Par 3, 4 and 5 Scoring Average by Handicap
A scratch golfer beats par on par 5s. A 25 handicap plays them two over. Here are par 3, par 4 and par 5 scoring averages from 0 to 25, and where the strokes over par come from at each level.
A 15 handicap averages 3.83 on par 3s, 5.05 on par 4s and 5.91 on par 5s. A scratch golfer averages 3.2, 4.2 and 4.8, and a 25 handicap 4.19, 5.87 and 6.98.
Par 3s are the hole type that changes least across that range: about one stroke per hole from scratch to 25. Par 5s change the most, more than two strokes per hole. By 15, par 5s stop being the easiest holes relative to par.
Par 3 scoring average by handicap, with par 4s and par 5s
| Handicap | Par 3 | Par 4 | Par 5 | Adds up to (par 72) | Typical score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scratch (0) | 3.20 | 4.20 | 4.80 | 74.0 | 74–76 |
| 5 | 3.42 | 4.53 | 5.36 | 80.4 | 79–81 |
| 10 | 3.60 | 4.67 | 5.52 | 83.2 | 84–87 |
| 15 | 3.83 | 5.05 | 5.91 | 89.5 | 90–92 |
| 20 | 4.00 | 5.31 | 6.23 | 94.0 | 95–98 |
| 25 | 4.19 | 5.87 | 6.98 | 103.4 | 100–103 |
| 30 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 105–108 |
The par-type averages come from Shot Scope’s handicap pages for the 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 handicap, built from rounds logged by its users. “Adds up to” is four par 3s, ten par 4s and four par 5s, the layout of a standard par 72. Typical scores come from our average score by handicap table. Shot Scope has no 30 handicap page, so that row stays blank.
The two score columns come from different samples of golfers, and they still line up closely. From 10 to 20 the par-type totals run a stroke or less under the bottom of the typical range. At 25 they land just above the top of it.
Our post on scoring by par type uses rounder figures that describe a solid round rather than a typical one. Shot Scope’s tracked averages run higher, closer to what golfers usually shoot, which is why we use them here.
Strokes over par per hole, by hole type
Subtract par from each average and the order of the hole types changes as handicaps rise:
| Handicap | Par 3 | Par 4 | Par 5 | Easiest relative to par |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scratch (0) | +0.20 | +0.20 | -0.20 | Par 5 |
| 5 | +0.42 | +0.53 | +0.36 | Par 5 |
| 10 | +0.60 | +0.67 | +0.52 | Par 5 |
| 15 | +0.83 | +1.05 | +0.91 | Par 3 |
| 20 | +1.00 | +1.31 | +1.23 | Par 3 |
| 25 | +1.19 | +1.87 | +1.98 | Par 3 |
Par 5s are the best holes up to a 10 handicap. A scratch golfer is the only level that beats par on any hole type, and it happens on par 5s. A 5 and a 10 still play them closer to par than anything else.
From 15 up, par 3s take over. A 15 plays par 3s at +0.83 and par 5s at +0.91. At 25 the par 5 is the worst hole on the card relative to par, at nearly a double bogey on average. A par 3 asks for one long shot and a par 5 asks for three, and each extra full shot is another chance to lose one.
Par 4s are the worst hole type from 5 to 20. At every level in that range, the average par 4 costs more over par than the average par 3 or par 5. At 25, par 5s pass them by a tenth of a stroke.
Where the strokes over par come from
Multiply each per-hole figure by the number of holes and you get strokes over par per round by hole type:
| Handicap | Par 3s (4) | Par 4s (10) | Par 5s (4) | Total over par | Share from par 4s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scratch (0) | +0.8 | +2.0 | -0.8 | +2.0 | n/a |
| 5 | +1.7 | +5.3 | +1.4 | +8.4 | 63% |
| 10 | +2.4 | +6.7 | +2.1 | +11.2 | 60% |
| 15 | +3.3 | +10.5 | +3.6 | +17.5 | 60% |
| 20 | +4.0 | +13.1 | +4.9 | +22.0 | 59% |
| 25 | +4.8 | +18.7 | +7.9 | +31.4 | 60% |
Par 4s are ten of eighteen holes, or 56% of the round. From 5 to 25 they produce about 60% of the strokes over par, a slightly bigger share than their hole count. That share barely moves across twenty handicap strokes, because higher handicaps add strokes on all three hole types at once. Par 4s carry the most weight simply because there are more of them.
