Sand Par
A Sand Par is a par on a hole on which your ball lay in a bunker along the way.
Sand Par is a statistics term from round analysis. It does not describe an official rule result but a special achievement: You land with one stroke in the Bunker and still make Par. For that to work you need a good bunker shot and usually only a single putt. The term comes from English and is closely related to the Sand Save, which measures the percentage of such saves. Both show how strong your bunker play really is.
In practice a Sand Par looks like this: Par 4, your second shot lands in the greenside bunker to the right of the flag. You play the Wedge out of the sand to two meters from the hole and hole the putt. Four strokes, one of them from the sand — Sand Par. On a par 3 with the tee shot into the bunker, the direct bunker shot plus a putt is even enough for the three. The key is almost always the shot from the sand, not the putt: If you lay the ball close enough to the flag, you need only one more stroke on the Green.
Many amateurs do not evaluate the Sand Par at all and therefore do not know where their round is getting lost. Anyone who notes their bunker saves quickly recognizes a pattern: If the percentage is at zero percent, the bunker shot is the problem area, not the putting. Another typical fallacy is treating the bunker as a catastrophe. A cleanly played sand shot from a short distance is easier for practiced players than a chip out of deep rough. With a bit of training on the practice facility, the feared opponent becomes a real par chance.
FAQ
How do I record a Sand Par on my scorecard?
A Sand Par is not an official statistic; you have to count it yourself. Simply mark on the scorecard every hole on which your ball lay in the bunker and you still played par — for example with a small "S" next to the score. After a few rounds this gives you an honest picture of your bunker play.
Is it worth specifically training your bunker play for more Sand Pars?
Yes, because the biggest lever is the bunker shot close to the flag, not the putting. Anyone who regularly gets out of the sand to within three to four meters has a real par chance on almost every green. For most amateurs an hour in the practice bunker brings more than another hour on the putting green.
Is a Sand Par also possible on a par 3?
Yes, and there it is even the easiest: If you hit your tee shot into the greenside bunker, a good bunker shot and a putt are enough for the three. The principle stays the same on every hole — from the sand close to the hole, then just one putt.