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Par is the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to take on a hole or a full course. A par-4 hole means a good player should finish it in 4 strokes.
Most 18-hole courses have a total par of 70 to 72. If you shoot 72 on a par-72 course, you shot "even par."
Par by hole type
| Hole type | Men's distance | Women's distance | Expected play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Par 3 | Up to 250 yards | Up to 210 yards | 1 tee shot + 2 putts |
| Par 4 | 251-470 yards | 211-400 yards | 1 tee shot + 1 approach + 2 putts |
| Par 5 | 471-690 yards | 401-575 yards | 1 tee shot + 2 shots to green + 2 putts |
| Par 6 | 691+ yards | 576+ yards | Rare (fewer than 30 par-6 holes in the US) |
The USGA sets these yardage guidelines, but course designers have flexibility. A short par 4 of 280 yards and a long par 4 of 470 yards are both par 4. The distance ranges are guidelines, not strict rules.
How par is determined
Par assumes 2 putts on every hole. The remaining strokes are for reaching the green.
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A par 3: reach the green in 1 shot, take 2 putts. A par 4: reach the green in 2 shots, take 2 putts. A par 5: reach the green in 3 shots, take 2 putts.
Course rating committees from state and regional golf associations evaluate each hole and assign par based on playing distance, elevation changes, and hazards. They also adjust for altitude (the ball flies farther at higher elevation).
Scoring relative to par
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| Score name | Relation to par | Example on a par 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Condor | 4 under | Hole-in-one on a par 5 (almost impossible) |
| Albatross | 3 under | 1 on a par 4 (hole-in-one) |
| Eagle | 2 under | 2 on a par 4 |
| Birdie | 1 under | 3 on a par 4 |
| Par | Even | 4 on a par 4 |
| Bogey | 1 over | 5 on a par 4 |
| Double bogey | 2 over | 6 on a par 4 |
| Triple bogey | 3 over | 7 on a par 4 |
What does "under par" and "over par" mean?
"Under par" means fewer total strokes than par. If the course par is 72 and you shoot 68, you're 4 under par (written as -4). On the PGA Tour, winning scores are typically 10 to 20 under par for a 72-hole tournament.
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"Over par" means more strokes than par. Shooting 85 on a par-72 course is 13 over par (+13).
"Even par" (E) means your score matches the course par exactly.
What's a good score relative to par?
| Score relative to par | Typical golfer |
|---|---|
| Under par | Scratch or better, single-digit handicap on a great day |
| Even to +5 | Low single-digit handicap (top 5% of golfers) |
| +6 to +15 | Solid recreational golfer (10-15 handicap) |
| +16 to +25 | Average golfer (16-25 handicap) |
| +26 to +36 | High handicap or beginner |
| +37 and above | New to the game |
The average 18-hole score for all golfers is about 95-100, which is 23-28 over par on a standard course. If you're breaking 90, you're better than most people on the course.
Par on famous courses
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| Course | Par | Yardage (championship) | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Augusta National (Masters) | 72 | 7,545 | 4 par 3s, 10 par 4s, 4 par 5s |
| St Andrews Old Course (The Open) | 72 | 7,305 | 2 par 3s, 12 par 4s, 4 par 5s (including the iconic Road Hole par 4) |
| Pebble Beach | 72 | 7,075 | 5 par 3s, 8 par 4s, 5 par 5s |
| Bethpage Black (US Open) | 71 | 7,459 | 3 par 3s, 12 par 4s, 3 par 5s; warning sign at 1st tee says course is "extremely difficult" |
Not all championship courses are par 72. The Old Course at St Andrews has been played as par 72 and par 71 depending on the setup. Some courses are par 70 or 71, with fewer par 5s or an extra par 3.
Why par matters for your handicap
Your golf handicap is based on score differentials, not your score relative to par. The course rating (what a scratch golfer would shoot) is usually close to par but rarely matches it exactly.
A course rated 73.5 with par 72 means even a scratch player is expected to shoot about 1.5 over par. This matters when converting your Handicap Index to a Course Handicap. The formula includes (Course Rating - Par) as an adjustment.
How par-3, par-4, and par-5 holes play differently
Par 3 holes are the shortest on the course. You tee off with a mid-iron to long iron (or hybrid). The scoring opportunity is immediate: hit the green and you have a birdie putt. Miss the green and you're scrambling for par. On the PGA Tour, the average score on par 3s is 3.08. For a 15-handicap, it's about 3.8.
Par 4 holes make up the majority of a course (usually 10 of 18 holes). Strategy matters more on par 4s than any other hole type. Do you hit driver and risk the fairway bunker, or lay back with a 3-wood? Par 4s are where most golfers lose strokes, especially on approach shots to the green.
Par 5 holes are scoring opportunities for good players. PGA Tour pros average 4.57 on par 5s, meaning they birdie more than 40% of them. For a 20-handicap, par 5s average 6.8. The difference is that pros reach the green in 2 shots, while high-handicap golfers need 3 or 4.
History of par
The concept of par was introduced in the early 1900s. Before that, the "scratch score" or "ground score" was used as the benchmark. The USGA standardized par yardage guidelines in the 1940s and has updated them several times since.
The word "par" comes from the Latin "par" meaning "equal." In stock market terminology, a stock trading at par is at its face value. In golf, playing at par means shooting the expected score for a skilled player.
The first par ratings were subjective: a committee would play the course and assign par based on what they thought a good player should score. The modern system uses precise yardage measurements and elevation adjustments.
Can par change on the same hole?
Yes. Tournament organizers can change a hole's par by adjusting the tee position. The 15th hole at Augusta National has been played as both a par 5 and a par 4 in Masters history. The R&A has occasionally changed par designations at The Open Championship based on how tee positions affect playing distance.
Different tee boxes on the same hole can have different pars for handicap purposes. The blue tees on a 520-yard hole might be par 5, while the forward (red) tees on the same hole at 380 yards might be par 4. The course rating accounts for this.
Par statistics from the PGA Tour
| Hole type | PGA Tour average score | Birdie rate | Bogey rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Par 3 | 3.08 | 12% | 18% |
| Par 4 | 4.04 | 12% | 14% |
| Par 5 | 4.57 | 47% | 5% |
Tour pros make birdie on nearly half of all par 5s. They break even on par 4s. Par 3s are where they lose the most strokes relative to par. This is because par 3s have the smallest greens, the most bunkers, and the tightest pin positions at championship setups.
