Is Bogey Golf Good? Here’s What It Really Means (2024)

You’ve just walked off the 18th green and tallied up your score: 90. Is that good? For anyone who plays golf, this question is a constant companion, creating a mix of pride and uncertainty. You’re trying to figure out where you stand in the vast world of golf, wondering if your efforts place you among the skilled or if you’re still just a beginner.

For the vast majority of amateur and recreational golfers, bogey golf is unequivocally good. Achieving a score around 90 signifies a respectable level of skill, consistency, and competence that places you statistically above most people who pick up a club. It is a significant milestone that many golfers strive for but few consistently achieve.

Leveraging extensive analysis of established golfing data and common player patterns, this guide definitively answers why is bogey golf good. We will unpack what bogey golf truly means, provide statistical proof of its impressiveness, and outline a clear strategy to help you turn those bogeys into pars. You’ll not only understand your skill level but also learn how to build upon it with confidence.

Key Facts

• A Significant Milestone: Consistently breaking 90 is a major achievement, as the vast majority of recreational golfers struggle to break 100, making bogey golf a clear mark of competence.
• A Skilled Minority: Studies from authoritative bodies like the USGA suggest only about 20-30% of male golfers and 10-17% of female golfers can consistently score better than a bogey golfer, placing you in an impressive percentile.
• Formal Handicap Definition: The USGA formally defines a “bogey golfer” as a player with a Handicap Index between 17.5 and 22.0, confirming it as a recognized and measured skill level.
• Historical Significance: The term “bogey” originally meant the ideal score a good player could achieve, highlighting its historical association with skilled play before the term “par” was widely adopted.
• The Path to Improvement: For a bogey golfer, the fastest way to lower scores isn’t a total swing overhaul; evidence suggests focusing on eliminating three-putts and improving chipping can save up to 6 strokes per round.

What Does “Bogey Golf” Actually Mean? A Clear Definition

Bogey golf refers to a scoring average where a golfer plays approximately one stroke over par on every hole, resulting in a final score of around 90 on a standard par-72 course. It represents a consistent standard of play that serves as a major benchmark for amateur golfers.

However, it’s a common misconception that a bogey golfer makes exactly one bogey on all 18 holes. The reality is more dynamic and demonstrates a broader set of skills.

Here’s the breakdown:

• The Core Concept: At its heart, a bogey is a score of one stroke over par on an individual hole. If a hole is a par-4, a score of 5 is a bogey.
• The Round Average: Playing “bogey golf” means your average score for an 18-hole round on a par-72 course is about 90 (+18).
• The Practical Reality: A bogey golfer’s scorecard is rarely a clean sheet of 18 bogeys. It’s typically a mix of pars, bogeys, and the occasional costly double bogey. You might even sprinkle in a thrilling birdie! It’s the final average that defines you as a bogey golfer.

Did you know a ‘bogey golfer’ doesn’t actually make a bogey on every single hole? It’s all about the average. This ability to recover from bad holes with good ones is a key sign of a competent player.

Is Bogey Golf Good? The Definitive Answer for Amateur Players

Yes, for the vast majority of amateur and recreational golfers, bogey golf is considered good. It represents a respectable level of consistency and skill that places a player above most people who play the game.

Let’s be perfectly clear.

If you consistently shoot scores around 90, you are a competent and skilled golfer. You have moved beyond the beginner stage and have reached a level of play that is a significant milestone. It’s an achievement to be proud of.

While professional golfers on television make the game look easy, the reality for millions of weekend players is very different. For non-professionals, the standards for what constitutes a “good” score are rightly adjusted. Bogey golf is the sweet spot where you are playing well enough to truly enjoy the strategic challenges of the game.

So, the next time someone asks about your score of 90, what can you confidently tell them? You can tell them you had a good, respectable round of golf.

Who Bogey Golf is Especially Good For

While bogey golf is a solid benchmark for almost any amateur, it’s a particularly commendable achievement for specific groups of players and under certain conditions. Acknowledging these factors adds important context to your score.

Think of it this way: finishing a marathon is a huge achievement, regardless of time. Breaking 90 is your golfing marathon finish line.

