What is a bogey?
Every hole has a par: the number of strokes a skilled player is expected to need. If you need one stroke more, you record a bogey. On a par 3 that is 4 strokes, on a par 4 it is 5 strokes and on a par 5 it is 6 strokes.
More strokes over par
If you need two strokes over par, that is called a double bogey. Three strokes over par is a triple bogey.
Bogey in Stableford
In a Stableford competition a net bogey earns 1 point. A net par is worth 2 points and a net birdie 3 points.
Bogey golfer
A player who averages roughly one bogey per hole is called a bogey golfer. On a par 72 course that works out to a score of around 90.
Origin
The term comes from Great Britain and dates from the late nineteenth century. Originally bogey meant the score a good player was expected to make on a hole, which we now call par. Later the meaning shifted to one stroke over par.
