Lesson 1: Golf is a Numbers Game
Golf might be the most mathematical sport there is. Every single hole has a number. Every shot has a number. Your score has a number. The distance to the flag has a number. Even the clubs in your bag are numbered.
Before you ever hit a ball, numbers are already at work. The hole you are playing has a par — the number of shots a good golfer is expected to need. A par-3 hole should take 3 shots. A par-4 should take 4. A par-5 should take 5.
When you finish the hole, you count up how many shots you took. If you took 4 shots on a par-4, your score is par — you matched the expected number. If you took 3, you scored one under par — better than expected! If you took 5, you scored one over par.
Numbers in golf do not just measure how you did. They tell the whole story of your round.
Par = the expected number of shots to finish a hole. Your score = the number of shots you actually took.
Under par = fewer shots than expected (great!). Over par = more shots than expected.
Before you play your next hole, say the par number out loud. After you finish, count your shots. Were you under, at, or over par? Say it aloud: ‘I took 5 shots on a par-4, so I was 1 over par.’
Why do you think golf uses the word ‘par’? What do you think would happen if golf did not have par numbers and you just counted your shots with no target to compare to?
Play 3 holes with your parent. For each hole, write down: (1) the par, (2) how many shots you took, and (3) whether you were under, at, or over par. Add up your total shots for all 3 holes. Add up the total par for all 3 holes. What is the difference? Keep this as your first ever golf scorecard.