• Newer Players (Within 5 Years): If you’ve picked up the game recently, reaching bogey golf status is phenomenal. It shows you’ve grasped the fundamentals of the swing, course management, and the mental game far faster than most.
• Occasional Players: For those who only get out to the course a few times a month or a season, shooting in the 90s is a fantastic outcome. Golf requires consistent practice to maintain skills, so playing at this level without frequent repetition is impressive.
• Players in Challenging Conditions: Golf isn’t played in a vacuum. A score of 90 on a difficult, championship-level course or in windy, rainy weather is often a far greater achievement than an 85 on an easy course in perfect conditions.
• Players with Physical Limitations: Golf is a physical sport. For seniors or players managing injuries, achieving a bogey golf score demonstrates excellent technique and strategic thinking to overcome physical challenges.

The Proof: Why a Score of 90 Puts You in a Skilled Minority

If you’re still not convinced, let’s look at the hard data. Playing is bogey golf good isn’t just a feel-good statement; it’s a statistical fact. You are not an average golfer; you are demonstrably better than most.

According to well-established data from organizations like the USGA, the numbers are clear: a very small percentage of golfers ever consistently break 90. Research suggests that only 20-30% of male golfers and an even smaller 10-17% of female golfers achieve this milestone.

This means if you’re a man shooting in the 90s, you are statistically better than at least 70% of other male golfers. If you’re a woman, you’re in the top 17%. That’s not just “good,” it’s impressive.

The average golfer, despite what you might hear in the clubhouse, is someone who struggles to break 100. A bogey golfer, with a handicap typically in the 15-20 range, has surpassed this massive hurdle. You have demonstrated the ability to manage your game, avoid catastrophic holes, and string together solid shots—a combination of skills that eludes the majority of people who play this challenging sport.

The Profile of a Bogey Golfer: Does This Sound Like You?

A bogey golfer occupies a fascinating space in the golf ecosystem. You’re skilled enough to hit truly great shots that would make a scratch golfer proud, but you also make unforced errors that lead to lost strokes. Recognizing this pattern is the first step toward targeted improvement.

Does this profile of strengths and weaknesses resonate with your game?

Which of these challenges is the biggest source of strokes in your game? Identifying that one area, whether it’s putting, approach shots, or penalties off the tee, gives you a clear focus for practice.

Your Strategy to Break 90 Consistently and Improve from Bogey Golf

The great news about being a bogey golfer is that you have a solid foundation to build upon. You don’t need to reinvent your swing; you need to refine your strategy and plug the leaks. To improve from bogey golf and start consistently breaking 90, focus on these four key areas.

1. Master the Short Game (150 Yards and In)
   This is the number one priority. Most amateur golfers lose the majority of their strokes around and on the green. Making this your focus will deliver the fastest results.
   • Eliminate Three-Putts: The goal is to have zero three-putts in a round. Practice lag putting (long putts) to get your first putt close to the hole, leaving a simple tap-in.
   • Confident Chipping: Work on a reliable, go-to chip shot. Use one club (like a pitching wedge or 8-iron) and learn to control the distance by changing the length of your backswing. Getting your chip onto the green and close to the pin saves countless strokes.
2. Use Smart Course Management
   This means playing like a chess master, not a daredevil. Your goal is to avoid “big numbers” (double bogeys or worse) at all costs.
   • Play to Your Strengths: If you have a bad slice with your driver, consider using a 3-wood or hybrid off the tee for better control, even if it means less distance.
   • Know When to Lay Up: A water hazard in front of the green? Instead of trying to be a hero and carry it from 200 yards out, hit a safe shot to a comfortable wedge distance. A bogey is always better than a triple bogey.
   • Aim for the Middle of the Green: Stop firing at pins tucked in corners. Aiming for the center of the green gives you the largest margin for error and almost guarantees you’ll avoid short-siding yourself in a bunker or thick rough.
3. Improve Shot Consistency
   While you don’t need a perfect swing, reducing the frequency of major mistakes is crucial.
   • Find More Fairways: Consistency off the tee sets up the entire hole. Hitting from the fairway is infinitely easier than hitting from the rough, trees, or another fairway.
   • Solid Contact with Irons: Focus on making a clean, repeatable swing with your irons. Even if your direction is slightly off, solid contact will often leave you in a good position.
4. Develop a Resilient Mental Game
   Golf is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. How you react to bad shots defines your score.
   • Forget the Last Shot: The most important shot in golf is the next one. Don’t let a bad drive or a missed putt affect your focus on the current shot.
   • Stay Patient: Accept that you will hit bad shots. Every golfer does. The key is to not let one bad shot turn into two or three by making a poor, rushed decision afterward.

