Below / Above Par
Yesterday, this phrase came up in conversation and my coworker remarked, “Wait, why is below par a bad thing?” In golf, you win with a low score, so you want to be below par. But, what is par? In golf it is the expected score. But the meaning has changed over time. The golfing definition has only been around since the early 1900s.
A long time ago, par meant equality. It comes from the Latin word meaning equal. In English there is a phrase (on par with) that means to be equal.
Example: My singing skills are on par with donkeys.
Below Par
It is believed that below par comes from financial transactions (1720 - Scotland). In this sense, par means average. So, if something is below par it is below average. Under par and sub-par can be used the same way. Under par is good in golf, but bad in other situations.
Example: Your writing skills are below par, I need you to work harder.
Above Par
The opposite of below par is above par. As you can imagine, it means that something is above average.
Example: This food is delicious. Your cooking skills are above par.
Not Up to Par
Finally, if something is up to par it means that it meets the standards. Sometimes you will hear someone say that it is not up to par. That means it isn’t good enough.
Example: This essay is not up to par.
Bonus
There is actually one phrase involving “par” that is from golfing. It is par for the course. It means that something is normal and expected. We usually use it to talk about someone doing something they are known for.
Example: She can’t come tonight because she is exercising. Well, that’s just par for the course. She is always working out.
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Reference:
https://www.reddit.com/r/etymology/comments/43rgx0/why_is_subpar_a_bad_thing/
https://literarydevices.net/below-par/
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/par--for--the--course
https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=1BlPAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA523&lpg=RA1-PA523&dq=above++par+origin&source=bl&ots=Q2p-X84sg9&sig=ACfU3U0TphNiZpGrFktCq3PnXGfLh0dyew&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwicg5-A-f_zAhUXyIsBHeKYDEUQ6AF6BAg3EAM#v=onepage&q=above%20%20par%20origin&f=false