Definition of par

The word "par" in golf originated from the game's adoption of rules based on the English sport of bowls. In bowls, the game's objective is to roll one's ball as close as possible to a target ball, called the "jack." The "par" in golf is similar, denoting the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to take to reach the hole from the tee box. In Golf's earliest days, a "stroke play" format was introduced, where players attempted to complete holes in as few strokes as possible. This format required a standardized number of shots for each hole, which helped to create a level playing field for golfers of different abilities. The original par was set as the number of strokes required to hit the ball from the tee box into the hole in two shots, with the golf ball resting on the putting green. This is still the case for par 3 holes, which require two shots for a skilled golfer to reach the green. For par 4 holes, the golfer's ball is expected to travel from the tee box to the green in four strokes. Par 5 holes, the most challenging, require a golfer to complete the hole in five strokes. Any player who matches or beats the par for a particular hole is considered to have played that hole in regulation. In summary, the word "par" in golf comes from the sport's bowls heritage, where the objective was to approach a target ball with as few shots as possible. It is now a fundamental concept in golf that helps to track a player's performance and create a level playing field for golfers of all abilities.