What Does E Mean In Golf? (Explained)

If you watch professional golf, chances are you have seen the letter E on the score board at some point. There are plenty of abbreviations and names in golf, so it helps to know what these mean. 

If you are wondering what E means in golf and whether you need to use it on your scorecard, here is everything to know. 

What Does E Mean In Golf?

In golf, E stands for even par. If a golfer is not under par nor over par, they will have an E next to their name, stating that they are even par. 

When a golfer starts a round of golf, they will always begin at even par for the day. As the round goes on, they can make birdies and eagles and go under par, or bogeys that will put them over par. 

The E in golf is typically showing where the golfer stands for the round. However, it can also be where they stand for the entire tournament. For instance, a golfer can be 6 under par today, but even for the tournament. 

This would show that the other rounds of golf totaled somewhere around 6 over par. 

Now the next logical question is whether or not E in golf is a good thing. 

Is E A Good or Bad Thing In Golf? 

The E means that a golfer is even par. They have essentially parred every hole. 

Most amateur golfers would love to be even after a round of golf, but it is much easier said than done. 

However, to win golf tournaments, professionals usually need to be under par and not even par. One thing you will often find with professional golfers is that the score they shoot doesn’t matter until you compare it to the rest of the field. 

For instance, if the tournament is a US Open or The Masters and the golf course conditions are difficult, even par is probably a good score. Chances are golfers are probably one under, one over, or even when the course is set up this way. 

You can see the math of golf scoring in the video below.

However, if you watch every time a golf tournament is on TV, chances are you have seen the number of golfers that will have a four-day total of 18 or 20 under. This is more likely what the scores will look like for a player to win the event. See our article on how golf tournaments work.

So certainly, E on the leaderboard is not bad, but you have to compare it to the rest of the field. 

Is E Used In Match Play? 

Another interesting thing is that E is not used in match-play events. Many golfers think that the E would stand for even, meaning that the match was tied. 

Read Also: How To Become A Pro Golfer

However, to avoid any confusion with this, the abbreviation AS is used for match play, and this means all square. 

When you see the E on the scoreboard, you can assume that it is a stroke play event and the person is even par. Take a look at the other columns on the leaderboard or scorecard to tell you how many holes they have played. 

Final Thoughts 

Hopefully, you now feel more confident in what the E means when watching golfers. Even par is where every golfer, amateur, or professional starts their round. 

After a few holes, it is up to you to work towards being even par, and that’s where the real work sets in.

So many amateur golfers find it comical how professionals can look at even par as a round where they struggle, and amateurs would pay to walk off the course with an E on their scorecard.