What Is A Double Bogey in Golf? (Tips for Improvement)

It is a scoring term that refers to a score that is 2 over the par for that specific hole. Scoring examples include a 5 on a par 3, a 6 on a par 4 and a 7 on a par 5.

If you are new to the game of golf, we are here to help!

Golf can seem confusing with all of the different terms and unwritten rules that seem to impact how the game is played.

Here at golfjourney365, we want all golfers to feel comfortable and confident with what they do on the golf course.

Don’t worry, we were all beginners at one point in our golfing journey. Hang in there, check out some of our other posts and before you know it you will be the “expert!”

Resource: Golf Etiquette (Beginner’s Guide)

During this process, enjoy the fun, competition, camaraderie and journey to play your best golf possible!

Here is a question we often receive.

Double Bogey in Golf (Overview)

The goal of course is to have the lowest score possible and make as many birdies and pars as possible. The best golfers will make bogeys, but are often able to avoid the doubly bogeys at a pretty good rate.

Here is a quick reference guide for the other scoring terms used in golf:

Scoring Term	Relation to Par	Examples
Double Eagle	3 under par	A 2 on a par 5
Eagle	2 under par	1 on a par 3, 2 on a par 4, 3 on a par 5
Birdie	1 under par	2 on a par 3, 3 on a par 4, 4 on a par 5
Par	equal to par	3 on a par 3, 4 on a par 4, 5 on a par 5
Bogey	1 over par	4 on a par 3, 5 on a par 4, 6 on a par 5
Double Bogey	2 over par	5 on a par 3, 6 on a par 4, 7 on a par 4
Triple Bogey	3 over par	6 on a par 3, 7 on a par 4, 8 on a par 5
Other	4 or more over par	7 on a par 3, 8 on a par 4, 9 on a par 5

The golfer on the first line made 3 double bogeys in a row, but still shot an 86. Avoiding the really big number is important!

Quick Tip on Scoring and Other Helpful Information

The goal on every hole is to hit the green in regulation. This would mean the following:

On the green in 1 on a par 3
On the green in 2 on a par 4

On the green in 3 on a par 5

Resource: 47 golfer terms every golfer should know!

Then the golfer would two putt to make his or her par. Hopefully, every now and then they can make a birdie putt. If you are just beginning the game, you can consider setting our own par to have reasonable goals and scores that you can produce.

Avoiding the Double Bogey

Here are some tips to help you avoid the double bogey and hopefully start to make some more pars.

Avoid the lost ball our out of bounds shot
2 putt every green

Hit every chip shot on the green

#1: Avoid the lost ball our out of bounds shot

Penalty strokes for a lost ball or a ball hit out of bounds is the number once cause for higher scores that result in a double bogey or worse. If you hit your tee shot out of bounds, you have to re-tee and you are now hitting 3 from the tee. Even if you make a par with that second ball, you have scored a double bogey.

Bottom line: keep the ball in play!

Resource: 22 practice golf games!

#2: 2 Putt every green

Of course if you can make the 1 putt, make it! However, the goal should be to lag the ball up close to the hole for a effort less tap into to ensure your two putt. If you are struggling to get the ball on the green and then 3 or 4 putt, this is another quick way to a high number on that hole and a high number overall for your round!

#3: Hit every chip shot on the green

If you are around the green or somewhere inside of 50 yards, the priority should be to get the ball on the green, so that you can use your putter to hopefully two putt or less! Too many lower skilled amateurs try to hit a fancy shot, instead be content with a shot that is on the putting surface from anywhere inside of 50 yards.

Two Fastest Ways to Score Improvement

Build up your swing speed
Practice your short game

#1: Build up your swing speed

The analytics are pretty clear, hit the ball further and you will shoot better scores. If you can only hit a driver 150 yards, your chances of scoring well are low. However, as soon as your reach 250 yards, you are in the game and have a much better chance.

Resource: How many golf clubs does a beginner need?

Our number one tip: train for more speed!

I believe many used to believe, well this is just how fast I can swing.

Recent training tools have started to change many minds. We have seen many of the professional golfers get longer and longer with their tee shots as a result of additional swing speed. You will find many touring pros using the SuperSpeed System, which I highly recommend.

SuperSpeed Golf is one option to increase your swing speed through a science based overspeed training approach. In simple terms, you train by swinging a lighter club (20%) faster than you swing your driver. Over time, by training at a higher speed, your mind and body feel safe to swing that fast with your normal driver, resulting in an increase in driver swing speed.

Check current pricing on SuperSpeed Golf, here!

The SuperSpeed System provides 3 different weighted sticks and takes the golfer through a training protocol every other day for about 15 minutes. The golfer can expect to see a 5-8% increase in swing speed, resulting in 20-30 yards for most golfers. The great news is that the 5-8% can be expected as early as the first training session. The additional speed will become more permanent after about 30-60 days of training.

My own experience has been an increase of 7-10 miles per hour on average from between 98-101 all the way up to 106-109. My goal is to hit the PGA Tour average of 113 mph in the coming months. I will continue to train every other day and watch in amazement as I am hitting drivers longer now than ever before!

Phil Mickelson has been known to increase his swing speed in the past year or so and is close to 120 miles per hour in his swing speed. There are potential results for golfers of all ability levels and age!

Original Swing Speed	After 4-6 Weeks	New Carry Distance	Total Distance
95	102	245	265
100	108	259	279
105	113	271	291
110	118	283	303

A complete game changer. Add 5-8% swing speed as early as the first training session!

#2: Practice your short game

The number one fastest way to lower golf scores is to become a great short game player and putter! There is no faster way to reduce your score than by chipping it close and making more putts!

Stop chunking or thinning the ball across the green and instead find a consistent movement that you can rely on to send the ball out towards the hole.

The best way to get the most of your golf swing without drastic changes is to be the golfer that everyone is envious of because of your short game. The golfer who sinks the putts when needed and always seems to hit pitch and chip shots within 5 feet.

How do you do this? Practice! The great news is that the short game in golf doesn’t take speed, power, flexibility and all of these desirable attributes that often are required for a strong, powerful, consistent golf swing! Instead, you simply need repetitions and a basic plan to control your distance and aim on every chip shot that you hit!

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

George Gankas

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

How to Break 70

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:

Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?