The Golf Course

Understanding a golf hole’s par

Par is a term used to describe the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to take to complete a specific hole on a golf course, or sum all the pars for the entire round.

For a hole:

Par 3: A par-3 hole is generally shorter in length and requires the golfer to reach the green in one shot, then putt the ball into the hole in two additional strokes.

Par 4: A par-4 hole typically requires two shots to reach the green, then putt the ball into the hole in two additional strokes.

Par 5: A par-5 hole is longer and usually requires three shots to reach the green, then putt the ball into the hole in two additional strokes.

For an entire round:

Sum of the par values for all holes. For example, a standard 18-hole course might have a total par of 72 (four par-3 holes, ten par-4 holes, and four par-5 holes).