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I don't mind 1 long par 3 on a course but the rest should be mid or short irons.
It matters because the hole, if well designed, will have a ball dropping on or around the green, or within 10-20 yards from it as the basis for its protection, hazards, chips, lobs, etc. to be faced.If a hole has cracking features and is 245 yds long why on earth does it matter what the par on the scorecard says.
The protection can be anything, but all holes will suit balls coming in at different angles and therefore be more or less susceptible to players of different swing speeds .It matters because the hole, if well designed, will have a ball dropping on or around the green, or within 10-20 yards from it as the basis for its protection, hazards, chips, lobs, etc. to be faced.
If it is so designed, but the majority of balls are dropping 70 yards short of that, then it is not a good hole.
People are missing this key point. If the hole perfect, as per OP, then you do not design it only for a length of 230 or whatever. It is then far from perfect for 95% of golfers. Thats not a perfect hole.
One yard further back, it would be an even worse hole.The protection can be anything, but all holes will suit balls coming in at different angles and therefore be more or less susceptible to players of different swing speeds .
What is it that is unique to a hole at 249 yds that makes it a bad hole but if the tee was one yard further back it could be a good hole?
This implies that there are some distances that are automatically bad holes.One yard further back, it would be an even worse hole.
A lot of those legend tour players hit the ball as far as they ever have due to modern club and ball tech.The 17th at JCB is mickey mouse golf, American design at it's worst. The whole place is one of the most overrated courses in the country at the moment. Rick Shiels is just picking up freebies to big it up. He talked about how long and tough it was, yet the Legends Tour guys ripped it apart. A strong field European Tour or LIV Tour event and the winning score would be -20 minimum.
A lot of older clubs have small greens and the over time they pushed the tees back.I posted earlier but I'll also add, what makes a perfect par 3...
Use the correct teeing area for the day given the field & weather, in order for the bulk of players to have a shot with the range of club(s) the green was designed for
It doesnt imply that. Its a function of who is playing it, and whether it is designed as a one shotter, or a two. 251 yards can be a great hole. As a par 4.This implies that there are some distances that are automatically bad holes.
What is the minimum distance that a hole can be over 250 yds before it can be a good hole? If a hole of 300 yds can be a great hole for long hitters why should a hole of 240 yds not be similarly great for shorter hitters?
Looks scary to me. A fairly long carry (150+yds?). I'd probably hit my 11 wood to carry and land soft enough not to shoot on through. One of my hybrids might work. Some of the older guys I play with would have to lay up. In a way it's kind of like the 12th at our course. Last weekend from the whites it was probably a 160-170 carry over the pond in front of the green and if you don't HIT the green the ball will shoot though and go bye-bye oob. Everybody in my group played short and left to avoid making a complete mess of things.Lots of water and a bunker….
Not a problem for the youth (think he was 11 here).
I’d say this is a good design, it’s not too long, slightly downhill, but the only miss is long/left - which really isn’t something you’d play for as anything straight or right would probably be in the water at the back. You can also lay up short of the rambla of course.
Looks scary to me. A fairly long carry (150+yds?). I'd probably hit my 11 wood to carry and land soft enough not to shoot on through. One of my hybrids might work. Some of the older guys I play with would have to lay up. In a way it's kind of like the 12th at our course. Last weekend from the whites it was probably a 160-170 carry over the pond in front of the green and if you don't HIT the green the ball will shoot though and go bye-bye oob. Everybody in my group played short and left to avoid making a complete mess of things.
Many of these holes were designed back in the day of persimmon woods and irons when distances for top players were shorter they could be played as one or two shotters and remain excellent holes.It doesnt imply that. Its a function of who is playing it, and whether it is designed as a one shotter, or a two. 251 yards can be a great hole. As a par 4.
But the focus on whether it is called a par 3 or par 4, or whether it conforms the the ranges for each, is not the point. The critical element is whether it is DESIGNED as a par 3 or par 4 that influence its greatness or not.
A250 yd hole designed as a par 4 could be a great hole. A 250yd hole designed as a par three cannot be a great hole for 99% of golfers. Changing its recorded par, or whether a hc golfer has a shot there or not is irrelevant. It is purely how the hole plays, that makes it great or not.
The idea that just because a 230 yd hole has marked on the card par three it is unsuitable or a bad hole for the ordinary club golfer is just not true.