Double Bogeys Are Killing Your Score: Here’s How To Stop Them

A bogey feels recoverable. Sometimes, you can even make a “good” bogey. But double bogeys are different. Now you need two birdies to erase it and your hope of posting the low round of the day starts to fade. The key is to keep double bogeys off the scorecard. Here are some practical tips to help you do it

Play from the correct tees

If you have lost distance or your skill level does not justify playing from the back tees, it’s time to accept reality and move up. Playing from tees too long for your carry distances makes it even harder to hit greens in regulation. You will force long irons and hybrids into your approaches and bring more hazards into play.

Stop turning one bad shot into two

Every golfer hits bad shots during a round. The key is avoiding the “hero” recovery shot that leads to a double. If your ball is in the heavy rough or the woods, take the safe route out and focus on getting up and down.

Trying to squeeze a shot through a tight window or hitting a knockdown shot you are uncomfortable with only adds unnecessary strokes. Think through your options, choose the shot with the highest success rate and return to a safe position.

Chipping out of trouble can result in a bogey which is much better than letting one bad swing turn into a double or worse.

Don’t be greedy on approach shots

Tucked pins should be left alone. Amateur golfers get up and down more often with their putter than any other club. If you leave yourself in a safe spot on or near the green, your chances of getting up and down are solid.

However, if you miss in the wrong spot because you got greedy, you bring double into play.

Try playing a round where you ignore the pin and aim for the center of the green. Also, start tracking your misses. If you are consistently coming up short, start taking one more club.

Keep short-game errors from compounding

Short-game mistakes can lead to doubles fast. A chunked chip, a skulled flop shot or the bunker shot that refuses to come out of the sand because you tried to get cute will wreck your score. If you let frustration take over, you might chunk the next three shots in a row.

The best way to avoid this is to play the highest percentage shot from the start.

For most amateurs, that means using the lowest-lofted club you can. A simple bump-and-run is usually the safest play. Do not experiment with shots you are not fully confident in. Remember, leaving yourself a 15- to 20-foot putt is always better than sending the ball across the green or leaving it in the bunker.

Get the ball on the green!

Learn to manage the rough

Hitting shots out of the rough comes down to reading the lie.

• Ball sitting down? Expect heavy resistance. Take extra loft, a steeper angle of attack and focus on getting back in play even if that means chipping out.
• Ball sitting up? The club could slide under or make contact too cleanly, sending the ball over the green. Adjust accordingly.

Rough conditions can change throughout the year depending on where you play. Grass that’s thick and lush in the summer might be thin and dormant in colder months, affecting how the ball sits. Just as you would analyze a chip shot before deciding how to play it, analyze your lie in the rough before you swing.

Most driving ranges do not offer rough to practice from so, if you can, use a practice round to test different lies. Drop a few balls in tough spots and see how they react.

Stop chasing the score you wanted

After a bad shot, your first thought is probably, “I can still make par.” That is normal but chasing a number can turn one bad swing into a big mistake.

Instead, shift your focus to the next shot and the safest way to move forward. If that means giving up on par, so be it. Get the ball back in play, avoid penalty strokes and take a bogey if necessary. Do not let one mistake lead to another because you are trying to salvage a score. The key to keeping doubles off the card is making smart decisions after a bad shot, not forcing a score you want.

Start tracking double bogeys

Keep some data on when and why your doubles happen. There may be some patterns there. Make sure to note if a penalty stroke, bad tee shot, etc., caused the double. This gives you something to work on when you practice.

Final thoughts

Double bogeys happen even to the best players. You will make mistakes on the course. The key is not to let those mistakes spiral into big numbers on the scorecard. As always, having a strong short game where you can confidently get up and down will help keep double bogeys to a minimum.