When does a par 3 become a par 4?

[Ian Selley]

Out of interest when does a par 3 become a par 4? :confused:

We have a par 3 at our club which is 235 off the yellows and 251 off the whites.

Trouble is at that length it is beyond the average drive for most average club golfers couple this in with a green like an upturned bowl which rejects most shots makes it a drive, wedge, at least onto the green.

Oh its si 11 as well

It does play more like a short par 4 than a par 3 and I remember reading something on a par 3 having to be a certain distance.

Hopefully somone can shed a bit of life on this.

[Stuarty1234]

thats sounds really long for a par 3. Cols course Portadown their first hole is 270 or something and its a par 4 as it sound be. So thats just a little further. Says in this piece upto 250

http://golf.about.com/od/handicaps/f/faq_parlengths.htm

[SBL]

I don't know what the official line is but my opinion is that 251 yds is a very difficult middle ground. Even if the green is relatively wide open, 251yds is too far for probably 90% to have a realistic chance of making as a par 3.

If it's wide open then it's a piss poor par 4 but if you give it heavy protection then it can play as a par 4, though I would expect a higher percentage of sub par scores.

[Foxholer]

Par is not absolutely accurate.

But sounds a tough ask for that hole.

Likely the constructors had a decision to make - and went the "let's be dramatic" way.

Oh and the SI is meant to make an 'even' match, so that's not an exact reference either!

SSS - or average CSS from several dozen well supported comps is a more accurate value!

Ross

[ianbakerfinchrules]

used to be 247 max for a par three but its down to the clubs discression now really

[The Lyth]

Up until recently the set up table was easy to follow.

Par 3 0 - 250yds 0 - 229mtrs
Par 4 220 - 500yds 201 - 457mtrs
Par 5 440yds+ 402mtrs+
Anything between can be either depending on the design.

The 17th at Ganton GC is a Par 3 off the front but a Par 4 off the back.

[Good To Go]

I would think it depends on the hole. If it's downhill, especially, the holes can be longer than they play.

On a side note, what is SI?

[sevenfourate]

Si = Stroke Index.

I could explain,but its probably easier to do this: :D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/rules_and_equipment/4749049.stm

[Good To Go]

OK. In the U.S. we call it handicap. Basically, 1 being the hardest, 18 being the easiest. I should have figured that out on my own!

[sevenfourate]

You got it :D

I call them hard and "easier".

No such thing as the 'easiest' on a golf course to me :D:D Soon as i take this sport (Because lets face it - its not a damned game is it !) for granted it usually comes back and bites.Quick.