How is golf scoring calculated?

Great question! Golf scoring can seem a bit confusing at first, but once you understand the key terms and how the scoring works, it becomes much clearer. In golf, each hole on the course has a "par," which is the expected number of strokes (or hits) it should take a skilled golfer to complete that hole. Par values are typically 3, 4, or 5 strokes per hole. For example, a par-4 hole means a good player is expected to take 4 shots to get the ball from the tee into the hole. Now, the terms you mentioned relate to how your actual number of strokes compares to the par for the hole: - **Par:** Completing the hole in exactly the par number of strokes (e.g., 4 strokes on a par-4). - **Birdie:** One stroke under par (e.g., 3 strokes on a par-4). - **Eagle:** Two strokes under par (e.g., 2 strokes on a par-4). - **Bogey:** One stroke over par (e.g., 5 strokes on a par-4). - **Double Bogey:** Two strokes over par, and so on. Golfers keep track of their total strokes over all holes played. Unlike many sports where a higher score wins, in golf, the goal is to complete the course using as few strokes as possible. So, a lower total score means better performance. For example, if you play an 18-hole course with a total par of 72, and you complete all holes in 70 strokes, you are "2 under par," which is excellent. If another player takes 76 strokes, they are "4 over par," which is not as good. In summary: you want to take fewer shots than the par to score better, and terms like birdie and eagle help describe how well you did relative to par on individual holes. The player with the lowest total strokes at the end of the round wins.