Par 3 Openers

[shortgame]

The other thread (how to warm up) got me thinking about opening holes, particularly par 3's which seem to be fairly uncommon

Orikuru's place, Haste Hill, at 150 ish doesn't sound too bad

However, Homer's place, Royal Ascot, sounds tough at 230 odd and might break you rather than breaking you into the round gently!

What other par 3 openers are out there and what are you opinions on them?

The only ones I can remember playing are:

- Enville (lodge) 170ish I think, nice hole on a nice course and not too bad a start (although I think the Highgate's par 5 opener is better starting hole)

- Chesterton - 160-170ish over a valley, quite enjoy this opener (probably because I've always played it well)

- Church Stretton - brute uphill at about 180 and almost a dogleg. Would only play here for fun as it's a crazy (part golf, part mountaineering) but spectacular and quite special. Wouldn't fancy it in a medal every week though

Overall I prefer par 4 or 5 openers but I guess one advantage to having a par 3 opener is it spreads the field out, useful if there's no starter

Thoughts...

 

[garyinderry]

City of Derry has a pretty long opening par 3. Just over 200. Don't short side yourself on the right and you should be ok.

Preston has a simple enough opening par 3. Breaks you in nicely. Mid to short iron and away you go.


Wouldn't be in my plans if I was designing a course. Wide open or short par 4 would be ideal.

 

[Rlburnside]

Played Falkirk Tryste a few times and they have a shortish par 3 with a lot of bunkers around the green found that a tough opening hole, and giving it more thought a par 3 start might be as hard as any.

 

[ademac]

Huntercombe is the only one I can think of that I have played.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

North Hants opens with long par 3’s on both front and back 9

Liphook has a tough par 3 to start with

Blue Course at The Berkshire is prob the toughest I have played - about 200 yards with a good 150/160 carry other thick heather - brute of a hole

 

[virtuocity]

Cochrane Castle springs to mind. Plays about 175 uphill to a plateau green. As long as you keep it straight, a short/long miss still secures a pretty straightforward bogey. Gets groups moving quickly but I prefer to have a driver in my hand off the first.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd argue that the first at Wimbledon Common is the hardest par three opening hole I've ever played anywhere

http://www.wcgc.co.uk/course/

The road on the left pinches in towards the green and is about 15 yards left at the start of the putting surface (and OOB). The right has a large gully (about where the 67 yard marker on the diagram is). There is a carry of about 100 yards to find the fairway (can you have one on a par 3?) and if you top it there is lots of grassy knolls and typical common scrub to make it hard to hit a decent second. SI7 and a four here really is a good score

 

[shortgame]

Remembered one more:

West Cornwall, used to be intimidating at over 200 yards I think with OB (and expensive homes) tight down the right. I think they were forced to move to a new tee box meaning a shorter hole and a less intimidating angle... a nicer start in my view

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Cleveland Golf Club, Redcar, 168yds from a raised tee to raised green, good start to a good course.

 

[7255carl]

Royal lytham starts with a 3 also at between 169 and 199 depending on the tees, also if I remember correctly the Nicholas course at Carden Park has a par 3 opener at around 160.

 

[Imurg]

Hayling..?
Needed a biggish stick to make that into the wind....

 

[williamalex1]

Cochrane Castle springs to mind. Plays about 175 uphill to a plateau green. As long as you keep it straight, a short/long miss still secures a pretty straightforward bogey. Gets groups moving quickly but I prefer to have a driver in my hand off the first.

175 yards uphill is a driver for you then a short chip, then your normal 3 putts :rofl: .
Ok its a driver and a 9 iron for me, then a single putt :rofl:

 

[ger147]

Played a few this year - Boat of Garten, Largs, Crow Wood as well as the Carrickstone course at my own club (Dullatur) all start with Par 3's.

BOG is the longest of those and I have no problem starting with a Par 3, probably because my home club opens with 1 on 1 of our 2 courses.

 

[ger147]

175 yards uphill is a driver for you then a short chip, then your normal 3 putts :rofl: .
Ok its a driver and a 9 iron for me, then a single putt :rofl:

Easy 6 iron or a hard 7 for me...

 

[jdpjamesp]

Vivary Park where I tend to play most frequently opens with a 220 yard par 3. Front of the green is well protected by sand as well so you have to be pinpoint accurate to chase one up there with a hybrid like I have to.

 

[williamalex1]

Easy 6 iron or a hard 7 for me...

When I snap my fingers, you will wake up and realise you were dreaming ne:

 

[louise_a]

We start with a par 3, 162 off the whites, 145 for me over a grassy valley with a stream at the bottom, its not too bad an opener unless you make a mess of you tee shot.

The toughest par 3 opener I have played is at Southport and Ainsdale 204 from the whites over rough until near the green where there are half a dozen or so bunkers.

I played it in the Lancs Championship and they had us of the yellows, around 180 yards into the wind, I took my driver and got nowhere near the green, a brutal opener!

 

[Mr Hip]

Kilspindie. Years since I played there so can't remember much about it other than playing there with a friend who used a John Letters Banker putter which he had filled with lead! He hit a lovely tee shot about twenty feet behind the hole and then putted about fifteen feet off the front of the green. You can imagine how much he enjoyed the Gullane courses! Still makes me laugh.

 

[ger147]

When I snap my fingers, you will wake up and realise you were dreaming ne:

I've been practicing...

 

[shortgame]

Royal lytham starts with a 3 also at between 169 and 199 depending on the tees

Nice one, forgot that despite going there to watch the 2012 Open

also if I remember correctly the Nicholas course at Carden Park has a par 3 opener at around 160.

Also embarrased to say I've played Carden Park but can't recall the start - possibly related to still being in the bar at 4am and teeing off at 8 😀