Course Management · Lesson
How to Avoid Double Bogeys
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Double bogeys wreck scorecards fast. They rarely come from one bad shot. They come from a bad shot followed by a risky one. So break the chain. After a miss, take your medicine and get back in play. Aim for the middle of greens. Don't leave yourself short-sided. And skip hero shots that rarely work. Turning one double into a bogey each round is an easy way to drop strokes.
Step by step
- After trouble, take the safe way out.
- Aim center-green near trouble.
- Miss on the side with the easy chip.
- Skip shots that work less than half the time.
- Count your doubles each round.
Why it works
A double bogey usually needs two errors in a row. The first puts you in trouble, and the second is a risky attempt to make up for it. Playing the safe shot after a miss caps the damage at a bogey. Aiming at the middle of the green keeps both sides of a miss in play, and missing on the side with the easy chip leaves you a simple next shot.
Common mistakes
- You try to recover the full stroke with one aggressive shot from trees or deep rough.Pick the spot where you have a clear next shot, even if that means pitching sideways or back to the fairway.
- You aim at a flag tucked close to a bunker or water.Aim at the center of the green and accept a longer putt.
- You miss on the short side, where there is little green between the ball and the hole.Before you hit, find the side with more green and room to chip, and favor that side with your aim.
How you'll know it's working
- Your scorecard shows fewer holes where a second bad shot follows the first.
- You are chipping or putting for bogey or better after most misses, not hacking out of trouble.
- Your count of double bogeys or worse drops over several rounds.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Play a familiar course and decide on your safe exit and center-green target for each hole before you start the round.
Harder: Apply the plan on a tight or unfamiliar course, and keep it going when you are frustrated after a poor shot.
Common questions
How do I stop making double bogeys?
Break the chain of errors. After a bad shot, take the safe route back into play, and aim at the middle of the green instead of at tucked flags.
Should I ever attempt a risky recovery shot?
Only if you can expect it to work more than half the time. If it fails more often than that, take the safe option and accept a bogey.
