Where Does The Term Birdie Come From?

Atlantic City Country Club #2

Where did the term ‘birdie’ come from?

We all love making birdies. Who doesn’t right? But did you know the origin of the term? Well, in golf history standards the term birdie isn’t that old at all.

Atlantic City Country Club in 1903 and the story goes something like this. Brothers Ab and William P. Smith where playing a round of golf with George A Crump, who later went on to build Pine Valley. They where playing the par 4 2nd hole at the country club. Ab Smith’s second shot went within inches of the hole and he proclaimed, “That was a bird of a shot.” He proclaimed that with a score of one under par he should be paid double for such a feat. It was agreed upon and from that day forward we call that a “birdie”.

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