Uphill par 3s

[4LEX]

I'll give you Swinley 4th and Berkshire Red 16 as good uphill holes. But a downhill par 3 is always much more aesthetically pleasing, so nice to see what you've got in front of you and follow the trajectory of the ball in the air and down to the green.

The Berkshire is home to some fantastic long par 3's. The 1st on the Blue is a huge challenge, over 200 yards and extremely daunting but a great hole/

Agreed! Downhill par 3's are always better. You can swing a bit freer too and let the club almost guide the ball down...

The 1st on the Blue is actually a lot easier these days since they got rid of loads of heather close to the green and replaced it with a run off area. It's still a tricky opener especially with the terrace busy! The Berkshire does have some special par 3's. The 10th on the Red is a proper hole and stunning. Anything short and right and it's game over.

My personal favourite downhill par 3 would be the 5th on Sunningdale New. Not hugely downhill but enough and to an almost infinity green. Big trouble short, left and right. Fantastic hole.

 

[Imurg]

Our 8th is 181 uphill and usually plays about 1 club more than the yardage. It is protected by a deep bunker on each side of the green with a very narrow entrance. I’m always happy to walk off this hole with a 3.

I'm happy to walk off any par 3 with a 3......

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Agreed! Downhill par 3's are always better. You can swing a bit freer too and let the club almost guide the ball down...

The 1st on the Blue is actually a lot easier these days since they got rid of loads of heather close to the green and replaced it with a run off area. It's still a tricky opener especially with the terrace busy! The Berkshire does have some special par 3's. The 10th on the Red is a proper hole and stunning. Anything short and right and it's game over.

My personal favourite downhill par 3 would be the 5th on Sunningdale New. Not hugely downhill but enough and to an almost infinity green. Big trouble short, left and right. Fantastic hole.

The 1st is much improved for losing the heather

 

[Orikoru]

Played Flackwell Heath the other week, they had a severely downhill 190 yard hole, an uphill 150 and severely uphill 145. I hit 5 hybrid on all three.

 

[PNWokingham]

I'll give you Swinley 4th and Berkshire Red 16 as good uphill holes. But a downhill par 3 is always much more aesthetically pleasing, so nice to see what you've got in front of you and follow the trajectory of the ball in the air and down to the green.

The Berkshire is home to some fantastic long par 3's. The 1st on the Blue is a huge challenge, over 200 yards and extremely daunting but a great hole/

not played for a while but from memory 16 on Red is more like a valley and roughly flat overall?? Similar to Hankley 7 and Wentworth 10?? They are all uphill into the green but seem flat - although been a while since i played the Red?

 

[3 jabber]

not played for a while but from memory 16 on Red is more like a valley and roughly flat overall?? Similar to Hankley 7 and Wentworth 10?? They are all uphill into the green but seem flat - although been a while since i played the Red?

Yeah Hankley 7th isn't uphill at all. You can clearly see the flag from the tee. Although if you chunk your tee shot the next one is uphill

 

[Arthur Wedge]

not played for a while but from memory 16 on Red is more like a valley and roughly flat overall?? Similar to Hankley 7 and Wentworth 10?? They are all uphill into the green but seem flat - although been a while since i played the Red?

16th is very similar to Hankley - it’s about 190 ?

Same with the 15th at Blackmoor

 

[harpo_72]

Our uphill par 3 can reach 190+ yards from the back tee.
Plays about 10 or 11 yards longer
3 bunkers in front so you have to carry 170 to make the green...rubbish right
Fortunately it slopes towards you so you pitch on an upslope
SI 8
CVG plays it as a par 4...
Into the wind I have to hit a slightly choked down 4 wood

This is Ellesborough? I am struggling to remember it. The 10th down hill with the ripple in the green was a challenge and really made shot choice hard .. the long par 3 at 180 ish after the par 5 part of the new section was a challenge simply because it was so open and the wind had a huge impact.
But Ellesborough is generally up and down so you do have a lot of up hill second shots .. probably why it doesn’t stand out in my memory.

 

[harpo_72]

I don’t really think par 3s over 200yards are that interesting.. a par 3 can offer a challenge via it’s green size, shape, ripples and traps .. the postage stamp is a good example.

 

[Robster59]

When a youth and member of East Ren I recall really struggling with its 7th and 11th holes…both uphill par 3s of longer than 200yds. Cracking holes though.

