Par 3 Openers

[jim8flog]

It is also a drivable par 4 so it does set the pace of play.

In always remember every time I played there (back in the days of wooden headed drivers) I would try to drive the hole. The one and only time I actually managed to finish on the green I 3 putted.

 

[Pathetic Shark]

If you are playing a course that has a tough par-3 to start, why would you be worried about making "a par"? Your aim is to play the hole in the least number of shots - so if you are facing a 220-yard shot to a guarded green, why not play short? Pitch on - if you make a 3 - great. If you make 4, you're not exactly going to lose shots on many of the field. Never understood the mentality of playing a hole just because of the par.

But to echo some of the comments here, Wimbledon Common, Walton Heath and North Hants are three of the toughest I can think of. I'm excluding "Royal Horton Park" in Epsom which has a 140-yard hole to a tiny green on one nine with that utterly stupid other par 3 on the back nine.

 

[Mr Hip]

Yes! Then you can go to Alnmouth Village, the oldest nine hole links course in England. The first hole is a testing opener, a 199 yard Par 3 played to an unusual green which has a raised plateau with deep doo-doo left and right. Great sea views though.

Then nip down to Warkworth for a gentle 217 yard, slightly downhill opener. Cracking hole!

 

[shortgame]

Yes! Then you can go to Alnmouth Village, the oldest nine hole links course in England. The first hole is a testing opener, a 199 yard Par 3 played to an unusual green which has a raised plateau with deep doo-doo left and right. Great sea views though.

That looks nice 👍👍

 

[hines57]

Northants opens with a par 3 of around 190 yards. Not too bad a way to open a round and certainly doesn't seem to have done Justin Rose too much harm when he was honing his skills there

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Northants opens with a par 3 of around 190 yards. Not too bad a way to open a round and certainly doesn't seem to have done Justin Rose too much harm when he was honing his skills there

I suspect when Rose was there is was still a Par 4 - they reduced it when they did the clubhouse up. For me it’s a pretty poor start tbh - it’s just a long nothing hole

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Thetford is a nice Par 3 which is a reasonable challenge as the green is well protected and tricky. Plus club selection adds doubt as it's an elevated tee which is tree protected so hard to assess wind etc.

Sums it up. Tough opening hole. And to have 2 par 3s in the first 3 holes means if you get off to a slow start, you can up against it for the rest of the round!

 

[AmandaJR]

Sums it up. Tough opening hole. And to have 2 par 3s in the first 3 holes means if you get off to a slow start, you can up against it for the rest of the round!

Yep that 2nd Par 3 is even trickier. Neither are long but tough greens to hit!

 

[Bigfoot]

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...

Enville Lodge starts with 178 yard par 3 and it is always a tough proposition first up but the tougher one is at Church Stretton. It is tough because it is uphill and a smallish green with steep drop offs on either side.

I would play Church Stretton all the time. A wonderful course. Superb views and good exercise! Give it a try sometime.

 

[Bigfoot]

Isn't the first at Bamburgh Castle a par 3. It is on the cliff edge too. 180 yards.

 

[paulw4701]

The blue course at the Berkshire starts with a 200+ yard par 3 with a raised green and danger on all sides Heather everywhere anything not on the green or on the short fairway in front of the green is in trouble toughest opening par 3 I'ved played

 

[clubchamp98]

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!

yes S&A is a really tough hole off the back tee.
It can ruin your card very easy.

 

[Vikingman]

Maesdu, Withington, Preston and Ellesmere come to mind.

 

[richart]

Northants opens with a par 3 of around 190 yards. Not too bad a way to open a round and certainly doesn't seem to have done Justin Rose too much harm when he was honing his skills there

Wasn't it a par 4 when he was honing ?

 

[richart]

Wasn't it a par 4 when he was honing ?

ooops just seen Liverpoolphil's post. The money the club received for the land paid for the new clubhouse.

Best two par threes to open with I have played are Southport and Ainsdale and Liphook.

 

[cookelad]

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.

Played though a couple of trees.

Have they changed the layout on the Nicklaus Course last time I played it the first par 3 was the third?

Personally, I like a par 3 to start for pace of play - much better than the short par 5 we have that bunches people up - but I do prefer to give it a lash with the driver off the first tee!

 

[Old Skier]

1st at Yelverton 205 yds with unusual hazards

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Have they changed the layout on the Nicklaus Course last time I played it the first par 3 was the third?

Personally, I like a par 3 to start for pace of play - much better than the short par 5 we have that bunches people up - but I do prefer to give it a lash with the driver off the first tee!

It’s the Cheshire that starts with a par 3

 

[shortgame]

the tougher one is at Church Stretton. It is tough because it is uphill and a smallish green with steep drop offs on either side.

I would play Church Stretton all the time. A wonderful course. Superb views and good exercise! Give it a try sometime.

Played it a few times and totally enjoy it for something different with unbelievable views and very friendly. Also enjoy the odd visit to Welshpool which is similar and also great fun 👍👍

 

[srixon 1]

I have always said that if I designed a course (fat chance) I would start it with a really tough par 3 because that hole would then set the pace of play for the hole course and you should then never have to wait on a shot again.

Where I play, Yeovil, we have a fairly tough par 3 second (5th most difficult hole on the course) and very often you will start off at a brisk pace just to sit on the bench at the second with ,sometimes , another group waiting for the green to clear.

Played in a match there years ago and made a 2 on the first three par 3's (2nd, 10th and 13th. Never got to try on the 15th as the match was over after 14 holes. It was the same day one of my team mates won the second hole with an ace.