Par 3 Scoring Average
A par 3 scoring average is the mean number of strokes a golfer takes on par-3 holes. It is found by adding up every score made on par 3s and dividing by the number of par 3s played.
What is a par 3 scoring average?
Par 3s are the shortest holes on any course, and this stat reports how a golfer tends to fare on them. Rather than a full 18-hole score, it isolates the par 3s. Reach every one of them in regulation and two-putt, and the average sits right at 3.0.
The term shows up in two settings. On professional tours, it is a formal statistic, and the PGA Tour tracks it as an official category, defined simply as the average score on all par 3s played. For everyday golfers, it works as a personal benchmark, a way to see whether the short holes are helping or hurting the scorecard.
Par 3s are the only holes where a golfer is expected to reach the green with the opening shot, so the average tends to sit close to 3. How far above or below that line a player lands reflects the quality of their iron play and their nerve on short putts.
How par 3 scoring average is calculated
The math is straightforward. Add together the scores from every par 3 played over a chosen span, then divide by the number of par 3s. A golfer who plays four par 3s in a round and cards 3, 4, 4, and 3 totals 14 strokes, for an average of 3.5 that day.
Most published figures pull from far more than one round. The PGA Tour number covers a full season across many events, and consumer tracking systems such as Arccos and Shot Scope calculate it from millions of recorded amateur rounds. A larger sample smooths out the good days and the disasters, which is why a reliable personal average needs a decent number of holes behind it.
What is a good par 3 scoring average?
Almost nobody plays par 3s under par over time, no matter how inviting the holes look. The gap between a tour professional and a weekend golfer is smaller here than on par 5s, but it is still real.
On the PGA Tour
Even the best players in the world rarely break 3.0 across a season. In 2025, Russell Henley led the PGA Tour in par-3 scoring at 2.96, meaning he averaged just under par on the short holes. Historical shot-tracking backs up how flat that number stays with distance, with Arccos data from the 2016-17 season putting the tour average near 2.99 from 125 to 150 yards and around 3.18 from 225 to 250 yards.
For amateur golfers
Amateurs sit noticeably higher. Shot Scope’s 2026 data shows the average amateur scores 3.7 on par 3s. Handicap changes that figure in a predictable way, as the table below shows.
| Handicap | Par 3 scoring average |
|---|---|
| Scratch (0) | 3.2 |
| 5 | 3.4 |
| 10 | 3.7 |
| 15 | 3.9 |
| 20 | 4.0 |
| 25 | 4.2 |
Source: Shot Scope 2026 data, via Golf Monthly
A scratch golfer gives back only about a fifth of a shot per par 3, while a 25-handicapper averages a bogey and a bit more. For most club players, anything under 3.5 counts as strong, and matching par across a full set of par 3s is a real achievement.
Par 3 scoring average vs. overall scoring average
It helps to keep this stat separate from plain scoring average. Overall scoring average is the mean of a golfer’s full 18-hole scores across a round, whereas par 3 scoring average zooms in on just one hole type.
| Metric | What it measures | Typical pro figure |
|---|---|---|
| Overall scoring average | Mean total score per round | Around 68 to 71 |
| Par 3 scoring average | Mean score on par-3 holes only | Just under 3.0 |
The two answer different questions. A golfer whose overall average is fine but whose par 3 average is high has found a specific leak, since the short holes are costing strokes that the rest of the round then has to make up.
Why par 3s are tougher than they look
The scorecard often ranks par 3s among the easier holes, which sets up a false expectation. Being short does not make them forgiving.
Course designers tend to guard par 3 greens heavily, ringing them with bunkers and water or falling away into steep run-offs. There is also only one real chance to attack, because the tee shot has to find the green, or a miss usually leaves an awkward chip to a tight pin. Longer par 3s pile on the difficulty, since a 220-yard hole calls for a long iron or hybrid that even good players struggle to hold on the surface. That combination is why the average stays above 3 for nearly everyone.
Related Golf Terms
- Net eagle — A score of eagle after handicap strokes are applied.
- Inward nine — The second nine holes of a round, holes ten through eighteen.
- Outward nine — The first nine holes of a round, holes one through nine.
- Net par — A score of par after a player’s handicap strokes are applied.
- Birdie streak — A run of consecutive birdies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good par 3 scoring average for an amateur?
Anything under 3.5 is solid for a club golfer. Scratch players average about 3.2, and mid-handicappers tend to land near 3.7, so beating the number for your handicap group is a fair target.
What do PGA Tour pros average on par 3s?
The best pros average just under par. The 2025 PGA Tour leader, Russell Henley, posted 2.96, and the tour-wide figure sits right around 3.0.
Is a par 3 easier than a par 4?
Not always. Shot Scope’s 2026 data shows amateurs score closer to par on par 3s than on par 4s, even though par 3 greens are often the best defended on the course.
How do I work out my own par 3 scoring average?
Total your scores on every par 3 you play across several rounds, then divide by how many par 3s that was. Apps like Arccos and Shot Scope work it out for you.
Sources
- PGA Tour. “Par 3 Scoring Average.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.pgatour.com/stats/detail/142 - MyGolfSpy. “Pros vs. Joes: Par 3 Scoring Average” and “PGA Tour Stat Leaders Heading Into the 2025 Playoffs.” Accessed August 2026.
https://mygolfspy.com/labs/pros-vs-joes-par-3-scoring-average/
https://mygolfspy.com/news-opinion/pga-tour-stat-leaders-heading-into-the-2025-playoffs/ - Shot Scope, via Golf Monthly. “What Is The Average Amateur Score On A Par 3, Par 4 And Par 5?” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/average-amateur-golfer-score-par-3-par-4-par-5 - Today’s Golfer. “How to score better on par 3s.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.todays-golfer.com/features/instruction-features/january/november/how-to-score-better-on-par-3s/
