Do I not like that....

For me a long par 3 is an unreasonable hole for the ordinary golfer if there is no realistic lay up. If there is a possibility of both a one shot and two shot strategy this makes it interesting.
I am certainly not denigrating shorter par 3's and think good courses have both but generally on a short par 3 there is one strategy which is correct club to middle of green. Not to say that the hole cannot be interesting and enjoyable but they rarely ask strategic questions.
 
I'd be very surprised if "normal people" want to play a par 3 where they have to take driver and Rory hits his 6 iron.

Maybe, but my point is, you don’t have to take a driver. Just play a distance within your ability. Personally, I tend to get to two feet with a nine iron at 220, so maybe a skewed view.
 
I'm afraid not.. I'll delete my account on the way out..
Don't worry he probably doesn't do it every time I imagine with a strong wind in his face he sometimes has to use a chocked down 7 or with a x wind the dispersion could increase to four feet or so.
 
Don't worry he probably doesn't do it every time I imagine with a strong wind in his face he sometimes has to use a chocked down 7 or with a x wind the dispersion could increase to four feet or so.
He thinned one once on a downhill hole that was baked hard in the summer 🤣
 
If we're talking about idiotic par 3s, I give you the 17th at Pinner Hill.
(Amazingly it's not even the stupidest hole on the course, which is the par 4 12th)

The 17th needs a windmill, it really does belong on a crazy golf course.

The 16th used to be equally stupid in summer, until they built mounds on the right of the fairway to stop balls rolling into the trees.
 
You're going to say this is the wrong attitude of course, but I think most golfers see "par 3" and expect to have a chance of hitting the green. When you have no choice but to lay up, chip on and two-putt for a bogey it just doesn't feel very enjoyable. It also means you have no room for error at all or you're looking at a double.

A good course will have some long par 4s that are out of reach in 2 for a bogey golfer, and some shorter par 4's within range. I don't see why this should be any different for par 3s. A bogey golfer is going to miss most greens in regulation, regardless of length.

The par 3s on my course are 140, 170, 185 and 200 - I think that's a good mix.
 
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