A bogey in golf is a score of one stroke over par on any given hole. This golf bad score term sits just above par, meaning if a hole is a par 4, a bogey is a score of 5.
Tracing the History: The Origin of Golf Terminology
The language of golf is rich and old. Many terms we use today have fascinating backstories. Some come from old Scots words. Others are rooted in older games that led to modern golf. The term “bogey” is a prime example of a word that jumped from popular culture right into golf term history. To fully grasp why is a bogey in golf called that, we need to look outside the golf course itself.
Early Golf Scoring Terms Explained
Before we dive into the bogey, let’s quickly look at the standard golf score definitions. These terms set the baseline for every shot taken:
| Term | Strokes Relative to Par | Example (Par 4 Hole) |
|---|---|---|
| Albatross (Double Eagle) | 3 under par | 1 |
| Eagle | 2 under par | 2 |
| Birdie | 1 under par | 3 |
| Par | Even par | 4 |
| Bogey | 1 over par | 5 |
| Double Bogey | 2 over par | 6 |
| Triple Bogey | 3 over par | 7 |
The concept of “par” itself is relatively modern, formalized in the early 20th century. Before that, players aimed to beat the ‘standard score’ set by the best players of the day. This created a need for a term to describe a score slightly worse than the expected best.
The Popular Culture Connection: The Bogey Man
The most accepted and well-researched theory for the golf term etymology of “bogey” comes from a popular song in the late 19th century. This story helps explain the golf terminology meaning behind the score.
The Song That Started It All
In 1890, a popular song was released in England titled “The Bogey Man.”
- The song described the Bogey Man as an imaginary being that haunted children, much like an unseen threat.
- It was often used to describe something difficult to beat or something that might catch up to you.
- Think of it as a phantom score you hoped not to meet.
Golfers began using the term “bogey” to describe a score that was one stroke worse than the expected best performance for a hole. If the best expected score was, say, 4 strokes, then meeting the “Bogey Man” meant taking 5 strokes. This makes the bogey the first score that represents a slight failure against expectations.
The Early Application in Golf Handicap Scoring
Initially, the bogey score was closely tied to the concept of a golf handicap scoring system, even before handicaps were as standardized as they are today.
- The Standard: Early golfers established what a scratch player (a very good player) should shoot on a hole.
- The Phantom: This expected score became known as the “Bogey Score.”
- The Result: When an amateur player took one more stroke than that Bogey Score, they scored a “bogey.”
It was a quick and informal way to judge performance against a standard, much like “par” is today, but often set a little lower than what modern par aims for.
How Bogey Relates to Other Golf Score Definitions
The bogey sits in a clear hierarchy of scores relative to par. It is the smallest deviation on the negative side.
Bogey vs. Par
Par is the goal. It is the score a skilled golfer is expected to achieve on a hole under normal conditions. It assumes good play but not necessarily spectacular play.
A bogey is a mild disappointment. It suggests one small mistake happened. You played okay, but not as well as you planned.
Bogey vs. Birdie
A birdie is the opposite—one stroke better than par. If a birdie is a celebration, a bogey is a slight frown. This contrast is key to golf scoring terms explained.
Bogey and Golf Penalty Strokes
It is important to note that a bogey is not the same as taking a penalty stroke, though a penalty stroke can easily lead to a bogey.
- Penalty Strokes: These are added to your actual strokes taken for rule violations (like hitting a ball out of bounds or taking an unplayable lie). For example, taking one penalty stroke on a par 4 means your next shot is your third stroke in the count.
- Bogey Score: This refers only to the total count of strokes taken to get the ball in the hole, compared to par. If you take 5 strokes on a par 4, you scored a bogey, whether you did it with five clean shots or four shots plus one penalty stroke.
The Evolution of Bogey to Standardized Scoring
The term remained popular throughout the early 20th century. However, as golf governance formalized, the concept of “Par” became the universal benchmark.
From Bogey Score to Par
When governing bodies like the USGA and The R&A started setting official course ratings, they needed a firm, measurable standard. “Par” became that standard.
Why did “Bogey” stick around if “Par” took over as the official target?
- Familiarity: Golfers were already comfortable with the term from decades of use.
- Context: “Par” defines the expected total for the course. “Bogey” defines the expected result hole-by-hole when things aren’t perfect. It provides a softer, more relatable measure of a slightly poor result than saying, “I scored one over the established rating.”
For the average amateur golfer, shooting a bogey on every hole of an 18-hole course results in a score of 90 (if par is 72). This is a common, respectable score for many club golfers, highlighting that a bogey isn’t disastrous; it’s just slightly off the mark.
Comprehending Scores Relative to Par
To appreciate the bogey fully, one must grasp the spectrum of scoring in golf relative to par. This table shows how the bogey fits into the broader golf terminology meaning:
| Score Name | Strokes Over/Under Par | Common Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Hole-in-One | 3 under par (on a Par 4 or 5) | Extremely rare miracle |
| Albatross (Double Eagle) | 3 under par | Rare, usually only on Par 5s |
| Eagle | 2 under par | Exceptional play |
| Birdie | 1 under par | Excellent play |
| Par | Even | Expected, solid play |
| Bogey | 1 over par | Slightly disappointing play |
| Double Bogey | 2 over par | Poor hole, multiple mistakes |
| Triple Bogey | 3 over par | Very bad hole, often involving lost balls or severe errors |
| Snowman (8) | 4+ over par (on a Par 4) | Disaster on a hole |
The bogey is the gateway to scores that start to look genuinely bad. Breaking 100 often involves minimizing double bogeys and avoiding triple bogeys, but accepting a few bogeys along the way.
