Hello, fellow solvers, and welcome back to the grid! Today, we’re teeing off on a crossword clue that can feel like landing in a sand trap if you’re not in the right mindset: “Golfing standard.”
It’s one of those seemingly simple, two-word phrases that can send your mind racing in a dozen different directions. When you first encounter a crossword clue like this, the immediate instinct is to brainstorm. Your brain floods with a glossary of golf terms:
birdie, bogey, eagle, iron, wood, putter, tee, green, fairway, caddie, Masters.
The list goes on. But the key, as with any great crossword clue, isn’t just in the first word, but in how it’s modified by the second. The “standard” is our true guide here.
So, let’s break down this particular puzzle. The word “Golfing” clearly sets the scene. We are on the course, smelling the freshly cut grass, hearing the distant
thwack
of a well-hit drive. This part of the clue is our location, our category. It narrows the vast world of words down to a very specific, green-jacketed domain.
Now, let’s focus on the word that does the heavy lifting: “standard.” What does “standard” imply in a sporting context? It suggests a benchmark, a baseline, or an expected level of performance. It’s the official target against which all efforts are measured. It’s not about being exceptionally good (like an eagle) or frustratingly bad (like a double bogey). It’s about the expected, the norm, the number you’re
supposed
to get.
Think about it this way. On every single hole on a golf course, there is a predetermined number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to take to get the ball in the hole. This number serves as the ultimate benchmark for scoring. If you meet that number, you’ve met the standard. If you do better, you’re “under,” and if you do worse, you’re “over.”
This crossword clue isn’t asking for a piece of equipment, a famous player, or a type of tournament. It’s drilling down to the very core of how the game is scored and measured. It’s asking for the name of that fundamental benchmark, that ideal score that every golfer is chasing on every hole they play. The clue is a definition in disguise, pointing to a specific, foundational concept within the sport.
As you stare at the empty squares in your puzzle, consider the length of the required answer. Let the number of boxes guide your thinking. Combine the world of “golfing” with the concept of a “standard” or a “benchmark,” and you’ll find yourself right on the fairway. The answer is a term you’ve almost certainly heard, even if you’ve never picked up a club in your life.
Hopefully, this analysis helps clear the fog without spoiling the satisfaction of filling in the letters yourself. Happy solving
Available Answers:
PAR.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: 1117-25 NY Times Crossword 17 Nov 25, Monday