Why do they call it a "birdie" in golf?

Answer 1

Hello garbage

Just about all the answers are correct, the term actually originated at the Atlantic Country Club when some one had less then par on a hole it was said they had a bird of a hole.

Soon it was called a birdie and then they had to come up with a name for 2 under par so it was called an eagle.

Its not a very exciting story but it is true.

Leon

Answer 2

How Did the Terms "Birdie" and "Eagle" Acquire their Meanings?
Which came first, the birdie or the eagle? The birdie, and the eagle followed and continued the feathered theme.
In American slang of the 19th Century, the term "bird" was applied to anything particularly great. "Bird" was the "cool" of the 1800s in the U.S.

So on the golf course, a great shot - one that led to an under-par score - came to be known as a "bird," which was then transformed into "birdie." The term birdie was in worldwide use by the 1910s, and it's believed it debuted in the U.S. in 1899.

An "eagle" simply followed "birdie," being added to the lexicon in keeping with the avian image of birdie. And "albatross" later came along for the same reason.

Answer 3

The term "birdie" and "eagle" are believed to have originated during a game at the Atlantic City Country Club in Northfield, NJ in either 1899 or 1903. Back then the word "bird" was a slang term equivalent to today's "cool" or "awesome". On the golf course, a score that was one-under-par was first called a "bird", and over time became a "birdie".

Answer 4

The term 'birdie' originated in the United States in 1899. H.B. Martin's "Fifty Years of American Golf" contains an account of a foursomes match played at the Atlantic City (N.J.) CC. One of the players, Ab Smith relates: "my ball... came to rest within six inches of the cup. I said 'That was a bird of a shot... I suggest that when one of us plays a hole in one under par he receives double compensation.' The other two agreed and we began right away, just as soon as the next one came, to call it a 'birdie.' In 19th century American slang, 'bird' refereed to anyone or anything excellent or wonderful.
By analogy with 'birdie,' the term 'eagle' soon thereafter became common to refer to a score one better than a 'bird.' Also by analogy, the term 'albatross' for double eagle - an even bigger eagle!
It truly is a boring story, but tradition is tradition and i'm not going to mess with that. Hope this helps. Happy Holidays.

Answer 5

I dont think theres a specific reason but because the whole system is based upon birds (ex. eagle)