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PlainPar

Par, birdie, formats and keeping score

Golf scoring, from par to Stableford

In short

Every hole has a par: the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to need, normally 3, 4 or 5. Your score on a hole is named for how far it is from par. One under is a birdie, two under an eagle, three under an albatross; one over is a bogey, two over a double bogey. Add up every hole and compare the total with the course par, usually 70 to 72 for 18 holes, and you have your score relative to par: 'even' or 'E' when they match. In stroke play the lowest total wins. In match play you win, lose or halve each hole. Stableford gives points per hole, and scrambles and best ball are team formats. The pages in this hub explain each one with examples.

Par and the names of scores

Par is set mostly by length, with the hole's difficulty taken into account. Our guide to what par means explains par 3s, 4s and 5s, course par, and how the USGA sets them. The names of golf scores page lists every score name with an example, including the hole-in-one and the very rare condor.

Stroke play and match play

In stroke play you count every stroke on every hole and the lowest total wins. In match play you play hole by hole against an opponent: the lower score wins the hole, equal scores halve it, and the match ends when one side leads by more holes than are left to play. A match result such as '3 and 2' means three holes up with two to play.

Stableford, scrambles, best ball and skins

Stableford scores points instead of strokes: 0 for double bogey or worse, 1 for bogey, 2 for par, 3 for birdie, 4 for eagle and 5 for an albatross. One bad hole costs you little, which is why clubs like it. In a scramble every team member tees off, the team picks the best shot, and everyone plays the next shot from there. In best ball (four-ball) each player plays their own ball and the team counts the lowest score on each hole. In a skins game each hole is worth a prize, and tied holes carry over.

Reading a leaderboard

E means even par. A minus number is under par, a plus number over. Thru shows how many holes a player has completed, F means finished, T marks a tie, WD a withdrawal, DQ a disqualification and MC a missed cut. The full list of leaderboard symbols has every abbreviation with an example.

Golf terms you will hear on the course

A mulligan is a free re-hit that friendly groups allow, but it is not in the Rules: replaying a shot costs stroke and distance. A gimme is a short putt conceded in match play, and a breakfast ball is a mulligan on the first tee.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good score in golf?

For 18 holes, breaking 100 is a common first goal and breaking 90 puts you ahead of most recreational golfers. A score at or near par (about 72) is expert level.

What does E mean in golf?

E means even par: the player's score equals par for the holes they have played.

What is better, a birdie or an eagle?

An eagle. A birdie is one stroke under par on a hole; an eagle is two under, such as a 3 on a par 5.

All scoring guides

Coming to this guide

Being written and checked against the Rules and other primary sources now.

  • How to keep score in golf
  • Best ball explained
  • Stableford scoring and points
  • Skins game rules
  • Match play vs stroke play