Jackson Reid
The word par is synonymous with golf and is used to denote the ideal score or the target score in the game. However, the term was in use for centuries before it became a golf word, dating back to the 16th century, where it was derived from the Latin word for equal or equality. The term was first noted in golf in Britain in 1870, when a golf writer, Mr AH Doleman, asked golf professionals David Strath and James Anderson what score would win 'The Belt', the winning trophy for 'The Open' at Prestwick. Strath and Anderson said that perfect play should produce a score of 49 for Prestwick's twelve holes, which Doleman called 'par'.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First use in golf | 1870 |
| Origin | Derived from the Latin word meaning "equal" or "equality" |
| First used by | Writer A.H. Doleman |
| Original meaning | Predetermined number of strokes that a proficient golfer should make to complete a hole |
| Interchangeable with | Bogey |
| Current meaning | The ideal score for the best golfers |
| Synonymous with | Golf |
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What You'll Learn
Par's origins in the stock market
The word "par" has been in use for centuries before it became a golf term. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it is derived from the Latin "par", meaning "equal" or "equality", and dates back to the 16th century. In the context of the stock market, "par value" refers to the value assigned to a security when it is first created, which is separate from its market value. This concept of "par value" is particularly relevant in the world of bonds, where it represents the principal amount returned to the bondholder upon maturity.
In the late 19th century, the term "par" transitioned into the golf world, thanks to writer A.H. Doleman. Prior to the Open Championship at Prestwick in 1870, Doleman asked golf professionals David Strath and James Anderson what score would win "The Belt", the trophy for "The Open". Strath and Anderson responded that perfect play would result in a score of 49 for Prestwick's twelve holes. Doleman then labelled this score a "par", and the term stuck. Young Tom Morris went on to win the tournament with a score of two strokes "over par".
At the time, bogey was the more popular term to refer to the target score for proficient golfers. However, as golf became more standardised in the United States, par scores became stricter, and recreational golfers found themselves scoring over par. This shift in scoring led to the evolution of golf terminology. By the early 1900s, the modern meanings of "par" and "bogey" began to emerge and solidify. "Par" denoted the ideal score for skilled golfers, while "bogey" represented a satisfactory score for recreational golfers.
Today, "par" in golf refers to the predetermined number of strokes that a proficient golfer should require to complete a hole, a round, or a tournament. Holes are generally assigned par values between three and five, based on distance, terrain, and obstacles. A typical 18-hole golf course will have a total par of around 72. Tournament scores are reported relative to par, with golfers aiming to score "under par" or "even with par".
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Par's adoption into golf
The word "par" has been in use for centuries before it became a golf term. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it is derived from the Latin "par", meaning "equal" or "equality", and dates back to the 16th century. Outside of golf, the word is used to denote a standard level or to describe something as average, usual, or ordinary.
The term was first used in the context of golf in 1870 by golf writer Mr AH Doleman. At the time, "The Belt" was the winning trophy for "The Open" at Prestwick, where it was held annually from 1861 to 1870. Doleman asked golf professionals David Strath and James Anderson what score would win "The Belt". Strath and Anderson responded that perfect play should produce a score of 49 for Prestwick's twelve holes. Doleman called this target score "par" for Prestwick, and Young Tom Morris won the competition with a score of two strokes "over par" for three rounds of 36 holes.
Despite this early use of the term, "par" did not enter the standard golf lexicon until much later. In the 1890s, golfers used the term ""bogey"" to refer to the target score or ideal score. "Par" entered the golf vocabulary at the same time and was used interchangeably with "bogey", although "bogey" was the more widely used term. By the early 1900s, the current golf meanings of the two terms began to emerge and become set. "Par" came to denote the ideal score for expert golfers, while "bogey" was applied to a score that recreational golfers would be satisfied with.
In 1911, the United States Golf Association (USGA) began using "par" as a standard—the expected score on a given hole. The USGA defines "par" as "the score that an expert player would be expected to make for a given hole. Par means expert play under ordinary weather conditions, allowing two strokes on the putting green". This standardisation of the term led to its widespread adoption and solidification of its meaning in the golf world.
