What does bogeying mean?
"Bogeying" is the present participle of the verb "bogey," a term rooted firmly in golf, where it describes completing a hole in one stroke more than par. If a golfer needs five strokes on a par-four hole, they have bogeyed it, and a commentator might say they were "bogeying the back nine." The word carries no strong emotional charge on its own — its tone depends entirely on context: a single bogey may be a minor setback, while repeatedly bogeying suggests a round falling apart. The term has a surprisingly colourful history: "bogey" originally referred to a mythical "bogey man," the invisible standard score against which early golfers measured themselves before the modern "par" system was adopted. Beyond the course, the word occasionally appears figuratively to mean stumbling or making an avoidable error, though this extended use remains informal and relatively uncommon. For anyone following tournament coverage, understanding "bogeying" is essential shorthand.
verb (present participle)The present participle of "bogey": to complete a hole in one stroke over par, especially in golf.
- To play a hole of golf in one stroke more than par.
- (Informal) To make a mistake or blunder, by extension from the golf sense.
"After finding the bunker on seventeen, she ended up bogeying the hole and losing her one-stroke lead."
"He parred the front nine but started bogeying holes once the wind picked up."
"She salvaged her round by birdieing sixteen and bogeying only one hole all day."
The golf 'bogey' got its name from a ghost: it was originally the score a mythical 'bogey man' would shoot, making every round a duel with an invisible opponent.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bogeying
The verb derives from the golf noun "bogey," which emerged in Britain in the late nineteenth century as the name of the score a spectral "bogey man" was expected to record — effectively the original target score before "par" became standard. The word "bogey" itself traces back to older terms for goblins and frightening figures, such as "bogeyman" and Scots "bogle," whose ultimate origins lie in Middle English words for hobgoblin. As golf terminology standardized, "to bogey" became a regular verb, yielding forms like "bogeyed" and "bogeying."
Related word forms
How bogeying is actually used
Almost exclusively used in golf commentary and reporting. The verb "bogey" takes a hole as its object ("bogeyed the ninth"). In British English the noun is often spelled "bogey," while American golf usage sometimes uses "bogey" consistently; both pronounce it identically. The extended informal sense of making a mistake is rare and chiefly British.
Easily confused with bogeying
"Bogarting" means selfishly keeping something (originally a joint) to oneself, whereas "bogeying" refers to scoring one stroke over par in golf.
"Boogying" means dancing energetically to boogie music, while "bogeying" is a golf term for taking one stroke more than par.