Every hole on a golf course has a par. That number indicates how many strokes a skilled golfer should need on average to get the ball from the tee into the hole, assuming two putts on the green.
Par 3, par 4 and par 5
The par of a hole mainly depends on its length:
- Par 3: short holes where you can reach the green in one stroke.
- Par 4: medium-length holes where you reach the green in two strokes.
- Par 5: long holes where you need three strokes to reach the green.
Course par
Add up the par of every hole and you get the par of the course. An 18-hole course usually has a par between 70 and 72.
Scores relative to par
Your score on a hole is often expressed relative to par. One stroke under par is a birdie, two under is an eagle. One stroke over par is a bogey, two over is a double bogey. Play exactly the par number of strokes and you have made par.
