Lowest SI for a Par 3

[Steve Wilkes]

Having played this week at High Elms, There's a par 3 there which is a brute, only 220 yards but uphill with a wood of tress all up the left that's OOB and a slope down to the rough and barn sheds on the right, a string of bunkers just in front the green, and if that's not difficult enough the green slopes away on a 30 degree angle to the heavy rough behind the green. It's stroke index 2 and rightly so. Those I were playing with were wondering if there is another par 3 with such a low SI ?

 

[srixon 1]

I played a course in Bordeaux, France back in the ‘90s and they had a par 3 that was stroke 1. Golf du Medoc. The tee shot from the back tees was about 240ish carry all over water to the front of the green if I remember correctly. Don’t think any of us made it. ?

 

[BiMGuy]

The 4th at Brampton Park is SI 1.

 

[D-S]

For better players long par 3s often are the biggest shot they’ll play into a green in regulation.

 

[jim8flog]

It very much depends on whether or not a club has the SIs rated for difficulty or for matchplay.

Ours are rated for difficulty and the hardest 3 are 3, 5 and 7 which just shows that 3s can be a lot harder than most par 4s.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Ashbourne, in Derbyshire, has the 9th hole as si 2 and the 16th as si 6

 

[NearHull]

The 4th at Brampton Park is SI 1.

And many a ball have I lost to the surrounding water there.

 

[theoneandonly]

And many a ball have I lost to the surrounding water there.

The 12th is a good tough par 3 aswell.

 

[KenL]

Having played this week at High Elms, There's a par 3 there which is a brute, only 220 yards but uphill with a wood of tress all up the left that's OOB and a slope down to the rough and barn sheds on the right, a string of bunkers just in front the green, and if that's not difficult enough the green slopes away on a 30 degree angle to the heavy rough behind the green. It's stroke index 2 and rightly so. Those I were playing with were wondering if there is another par 3 with such a low SI ?

That hole sounds awful!

But, I thought SI should now be based more on giving an even spread rather than just difficulty?

That's the advice in Scotland at least. SI 1 and 2 in the middle of either half and holes 1, 9, 10 and 18 about sI 8, 9, 10, 11 (not in order).

From memory, our lowest par 3 SI is the 10th with index 12.
202 yards, well bunkered at the front. Balla rarely bounce straight and regularly end up in a bunker. For those that miss the bunkers, the green slopes to the left and balls often do not stay on the green.
I estimate that I am on the green about once in 6 attempts.

 

[BiMGuy]

And many a ball have I lost to the surrounding water there.

I’ve played there 3 times and made 2 birdies and a par.

The 15th has claimed a few balls in return.

 

[Bratty]

That hole sounds awful!

But, I thought SI should now be based more on giving an even spread rather than just difficulty?

That's the advice in Scotland at least. SI 1 and 2 in the middle of either half and holes 1, 9, 10 and 18 as sI 8, 9, 10, 11 (not in order).

Which that one at High Elms is, as it's the 13th. So it's truly both difficult and spread evenly.

 

[Steve Wilkes]

That hole sounds awful!

But, I thought SI should now be based more on giving an even spread rather than just difficulty?

That's the advice in Scotland at least. SI 1 and 2 in the middle of either half and holes 1, 9, 10 and 18 about sI 8, 9, 10, 11 (not in order).

From memory, our lowest par 3 SI is the 10th with index 12.
202 yards, well bunkered at the front. Balla rarely bounce straight and regularly end up in a bunker. For those that miss the bunkers, the green slopes to the left and balls often do not stay on the green.
I estimate that I am on the green about once in 6 attempts.

If you ended up on this High Elms green 1 in 25 you've done well and that's speaking from a 6 handicapper

 

[Oddsocks]

It’s a bitch of a hole, so scared of OB left I always bail out short right! Such a fanny….. but a 4 with a shot is a safe score

 

[gopher99]

Having played this week at High Elms, There's a par 3 there which is a brute, only 220 yards but uphill with a wood of tress all up the left that's OOB and a slope down to the rough and barn sheds on the right, a string of bunkers just in front the green, and if that's not difficult enough the green slopes away on a 30 degree angle to the heavy rough behind the green. It's stroke index 2 and rightly so. Those I were playing with were wondering if there is another par 3 with such a low SI ?

I would personally say that’s the toughest par 3 in Kent.

 

[Pants]

It’s a bitch of a hole, so scared of OB left I always bail out short right! Such a fanny….. but a 4 with a shot is a safe score

Yup. Lay up right short of the bunkers, chip on and hope to only 2 putt on that green.

 

[Pants]

I would personally say that’s the toughest par 3 in Kent.

You are in good company. I think that it may have been Henry Longhurst who agreed with you.

 

[Orikoru]

Yup. Lay up right short of the bunkers, chip on and hope to only 2 putt on that green.

I like to live dangerously so on Monday I went for the green with driver, faded it missing the three bunkers and rolling down the bank a bit; tried bouncing the chip into the bank but went clean over it and landed on the path the other side of the green. The nearest point of relief looked awful so I just bumped it off the path with a hybrid, and holed a 4 footer for the bogey. Piece of cake. ?

 

[Crow]

Our par 3 6th is only 149 off the back tees, has a couple of bunkers at the front and a raised green, not an overly difficult hole and yet it's index 4!
Clearly a case of indexes following matchplay advice.

(I had my only ever hole in one there, for 5 points)

 

[Albo]

At my course we have a 220ish up hill (plays 245ish) par 3 with OB left too. Right is trees then the 4th fairway. Just 2 bunkers one left one right rough and a wall long. A well hit 3w or Dr to reach that dependent on wind and how soft the course is.
Thats SI 4 I think.
Hit the green maybe 1 in 10

 

[NearHull]

The 12th is a good tough par 3 aswell.

It’s been 22 years since I was a member at Brampton. It took me twenty minutes for my ageing brain to recall the 12th.