Golf term
Par
Par is the predetermined number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to need to complete a hole or an entire round, accounting for two putts on each green.
Holes are rated par 3, par 4, or par 5 based on length, with par 3s typically under 250 yards and par 5s typically over 450 yards (exact ranges vary by the rating authority and gender). A standard 18-hole course is usually rated par 70–72. Par is a reference standard but a rough one: it treats all par-4s the same regardless of how demanding they are, and it bakes in an assumption of two putts per hole that strokes gained replaces with an evidence-based putt baseline.
In strokes gained terms, par matters less than the shot-level baseline. A player who makes a birdie after a poor approach from short range may have gained fewer strokes than a player who makes a bogey after a superb approach from 200 yards. Par-relative scoring summarises outcomes; strokes gained prices the shots that produced them.
Sources
Related terms & guides
Glossary
Birdie
A birdie is a score of one under par on a hole — for example, completing a par-4 in three strokes.
Glossary
Bogey
A bogey is a score of one over par on a hole — for example, completing a par-4 in five strokes.
Glossary
Scoring Average
Scoring average is the mean number of strokes a golfer takes per round, calculated across a defined set of rounds.
Glossary
Handicap Index
A Handicap Index is a portable measure of a golfer's demonstrated ability, calculated by the USGA World Handicap System from the best score differentials in a rolling window of recent rounds.
Guide
Strokes Gained Explained: The Complete Guide