Under Par
Under par is a golf scoring term that means a golfer took fewer strokes than the par of a hole, a group of holes, or a full round. Shooting 70 on a par-72 course is two under par.
What is under par?
Par is the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to need to finish a hole or a course. A hole rated par-4 is one that a skilled player should complete in four strokes, counting two putts on the green. Add up the par of all 18 holes, and you get the par for the course, which on most full-length courses lands at 70, 71, or 72.
Under par simply means beating that number. Finish a par-4 in three strokes, and the score is one under par on that hole. Post a 68 on a par-70 course, and the round is two under par. The term works the same whether it describes a single hole or an entire tournament, and it is always measured against par rather than against other players.
For most golfers, under par is rare. The average handicap index is 14.0 for men and 28.0 for women, according to the USGA, which means the typical player finishes a round well above par, not below it. That gap is why a round in the red carries so much weight among golfers.
Under par on a single hole versus a full round
The phrase gets used in two ways, and the difference matters. On a single hole, under par describes one result: a 3 on a par-4, or a 2 on a par-3. Over 18 holes, under par describes the running total. A golfer can be under par for the round while still making a bogey or two along the way, as long as the birdies and eagles outweigh them.
Commentators also apply it to shorter stretches. A player might be described as three under par through the first six holes, or two under across the back nine. Augusta National’s famous three-hole stretch known as Amen Corner is often talked about this way, with a golfer said to have played it in one under par. In every case the math is the same: total strokes taken, compared against the combined par of the holes in question.
The names for under-par scores
Under-par scores on a single hole have their own vocabulary, most of it borrowed from birds. The names climb as the score drops further below par.
| Score | Term | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 under par | Birdie | A 3 on a par-4 |
| 2 under par | Eagle | A 3 on a par-5 |
| 3 under par | Albatross (double eagle) | A 2 on a par-5 |
| 4 under par | Condor | A 1 on a par-5 |
A birdie is the most common of these and the one recreational players chase most often. An eagle usually comes from holing a long approach or reaching a par-5 green in two and making the putt. The albatross, also called a double eagle in the United States, is rare enough that many strong players never make one, and the condor sits at the edge of possibility, recorded only a handful of times in golf history. Each of these names refers only to a single hole, never to a full round.
Under par versus even par versus over par
Most confusion about the term comes from mixing up the three ways a score can relate to par. They sit on a simple scale.
| Result | Meaning | Leaderboard |
|---|---|---|
| Under par | Fewer strokes than par | Shown with a minus, e.g. −3 |
| Even par (level par) | Exactly matching par | Shown as E |
| Over par | More strokes than par | Shown with a plus, e.g. +3 |
Even par, also called level par, means the score matches par exactly: a 72 on a par-72 course. Over par, sometimes called above par, means more strokes than par, and it is where the vast majority of amateur rounds land. Under par is the opposite end of that scale, and the further below par a score goes, the better it is.
How under par shows up on a scorecard and leaderboard
Golf scores are often given “in relation to par” rather than as a raw stroke count. So a broadcast might report that a player shot 68, a score of four under par, giving both numbers at once. Leaderboards go a step further. Under-par totals there appear with a minus sign, so a golfer at four under is listed as −4.
Those under-par figures are also printed in red, which is where the phrase “in the red” comes from. Over-par scores are shown in black with a plus sign. Reading a leaderboard, then, is mostly a matter of color and symbol: red and a minus means under par, black and a plus means over.
How rare is an under-par round?
Shooting under par for a full 18 holes is one of the hardest things to do in golf. Golfers who can beat par regularly are called scratch players, meaning a handicap index of 0.0 or better, and USGA data shows only about 1.6% of male golfers and roughly 0.4% of female golfers with a handicap reach that level. According to the National Golf Foundation, fewer than 5% of golfers who keep an official handicap break 80 in a given year, and breaking par is rarer still.
The professionals make it look routine by comparison. The average score on the PGA Tour sits around 69 to 70 on a par-72 course, and the LPGA Tour average is roughly 71 to 72. For the typical amateur, who scores in the low 90s, a single under-par round can be the highlight of a golfing lifetime.
Related Golf Terms
- Green complex — A green together with its surrounding slopes, bunkers, and run-offs.
- To par — A score expressed relative to the course’s par.
- Sandbelt course — A course built on sandy soil prized for firm turf and crisp bunkering.
- Architect — The designer responsible for a course’s layout and features.
- Tree-lined course — A parkland layout framed by mature trees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does one under par mean?
One under par means a golfer used one fewer stroke than par, either on a hole or for a round. On a single hole, one under par is called a birdie.
Is under par good in golf?
Yes. Under par means a golfer beat the standard set for the hole or course, so lower scores are better. Most golfers finish over par, which makes an under-par score a strong result.
How many strokes is under par?
Any number of strokes below par counts as under par. Being one under, two under, or ten under all describe scores below the par figure for the holes played.
What is the opposite of under par?
Over par, sometimes called above par, is the opposite. It means a golfer used more strokes than par. A score that matches par exactly is even par or level par.
Sources
- United States Golf Association (USGA). “U.S. Handicapping Statistics.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/handicapping/world-handicap-system/whs-stats.html - Wikipedia. “Par (score).” Accessed August 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Par_(score) - GolfNow. “Average Golf Score: What is a Good Golf Score?” Accessed August 2026.
https://blog.golfnow.com/average-golf-score-what-is-good-golf-score/ - Scoring Zone. “Average Golf Score in 2026.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.scoringzone.net/blog/average-golf-score.html - CaddieHQ. “What Percentage of Golfers Have Broken Par?” (citing National Golf Foundation data). Accessed August 2026.
https://www.caddiehq.com/resources/what-percentage-of-golfers-have-broken-par - Golf Compendium. “What ‘Under Par’ Means in Golf.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.golfcompendium.com/2026/02/under-par-definition.html
