Golf Math for Kids
Golf scoring is a sneaky golf math lesson for kids. Every hole has a par, and a player's score is counted as over or under par: one under is −1, one over is +1. Adding those up over a round is exactly how you add negative numbers, and children will happily do it if it tells them who won.
The key idea: par is zero
Par is the number of strokes a good golfer is expected to take on a hole. Treat par as zero on a number line, and every score becomes positive or negative.
| Score on the hole | Name | To par |
|---|---|---|
| Two under par | Eagle | −2 |
| One under par | Birdie | −1 |
| Equal to par | Par | 0 |
| One over par | Bogey | +1 |
| Two over par | Double bogey | +2 |
To work out a hole's to-par number: strokes minus par. Three strokes on a par 4 is 3 − 4 = −1, a birdie. Six strokes on a par 4 is 6 − 4 = +2, a double bogey.
More on the names: golf scoring explained.
A worked scorecard
Children can fill in the last two columns themselves.
| Hole | Par | Strokes | To par | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 4 | +1 | +1 |
| 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | +1 |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | −1 | 0 |
| 4 | 4 | 5 | +1 | +1 |
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | +1 |
| 6 | 4 | 3 | −1 | 0 |
| 7 | 3 | 2 | −1 | −1 |
| 8 | 4 | 6 | +2 | +1 |
| 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | +1 |
| Total | 31 | 32 | +1 |
Two ways to check the answer:
- Add the to-par column: +1 + 0 − 1 + 1 + 0 − 1 − 1 + 2 + 0 = +1.
- Subtract the totals: 32 strokes − 31 par = +1.
Both give the same answer.
Skills golf scoring practises
- Adding and subtracting: totalling strokes and par.
- Negative numbers and number lines: running totals that cross zero.
- Comparing: in golf lower is better, so −2 beats −1, a neat way to show that −2 is less than −1.
Practice questions
Cover up the answers in brackets.
- A par 4 hole takes 5 strokes. What's the score to par? (+1, a bogey)
- A par 3 hole takes 2 strokes. What's the score to par? (−1, a birdie)
- You're +2 after four holes, then make two birdies. What's your total? (0, level par)
- Amy is −1 and Ben is +3. How many strokes ahead is Amy? (4)
- A nine-hole course has a par of 30. Ella takes 27 strokes. What's her score to par? (−3)
- Sam's running total goes +1, 0, −1, −2, −1. Which holes did he birdie? (holes 2, 3 and 4)
Stretch questions: distances
In Mashy, each club carries a set distance:
| Club | Carry (yards) |
|---|---|
| 7 iron | 150 |
| 8 iron | 138 |
| 9 iron | 126 |
| Pitching wedge | 112 |
| Sand wedge | 88 |
| Lob wedge | 66 |
- How much further does the 7 iron carry than the 9 iron? (24 yards)
- The gap between the 7, 8 and 9 irons is the same each time. What is it? (12 yards)
- The pin is 100 yards away. Which club carries closest to 100? (the pitching wedge, 12 yards over)
Golf club distance chart has more on how far real clubs go.
Make it a game in Mashy
Mashy is a free pixel-art golf game in the browser with nine-hole courses of par 3s and par 4s, so totals stay small. Play a round together, then have your child fill in a blank scorecard with par, strokes, to par and a running total, and check it against the game's scorecard.
For a shorter task, try Closest to the pin mode: one tee shot on each par 3, and the feet from the pin add up, which is good mental arithmetic.
More for young golfers: golf games for kids.
Frequently asked questions
How does golf help kids learn negative numbers?
Golf scores are counted against par, with par as zero. Scores under par are negative, such as −1 for a birdie, and scores over par are positive. Keeping a running total over a round means adding positive and negative numbers again and again, with a real reason to get it right.
What does minus 2 mean in golf?
Minus 2, or two under par, means a player has taken two fewer strokes than par. On a single hole, it's an eagle, such as 2 strokes on a par 4. Over a round, it means the total strokes were two fewer than the course's total par.
Is a lower score better in golf?
Yes. In normal stroke play, the player with the fewest strokes wins, so the lowest number to par is best. That makes golf useful for teaching that −3 is less than −1, even though three looks bigger than one. Some formats, such as Stableford, use points instead, where higher wins.
What age is golf math suitable for?
Simple stroke counting suits children who can add small numbers, often around age six or seven. Scoring to par and running totals that go below zero suit children starting negative numbers, often around age nine to eleven. Adjust the questions to your child rather than their age.
Can kids practise golf scoring in Mashy?
Yes. Mashy courses have nine holes of par 3s and par 4s, so totals stay small and manageable. Children can play a round, write down par and strokes for each hole, work out the score to par and a running total, then check their answer against the game's scorecard.