3, 4 or 5, for a golf hole

PAR

This term describes the standard number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to take to complete a hole from the tee. It’s also used in finance to mean "equal face value."

This clue refers to the standard number of strokes a skilled golfer should take to complete a hole. In golf, "par" is the term for that target score—commonly 3 for a short hole, 4 for a medium one, or 5 for a longer hole. The numbers in the clue directly hint at those typical par values, making "PAR" the straightforward answer. No wordplay here, just a direct definition tied to the sport.