Normal, typical, or exactly what one would expect in a given situation; the standard level of performance or outcome.
This phrase comes directly from golf, where 'par' represents the expected number of strokes a skilled golfer should need to complete a hole or course. The term 'par' itself derives from Latin meaning 'equal' or 'equivalent,' and the full phrase emerged in the early 1900s as golf terminology entered common usage.
What makes this phrase particularly interesting is that it's one of the few golf terms that maintains its precise original meaning when used metaphorically - just as par in golf represents the expected standard, 'par for the course' in life refers to meeting normal expectations, neither exceeding nor falling short.
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