Average time to golf6/29/2023 ![]() “I need to put it in this area,” he said. But instead of thinking of exact, perfect shots that will get you that 6, Amos suggested simplifying the way you visualize your goal. ![]() For example, you might drive the ball to the fairway, then try to hit the ball to another part of the hole. If your “win” score is a 6 on a par 4, you may start planning out those six shots. “If you go out there hoping to shoot a good score and have fun at the same time, you’ll play better than if it’s just all score.” “From a recreational standpoint, scores get blown out, because people are competitive,” Small said. Keeping a realistic score in mind for each hole can help with the most important aspect of golf for beginners, Small said: It keeps the game fun. ![]() I can take three or four shots to get it over.” “If there’s a pond or a creek, I’m not attempting to get it over in one long shot. “If I’m thinking this way, I’m not getting my mind in a grandiose way of scoring a 3 or 4,” he said. Thinking about holes this way means you don’t have to worry about par, but instead focus on hitting your target score. “If I’m a beginner, maybe a double bogey or better is a win, and a triple bogey or worse is a loss,” he said. Whithaus works with players to determine what a “win” is for each hole based on their skill level, then has them try to get that score to win each individual hole. “Deal with the opponent in front of you in this game and then move on to the next game later.” His advice: Think of a round of golf like a football season that has 18 games, with each hole as its own game. “If you compare a round of golf to another sport, it’s almost like a season,” said Whithaus. Scores that are above or below par on a hole have different names. And if their score is “E,” they’re at even par, meaning they have exactly the par score. If their score is “+4,” they’re four strokes over (or worse than) par. That’s what the positive and negative numbers on the leaderboard mean: If a player has a score of “-1,” they are one stroke under (or better than) overall par. In addition to the par score for each hole, each course has a total par score, which equals all the par scores for each hole. (Related: 5 Nike Gift Ideas for Golfers - For Every Budget) On another course, the fourth hole might be shorter, and therefore be a par 3. On one course, for example, the fourth hole might be a par 4. ![]() On different courses, you’ll find a different mix of these par 3, 4, and 5 holes. And holes 450 to 710 yards for men or 370 to 600 yards for women are par 5. Holes that are 240 to 490 yards for men or 200 to 420 yards for women are par 4. The USGA recommends that holes up to 260 yards for men and 220 yards for women be considered a par 3. The United States Golf Association (USGA) defines par as the “score that an expert player would be expected to make.” So if you’re a beginner, trying to score par can be a recipe for frustration.ĭifferent holes have different par scores, usually depending on the length of the hole. Par is a standard number of strokes for a hole, but that standard is for experts. (Related: The Top 10 Nike Golf Gear Essentials for Beginners)Īccording to the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA), “par” has been used as a golf scoring term since 1911. Read on to hear from Whithaus and other golf coaches, who explain the numbering and names of golf scores, as well as how to think about scores as a beginner. So a negative score is a good thing.Īccording to Jon Whithaus, associate head coach of women’s golf at Duke University, golf terminology can sometimes make the game frustrating or confusing to newcomers. If you did so in three shots, you’d be “one under par,” or -1. For example, the first hole on a course may be a par 4, which means that to get the score of par, you’d need to get the ball in the hole in four strokes. You might even see an “E.”Īll these numbers relate to “par,” which is a standard number of strokes set for each hole on a course - and also for the entire round on the course. Their score might be +3, -4, -1 or another number. You may see a positive or negative number next to each player’s name. When you look at a golf leaderboard, golf scoring may no longer seem so straightforward.
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