Perfect par 3

[Mandofred]

I refer back to a Dan Patrick show interview with Rory M in 2018.....his view was within 150yds. Good interview....topic comes up at about 9:50

Played a comp at our place last weekend and a couple of par 3's were at or over 200yds. Too long in my opinion.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

When I rule the world, par 3s over 175 yards will become illegal. ?

 

[Deleted member 23270]

I can think of lots of brilliant very short par 3's but no long ones.

 

[Orikoru]

There's a par 3 at ours which is almost 220 off the whites and quite steep uphill. I can barely reach it let alone actually hit the green. There must be loads of club members that have never been on it in one. That makes it a poor hole in my opinion. A par three should be a test of accuracy, not one that only the long hitters have a decent chance on.

 

[rulefan]

A par three should be a test of accuracy, not one that only the long hitters have a decent chance on.

When setting up courses for our county events I always make sure there are some short par 3s.

 

[Backsticks]

A perfect par 3 should :
- have tees so that whatever the level of golfers playing it, beginner to tour, it should play in their 4-5-6 iron range.
- it should have no lake or large expanse of water in play
- it should though, have a narrow, snaking, stream or burn, that is more of an influence on the shots posed, rather than a real catcher of balls
- the green should have multiple subtle undulations, that reward shot shaping from the tee, but make the first putt difficult if not from the 'correct' approach
- it should have no out of bounds
- it should have no false front, steep and long run off, stepped tier design, or gimmick element
- it should not be a kidney shape or other curvature inviting wedges to skip over rough or bunker to the hole if on the green
- its real design excellence should lie in the variety, and difficulty, of missed green shots presented, from fringe to 20 yards from the green
- it should have no dense bushes or trees or rough, in range where a ball might be lost.
- it should have a minimum of one bunker, but any must be strategically placed in the contours, and not simply there as unimaginative protection for want of better design
- it should feel isolated from the rest of the course, as it if were the only golf hole in the world, whether shielded by trees, the contours, or its distance and orientation from other holes.
- its middle and long distance scenery sould be a delight. Such that, even if not a golfer, one should be wont to choose its tee as a spot for a summer picnic

 

[Backache]

A golf course as a whole should have variety, whereas I do think this should include shorter par 3's I don't think it should necessarily preclude long ones. I am a shortish hitter but don't object to a long par 3 I actually think a couple of holes in the mid 200's can be interesting whether these are nominally par 3 or 4 is of less interest.

PS agree with many of the features of the above post but slightly disagree with the stream. I think they are great features in a course and agree completely with the preference over lakes but think they are wasted on par3's and are at their most useful on par4's.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The ones I remember are short, 100-120yds, raised tee, ideally having the green much lower. You can surround it by bunkers, water, frame it with bushes, plants etc.

Long par 3's just bring a groan, short par 3's bring a smile. Post #2 has it right, I might even bring that number lower ?

 

[Jimaroid]

9th on the New is the only >200 yard par3 that I enjoy playing as it suits my eye and fade. I have never enjoyed other similarly long holes.

My favourite par3 has to be the 11th on the Old because it’s all laid out in front of you to see, it’s a notoriously difficult hole but not an unfair one.

 

[Shooter McPowick]

We have both ends of the spectrum at hindhead and something in between.

3rd usually plays around 165-175 but is 190 from towards the back. Trouble everywhere except short so somewhat fair. Par feels like a birdie, very intimidating.

6th is 145 steep descent into the valley, usually a knocked down 9i depending on the wind. Still a hard green to hit. Despite being Hindhead’s signature hole, it’s probably my least favourite.

8th is a brute, 205 most days to a tiny narrow green. Hitting the green is a rarity but when you do it’s a fantastic feeling! Not a huge amount of trouble once you’re up there but the bunker is deep and probably one of the fastest greens on the course.

10th at 165 looks easy but unless you’re on the green you’re in trouble. Potential card wrecker.

Lastly the 15th, short at 125, probably has the most bail out areas yet still feels like a par is an excellent score. Tricky front half of the green and if you’re in a bunker with a front pin the only person making par is Seve. If you do land in a bail out area, you’re left with a very tricky up and down.

