In simple terms, Par refers to the number of strokes a golfer is expected to finish the game. This could be in terms of a single hole or all the holes in the entire course which could be 9 or 18 in most cases.
Par is the most used word in golf
What the value should be to represent the bar is usually derived from 2 putts and the number of strokes to reach the green from the starting point. In most cases, you will find holes being labelled as par-3, par-4 or par-5. Par-6 is sometimes used although it is not very common.
Naturally, this means that a par-4 hole would be longer than a par-3 hole and so on. For instance, if a hole is listed as par-3, it simply means that you will be expected to use one stroke to hit the ball to the green. Then, 2 putts will be all you need to put the ball into the hole.
The 2 putts here is standard. If the hole is a par-5, it means you will take 3 strokes to reach the green and 2 putts to put it into the hole.
If you are playing in an 18-hole course, it would range between 69 and 74. The more common ones are par-70, par-71 or par-72.
Different hole with different par throughout the course
If you are playing on a par-70 game and completed it within 68 strokes (plus the 2 putts), then you would have been said to have finished it 2-below par. The same will be applied if you needed more strokes to complete the hole. If you took more than 1 stroke to complete a par-5 hole, you will be said to have completed it 1-over par.
If you have completed a par-3 hole with the 3 strokes expected, you will be said to have parred the hole and that has a lot of credibility to it. Sometimes, it is called level par or even-par.
In golf, the term eagle and birdie is commonly used. One might be wondering why the use of flying animals are referred to in this game. The most common perception about this is that it is because the game involved the flight of the ball which offers the most logical explanation while each term is used officially to depict a certain game play for the player and how the hole is being completed.
This is the Eagle you are aiming for
Apart from eagle and birdie, another term that needs to be mentioned here would be bogey. Basically, all the three terms refer to the number of strokes that were used to complete a hole by the specific player. Whether it is a birdie, an eagle or a bogey, they are all directly linked with par which refers to the number of strokes that have been set as the regulation to finish that hole in the course.
Eagle – An eagle is the highest point scored apart from a hole-in-one where the player completes the hole from the first stroke itself. He would have been deemed to have scored an eagle if he hits the hole with 2 strokes lesser than the par set. For instance, if the game is a par-5 standard, the player who completes the hole in 3 strokes or less would have been deemed as having scored an eagle. This is most common during competitive tournaments and is not so common among recreational players. In most cases, an eagle usually occurs during the second shot, most likely in the preceding shot after the first drive.
Birdie – As the name implies, a birdie is easier to achieve if compared to an eagle. If the player completes the hole with one stroke below the par, then he would have been regarded to have scored a birdie. Using the par-5 example, if the player completes the hole with 4 strokes or less, a birdie is achieved.
Bogey – A bogey meanwhile refers to the situation where the player completes the hole with 1 stroke above par. This means that in a par-5 hole, if the player finished the stroke in 6 strokes, then he would have achieved a bogey.
Other terms – Apart from that, there are other terms related to eagle, birdie and bogey. This includes Double Eagle which means the player finished the hole (par-5) in 2 strokes. A double and triple bogey is used when the player finished the hole in 7 and 8 strokes respectively.
