Par (score)

Expected strokes for a proficient golfer
the general definition of par on a golf hole

In golf, par is the predetermined number of strokes that a proficient (scratch, or zero handicap) For scoring purposes, a golfer's number of strokes is compared with the par score to determine how much the golfer was either "over par", "under par", or was "even with/equal to par". Holes are generally assigned par values between three and five based on the distance from the teeing ground to the putting green, and occasionally other factors such as terrain and obstacles. These boundaries are commonly extended or shortened for elite or non elite tournament players, who will often encounter par 4 holes of or more; this is often the result of a normal par 5 hole being rated as a par 4 for them. The term gave the title to a 1914 British marching tune, "Colonel Bogey March". As golf became more standardised in the United States, par scores were tightened and recreational golfers found themselves scoring over par, with bogey changing meaning to one over par. Scores in excess of one stroke more than par for a hole are known as double bogey (two strokes more than par, +2), triple bogey (three strokes more than par, +3), and so on. For higher hole scores it is more common for them to be referred to by the number of strokes, or strokes relative to par, rather than as a "n tuple bogey". It is considered an achievement to complete a bogey free round. Completing four bogey free rounds in professional tournament play is rare. Examples are Lee Trevino at the 1974 Greater New Orleans Open; David J. Russell at the 1992 Lyon Open V33; Jesper Parnevik at the 1995 Volvo Scandinavian Masters; Manuel Piñero at the 2002 GIN Monte Carlo Invitational; Diana Luna at the 2011 UniCredit Ladies German Open; and Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith at the 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans (a team event). Each of them won the tournament except Piñero, who finished third.

A hole score of one stroke fewer than par (one under par, −1) is known as a birdie, e. g. 2 strokes to complete a par 3 hole or 4 strokes on a par 5 hole. The perfect round (score of 54 on a par 72 course) is most commonly described as scoring a birdie on all 18 holes, but no player has ever recorded a perfect round in a professional tournament. During the 2009 RBC Canadian Open, Mark Calcavecchia scored nine consecutive birdies at the second round, breaking the PGA Tour record.

A hole score of two strokes fewer than par (two under par, −2) is known as an eagle, e. g. 2 strokes to complete a par 4 hole or 3 strokes on a par 5 hole. Recent well publicised albatrosses include those by Joey Sindelar at the 2006 PGA Championship, only the third in that competition's history; Miguel Ángel Jiménez while defending his BMW PGA Championship title in 2009; Paul Lawrie in the final round of the 2009 Open Championship; Shaun Micheel on the final day of the 2010 U. S. Open, only the second ever in that competition; Pádraig Harrington in the 2010 WGC HSBC Champions; Louis Oosthuizen on the final day of the 2012 Masters Tournament, the fourth in that competition's history, the first to be televised, and the first on Augusta's par five second hole; Rafa Cabrera Bello at the 2017 Players Championship; and Brooks Koepka at the 2018 Players Championship. Andrew Magee made the only par four hole in one in PGA Tour history at the Phoenix Open in 2001.

Condor is an unofficial name for a hole score of four strokes fewer than par (four under par, −4). A condor is also known as a double albatross, or a triple eagle. or a three on a par seven (which is not known to have been achieved). as are par sevens. As of May 2023, a condor had been recorded only five times on a par 5, once reportedly on a straight drive (a record ), aided by the thin air at high altitude in Denver). Another was reportedly achieved with a 3 iron club (in 1995 on a horseshoe shaped par 5 hole). In December 2020, a condor on a par 6 was recorded on the 18th hole at Lake Chabot Golf Course in Oakland, California. A condor has never been achieved during a professional tournament.

Golfers are usually responsible for recording their own scores on a scorecard, and could be penalized or disqualified from a competition if they submit an inaccurate one. Scorecards typically share some basic information about the course, including the course rating, the slope rating, and each hole's par and handicap ratings, as well as those statistics from the different sets of color coded tee markers denoting different yardage options to the hole. It will usually also have columns listing the overall totals for the first "front/outward nine" holes, the last "back/inward nine" holes, and the entire 18 hole course.