If you've ever been out on the golf course or watched golf on TV, someone has no doubt used the term "barky" to describe something happening on the golf course. However, for a new golfer or golf fan, they might not know what it means to get a barky on the golf course.
What is a barky in golf?
In golf, a barky (or barkie) is when a golfer hits a tree with their golf ball on any shot during a single golf hole and still makes par or better on a single golf hole.
The barky (or barkie) is a term that isn't used by every golfer, but almost every golfer definitely hits trees when they play golf. For a barky to happen, any shot -- but at least one shot -- has to hit a tree in some fashion. Obviously that's most likely to happen with a tee shot or an approach shot instead of a shot around the green.
What about a double barky?
A barky is a great accomplishment in golf, but there's also an accomplishment called the double barky (and, conceivably, there's a triple barky). A double barky happens when a golfer hit two shots that hit trees in some fashion before going on to make par or better on a single golf hole.
In many golf games, a barky is worth points or money in a bet. So while it's not ideal to hit the ball in the woods in golf, successfully playing out of trees can be worth some cash to golfers.
