Double Bogey = Two Over Par
Golf scoring is all measured against par — the expected number of strokes for a hole. A double bogey is simply par plus two. Because par changes from hole to hole, the actual number does too, but the “+2” never changes:
| Hole par | Double bogey score | Math |
|---|---|---|
| Par 3 | 5 | 3 + 2 |
| Par 4 | 6 | 4 + 2 |
| Par 5 | 7 | 5 + 2 |
Where It Sits on the Scoring Ladder
Every golf score has a name based on how it compares to par. The double bogey sits two rungs above par, between bogey and triple bogey:
- Eagle — 2 under par
- Birdie — 1 under par
- Par — even
- Bogey — 1 over par
- Double bogey — 2 over par
- Triple bogey — 3 over par
See the full ladder, including rarer scores like the albatross and condor, in our golf scoring terms guide.
Double Bogey vs Bogey vs Triple Bogey
These three sit right next to each other on the scoring ladder, and the difference is just one stroke each way. A bogey is one over par — the score most amateurs are perfectly happy with. A double bogey is one worse: two over. A triple bogey is one worse still, at three over par (a 7 on a par 4). The jump that hurts your scorecard most is bogey-to-double, because that’s usually where one loose swing turned into two — and the number balloons from there if you don’t stop the bleeding.
That’s why better scoring is less about making birdies and more about turning your would-be doubles into bogeys: play the smart shot, get the ball back in play, and take your one dropped shot instead of gambling for two or three.
Is a double bogey actually bad?
Depends who you are. For a scratch player it’s a wasted hole; for the average recreational golfer it’s a normal, even expected result. A bogey golfer averages about one over par per hole, so a scattering of doubles is par for the course — literally. What separates good rounds from bad ones is avoiding the triple, not the double.
The Net Double Bogey Rule
Here’s the part that matters for your handicap. Under the World Handicap System, the worst score that counts on any hole is a net double bogey. It’s calculated as:
Par + 2 + any handicap strokes you get on that hole
So if you get one stroke on a par 4, your maximum for handicap purposes is 4 + 2 + 1 = 7. You still write your real score on the card, but when your Handicap Index is calculated, that hole is capped at net double bogey. The whole point: one disaster hole can’t blow up your handicap.
Now you’ve got the double bogey cold — two over par, capped for your handicap so it never ruins your Index. Keep building your golf vocabulary with bogey, birdie, and the full scoring terms guide.