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[jskatt21]

I am brand new to Disc Golf (I love it by the way) and I was just wanting to clarify something about Par.

Now some courses I have been to, have great signs, and then on some holes have terrible signs.  I get a bit frusterated as then i am not sure what the Par is.  Now I read online that a general rule of thumb, each course is considered 54 for par for the couses.  I also read that <400 = Par 3, >400 = Par 4, but what about par 5's.  Just looking to see what you experts follow. 

Thanks, and great site/shop!

[wiggy]

Most of the pros use 3 for each hole [which works out to 54]... mostly because it's easy and 54 is a realistic par.

The posted par for most course adds up to about 68 which is a realistic amateur par but harder to keep track.

A newer player may shoot 78... 10 over par [using 68] sounds better than 34 over par [using 54]. In the same way a good pro may shoot 48... 6 under par sounds better than 20 under par [which doesn't sound realistic.

I get ask all the time what par do they use for tournaments... none... they just keep score... if you shoot 54 it doesn't matter if you call it 2 over par or 8 under par... 54 is 54  :thumbsup:

So par serves 2 purposes:

1. it's easier to keep score in your head... keeping track of over or under pars

2. It's a way of comparing games played on different courses... a 54 at Calvary is not the same as a 54 at St Augusta. [St. Augusta is a harder course]... and is also different for a 54 at Northside [which as 12 holes rather than 18]

As my wife just told me as I'm typing, it can also be used as a handicapping system... I use to play with my friend Rick where I used 3 and he use 4 for par to even out the game.

Use whichever par works best for you and those you are playing with. Hope this answers your question.

ps. if you are not using a straight par for each hole and the pars are not marked you can agree on a par for each hole before you throw

[wiggy]

My lovely and intelligent wife just mentioned another problem with the posted pars... there are some holes which added pins placements and each basket placement has quite different "pars"...

take hole #8 at Riverside..

1. short placement down the hill... is a 2 or 3 shot for most players

2. in the regular long, down the hill and 1/3 the way up the hill... is a 3 to 4 par

3. tournament long, down and up the other hill... is a 4 to 5 par.

The signs could be made to have all 3 pars listed but then it would get cluttered, confusing, and harder to keep track.