SCORING a birdie in a round of golf can set the player for a good day out on the course.
But where did the term originate and what does it mean? This is what we know.
A birdie is where a player completes a particular hole one shot below par
What is a birdie in golf?
A birdie in golf is where a player completes a hole in one less shot than par.
The par is the score that an experienced player is expected to make for a given hole.
So a par four hole is expected to be completed in four shots.
A par five hole is the most common hole for players to make a birdie.
This is because players can reach the green within two shots in many scenarios, meaning that they will have two attempts to shoot a low score on the hole.
An eagle in golf is when a player completes a hole two shots under par.
What does a birdie mean?
Birdie comes from the early 20th century American slang term “bird”, meaning anything excellent.
It is thought to have been coined by golfer Ab Smith and his fellow-competitors during a match at Atlantic City Country Club in 1903.
The term eagle is used to describe two under par, as it is a large bird.
An albatross is used to described a hole played three shots under par.
This is because an albatross is even bigger than an eagle, and in golf terms is better.
What is the scoring system in golf?
Scoring in golf is basically the lower the score the better.
A player who shoots the lowest score in a round of 18 holes wins.
In professional golf or tournament play, the player who shoots the lowest score after four rounds will win whatever they are participating in.
The higher the score from a player, the worse they are doing on a particular hole or round.
For example, at the 2022 Open Championship, Australian Cameron Smith finished on 20 under par and won the tournament.
This is in comparison to American Cameron Young who finished second on 19 under par.
Just because a player is over par doesn’t mean they aren’t playing well, the round or tournament might just be in difficult conditions.
Irish golfer Pádraig Harrington won the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale with a score of three over par, four shots ahead of runner up Ian Poulter, who finished on seven over par after 72 holes.