Starting with a 3, a 4, a 5

[londonlewis]

I'm interested to know what par people prefer to start their round with or is my question more to do with which club people prefer to start their round with.

I have heard people favour all three types of holes to start and have heard loads of good arguments as to why.

So what would you rather?

 

[Birchy]

Anything but a par 3.

 

[chris661]

Ours starts with a par 5 and for me it is the easiest hole on the front 9 pity I rarely score better than a 5 then would not like to start on a par 3 and I dont mind a 4.

My answer is the same as Birchy I guess

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

My two clubs start with a 3 and a 5. Don't really care either way, you have to play all 18 at some point so really doesn't make a difference.

 

[londonlewis]

Ours starts with a par 5 and for me it is the easiest hole on the front 9 pity I rarely score better than a 5 then would not like to start on a par 3 and I dont mind a 4.

My answer is the same as Birchy I guess

I'm not a member because I live in Surrey and we have 171 courses to choose from but I regularly play at courses that start with either par.

I think I am leaning towards preferring a par 4 or par 5 as my preferred start. My theory goes like this - a good tee shot on a par 4 or 5 could be a number of things; i.e. sheer distance off the tee that might find the rough but will still have an angle in or a fairway finder that leaves a long iron you are comfortable hitting.

A good tee shot on a par 3 hits the green (or at least gives you an excellent opportunity of a chip in, rather than a tricky up & down).

The par 3 leaves little margin for error whereas the other two give you a lot more freedom to settle in.

But what if you hit that par-3 green and walk away with a birdie on the 1st...

 

[Fader]

My two clubs start with a 3 and a 5. Don't really care either way, you have to play all 18 at some point so really doesn't make a difference.

Pretty much exactly this they 've all got to be played at somepoint so doesn't matter what the order is to me I can duff it on any variety of opening hole.

 

[Robobum]

Either a par 4 of no more than 350yds - so I can hit hybrid off the tee.

Or

A par 5 which is generally an easy par/ birdie chance

 

[TheJezster]

Ours is a 230 yard par 3, with OOB to the left and a massive orchard to the right, with no fairway other than 10 yards in front of the green. It's not exactly a great starting hole...

A 4 on here and youre ready for the next hole, a 3 and your jumping for joy.

 

[timchump]

a nice 350 yard par 4, with not too much trouble would be my ideal start,

unfortunaley my home course has a 370 yard par 4 with lots of trouble, a rare par for me

 

[tallpaul]

My course starts with a 160 yard par 3. Ditch front and right, OOB left with nice contours to pitch anything wayward towards the trouble.

 

[Slab]

Give me a short par 4 with a wiiiide fairway, grass cut back to the tee box, generous single tier fast green with banking to rear, high SI, no water, no OOB, short rough, downhill run and an 8ft deep bunker protecting the front please

Anyone know a course with this?

 

[Foxholer]

I prefer a simple Par 5 or non-severe Par 4. That way a 'less than perfect' first drive of the day isn't punished too severely, a good one can be rewarded and an adequate one will still give me a good scoring chance

I do, however, often play a course with an evil Par 3 start!

Old Tom Morris tried to have a gentle intro, stating something along the lines of "We know we should warm up, but also know that we don't".

 

[One Planer]

Ours starts with a par 4 but I would much rather a Par 5 start.

 

[Region3]

Old Tom Morris tried to have a gentle intro, stating something along the lines of "We know we should warm up, but also know that we don't".

This is me. Hardly ever hit any balls before I play, so our 350yd par 4 with a generous fairway suits me just fine

 

[TheClaw]

A nice open, short par 4. Followed by 17 open, short holes

 

[Deleted member 17920]

My two clubs start with a 3 and a 5. Don't really care either way, you have to play all 18 at some point so really doesn't make a difference.

I agree with you. The two course I am a member off both start with a par 4 but you have to play them all at some point.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

A nice, straight short par 4 - so I can hit a shorter club, don't have to be concerned with cutting doglegs and can see the ball land. Nothing worse than a round stalling before it even gets going.

 

[Foxholer]

I used to play The Addington quite regularly. Tricky Par 3 up the hill to start was definitely not my favourite start - though a really good hole. Berkshire Blue's 215-ish actually suits me much better. Nice Par 5 on the Red better still!

Last time played, it was a Shotgun Start and was off 5 - apparently meant to be the original 1st. Much better start - and still a good finish - though that hole could be ridiculous in Summer too!

 

[sydney greenstreet]

An easy par 4 to start, a par 3 to start sounds like it would hold folk up at the start of a round.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

229 yard par 3 opener (SI 10). Caught a few out at the forum day at Ascot a few years ago especially as most were mingling around the yellow tee box at a trifling 160 yards. Plays tough and not an easy opener. Take 4 with my shot and move on