Last Updated on February 23, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz
The first time I broke 70, it was at a course that was a par 70. Therefore, I shot a 1 under 69, not a 3 under 69. I’ll take it: the score was good enough, but it’s certainly different when you play a par 72 golf course. If you are wondering are all golf courses par 72, you are in the right place. Par of a golf course can change, and has a significant impact on individual scores, course length, handicapping, and more. As a former golf professional, I’ll even tell you what my favorite par is, and it’s not 72!
Are All Golf Courses Par 72?
Not all golf courses are par 72. An 18-hole golf course usually has a par between 70 and 73. An executive course, considerably shorter than a traditional golf course, may only have a par of 60.
The par is the number of strokes it should take to get the ball in the hole. However, most golfers are not par golfers, and their average golf score is considerably higher than par. The par 72 course is the typical par in golf, but there is no standard or mandatory par.
What Is The Par Of A Course?
Par of a golf course can either be for a standard course, an executive one or par 3 courses. The standard golf course has a par in the 70-73 range, with 70 and 71 being the most popular. The executive course, which features more par 3s and 4s, is usually in the 60-65 range. The par 3 course is just 18 par 3 holes for a total of 54 as the par.
| Course Type | Average Par | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Golf Course | 70-73 | Typical course setup, varying in difficulty and length, catering to various skill levels. |
| Executive | 60-65 | Shorter courses, often with more par-3 and fewer par-5 holes. |
| Par-3 Course | 54 | Consists entirely of par-3 holes, great for short game practice. |
Standard Golf Course
A traditional or typical golf course has a par between 70 and 73. The standard par 72 golf course has two par 3s, two par 5s, and 5 par 4s on each nine. When you see a par 70 golf course, there may be fewer par 5 holes. The standard golf courses are used for PGA Tour events, and most golf course architecture firms focus on building these par 70-73 golf courses.
Executive Golf Course
An executive golf course is often built in areas without enough space for a traditional course. The course will usually have a mix of par 3 and par 4 holes and a shorter overall distance. Long hitters may not bring their driver to an executive golf course. In recent years, these courses have become more popular as they allow for a quick round of golf, making it easy to play after work.
Par 3 Course
Finally, you have the par 54 par 3 golf courses. These are the shortest of the golf courses, and every one of the holes is a par 3. One of my favorite par 3 golf courses is the Palm Beach Par 3. If you think it’s easier to play a par 3 course than a typical 18-hole course, this one will teach you otherwise. Course difficulty is not always directly tied to the total length.
Why Do Some Golf Courses Not Have 72 Par?
Some golfers do not have a par of 72 simply because the golf course designer had a different concept in mind. However, there are other courses where hole length didn’t work out to make the course a true par 72. Some plots of land deal with a space issue, making it hard to have enough room for the traditional golf course with four par 5’s.
Are Shorter Golf Courses Easier?
Shorter golf courses are not necessarily easier than longer golf courses. To determine how challenging a golf course is, you need to look at the course and slope rating. Different pars don’t even impact the difficulty of the course, it’s more about things like water hazards, fairway width, and green design that change the difficulty of the golf course.
It can seem easier for golfers who don’t hit a long golf ball if an individual hole has less length. However, you still need to get the ball in the hole, and a shorter course may have hazards or smaller greens that make that process difficult.
Why Can Men’s and Women’s Par Be Different?
If you have ever looked at a scorecard with a total par score of 72 for men and 73 for women, that is not uncommon. As a junior female golfer, I loved when this happened. The reason behind this is the average hole length for women golfers vs. the average hole length for men golfers. On some holes, it’s not possible to get the total length in the proper range to make the hole a par 4 for both men and women. Women golfers get to play the hole as a shorter par 5, while men still play it as a par 4.
Here’s a look at typical golf hole lengths for men and women and why this happens on some championship courses where the men’s and women’s par ratings are just a little different.
| Hole Type | Men’s Length (yards) | Women’s Length (yards) |
|---|---|---|
| Par 3 | 100-250 | 80-200 |
| Par 4 | 300-450 | 250-370 |
| Par 5 | 450-600 | 380-520 |
How Does Par Value of A Course Impact Golf Handicap?
Several years ago, I heard golfers discussing the fact that their golf handicap was lower than normal because their home course was a par 70. Using this logic, golf courses with par 73s would have players with higher handicaps. However, this is not the way this works.
Your golf handicap is based on the course rating and slope rating, not the par of the individual course that you play. Yes, most of the time, we think of handicap as how many shots over (or under) par you play on average. However, if you are a 10.2 index, that would be converted accordingly to the golf course you are playing, regardless of the course’s par.
So if you are an 8 handicap at a par 70 golf course, when you play a par 72 golf course with similar course rating and slope, you’ll remain an 8 handicap.
Do All Country Clubs Have To Be Par 72?
Country clubs, just like public golf courses, do not have to be par 72 to be considered a professional 18-hole golf course. New courses are being built with par 70 and 71 all the time. Course designers use 72 as the guideline, but golf course par can vary. Here is an example of some championship golf courses you may have heard of that have different total pars.
| Golf Course Name | Location | Par | Notable Events Hosted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pebble Beach Golf Links | Pebble Beach, CA | 72 | U.S. Open, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am |
| Augusta National Golf Club | Augusta, GA | 72 | The Masters |
| St. Andrews Old Course | St. Andrews, Scotland | 72 | The Open Championship |
| Oakmont Country Club | Oakmont, PA | 71 | U.S. Open |
| Bethpage Black Course | Farmingdale, NY | 71 | U.S. Open, The Barclays |
| Royal Birkdale Golf Club | Southport, England | 70 | The Open Championship |
| Merion Golf Club, East Course | Ardmore, PA | 70 | U.S. Open |
| Carnoustie Golf Links | Carnoustie, Scotland | 71 | The Open Championship |
| Southern Hills Country Club | Tulsa, OK | 71 | PGA Championship |
| The Olympic Club, Lake Course | San Francisco, CA | 71 | U.S. Open |
Final Thoughts
Not all golf courses are a par 72. If you want to know more about the par golf meaning and the unique challenges you may find when par changes from one course to another stay tuned for more related content. The par of a hole doesn’t change your handicap; you still have to go out there and get the ball in the hole. The only difference is in my case of shooting the 69 and having it look just a little better than it was!