The Psychological Weight of a Bogey
The term carries a slight psychological sting. Because the Bogey Man in the song was something to avoid, scoring a bogey feels like you let that phantom catch up to you for one hole.
Contrast this with a “blow-up hole” (a score of double bogey or worse). A bogey suggests you made one error—a missed short putt, a slightly errant drive into the rough. A double bogey suggests two significant errors occurred. The bogey sits right on that line between a good day and a day where you can’t quite catch the rhythm.
Analyzing the Historical Context of Golf Term History
The spread of golf from Scotland to England and then the rest of the world cemented many Scots terms. However, “bogey” is unique because its adoption seems to have come from London’s music halls, not directly from a Scots dialect word for a score.
Alternative (Less Supported) Theories
While the song theory is dominant, it is worth mentioning other speculative ideas related to why is a bogey in golf named this way, though they lack the strong evidence of the song connection:
- “Baggage”: Perhaps a corruption of a word meaning ‘burden’ or ‘baggage’ carried on the hole. This seems unlikely given the clear cultural timeline of the song.
- Local Dialect: Some suggest it was a local term in certain English clubs used to mean “one too many,” but again, the 1890 song connection is much stronger.
The acceptance of the “Bogey Man” song theory is strong because it coincides perfectly with the period when golf was gaining widespread middle-class popularity in Britain, ready to absorb new slang into its lexicon.
Bogey in Modern Golf Handicap Scoring Systems
While the term bogey is used conversationally, modern handicapping, such as the World Handicap System (WHS), relies on calculating an official Handicap Index based on the lowest net scores.
Even in these complex calculations, the concept of beating or matching par remains central. When calculating a “Net Score” for a specific round, you compare your actual score minus any Handicap Allowances against the par of the course.
- If your Net Bogey means you scored one over the net par for the hole, you have performed exactly to your established ability level for that specific day, accounting for course difficulty (Slope Rating).
- The term “bogey” remains the primary, easy-to-digest verbal shorthand for communicating performance on a hole without needing to recite the full stroke count relative to par.
The Language Barrier: Golf Score Definitions Across Cultures
When golf spreads globally, terminology sometimes gets translated or adapted. However, “Par,” “Birdie,” and “Bogey” have become universal. They are English terms universally adopted in golf clubs from Tokyo to Buenos Aires. This global adoption reinforces the historical strength of the term.
For instance, in some languages, the direct translation of “one over par” might be cumbersome, so golfers simply use the English word “bogey.” This is common for high-impact, short terms in sports, similar to “touchdown” or “strike.”
Why Not Use “One Over”?
Why did golfers stick with “bogey” instead of just saying “one over par” every time?
- Speed: “Bogey” is one syllable. “One over par” is three words. In quick conversation on the course, brevity wins.
- Rhythm: Golf language has a distinct rhythm. Birdie, Par, Bogey, Double—they flow well together.
- Clarity: It immediately signals the relationship to par without requiring the listener to know the hole’s par value first. If someone says, “I shot a bogey on 12,” you know they took one more stroke than they should have, regardless of whether 12 was a 3, 4, or 5.
Deciphering the Role of Bogey in Course Design
While not directly affecting the term’s name, the bogey score influences how architects view hole difficulty.
Golf course architects aim to set a par for each hole that reflects what a scratch golfer should shoot. The expectation is that even scratch golfers will incur a bogey or two during a typical round due to factors like wind, tight fairways, or tricky green complexes.
If a hole design makes it almost impossible to avoid a bogey (meaning most good players consistently score 5 on a par 4), the course may be rated too difficult, or the par rating might need adjustment. The bogey serves as an informal quality check on course design difficulty.
Frequently Asked Questions about Golf Scores
What is a bogey in golf?
A bogey in golf is a score of one stroke over par on a single hole.
Are there different types of bogies?
Yes, although the term “bogey” itself means one over par, golfers often combine it with other terms:
- Net Bogey: In handicap play, this means you scored one over the net par for that hole after applying handicap strokes.
- Scratch Bogey: This is simply a bogey scored by a player with no handicap (a scratch golfer).
Is a bogey a bad score?
For professional golfers, yes, a bogey is considered a poor result because they are expected to shoot par or better consistently. For the average amateur golfer, a round comprised mostly of pars and bogeys is considered a very solid, good round of golf.
Where did the term “bogey” come from?
The term most likely originated in the late 19th century, inspired by the popular English music hall song, “The Bogey Man,” where the bogey represented an unseen challenge or something difficult to avoid. Golfers applied this to taking one more stroke than the expected best score.
How does a bogey differ from a penalty stroke?
A penalty stroke is an administrative addition to your score due to a rule infraction. A bogey is the final total score achieved on the hole compared to par. You can have a bogey with zero penalty strokes, or you can incur a penalty stroke and still manage to save par or score a birdie.
What is the score lower than a bogey?
The score lower than a bogey is par (even par). Before par, the score better than a bogey is a birdie (one under par).