Birdie (1911,1912), and some "Bogey"/"Bogie"

Sam Clements sclements at NEO.RR.COM
Tue Sep 30 01:59:39 UTC 2003


Barry,

While Joanne may be behind a few words from your pace, no doubt the M-W has
"birdie" well before 1948.  Their cite was for the 'verb'-- not the noun.

Most of your "bogey" cites in your message below{except for that brilliant
find from 1911) mean "normal/average/par" as far as a score goes.  Not
"under par."   It would seem that the game of golf was in a state of flux
about 1910 or so as far as some terms go.

And the OED has 1892 as a cite for "bogey" meaning what we think of today as
"par."

If you knew that already, I apologize.

SC


----- Original Message -----
From: <Bapopik at AOL.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 6:07 PM
Subject: Birdie (1911,1912), and some "Bogey"/"Bogie"


>    OED has "birdie" from 1921?
>    FWIW:  There's a photo in today's newspaper of President George W. Bush
playing golf.
>
>
>    Birdie Handicap at Plainfield.
> Special to The New York Times.. New York Times (1857-Current file). New
York, N.Y.: Jul 9, 1911. p. C7 (1 page):
>    PLAINFIELD, N. J., July 8.--Something new in golf was tried to-day at
the Plainfield Country Club.  It was called a "Birdie Handicap."  Each
player took his match play handicap and every hole in bogie counted 1 point,
every one on par 2 points, and every hole below par 3 points.
>
>
>    N.Y.A.C. WINS AT HOCKEY.
> New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Feb 28, 1912. p. 9 (1
page):
> (Last sport article--ed.)
> _BALTUSROL GOLF TOURNEY._
> _Theodore H. Keer Leads Field In_
>    _Two Cup Contest._
>    More than seventy-five members of the Baltusrol Golf Club took part in
the week-end competition which began on Saturday and continued until
yesterday.  Theodore H. Keer led the field in both the Secretary's and Artic
Cup contest, finishing only one down to bogey in the first named.
> (...)
>    Cranberry at present leads in the ringer competition with 12 "birdies."
>
>
>    WOMEN'S GOLF BRINGS OUT NEW WINNERS
> New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Oct 30, 1912. p. 11 (1
page):
>    She won the "birdie" prize by getting the second, eighth, and eleventh
holes under par, but two eighths and a seven were instances of other things
happening.
>
>
>        YALE ON LAKE CARNEGIE.
> Special to The New York Times.. New York Times (1857-Current file). New
York, N.Y.: Oct 24, 1913. p. 9 (1 page) :
> (It's in a following sports story.  Yale can't take credit for
everything--ed.)
>    A prize was also offered for the greatest number of "birdies," or holes
made in strokes less than bogey.
>
>
>    Sargent and McLeod Qualify For Open Golf Championship
> The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Aug 20, 1914. p. 8 (1
page):
>    His putting was only fair, but hole after hole he got what the
professionals call a "birdie" so that extraordinary work on the greens was
not required to better par figures, which are 146 for a double round.
>



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