Long Par 3's - How long is too long?

[Foxholer]

My view is that there should be at least 1 Par 3 that provides a 'test' of a 3 or 4 iron (or equivalent) - if these are not 'tested' elsewhere on the course.

For me, anything 200+ is a 3-wood or Driver (I have no ego about hitting Driver on Par 3s), so would expect 180 or so to be an appropriate distance.

DelB. I can appreciate you pain - though you seem to have been a slow learner: why hit the same club that you were short on on 17 on the significantly longer 18th? In my first round there (in 2000) I drove the 16th, then managed to lose 2 of the shiny new Pro Vs - that had just been released! - on 17 :angry: first over the fence and 2nd somewhere in the gully!) and it was touch and go whether I'd find my first tee shot on 18 - miraculous up and down for a par though!

 

[duncan mackie]

you simply can't look at length in isolation - not even adding in up or downhill!

if you take Blackmoor as an example; IMO the 15th would be a much better hole at 20yds less, whilst the 6th (the same length on the card) could be 15yds longer and still play fine.

 

[DelB]

DelB. I can appreciate you pain - though you seem to have been a slow learner: why hit the same club that you were short on on 17 on the significantly longer 18th?

More chance of me keeping a 3 wood struck shot on the same golf course, than with the driver!! :fore:

 

[Airlie_Andy]

Our 8th is a 220 yard par 3 off the whites and I have to hit my 4 iron really well to get it on the green but some of the members do have to use driver. It's not a hole I play particularly well but it is nice to have the challenge of hitting a long iron really well as most of our par 4s are fairly short.

 

[Tommo21]

Winterfield golf club. I played there yesterday, great fun.

1st 238 yards
8th 250
9th 236
14th 202
15th 234

Par these and you’re doing well and great for sharpening your short game.

 

[Wayman]

par 3's over 225yards just isnt fun as said before every course should have one around 200 yards one at 120ish would make it more interesting

 

[ScienceBoy]

par 3's over 225yards just isnt fun as said before every course should have one around 200 yards one at 120ish would make it more interesting

But call them a par 4 and suddenly they become fun?

 

[brendy]

240-250 Id say as any reasonably fit golfer should be able to "reach" it, accuracy and stroke index make up the rest.

 

[Imurg]

When you get to a low handicap, these holes can become a bloody liability.
We have a 208 yarder SI 7 so I don't get a shot.
I don't often hit the green, nor do Fragger and CVG. But they can plant one down in the vicinity of the green, chip on, take 2 putts and walk off with 2 points. Now I know my short game's better than theirs but it's still tricky getting up and down from 20 yards on a sloping green. If I play it as a par 4 then I'm a point down on the others.......

The 18th hole in the OP is SI 12. Play that as an 11 handicapper 220 yards uphill into the wind without a shot in a stableford comp and you'll struggle.........Very easy to make a 5 on a hole like that

 

[ScienceBoy]

When you get to a low handicap, these holes can become a bloody liability.
We have a 208 yarder SI 7 so I don't get a shot.
I don't often hit the green, nor do Fragger and CVG. But they can plant one down in the vicinity of the green, chip on, take 2 putts and walk off with 2 points. Now I know my short game's better than theirs but it's still tricky getting up and down from 20 yards on a sloping green. If I play it as a par 4 then I'm a point down on the others.......

The 18th hole in the OP is SI 12. Play that as an 11 handicapper 220 yards uphill into the wind without a shot in a stableford comp and you'll struggle.........Very easy to make a 5 on a hole like that

Conversely you could argue that if you play safe you are a shot up on anyone who tries to go for the green and ends up taking a 5.

Par really should be mostly irrelevant until you are totting up the scores.

 

[Imurg]

Par really should be mostly irrelevant until you are totting up the scores.

In medal, Yes. But in Stableford What do Points mean - Prizes!!
And to get points you need to play around the par for the hole.

 

[Birchy]

Par 3s are surely on golf courses to add variation to tee shots and shots in general. If players are having to hit driver on them then what is the point?

 

[Fish]

you simply can't look at length in isolation - not even adding in up or downhill!

if you take Blackmoor as an example; IMO the 15th would be a much better hole at 20yds less, whilst the 6th (the same length on the card) could be 15yds longer and still play fine.

Our 2nd at KGC is 206 off the whites and 197 from the yellows with oob and a ditch with tree's all down the left and tree's down the right so quite narrow and not a friendly hole so early into a game. Our 10th is also as long with the blocks place back.

I took a full 5w to the 15th at Blackmoor on H4H day and it just stayed on that raised saucer green but with taking such a club on a par 3 it could have gone anywhere in that wind. 20 yards more forward and it would be a more rewarding and thinking hole rather than a hit & hope hole.

 

[splashtryagain]

Any thing over 220 is pushing it into pointless hole territory, although if I didn't get a shot at the hole and it's really hard I 'll just reckon on getting at least one par on a shot hole.
My course is reasonably sensible at 140, 180, 190, 165 and 175.

 

[Fader]

Our 4th hole is 198yards from the whites, all down hilL. With the wind behin can be a 7 iron however its usually wind against and at least a 4 iron, seen some guys hit 3 wood on occaision and come up short.

Then theres our 17th, depending on tee placement can be aas little as 160 yards or as much as 230yards. Played slightly downhill through an alleyway of trees. So with wind behind and front tee placement maybe a 9iron. Back tee and into the wind though seeing a driver pulled isn't uncommon.

 

[MadAdey]

On the flat without any big carries, the maximum for a club golfer should really be at 200 yards. My place only has 3 par 3's. Off the whites they play 200, 160 and 185 to the middle of the green. The 200 yarder is also SI3 as it needs a good 180 carry to get to the apron at the front of an elevated green. People moan about that hole at times saying it is too hard to make par??????? But everybody from a 3 handicap upwards gets a shot on it to compensate for the toughness of the hole, so to me it being a tough par is correct, it is SI 3 after all.

 

[Grumps]

i think anything over 200 yds is a lottery as surely a par 3 is about judgement and accuracy not brute force with a wood

 

[A1ex]

250 is probably the limit.

Some holes are easy and short, some are tough and long. That's golf :thup:

 

[ForeRighty]

We have 2 par 3's over 200 yards one of which is a nice hole although very tough 230 yards tree lined down left and lake out right the other is a terrible hole, its 210 uphill with raised green and usually plays into the wind. It's very open and if you hit the green you've probably just hit the best shot you will make that day! SI 12 too, a complete head f**k.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd like to submit this as an example of a par 3 that is way too long for the stroke index. Add in the tightness and it is a real brute http://www.wcgc.co.uk/course/holes/hole_12_queens_mere