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Golf term

Par

Also searched as: par 3, par 4, par 5, course par, regulation

The score a very good player is expected to make on a hole: usually 3, 4 or 5. Added up, it gives the par of the whole course, often 70 to 72.

The par of a hole depends mainly on its length. The idea: tee shot and approach strokes, plus two putts. A par 4 means two strokes onto the green and two putts.

All other scores are measured against par. One stroke fewer is a birdie, two fewer an eagle, one more a bogey. The points in Stableford are based on par too.

The word comes from Latin and means ‘equal’.