Golf is one of America's most popular sports, and many people play the game recreationally. The sport appeals to older people who have lost the agility and quickness necessary for many team sports -- many golfers can play well into their retirement years. Because golf skill levels can vary widely, individual scores can be all over the place. This makes it hard to determine what scores can be considered "good." Although there are some standardized methods of measuring scores, for the most part scores and match performances should be measured in relation to your own personal success.
Pars
Pars are established by the golf course and represent the average number of strokes it should take a golfer to move the ball from the tee into the cup. The par is related to the distance and difficulty of each hole. Pars are assigned to individual holes, and the sum of these equals the par for the course. Generally speaking, meeting par is considered an average score, although for beginner or even average golfers par scores are often well beyond what is considered a good performance for these skill levels.
Handicaps
Handicap scores are a solution to the problem of par scores failing to serve as adequate goals for different golfers. A handicap represents the average score for each golfer on a specific course. It allows players to compete against their own skill level, with the idea that beating a handicap score can be considered an above-average performance. Official handicap scores are issued by various governing golf authorities, and the scores used to calculate your handicap need to be approved by the golf course to verify their authenticity.
Score Nicknames
Several nicknames have been developed in relation to the number of strokes needed in relation to the par of a hole. Scores that are one over the par are called a bogey, and every score beyond a bogey is nicknamed as a modification of bogey: two strokes over par is a double-bogey, three strokes is a tripe-bogey and so on. Conversely, a score that is one under par for the hole is called a birdie, and 2 under par is an eagle. Three strokes under par is extremely rare, but it is called an albatross.
Considerations
Official handicap scores can be adjusted periodically as your skill level changes. Many tournaments require you to have an official handicap score that meets a certain cutoff to participate in the tournament. If you are interested in improving your scores, consider meeting with a golf pro or taking golf lessons from a trained instructor.
Member Comments