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The Surprising History: Where the Term “Bogey” Came From

The term “bogey” is so ingrained in the golf lexicon that most players assume it always meant “one over par.” But its origins are far more interesting and actually point to a time when shooting a bogey was the ultimate goal.

The story begins in the British Isles during the early 1890s. A popular music hall song, “The Bogey Man” (also known as “Hush, Hush, Hush, Here Comes the Bogey Man”), was sweeping the nation. The song’s character was an elusive figure who was always just out of reach. Golfers at the time began using the phrase to describe the challenge of matching an ideal, but difficult, score for a given hole. They were chasing the “Bogey Man.”

Initially, a “bogey score” was what we now call “par.” It represented the excellent score that a skilled amateur (or “ground-level” player) should aim for. The term was formalized and “Colonel Bogey” became the imaginary standard-setter for golf clubs.

It was only after the turn of the 20th century, as the game became more standardized and American golf grew in prominence, that the term “par” was introduced. “Par” came to represent the perfect, expected score for a top-tier professional golfer. With this new, higher standard in place, “bogey” was pushed down the ladder and evolved to mean what it does today: one stroke over the new standard of par.

Quick Fact: Originally, shooting a ‘bogey’ score was the goal! It only came to mean ‘one over par’ after the term ‘par’ was invented.

FAQs About is bogey golf good

Is a bogey golfer considered an average golfer?

A bogey golfer is generally considered average to above-average. While many refer to shooting in the 90s as ‘bogey golf,’ the ability to do so consistently places a player above the majority of recreational golfers who struggle to break 100. You are better than the statistical average.

What is a bogey golfer’s handicap?

A typical bogey golfer has a handicap in the 15-20 range. The USGA more formally defines a bogey golfer as someone who plays to a Handicap Index between +17.5 and +22.0. This official definition solidifies it as a measurable and respectable skill level in the sport.

What’s the difference between a bogey, par, and birdie?

These are the fundamental scoring terms in golf, all relative to the “par” of a hole.
* Par: The expected number of strokes a highly skilled golfer should take to complete a hole.
* Birdie: A score of one stroke under par (e.g., a 3 on a par-4).
* Bogey: A score of one stroke over par (e.g., a 5 on a par-4).

Is making a bogey on a really hard hole still good?

Yes, making a bogey on a given hole can absolutely be a good score, especially on a difficult hole or in challenging weather conditions. It often means you avoided a much higher score like a double or triple bogey. Good course management is about minimizing damage, and a bogey is often a successful damage-limitation effort.

Final Summary: Why You Should Be Proud of Playing Bogey Golf

So, is bogey golf good? The answer is a resounding yes. It is a badge of honor in the world of amateur golf, a sign that you have achieved a level of competence, skill, and consistency that most people who play the game will never reach. You are part of a skilled minority.

Let’s put any lingering doubts to rest. Remember these key truths:

• You Are Above Average: Statistically, you are better than 70-80% of the golfers out there. That is an undeniable fact.
• You Are a Competent Player: Bogey golf means you have a grasp of every facet of the game, from driving to putting. You have the ability to hit great shots and manage your way around the course.
• You Have a Foundation for Greatness: Being a bogey golfer is the perfect launching pad for breaking into the 80s. You don’t need a massive overhaul, just smart, targeted practice on your weaknesses.

So, the next time you finish a round at 90, don’t just see it as ’18 over par.’ See it for what it is: a sign of a competent, skilled, and improving golfer. Be proud of your achievement, and get excited about the journey to shooting 85.

Last update on 2025-07-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API