par for the course

Idioms  

1. An average or normal amount; just what one might expect. For example, I missed three questions, but that's par for the course. This term comes from golf, where it refers to the number of strokes needed by an expert golfer to finish the entire course. Its figurative use for other kinds of expectation dates from the second half of the 1900s.

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Example Sentences

And while that should be seen as par for the course, McCullum and Brook also deserve credit for their tactical calls on this trip.

From BBC

When asked about an article reporting that Frost had been proscribed sleeping pills, Lampert said: "We wouldn't ever report that sort of information now, but that was par for the course then."

From BBC

They weren’t particularly good-looking teeth, but that was par for the course during this time period.

From Literature

But in “Industry,” that’s all par for the course.

From Salon

These wild swings have become par for the course.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cinch