I think visually, they are all fantastic but the one I look forward to the most is the short 15th.

 

[TopOfTheFlop]

There's a par 3 at ours which is almost 220 off the whites and quite steep uphill. I can barely reach it let alone actually hit the green. There must be loads of club members that have never been on it in one. That makes it a poor hole in my opinion. A par three should be a test of accuracy, not one that only the long hitters have a decent chance on.

If you get a shot on this hole (do you?) then what’s the problem?

 

[Deleted member 1147]

A good course should have a variety of length par 3’s. Short, middle and long.
Ours range from 135 to 190 off the whites.

 

[Orikoru]

If you get a shot on this hole (do you?) then what’s the problem?

The problem is that I'm lucky to make a 5 alone a bogey! I don't like the mindset of 'using your shots', because all it takes then is one mistake and you're looking at double bogey. On this particular hole it's not just the length and the fact it's uphill - the green is on a ridiculous slope as well. If you miss right (which I normally do) you're looking at a downhill chip from thick rough. There's no easy two putt from anywhere on the green.

 

[Blue in Munich]

The problem is that I'm lucky to make a 5 alone a bogey! I don't like the mindset of 'using your shots', because all it takes then is one mistake and you're looking at double bogey. On this particular hole it's not just the length and the fact it's uphill - the green is on a ridiculous slope as well. If you miss right (which I normally do) you're looking at a downhill chip from thick rough. There's no easy two putt from anywhere on the green.

If you've got shots surely the whole point is to use them.

If you're missing it right then presumably you're missing with a driver? Iron into the fairway, wedge on, 2 putts, job done.

 

[Slab]

I prefer to see/play a par 3 with:

No blind landing zone (what’s the point in that on a par 3)
Reachable with a no more than a medium iron for most of the ‘field’
Contoured green giving several easy & hard options for pin placements
Close cut banks/slopes for missing the green (a mix that’ll take the ball both towards and away from the green)

 

[Orikoru]

If you've got shots surely the whole point is to use them.

If you're missing it right then presumably you're missing with a driver? Iron into the fairway, wedge on, 2 putts, job done.

I have tried it that way (albeit 5 wood rather than an iron) but it doesn't really make it much easier. And as we get towards winter even my driver won't reach so all I'd be doing is making the chip longer. I'd rather get as near as possible with the first shot.

And going back to the original point, I think a par 3 that you have to play as a par 4 makes it a crap par 3 personally. ??‍

 

[Imurg]

A good course should have a variety of length par 3’s. Short, middle and long.
Ours range from 135 to 190 off the whites.

Similar...although we lack one in the 150/160 range
We have 3 in the 180/190, 1 at 140 and 1 at 125..
I've always said that I don't see the point in 200+ yard par 3s..but that's my view, others are available.
A large number of amateur golfers hit driver on the par 4s and 5s because they need to.
It would be nice for them not have to hit driver on par 3s

 

[The Fader]

For the majority of mid and higher handicap golfers (that's the majority of us) the opportunity to hit a GIR with a 7-PW iron are generally few.

Par 3's should present that opportunity. Par 3's should be test of accuracy not distance.

A good mix is what I would choose. A flick with a real element of danger, a couple at 135 - 155 and a longer one at 175.

Par 3's need to have features - the green should be "framed" with trees or bushes plus elevation or water if possible or at least imaginative bunkering.

Nothing worse than a flat, bland par 3.

 

[IanM]

I was a member at Bowood (the Wiltshire one) for about 10 years. On one side of the course the two par 3s are over 200 yards. They play similar and a uninteresting to look at. Sorry Mr Thomas! The two on the other side are shorter and far more interesting!!

Contrast the 2nd at Newport . Only a short iron to a tricky green. Big dip before the green plays tricks with the distance, trees all round and a tough up and down if you miss. Pretty a a picture. Stroke index 18 early in the round.... in comps, plenty of 2s, and plenty of 4s as well.

My mate thinks they should put a pond in front, but he knows "nowt!!"

 

[IanMcC]

Worth mentioning Denbigh golf club here. 14th is a flick at 125 yards. 15th, par 3 also, is 236 yards, with half of the green behind trees.