barkies" — in some side games, a par made after hitting a tree.
Frequently asked questions
What is a birdie in golf?
A birdie is a score of one stroke under par on a hole — for example, making a 3 on a par 4 or a 4 on a par 5. The term is usually traced to American slang where 'bird' meant something excellent.
What does par mean in golf?
Par is the number of strokes a scratch golfer is expected to take to complete a hole, based on its length and difficulty. Par is an expectation, not a requirement.
What is the difference between a bogey and a double bogey?
A bogey is one stroke over par on a hole; a double bogey is two strokes over par. A triple bogey is three over, and beyond that many golfers just call it a number.
What does dormie mean in golf?
Dormie describes a match-play situation where a player leads by exactly as many holes as remain to be played. Because the trailing player cannot get ahead, the leader is guaranteed at least a tie.
What is a sandbagger in golf?
A sandbagger is a golfer who deliberately maintains a higher handicap than their true ability in order to win net competitions and bets. It is considered a serious breach of golfing integrity and clubs can review and adjust handicaps.
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Knowing the slang gets you through the banter. Knowing the rules gets you through the scorecard. Save Strokes: Golf Rules Quick Reference is a PDF covering 20 rules situations, with a printable bag card and a phone card. The Golf Bet Games Bundle has 6 classic betting games with printable scorecards.