The scratch row is the exception. Par 3s and par 5s cancel out, so every stroke over par comes from par 4s.
How each handicap step splits across hole types
Each five-shot step down the table adds strokes on all three hole types, but not evenly. Per hole:
- 0 to 5: +0.22 on par 3s, +0.33 on par 4s, +0.56 on par 5s. Losing the par-5 birdie is the biggest change.
- 5 to 10: +0.18, +0.14 and +0.16. The smallest step in the table, and almost the same on every hole type.
- 10 to 15: +0.23, +0.38 and +0.39.
- 15 to 20: +0.17, +0.26 and +0.32.
- 20 to 25: +0.19, +0.56 and +0.75. The longer the hole, the bigger the jump.
Par 3 averages climb by about two tenths per step at every level. The other two hole types account for most of the difference between handicaps.
Against the PGA Tour averages in our scoring by par type post (3.06, 4.03 and 4.66), the same pattern holds. A 15 handicap is 0.77 strokes behind tour players per par 3, 1.02 per par 4 and 1.25 per par 5.
The full stat profile by handicap
Par-type scoring is a result. These are the numbers behind it:
| Handicap | Score | GIR | Fairways | Putts | Up and down | Penalties | SG off the tee | SG approach | SG around the green | SG putting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scratch (0) | 74–76 | 62% | 50% | 30.5 | 54% | 0.56 | -0.8 | -1.5 | -0.5 | -0.4 |
| 5 | 79–81 | 46% | 51% | 31.5 | 47% | 0.91 | -1.4 | -3.0 | -1.0 | -0.8 |
| 10 | 84–87 | 35% | 50% | 32.5 | 39% | 1.62 | -2.0 | -4.5 | -1.5 | -1.2 |
| 15 | 90–92 | 23% | 47% | 33.5 | 34% | 2.45 | -2.7 | -6.0 | -2.0 | -1.5 |
| 20 | 95–98 | 16% | 45% | 34.5 | 31% | 3.03 | -3.4 | -7.5 | -2.5 | -1.8 |
| 25 | 100–103 | 9% | 50% | 35.5 | 25% | 4.67 | -4.2 | -9.0 | -3.0 | -2.2 |
| 30 | 105–108 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | -5.0 | -10.5 | -3.5 | -2.5 |
Sources by column:
- GIR: our greens in regulation by handicap table.
- Fairways: our fairways hit by handicap table, from Shot Scope.
- Putts: our putting average benchmarks, which stop at 25.
- Up and down: inside 50 yards, from our scrambling percentage by handicap table.
- Penalties: strokes per round, from our penalty strokes per round by handicap table.
- Strokes gained: per round against a PGA Tour baseline, from Mark Broadie’s research in our strokes gained benchmarks for every handicap.
Approach is the biggest strokes gained loss at every level, and it shows up on every hole type. On a par 3, the approach is the tee shot. On a par 4 or par 5, it’s the shot that decides whether you putt for par or chip to save bogey. To price one of those shots from a given distance and lie, run it through the strokes gained calculator.
How to read your own par-type numbers
Pull your par 3, par 4 and par 5 averages from at least 10 rounds and find your handicap row in the first table. Then compare hole type by hole type:
- One hole type well above your row, the other two at it: that’s where your extra strokes are. It often traces back to one kind of shot, like long irons on par 3s or the third shot on par 5s.
- All three above your row by about the same amount: the cause isn’t hole-specific. Check putting and around the green in your strokes gained breakdown.
- Par 5s better than par 3s at 15 or above: your par 5s are ahead of the typical pattern for your level. Your par 3s and par 4s are where the strokes are.
- Par 4s more than 60% of your strokes over par: off-the-tee position is the first thing to check, since it starts ten holes a round.
For one level in full detail, see what a scratch golfer, 5 handicap, 10 handicap, 15 handicap, 20 handicap, 25 handicap or 30 handicap shoots.
Your par-type averages against your handicap
The table shows a typical golfer at each level. Two 15 handicaps can both average 91 and have opposite profiles. One plays par 3s at 3.5 and gives it back on long par 4s. The other is steady on par 4s and makes a 7 on every other par 5. Their total is the same, but the strokes are coming from different holes.
Log 3 rounds and golfity shows your numbers against your handicap.
