Do par 4s have to fall within certain parameters when it comes to yardage? In short, the answer is ‘no’ in terms of the strict definition of ‘have’.
It is up to the golf club, course owner, or tournament organiser to determine the par of a hole. They can decide whatever they like. However there are guidelines as to what length best constitutes a par 4.
The United States Golf Association says that “par reflects the score a scratch player is expected to score on a given hole… under ordinary weather conditions, allowing two strokes on the putting green."
The USGA believes a male scratch golfer “can hit tee shots an average of 250 yards and can reach a 470-yard hole in two shots at sea level.” A female scratch player has the attribute that she “can hit tee shots an average of 210 yards and can reach a 400-yard hole in two shots at sea level".
From these figures can be calculated the suggested length of a par 4. For example, a hole of more than 470 yards would require a scratch male golfer to play three shots to reach the green and then, adding in two putts, that is a hole that a male scratch golfer would be expected to score 5 on. Hence it is suggested that such a hole should be a par 5.
But factors other than length may enter the consideration. The USGA mentions: “the playing difficulty of the hole, including any effective length correction factors, such as elevation changes, forced lay-ups, and prevalent wind.”
The USGA also references “the way the hole is designed to be played.” As an example of this aspect, I played on a course in the Swiss mountains which had on the scorecard a par 5 of 395 yards. This looked odd until we got to the hole in question. It was laid out, in effect, on four ledges or platforms on the side of a mountain, and you hopped your ball from one to the next, a series of target golf challenges. Hence why it had to be a par 5 despite its modest length.
The USGA has published guidelines as to the length of par 3s, 4s, 5 and even par 6s. For a par 4, it suggests a minimum of 240 yards and a maximum of 490 yards for men. However there is an overlap at either end of the range, as par 3s, it is suggested, can go up to 260 yards, and par 5s can start at 450 yards.
For ladies it suggests 200 to 420 yards. Again there is an overlap, as it suggests par 3s can rise to 230 yards, and par 5s can start from 370 yards.
