Should par be scraped?

[Deleted member 1147]

Why not keep par as it is, but teach players to manage expectation and improve game/course management skills.

eg, we have 21 par 5's off the white tees, which play the same length off the blues but are par 4's on that course.
Yesterday I played them in 19 shots over the 2 rounds of the comp'.

Either 3 over par, or, 1 under par. It doesn't matter which to me, as I played them in as few shots as I could on the day.

 

[Garush34]

No you need something to measure against when playing. Yes you can measure against previous scores but you need to be able to play against the course, and have a target to try and achieve in relation as to how the course was designed to be played.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

No.

Used in game formats and Par etc for russian seal clubbies like me, hope to shot par every no and then and its a high when it happens.

 

[MadAdey]

Interesting idea Bob and I can see your point. I think if the par was taken off the card and people just tried to play it in as fewer shots as possible they would probably play it better.

I have sort of adopted a philosophy of trying to get it down in as fewer shots as possible, yes I know that is the general idea of the game, but I have now stopped hitting the stupid shots that screw my card up and my scoring is far better for it. Playing for the bogey and taking a par if it happens is better than trying the hero shot and being lucky if you walk off with a double.

 

[ScienceBoy]

No its not necessary for medal play, the lowest score wins.

It is necessary for handicapping and some of the most popular formats. You have to give a number from where you calculate handicaps, for example in 10 pin bowling its usually 180 or 200.

 

[USER1999]

Yes for pros, no for amateurs.

 

[MashieNiblick]

The value of par in pro comps is really so that we can see how players on different parts of the course are doing relative to each other. I think it is easier to follow than if we had a final day leader board with Rose on 258 shots after 68 holes and Stenson on 256 shots after 67 holes with Speith in the clubhouse on 272 or whatever (numbers are for illustrative purposes only!).

 

[bobmac]

I wasn't being serious about scrapping par, I was just trying to get people to think about how they would approach some holes on their course
If your course has an easy par 4, dont treat it as such and settle for a par, treat it as a tough par 3 instead and do your best to make 3.

 

[User62651]

You need par for scoring in televised pro tournaments - level, two under etc everyone understands. How would it go without par -say playing the 3rd round "Speiths on 198 shots on 16th whilst Day is on 184 shots on the 12th" - doesn't work does it?

 

[bobmac]

You need par for scoring in televised pro tournaments - level, two under etc everyone understands. How would it go without par -say playing the 3rd round "Speiths on 198 shots on 16th whilst Day is on 184 shots on the 12th" - doesn't work does it?

See post no. 28

 

[patricks148]

I wasn't being serious about scrapping par, I was just trying to get people to think about how they would approach some holes on their course
If your course has an easy par 4, dont treat it as such and settle for a par, treat it as a tough par 3 instead and do your best to make 3.

But as you get better and your handicap gets lower you learn this anyway, esp course management.

 

[Tongo]

You need par for scoring in televised pro tournaments - level, two under etc everyone understands. How would it go without par -say playing the 3rd round "Speiths on 198 shots on 16th whilst Day is on 184 shots on the 12th" - doesn't work does it?

I read in A Good Walk Spoiled that the concept of par was created by Frank Chirkinian of CBS for this very purpose.

 

[guest100718]

I read in A Good Walk Spoiled that the concept of par was created by Frank Chirkinian of CBS for this very purpose.

Nice but not true.

 

[Tongo]

Nice but not true.

I was partly right. He was the first to show a player's score relative to par.

www.pgatour.com/news/2011/02/10/dolch-column-chirkinian.html

 

[guest100718]

I was partly right. He was the first to show a player's score relative to par.

www.pgatour.com/news/2011/02/10/dolch-column-chirkinian.html

Hmmm ide have said you were completely wrong.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

we could revert to scoring against the bogey for each hole.

 

[rosecott]

we could revert to scoring against the bogey for each hole.

I already do that.

 

[Marshy77]

We should probably scrap scoring altogether then and just play non competitive golf ala kids sports days. Yawn.

It's not about the winning, it's about taking part!!

 

[IanM]

....when the winner of The Open is announced, they never say the score to par, just the number of strokes....

Scrapping par as a concept has implications for handicapping... depends on whether you think all comps should be off scratch anyway! I know a few low handicappers who would agree with that! I guess you could take an average of gross scores over a time period, but to equalise those across courses then becomes a challenge.

Stableford has already been mentioned and I know a few higher handicappers (and newbies) at our club who only play in these and avoid medals! (And no doubt score 39 points with 3 blobs!!!)

Do I play a hole differently because of the par? I am sure it has an impact... but depends on the hole.... our 3rd hole is a long par 4 with OB all down one side..(and both sides by the green!) I have to hit a great drive to take that on with the 2nd shot..par 4 or not. Often I play short to make sure of a 5 and make sure I avoid a 6 or worse!

So.. in answer to the OP... probably not, in my view, but it can be overstated!

 

[351DRIVER]

If Dumb Threads were in the Olympics, this would be a contender for gold