Par 3s... Brain v Brawn?

[Tiger man]

Well after reading this thread really feel I am missing out! My course only has 3 and they are all around 150 yards, yawn.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

So how often do you (intentionally) lay up on your first hole?

I usually take a 5 wood to "try" and keep it in play. If I nail it I'll get close. If not it should leave a simple chip. However to be honest there's a lot of dead ground short with longish grass and so laying up and getting a decent lie especially at this time of year arguably negates playing safe as there's no guarantee how it'll lie, whether it gets muddy (not eligible to pick and place as its not mown). Better off at the moment being a little more aggressive especially with a shot. Even if I go OB and hit three off the tee (great title for a blog) I can get still attempt to rescue a five, net four and a point that way. In the summer with dryer lies there's merit in the lay up for sure

 

[Tiger]

I don't mind a long par 3 so long as it's a one off, doesn't occur at the start of the round and has the right SI. Ours is 218 off the whites, first hole on the course and SI 5. If it was the 4th or 5th hole and SI 2 it would be better.

I like it mixed up a bit. If there are 4/5 par 3s I want to have to use 4/5 different clubs to get there

 

[NorfolkShaun]

I don't mind a long par 3 so long as it's a one off, doesn't occur at the start of the round and has the right SI. Ours is 218 off the whites, first hole on the course and SI 5. If it was the 4th or 5th hole and SI 2 it would be better.

I like it mixed up a bit. If there are 4/5 par 3s I want to have to use 4/5 different clubs to get there

That is a tough start

 

[Tiger]

That is a tough start

Certainly is. Most are happy with a 4 and move on. The green is quite long, slopes quite a bit back to front and is narrow with bunkers either side at the front. So safest play is hit a shot about 180/190 and try to get up and down

 

[JohnnyDee]

But think a par 3 should be a hole that encourages people to attack and go for the pins

This is exactly what I think too.

Saying that a four will do is not, in my view, what the concept of the Par 3 is all about. Surely the recieved wisdom and litmus test for "a fair test of golf" allows us all two putts following hitting a green in regulation. So where then does that argument leave the acceptance of a 4 on a Par 3 as being fair?:mmm:

 

[HawkeyeMS]

This is exactly what I think too.

Saying that a four will do is not, in my view, what the concept of the Par 3 is all about. Surely the recieved wisdom and litmus test for "a fair test of golf" allows us all two putts following hitting a green in regulation. So where then does that argument leave the acceptance of a 4 on a Par 3 as being fair?:mmm:

The same place as the acceptance of a 5 on a Par 4 does. I'd take a 5 on our 10th every week, and the 5th come to think of it

 

[ScienceBoy]

This is exactly what I think too.

Saying that a four will do is not, in my view, what the concept of the Par 3 is all about.

What do you think about courses with a SSS above their par?

I think a bogey on a hole where the average score is that then you are not losing much to your competitors, plenty of other holes to score on.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

This is exactly what I think too.

Saying that a four will do is not, in my view, what the concept of the Par 3 is all about. Surely the recieved wisdom and litmus test for "a fair test of golf" allows us all two putts following hitting a green in regulation. So where then does that argument leave the acceptance of a 4 on a Par 3 as being fair?:mmm:

But how many times will say a mid handicapper hit a 200 yard par 3 in regulation out of say 10 attempts. To me golf is about knowing your game and when to play the percentages. I am more than happy with a 4 on both the 1st (229 off the whites) and the 17th (218 yards). I get a shot on the first (SI 10) and not on the seventeenth (SI 13) but figure there are easier holes including relatively short par fives that I get shots at which I can look to pick shots up on.

 

[JohnnyDee]

The same place as the acceptance of a 5 on a Par 4 does. I'd take a 5 on our 10th every week, and the 5th come to think of it

That's valid point and hard to argue against. However another, although a now less commonly used term for a Par 3, is "Short hole" OK so it's a bit 'Pro-Celebrity Golf' for those old enough to remember this show, but to me it says it all. 220 yards is not a short hole and it's probably why I'll never warm to Par3s of this length.

 

[louise_a]

I don't get shots at any of our par 3s but I tend to use a driver on one of them and a smaller wood on 2 others, I tend not to worry if I don't par them as I am likely to get pars on some of the par 4s and par 5 where I don't get shots.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

That's valid point and hard to argue against. However another, although a now less commonly used term for a Par 3, is "Short hole" OK so it's a bit 'Pro-Celebrity Golf' for those old enough to remember this show, but to me it says it all. 220 yards is not a short hole and it's probably why I'll never warm to Par3s of this length.

