The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale has golf fans worldwide tuning in for the 154th edition of the prestigious tournament. As players like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy compete, the unique scoring system—featuring terms like albatross, eagle, birdie, par, and bogey—takes centre stage. These terms have fascinating origins rooted in 19th-century finance, a fictional colonel, and avian slang.
Origins of Par: Borrowed from Finance
The foundational concept of par was borrowed from financial terminology during the late nineteenth century. It represented the expected number of shots for a competent player, long before uniform distance standards were finalised in 1911. If a golfer completes a round in level par on day one at The Open, odds are they won't be in the lead, although they should be in the mid-pack.
Colonel Bogey: From Respectable to Frustrating
Before par became universal, golfers tested their skills against a fictional opponent named Colonel Bogey, who originated from an 1890s novelty song. Although it initially represented a highly respectable score, improving standards ultimately transformed the term to signify a frustrating one stroke over par. Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler won't want too many of those.
Birdie: A 'Bird of a Shot'
The much more cheerful concept of a birdie supposedly came about in 1899 at the Atlantic City Country Club following an incredibly impressive strike of the ball. After a playing partner excitedly declared it a 'bird of a shot,' this avian slang for one stroke under par reached the UK by 1913. A few of these in round one at Royal Birkdale and you'll be in the mix.
Eagle: Soaring Two Under Par
To maintain the newly established bird theme, the word eagle was naturally adopted to represent an exceptional score of two strokes under par. This majestic predator perfectly captured both the extreme rarity and the quality required to finish a hole with such a remarkably low score. There won't be many of these in the North West, but we should see some across the weekend.
Albatross: The Rare Three Under Par
Back in the 1920s in Great Britain, the rare occasion someone finished a hole three under took on another avian moniker – an albatross. However, American golfers didn't like that much and gave it a different name – 'double eagle' – to describe the feat. Thankfully these days golf terminology is much more joined up and albatross is the widely used term for such a rare feat.
Shop the 154th Open Collection
The R&A Official Shop has unveiled a 154th Open collection ahead of the tournament on 16-19 July. Prices vary.
