Par 5s, Start and Finish

[Coffey]

Kirkistown in NI starts and ends with par 5's.

I enjoy it, the first is a real birdie chance as normally plays down wind, the 18th is normally into the wind. Play them both in level par and I say you would be pretty happy.

 

[FuzzyDuck]

I'm a short hitter and getting to a par 5 green in 3 is quite a rare occurrence, so I rather encounter the first par 5 on a course after a few holes and I've had a chance to get my swing going.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Our 504yd par 5 1st hole is followed by a 474yd Par 4 2nd. Tee shots on both 1st and 2nd are into quite significantly rising fairways that then drop from their highest point to the greens - and though second half of our 2nd is downhill, my second shot is always blind and often as much club as I have in the bag as it's against the prevailing wind. I mess up the 1st and I walk to the 2nd tee with some trepidation. And so whilst I should be OK on our 1st, the prospect of our 2nd always makes the 1st that little bit harder. 'One hole at a time dear boy', I tell myself as I play the 1st.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

I'm a short hitter and getting to a par 5 green in 3 is quite a rare occurrence, so I rather encounter the first par 5 on a course after a few holes and I've had a chance to get my swing going.

OP here. Yes, that is exactly my view.

 

[garyinderry]

175 x 3 = 525

Really should he within reach for most if not all.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

175 x 3 = 525

Really should he within reach for most if not all.

You really need to keep your first and second shots on the short stuff though

 

[Liverbirdie]

A lot of the issue for higher h/c is distance, followed by inconsistent ball striking. A par 5 will usually need 3 decent whacks or a minimum 2 plus an iron. A par 4 could be 300-340 yds and is reachable in one decent whack and a short iron. Much easier, less likely to mess up.

Clearly the above is simplistic, a long par 4 is just as problematic, but I suspect most high h/c will score more poorly on par 5's on the whole.

Yes but most high handicappers mainly reach for driver on Par 5's and 4's.

Now I'm not proposing that they hit 3 x 7 irons or 3 x 6 irons, but most would be in range if they did that, if not on. Even accounting for one being a duff, possibly on in 4, normally using their shot would still see a nett par.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Yes but most high handicappers mainly reach for driver on Par 5's and 4's.

Now I'm not proposing that they hit 3 x 7 irons or 3 x 6 irons, but most would be in range if they did that, if not on. Even accounting for one being a duff, possibly on in 4, normally using their shot would still see a nett par.

At my own course the par 5's, off the whites, are

503 yds
474 yds
499 yds
491 yds

The average high h/c will hit a 7 iron around 130-135, but lets be generous and say 140yds. 3 true hits gets them to 420, that is assuming they can do that consistently. They then have between 50-80yds and 2 putts to come away with a 6 and 2 points. You are asking for 4 good iron shots on the trot with your method. If they could do that then they would not be a high h/c

I completely get the point you are making, I personally often use a 3 wood off the tee as I am pretty consistent with that, 180yds and straight, and using your head instead of going for driver each time would certainly help. The 7 iron, 7 iron approach would make sense at times, although I would argue on a lot of par 5's it just leaves too much, and is something to think about. Maybe for par 5's around the 450yd mark it would be more feasible?

The point where this started was a good golfer stating a par 5 hole is easy to score on and a few of us less skilled golfers suggesting it is not that straightforward. I still think that is generally the case, although there are many variables to throw into that that would disprove my point.

 

[USER1999]

I remember being a beginner, and par 5s were a nightmare. Lost balls, shanks, fats, etc. 9 was a good score! Having to hit 3 or 4 half decent shots in a row was a big ask.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

For most of us our par 5 1st and 18th don't offer up many birdies - the opposite in fact. And our third par 5 is our SI 1 hole. 549yds against the prevailing wind with tee shot into a gentle rising fairway, and for most of us at the very best a tricky 100yd pitch to a significantly raised and unseen green and often unseen flag position if it's at the back. Most non-SF h/cap players will have 130-150yds 3rd shot. So not that many easy birdies there either - well not for me

 

[Val]

Give me a Par 5 start over a Par 3 start any day. My course starts with a long Par 3, start with a double and you are under pressure from the off.

 

[rksquire]

Start with a long Par 4, end with a short par 5. Would take a 5 and a 5 any day.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

It’s funny how, as you get better at golf, par 5’s get easier & par 3’s seem harder.

 

[KenL]

My course doesn't publish comp score stats for comps but I know plenty do.

Would be good to know how par 3s, 4s & 5s play compared to par.

 

[ScienceBoy]

175 x 3 = 525

Really should he within reach for most if not all.

If you don't mind keeping birdies off the card this is a great way to approach it.

 

[sunshine]

My course doesn't publish comp score stats for comps but I know plenty do.

Would be good to know how par 3s, 4s & 5s play compared to par.

Statistically, the par fives are the easiest holes at my club. The long par fours are the hardest. The par threes are in the middle.

I find par threes often represent a hard par but easy bogey. I'm quite likely to miss the green from 180 yards, but then it's a question of whether I can get up and down. Extremely rare to make a double. In understand this is why they have the highest stroke indices. On the other hand, it's possible to make a couple of mistakes (or one big mistake) on a par 4 or 5 and make double.

So statistically the par threes have an average of c.4, the par fives have an average just under 6, and the par fours average just over 5 (long tough par fours average 5.5 and the shorter easier holes around 4.5).

 

[sunshine]

Statistically, the par fives are the easiest holes at my club. The long par fours are the hardest. The par threes are in the middle.

I find par threes often represent a hard par but easy bogey. I'm quite likely to miss the green from 180 yards, but then it's a question of whether I can get up and down. Extremely rare to make a double. In understand this is why they have the highest stroke indices. On the other hand, it's possible to make a couple of mistakes (or one big mistake) on a par 4 or 5 and make double.

So statistically the par threes have an average of c.4, the par fives have an average just under 6, and the par fours average just over 5 (long tough par fours average 5.5 and the shorter easier holes around 4.5).

If you use howdidido or intelligent golf, the stats are all there for each competition. I occasionally look at it when I am checking my result. It's interesting to see little changes, e.g. when the field finds a typically easy hole much tougher due to a tricky pin placement.

 

[sunshine]

West course at Wentworth starts and ends with par fives (although the pros play the first as a par 4).

I quite like starting with a par 5, you get an opportunity to recover from a poor tee shot. Probably says more about my typical opening tee shot

Closing with a par 5 can be great as you get the chance to finish with a birdie or even eagle. Sometimes I think this is a bit of a cliché as nearly all modern resort courses / tour courses seem to finish with a par 5. I like how the Open courses nearly all finish with a long tough par 4.

 

[garyinderry]

You really dont "need 3 good shots" on a par 5.

I'm living proof of that and I'm sure many will agree.

You need a drive that stays on planet earth or at very least one that isn't behind a tree. Make sure you have a 2and shot.
The 2nd shot doesnt have to be brilliant either. Depending on what's about an iron might be the play. If it's safe clip a hybrid or wood. This doesnt have to be the worlds greatest strike. Many a time I've scuffed a 2nd shot up a par 5 and still left myself a semi simple shot to the green.

We have 165 markers and I always try to get my 2nd inside that.

 

[HarrogateHacker]

We start with a long par 4 and for some reason they try and start and finish with mid range stroke index even though it’s much tougher than s.i 9.

I do remember starting out and 7 on a par 5 did seem much worse than a 5 on a par three