A 170 yard par 3
A 170 yard par 3 costs the tour average 3.020 strokes from the tee, 0.02 over par. A tee shot to 20 feet is worth +0.14 against that average and a miss into a greenside bunker -0.51; aiming at a flag 8 yards from the middle costs a typical dispersion 0.021 strokes against the middle with rough around the green and 0.012 with sand.
What the hole costs
The published tee table prices a par 3 by its length: 3.020 strokes to hole out from 170 yards. Par is the bar the card sets, and the tour average sits above it here by 0.02; a par on this hole is therefore better than the tour average and a stroke gained for anyone.
Hitting the green
A par 3 tee shot is an approach, and it is priced by where it finishes. The tee shot column is what the shot itself was worth: the hole’s 3.020 minus the expected strokes it left, minus one.
A green hit from 170 yards, by finish
| Finish | Expected putts | Hole score expected | Tee shot worth |
|---|---|---|---|
| On the green, 10 feet | 1.626 | 2.626 | +0.39 |
| On the green, 20 feet | 1.878 | 2.878 | +0.14 |
| On the green, 30 feet | 1.984 | 2.984 | +0.04 |
| On the green, 45 feet | 2.097 | 3.097 | -0.08 |
Missing it
The miss decides the hole more than the finish does: a green hit to 45 feet leaves 2.097 expected putts, while a miss into the sand 20 yards from the flag leaves 2.530 strokes.
A miss from 170 yards, by lie
| Finish | Expected strokes left | Hole score expected | Tee shot worth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rough, 20 yards | 2.590 | 3.590 | -0.57 |
| Sand, 20 yards | 2.530 | 3.530 | -0.51 |
| Rough, 40 yards | 2.780 | 3.780 | -0.76 |
Pin or middle
On a typical 170 yard dispersion (10 yards side to side, 8 yards long and short) to a green 30 yards across, aiming at a flag 8 yards from the middle costs 0.021 strokes against the middle when rough surrounds the green and 0.012 when sand does, and 12% of greens hit either way. The pin is closer when it is hit and the sand is what makes it expensive when it is missed.
Which club it takes
The shortest club whose model carry reaches 170 yards, by handicap. Your own launch monitor carries replace the model.
The club that carries 170 yards
| Handicap | Club | Model carry |
|---|---|---|
| Scratch | 6 iron | 170 yards |
| 10 handicap | 3 iron | 177 yards |
| 20 handicap | 5 wood | 171 yards |
By handicap
The benchmark model adds a fixed per shot gap to the tour figure for each handicap, labeled Modeled. On a 170 yard par 3 the tour average is 3.020 from the tee; a 20 handicap starts at about 3.995. The whole hole gap is larger than the tee figure shows, because every later shot carries its own gap too.
Expected strokes from the tee, by benchmark
| Benchmark | Expected strokes |
|---|---|
| Tour | 3.020 |
| Scratch | 3.066 |
| 10 handicap | 3.531 |
| 20 handicap | 3.995 |
In PinFlag
On the tee of a par 3 PinFlag prices the flag and the middle before you swing, with your own dispersion drawn on the green by Shot Cloud and the bunkers read from the course map, so the share of your pattern that finds the sand is your own. The plays like distance tells you what the club has to cover, and the shot is filed afterwards with its proximity in feet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average score on a 170 yard par 3?
Should I aim at the pin on a 170 yard par 3?
What club do you hit on a 170 yard par 3?
What does missing the green cost on a 170 yard par 3?
Which golf app does this on the course?
Related
Sources
- PGA TOUR statistics
- Mark Broadie, Columbia Business School (Wikidata entity)
- Golf course, Wikipedia
- How PinFlag calculates strokes gained
Every figure on this page is computed from the published baselines, the same ones PinFlag prices your shots with. The scope of the figures: The tee figure is the published tour table for a par 3 of this length; the pin figures use the site’s dispersion model with a stated spread and green, and the club column is the handicap speed model.
Get PinFlag for iPhone
PinFlag shows you this number on the course, for the shot in front of you, before you swing: any target priced with your own dispersion and the lie read from the course map, your real shots drawn on the hole, and two taps to log. Golfer is $14.99 a month or $99.99 a year, with a 14-day trial on the annual plan through the App Store.