What is a birdie in golf?

B · Beginner · Scoring and forms of play · 3 of 13

Checked 14 October 2026

Par is the number of strokes set as the standard for a hole, usually 3, 4 or 5. A birdie is one stroke under par, an eagle two under and a bogey one over. These names are golf's common language. The Rules of Golf use par as a target score but do not define the names.

How it works

Score on a hole	Name
Three under par	Albatross, or double eagle
Two under par	Eagle
One under par	Birdie
Equal to par	Par
One over par	Bogey
Two over par	Double bogey
The tee shot goes in the hole	Hole-in-one, or ace

A round's score is often given against the par of the whole course: "three under" means three strokes fewer than the course par.
The sample scorecards printed in the Rules show courses with a par of 72 and of 70.
The Rules use par in three places: as the usual target score in Stableford, in maximum score ("two times par", "net double bogey") and in par/bogey competitions.

Tricky cases

Is a hole-in-one on a par-3 hole an eagle?

Yes. It is two under par for the hole.

Who decides the par of a hole?

Not the Rules of Golf. They refer only to a "fixed target score" set by the Committee. Par is set for each course under the handicapping rules, a separate document.

Why the rule exists

Par gives every hole a yardstick, so scores on holes and courses of different lengths can be compared, and a leaderboard can show who is ahead before everyone has played the same number of holes.

Where it differs

Where	What changes	Source
Common usage	The names in the table	C
Rules of Golf	Par as the target score in Stableford, maximum score and par/bogey	G 21.1b; G 21.2a; G 21.3b

From the rule book

The R&A and USGA Rules of Golf, Rules 21.1, 21.2 and 21.3, and Diagrams 3.3b and 21.1b. Effective January 2023. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: Rules of Golf (PDF). The scoring names are common usage and are not in the Rules.