Photo by Benny Hassum on Unsplash The PGA Championship is the second major of the calendar year, typically played in May. Organized by the PGA of America (distinct from the PGA Tour), it carries full major championship weight and a rich history that includes some of the sport's most dramatic finishes. Here's a complete guide to what the PGA Championship rewards, who historically performs best, and what to expect in upcoming editions. The PGA Championship's Unique Identity Among the four major championships, the PGA Championship is sometimes unfairly dismissed as the "fourth" major — the one that follows the Masters, US Open, and Open Championship in prestige. This is an undeserved reputation. The PGA Championship has produced some of the sport's greatest moments and is played at world-class venues on a rotating basis. What makes it distinct is its field composition: unlike the other majors, the PGA Championship traditionally includes the top 20 players from t...
If you're new to golf, the vocabulary around scoring can feel like a foreign language. Birdie, bogey, eagle, albatross, condor — these aren't just whimsical bird names. They're a precise, colorful shorthand for describing scores relative to par that has been part of golf's culture for well over a century. Here's the complete guide to golf scoring terminology, from the basics to the obscure.
Par: The Foundation
Par is the expected number of strokes for an expert golfer to complete a hole or an entire course. Individual holes are designated as par-3, par-4, or par-5, based primarily on their length. Par-3 holes are the shortest (typically under 250 yards), expect one shot to the green and two putts. Par-4 holes are the most common (250–470 yards), expect two shots to the green and two putts. Par-5 holes are the longest (over 470 yards), expect three shots to the green and two putts. A full 18-hole course adds up all 18 hole pars — typically 70, 71, or 72.
The Bird Family: Under-Par Scoring
Golf's colorful under-par terminology comes from a 19th century American slang where "bird" meant something excellent or fine. An "ace" or "hole-in-one" is making it in the hole with your very first shot from the tee — the rarest and most celebrated achievement in recreational golf. A "condor" is 4 under par on a single hole (hole-in-one on a par-5 or two shots on a par-6) — so rare that only a handful have ever been recorded. An "albatross" or "double eagle" is 3 under par — making a par-5 in 2 shots or a par-4 in 1. An "eagle" is 2 under par, most commonly a par-5 reached in two shots and one-putted. A "birdie" is 1 under par — the most frequently occurring under-par score in both professional and amateur golf.
Over-Par Terminology
Over-par scores have less colorful names but are far more commonly experienced. A "bogey" is 1 over par — taking 5 on a par-4, for instance. The origin of the term comes from 19th century Britain where a perfect round was considered the score of an imaginary opponent called "Colonel Bogey" (a ghost-like perfect player). A "double bogey" is 2 over par. A "triple bogey" is 3 over par. Beyond that, golfers simply say "quadruple bogey" or, more commonly, just say the number — "I made a 7 on that par-4."
Informal Terms You'll Hear on the Course
The "snowman" is slang for an 8 — the number resembles a snowman in shape. "Made the turn" means you've completed the first 9 holes and started the back nine. "In the leather" refers to a putt so close to the hole that if you laid your putter flat, the grip would cover the distance — traditionally conceded in casual match play. A "Mulligan" is an unofficial do-over tee shot that appears in casual rounds but doesn't exist in any official rules (and shouldn't be taken in competition).
Scorecards and How to Read Them
A golf scorecard shows each hole's number, par, and yardage from multiple tee positions (back/championship tees, middle/regular tees, forward tees) plus the stroke index (difficulty rating) for handicap purposes. Your score goes in the box for each hole. Most scorecards leave space for two players; confirm which column is yours before starting. At the end, total your front nine (holes 1–9) score and back nine (holes 10–18) score separately, then total them for your overall round score.
Golf's scoring vocabulary is part of the game's rich culture. Once these terms become natural — which happens quickly — you'll feel genuinely connected to a tradition of the game that stretches back centuries.
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