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Bogey and par were used interchangeably
The terms "bogey" and "par" have been integral to the development of handicapping in golf. The word "bogey" was first used in golf in England in the late 19th century, referring to the number of strokes a proficient golfer should take at each hole. The term was derived from the phrase "bogey man" and a popular music hall song, "Here Comes the Bogey Man". Players would compete against an imaginary player, Colonel Bogey, who scored a predetermined number of strokes on each hole. The winner of the competition was the player with the best match-play score against Colonel Bogey.
The term "par" in golf, on the other hand, is derived from the Latin word "par", which means "equal" or "equality". Outside of golf, the term is often used to denote a standard level or average. In the context of the game, "par" refers to the predetermined number of strokes that a proficient or "scratch" golfer is expected to make to complete a hole, a round, or a tournament. It takes into account the distance from the teeing ground to the putting green, as well as factors such as terrain and obstacles.
While "bogey" was the original term used in golf to refer to the target score, "par" was introduced in the late 19th century, and for a time, the two terms were used interchangeably. However, by the early 20th century, their meanings began to diverge. "Par" came to denote the ideal score for the best golfers, while "bogey" referred to a score that recreational golfers would aspire to. Today, a "bogey" specifically refers to a score of one stroke over par.
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Par's meaning in golf
The word "par" is very important in golf. It represents the number of strokes a proficient golfer should make to complete a hole or a round of multiple holes. Holes are generally assigned par values between three and five, including a regulation number of strokes to reach the green based on the average distance a proficient golfer hits the ball, and two putts. A typical 18-hole golf course will have a total par of around 72, and a 9-hole par-3 course will have a total par of 27.
The term "par" is thought to have originated from the stock exchange, where it was used to describe the expected value of stocks. The term was first used in golf by writer A. H. Doleman prior to The Open Championship at Prestwick in 1870, when he reported what had been described by golfers David Strath and James Anderson as the score resulting from "perfect play".
Par is also used to describe how well a golfer played in relation to the expected number of strokes. If a golfer completes a hole in fewer strokes than the par, they are "under par". If they complete it in more strokes than the par, they are "over par". If they complete it in the same number of strokes as the par, they are "even with par".
Other terms related to par include "birdie" (one stroke fewer than par), "eagle" (two strokes fewer than par), "condor" (four strokes fewer than par), "bogey" (one stroke more than par), "double bogey" (two strokes more than par), and "triple bogey" (three strokes more than par).
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Par's evolution in golf
The term "par" has been in use for centuries, dating back to the 16th century, and derived from the Latin word for "equal" or "equality". Outside of golf, it is often used to denote a standard level or to refer to something that is average or ordinary.
The word "par" was first used in golf around the turn of the 19th century into the 20th century, although the exact year is disputed. Some sources claim that it entered the golf lexicon in 1870, when golf writer A.H. Doleman reported what had been described by golfers David Strath and James Anderson as the score resulting from "perfect play". However, others suggest that it was not until the late 19th century, around the 1890s, that "par" and "bogey" began to be used interchangeably in golf, with "bogey" being the more common term.
In the early 1900s, the meanings of the two terms began to diverge, with "par" denoting the ideal score for skilled golfers, and "bogey" referring to a score that recreational golfers would be satisfied with. By 1911, "par" was officially adopted by the United States Golf Association (USGA) as a standard term, referring to the expected score on a given hole, and it began to appear in golf tournaments.
Today, "par" in golf refers to the predetermined number of strokes that a proficient golfer should require to complete a hole, a round, or a tournament. Holes are generally assigned par values between three and five, based on distance, terrain, and obstacles. A typical 18-hole golf course will have a total par of around 72.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the word 'par' was in use for centuries before it became a golf term. It is derived from the Latin word meaning 'equal' or 'equality', dating back to the 16th century.
The term 'par' entered the golf lexicon around the same time as the term 'bogey' in the 1890s. However, bogey was the more widely used term at the time.
The term 'par' started to be used specifically in golf in 1911 when the United States Golf Association (USGA) began using it as a standard.
In golf, 'par' is the predetermined number of strokes that a proficient golfer should require to complete a hole, a round, or a tournament.
The term 'par' was first used by golf writer A.H. Doleman in 1870, before The Open Championship at Prestwick. He reported what David Strath and James Anderson described as the score resulting from "perfect play".
