Par
The standard number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to need to complete a hole or course.
Definition
Par is the benchmark score for a hole in golf, representing the number of strokes an expert player would be expected to take. Individual holes are commonly rated as par 3, par 4, or par 5, mainly based on their length, and adding these together gives the par for the whole course.
Scoring is measured against par: matching it is "even par," while finishing under or over par means taking fewer or more strokes than expected. Par is the reference point for other golf terms such as birdie, eagle, and bogey, and it is used the same way in disc golf.
Where you’ll hear “par”
Sports that use this term:
Golf
A precision target sport played across an outdoor course, blending skill, strategy and a long walk in the open air.
Disc Golf
A relaxed, low-cost target sport where players throw flying discs toward chain baskets across an outdoor course.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Par to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Facilities
Strategies
- Playing the percentagesFavouring the higher-probability, lower-risk option most of the time to cut out unforced errors, while recognising when a calculated risk is worth taking.
- Course ManagementPlaying a golf course to your own realistic game rather than to its hardest line, choosing targets and clubs that keep big numbers off the card.
Equipment
- Golf bagThe bag that carries a golfer’s clubs, balls and accessories around the course for a full round.
- Golf ballA small, firm, dimpled ball struck with a club and played toward the hole on a golf course.
- Golf gloveA thin leather or synthetic glove worn on the lead hand to steady the grip.
- Golf teeA small peg pushed into the ground to raise the ball for the first shot on a hole.
- Golf clubA shafted club with a specialised head used to strike the ball around a golf course.
Go deeper with Par
Everywhere else on the platform that covers Par — assembled from what actually references it, so nothing here is a dead end.
Take it away
Open data and the whole-platform view of this subject.
How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
Evergreen, first-party explanation — it makes no claim that needs an external source. How we handle sources and reviews.