Unlike most sports, golf is a game in which players try to achieve the lowest score possible. Various elements, such as penalties, can affect a golf score. Scoring is also based on what type of game is being played, whether it be stroke play or match play. Understanding the scoring rules of golf is essential to having success at the game.
Par
All golf play, whether stroke or match play, is governed by the principle of "par." In golf, each hole is evaluated based primarily on length but also on difficulty, and assigned a par value. These values range from three to five. A par-three hole means that in order to shoot par (average) for the hole, the golfer has to get the ball in the hole in three shots. On a par-four hole, the golfer has four shots, and so on. If a player shoots fewer strokes than the par for the hole, he is said to have shot "under par" for the hole. One under par is called a "birdie" and two under par is an "eagle." Shooting more than the established strokes for a hole is called being "over par." One over par is a "bogey," while two over par is a "double bogey," and so on.
Penalties
There are a number of penalties in golf, most of which affect a person's score. For example, hitting the ball into a water hazard is a penalty and carries with it a one-stroke penalty. So, if a player hits a shot into the water, at the end of the hole, he would add up the number of strokes for the hole and add one stroke for the water hazard penalty. Other scoring penalties include moving a ball on the fairway or on the fringe of the green before hitting it, or moving a ball on the green before properly marking it.
Stroke vs. Match Play
In stroke play, scoring rules dictate that each player add up the total number of strokes throughout 18 holes, or all holes if the golf event is played over multiple rounds. The player with the lowest total number of strokes over all holes is declared the winner. Match play is scored differently, as two players are matched against each other, with each hole being worth a point. The player who uses the least number of strokes to get the ball in the hole earns the point for that whole. If both players use the same number of strokes, the hole is "halved." The player with the most number of points at the end of the round is declared the winner.
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