[T_MacWood]

Mark
What I'm saying is par was a reality during Ross's day. Despite your rattlebrained theory, Ross (and the architects of that day) understood every hole he designed would have a par designation. He also knew that a well designed golf course had an interesting blend of par-3's, par-4's and par-5's...it was important. He never mentioned or wrote anything about par being unimportant.

I don't think he wrote anything about desert golf either, I think we could come up with something pretty creative there too...

[Mark_Fine]

Tom,
As you probably know, Par did not come into use until 1911.  The original Oakmont score card in 1903 showed a bogey 40-40 - 80 course at 6,406 yards in length.  #1 was a bogey 5 at 453 yards in length.  # 4 was a bogey 5 at 520 yards.  #7 was a bogey 5 at 371 yards in length and #8 was a bogey 4 at 220 yards in length.  You explain this to me  

No one said Ross didn't understand what par was, I just don't think he cared as much about it as you seem to think he did.  That's my position and I'm sticking to it    
Mark

[T_MacWood]

1911? The concept of par (and bogey) goes at least as far back as the 1890's.

In the early years, golf courses were set up for bogey, it was the standard score on any hole for a good amateur. Eventually par became the standard for professionals and championship-level amateurs. Often par and bogey would be the same number, only on the most challenging holes would par and bogey differ by a stroke.

Your position is a little precarious.

[Mark_Fine]

Tom,
What I passed on to you in my last post about par being widely used in 1911 and the Oakmont scorecard was taken directly out of the Oakmont "100 years" history book - page 13.  I suggest you check it out, then contact Oakmont and get them to correct their book to what you think is correct.  
Mark

[T_MacWood]

These are the par yardages set by the USGA during the 20's and 30's:

par-3   up to 250 yards
par-4   251 to 445 yards
par-5   446 to 600 yards
par-6   >600 yards

I'm not sure how many par-6's existed, but I do recall reading about a few. In 1956 they eliminated the par-6 and increased the par-4 yardage to 470.

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom;

Interestingly, in the early 70s the USGA had very similar yardages.

Up to 250 - Par 3
250 - 474 - Par 4
475 & Up  - Par 5

Amazingly, there wasn't much change between 1930 & 1975, or even 85, really.

Now a 474 yard par four seems almost quaint for top-level players.

[mike_malone]

 These yardage guidelines are interesting "at the margin". The importance of elevation changes is not taken into account.
   
 A severely uphill 470 yard hole that does not allow a runup can be more of a par five than a significant drop from the tee 525 yard hole that allows a runup.

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