Par is one of the most common terms in the game of golf. Par is what every golfer’s score revolves around – it’s the number of strokes that a skilled golfer should need in order to complete each hole or golf course. You’ll hear “this hole is a par 3” or “this course is a par 70”. That means it should take you just 3 strokes to make that hole, or if you are very good, 70 strokes to complete the course ‘at par’. Par (which is the abbreviation for Professional Average Result) is usually determined by the distance from the tee to the green. A typical length of a par 3 hole is between 100 and 250 yards, where a par 5 hole is, obviously, harder and longer and is between 475 and 700 yards from tee to green. Most 18 hole golf courses have four par 3 holes, ten par 4 holes, and four par 5 holes. A regulation golf course is par 72.

Most golf courses are given course ratings, and this evaluation is based on the course’s par. It will give the player an understanding of the anticipated difficulty of the course. If par for the course is 72 and you finished with a 92, then your score is 20-over.