page_title: Par (score)
hierarchical_section_title: Par (score)
caption_attribution_description: English: Picture of the 7th tee sign at The River Course, Blackwolf Run, Kohler, Wisconsin.
context_page_description: In golf, par is the predetermined number of strokes that a scratch golfer should require to complete a hole, a round, or a tournament. Pars are the central component of stroke play, the most common kind of play in professional golf tournaments. The term is also used in golf-like sports such as disc golf, with the same meaning.
  The length of each hole from the tee placement to the pin mostly determines par values for each hole. Almost invariably, holes are assigned par values between three and five strokes, which includes the drive and two putts.
  For a casual player from the middle tees, a par-three hole will be 100–250 yards from the tee to the pin. Par-four holes are 250–470 yards, but tournament players will often encounter par-four holes 500 yards or more, as it is common for short par-five holes for normal play to be turned into par-four holes in championship play. Par-five holes are typically 470–600 yards, but in the modern game holes of over 600 yards are becoming more common in championship play. Other relevant factors in setting the par for the hole include the terrain and obstacles that may require a golfer to take more shots.
context_section_description: In golf, par is the predetermined number of strokes that a scratch (or 0 handicap) golfer should require to complete a hole, a round (the sum of the pars of the played holes), or a tournament (the sum of the pars of each round). Pars are the central component of stroke play, the most common kind of play in professional golf tournaments. The term is also used in golf-like sports such as disc golf, with the same meaning.
  The length of each hole from the tee placement to the pin mostly determines par values for each hole. Almost invariably, holes are assigned par values between three and five strokes, which includes the drive and two putts.
  For a casual player from the middle tees, a par-three hole will be 100–250 yards (90–230 m) from the tee to the pin. Par-four holes are 250–470 yards (230–430 m), but tournament players will often encounter par-four holes 500 yards (460 m) or more, as it is common for short par-five holes for normal play to be turned into par-four holes in championship play. Par-five holes are typically 470–600 yards (430–550 m), but in the modern game holes of over 600 yards are becoming more common in championship play. Other relevant factors in setting the par for the hole include the terrain and obstacles (such as trees, water hazards, hills, or buildings) that may require a golfer to take more (or fewer) shots. Some golf courses feature par-sixes and, very rarely, par-sevens, but the latter are not recognised by the United States Golf Association.
  Typical championship golf courses have par values of 72, comprising four par-threes, ten par-fours, and four par-fives. Championship course par can be as high as 73 to as low as 69. Most 18-hole courses not designed for championships have a par close to 72, but some will be lower. Courses with par above 73 are rare. Courses built on relatively small parcels of land will often be designed as "Par-3 Courses" in which every hole (or almost every hole) is a par-three (for a total par of 54 or slightly higher over 18 holes).
caption: A sign at The River Course at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wisconsin, indicating that the seventh hole being played is a par-four
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