Reckon the 7th at Hankley Common is one of my fave uphill par 3s…though it’s 16th is also a tricky devil. Not long par 3s but challenging and v pretty.

I'd say the 7th green is on the same level as the tee (lower if off the whites on the top level) but there is quite a dip between so to make it you need an all out 200 yard drive.
The 11th is undoubtedly the most controversial hole on the course, but as it is S.I. 6 at least you know you do get some assistance. I like it, but I may not in 5-10 years time when I can't hit it as far.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd say the 7th green is on the same level as the tee (lower if off the whites on the top level) but there is quite a dip between so to make it you need an all out 200 yard drive.
The 11th is undoubtedly the most controversial hole on the course, but as it is S.I. 6 at least you know you do get some assistance. I like it, but I may not in 5-10 years time when I can't hit it as far.

I started on the 7th at Hankley and definitely played uphill. Felt a bit of a stiff walk to the green for the first hole of the day

 

[Orikoru]

I started on the 7th at Hankley and definitely played uphill. Felt a bit of a stiff walk to the green for the first hole of the day

According to Hole19 it plays 2 yards uphill. I think obviously the visual effect of it dipping right down off the tee and then back up to the green makes it look more uphill than it really is.


The worst uphill par 3 for me is the 15th at Rickmansworth. It's a good 10 yards uphill, the green is very narrow front to back as well and there is nowhere to land it short. It's about 170 off yellows but you need a solid 180 carry to get it up there. Last time I played it, the tee had been moved forward a little bit, but in doing so you're actually further down below the green so it didn't really help.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'd say the 7th green is on the same level as the tee (lower if off the whites on the top level) but there is quite a dip between so to make it you need an all out 200 yard drive.
The 11th is undoubtedly the most controversial hole on the course, but as it is S.I. 6 at least you know you do get some assistance. I like it, but I may not in 5-10 years time when I can't hit it as far.

Yes tee to green it is level - but when you are climbing the slope up to the green it doesn't feel like it. Is there still a metal cup on a chain by a spring just short and to the right of the 7th green. I liked that hole - I didn't like the 11th - though I think it looks longer and tougher than it actually is. I think for most of us it's just rather daunting.

 

[sunshine]

Long par 3s with a heroic carry are typically the most daunting, but most memorable, holes on a golf course. Flushing a long iron/ hybrid/ fairway wood on to the green is the most satisfying feeling, extra bounce in your step as you walk to the green, especially if your playing partners are all down in the valley looking for their ball in the water/ rough/ heather.

Plenty of examples of these discussed above, the Berkshire and Rickmansworth. 16th at Portrush.

These holes can appear unfair to high handicappers, although the best ones have a well disguised bail out, but I think “championship” courses aren’t designed for beginners and should always have a few moments where you are put on the spot.

 

[D-S]

Long par 3s with a heroic carry are typically the most daunting, but most memorable, holes on a golf course. Flushing a long iron/ hybrid/ fairway wood on to the green is the most satisfying feeling, extra bounce in your step as you walk to the green, especially if your playing partners are all down in the valley looking for their ball in the water/ rough/ heather.

Plenty of examples of these discussed above, the Berkshire and Rickmansworth. 16th at Portrush.

These holes can appear unfair to high handicappers, although the best ones have a well disguised bail out, but I think “championship” courses aren’t designed for beginners and should always have a few moments where you are put on the spot.

Agreed - but part of the memory is seeing the ball hit and stop on the green, something that doesn’t happen on a steeply uphill par 3.

 

[4LEX]

The 1st is much improved for losing the heather

It certainly speeds up play. The green is huge though and no excuse for people leaving balls short.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It certainly speeds up play. The green is huge though and no excuse for people leaving balls short.

No excuse but I've still managed it

 

[D-S]

Not that it’s uphill, more that it is not a good way to start a course. I offer the 1st at Churston near Torquay. 240 yards from the whites, a mere 233 from the yellows, fairly flat but it does have a couple of fairway bunkers.

 

[Robster59]

Yes tee to green it is level - but when you are climbing the slope up to the green it doesn't feel like it. Is there still a metal cup on a chain by a spring just short and to the right of the 7th green. I liked that hole - I didn't like the 11th - though I think it looks longer and tougher than it actually is. I think for most of us it's just rather daunting.

I don't think the metal cup has been there for a long time.

 

[nickjdavis]

Surprised no one has mentioned the 13th at Crail as one of those horribly hard long uphill par 3's!!!!