Double Bogey and Blow-Up Holes
Also known as: blow-up hole, disaster hole
A double bogey is two strokes over par on a hole. A "blow-up hole" is the casual term for any hole that goes much worse than that. Limiting them is usually a beginner's single biggest lever for a lower score.
A double bogey is a specific, defined score: exactly two strokes over par on a given hole. "Blow-up hole" is a more casual, less precise term. It means any hole that goes significantly worse than a golfer's normal pattern, often triple bogey or higher. It is usually caused by a chain of small errors rather than one mistake: a penalty stroke, then a rushed recovery attempt, then another mistake.
Blow-up holes are the single biggest reason many beginners and intermediate golfers score noticeably worse than their swing quality suggests. One bad hole with a string of compounding mistakes can add several strokes at once. That does far more damage to a round's total than the difference between an ordinary bogey and an ordinary par.
The most effective way to limit blow-up holes is a simple rule, decided in advance. After a shot goes wrong (into a hazard, out of bounds, a lost ball), take the safe, simple option for the recovery shot. Do not attempt an ambitious one to salvage the hole. Accepting a double or triple bogey and moving on protects the round far better than chasing a lost cause, which turns one mistake into several.
Example
A golfer's tee shot finds a water hazard, and rather than attempting a low-percentage recovery to try to save par, they take the penalty drop, chip safely back to the fairway, and settle for a double bogey instead of risking a much worse blow-up hole.
Why it matters
Limiting blow-up holes, rather than chasing more birdies, is usually the fastest and most reliable way for a developing golfer to lower their overall score.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to avoid a blow-up hole after a bad shot?
Commit in advance to taking the safe recovery option — even if it means accepting a double or triple bogey — rather than attempting a risky shot to try to salvage par. Most blow-up holes come from compounding one mistake with a second and third, not from the original mistake alone.
Related terms
- Bogey Golf"Bogey golf" describes shooting roughly one over par on every hole, around 90 for an 18-hole, par-72 course. It is a common and respectable benchmark for a solidly developing recreational golfer.
- Birdie and Eagle ExplainedA birdie is one stroke under par on a hole, and an eagle is two strokes under par. Both are celebrated results that most golfers, even good ones, make only sometimes.
- Breaking 100Breaking 100 means finishing an 18-hole round in fewer than 100 total strokes. It depends far more on avoiding disaster holes than on hitting great shots.
Related guides & benchmarks
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