I think you're clutching a bit there. You get long and short Par 3s, 4s and 5s. The thing with golf is that you are supposed to use your skill to overcome the challenge put in front of you.

 

[JohnnyDee]

I think you're clutching a bit there. You get long and short Par 3s, 4s and 5s. The thing with golf is that you are supposed to use your skill to overcome the challenge put in front of you.

Probably am to be fair and I'm not saying I crumble into a heap of uselessness when faced with such holes. I too play them to suit my abilities, but it's the bigger picture and the original spirit of the game that I'm talking about here.

The modern obsession with length as the bee all and end all irritates me and I stand by my view that a Par 3 should be subtle rather than 'crash bang wallop'. Not saying I'm right in my view, just that it's my view.

*Bows out of debate*

 

[Region3]

That's valid point and hard to argue against. However another, although a now less commonly used term for a Par 3, is "Short hole" OK so it's a bit 'Pro-Celebrity Golf' for those old enough to remember this show, but to me it says it all. 220 yards is not a short hole and it's probably why I'll never warm to Par3s of this length.

The answer is to stop thinking about par and just think of them as golf holes.

The ball is on the tee, the hole is over there. Your job is to get the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes you can.

The average golfer's final score bears no resemblance to par so why even worry about a number on the card?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Augusta has four par 3's - one is 240 off the Masters tee the other three below 170

The best and most exciting and biggest test of skill are the two on the back 9 - the shorter ones

You don't have to have long par 3 to make it a test

Toughest and most exciting par 3 at Woburn is the 3rd on the Dukes - also the shortest

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Probably am to be fair and I'm not saying I crumble into a heap of uselessness when faced with such holes. I too play them to suit my abilities, but it's the bigger picture and the original spirit of the game that I'm talking about here.

The modern obsession with length as the bee all and end all irritates me and I stand by my view that a Par 3 should be subtle rather than 'crash bang wallop'. Not saying I'm right in my view, just that it's my view.

*Bows out of debate*

Fair enough. For what it's worthI agree that when Par 3s start pushing 220+ they become a little bit silly but as long as the course has a good mixture then I'm OK with it.

 

[Evesdad]

We have 2 long par 3's. Tge long ones are 210 & 200, the short ones are 155 & 163. A good mix both have their quirks.

 

[User20205]

But how many times will say a mid handicapper hit a 200 yard par 3 in regulation out of say 10 attempts. To me golf is about knowing your game and when to play the percentages. I am more than happy with a 4 on both the 1st (229 off the whites) and the 17th (218 yards). I get a shot on the first (SI 10) and not on the seventeenth (SI 13) but figure there are easier holes including relatively short par fives that I get shots at which I can look to pick shots up on.

But the other day you were adamant you wouldn't lay up on your 1st. You are very contradictory homer.

Quote 'It's a par 3! Just a poor swing and no warm up!' ????

I'm confused, do you post so much that you forget what you write?

 

[Smiffy]

I don't really like long par 3's, much preferring ones where you have to "think" about it a little rather than the hit and hope type.
Cooden has a nice variety, with one in particular (14th) being a real puzzler at times, and will have you scratching your head.
It's 193 off the back tees, 181 from the yellows, all downhill, but you cannot get away with a poorly hit shot on here as there is just too much trouble in front of you.
Also, depending on the wind it can play anything from a 7 iron to a driver.
To top it all off, the green is one of the trickiest on the course with some severe undulations. You don't want to be long when the pin is cut on the front.
Can't remember what the SI is, I think (think) it's 17. All I know is that I don't shot on there and if I do happen to walk off with a 3 it really does feel like I have escaped some sort of punishment and I will look on it as a shot gained.

 

[Slab]

I need my brain to kick in on these holes because I play a different game from some of you

Unlike the typical forum member I drive the ball about 190 topping at 200 on a good day so there’s no such thing as a 220yrd par 3

When I play a hole over 200 that the scorecard says is a par 3 I’m obviously going to play it as a par 4 (& it’s much more fun for me, otherwise it would be depressing faced with a long par 3)
Even at 200 long I’m not going to hit driver off the tee to a landing area smaller than my thumbnail, that would be atrocious course management unless the green sits in the bottom of a bowl!

I play quite a few long par 3’s that have fairways, my rationale is that they have fairways for a reason so I’m playing up with 5w or normally a hybrid (depending on where I want to play my pitch from)

I don’t stand on the tee of a 400yrd par 4 thinking I’ll make GIR so wouldn’t try it on a 200 par 3

I tend to think that course/hole Par numbers exists as a measure for scratch golfers to use & it’s not hard to mentally adjust it for my own handicap level