[wsmorrison]

The 165 yard first hole at The Addington is steeply uphill.  The photo below is from Ran's excellent course write-up in the Courses by Country section.  Sorry it doesn't indicate the steep uphill nature of the hole.  Its an awkward starting hole in terms of shot demand at the outset, but lots of fun as is the entire course.  Anybody looking for a game near London ought to check out this course; it should be at the top of almost anyone's list of London area courses.  

I think bogey would have won the first hole when we played there last year.

[Steve Lapper]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned two of Ross' greatest examples:

#4 & #7 at Mountain Ridge, West Caldwell, NJ.

#4 is a 235yd (bear) at least 30 feet uphill and #7 is more like 50-70 feet uphill. Both are very difficult to score well on and not a single golfer of ANY ability is less than happy with a par on those. Interestingly, #14 is also an uphill 3 par, but the most "benign" at only 15-25 feet up.

[Evan Fleisher]

I've got one of my own at home here on the Dubuque Golf & Country Club.  It is our 16th hole, and it plays to about 153 yards all uphill with a devilishly canted green and a semi-false front.  I'd estimate the elevation change at 20-30 feet maybe?  A back half of the green pin placement is also semi-blind...

[Brad Tufts]

That Dubuque G & CC hole looks almost exactly like #4 at Kernwood in Salem, MA.  Kernwood's green is severe back to front, but both holes have the look of a rising wall of turf staring the player in the face.

[Chris_Blakely]

Rouge Park GC, MI hole #16, is quite similar to the 5th hole at Hershey- Parkview GC (played course last year and routing still has uphill par 3 as 5th hole).  RPGC hole is almost completly bling and all uphill, only flag stick might have been visible.  Not sure on the architect, course was built in the 1920's.

Kankakee Elks CC, IL hole #5 (Langford & Moreau) original hole has been taken out of play, but they plan on restoring it - was quite an uphill par 3.

Kankakee Elks CC, IL hole #14 or 15 is a long 200 yard par 3, to a huge L&M built up green on top of a hill with what use to be a large bunker to the left of the green.

Petrifying Springs CC, WI  hole #2 (Joeseph Roseman) 240 yard hole that use to be a par 3 and is now played as a par 4.  Plays all up hill to a large built up Roseman green.

[Geoffrey Childs]

Reading more of this discussion then the first time around I see that the 14th at Westchester CC South course was mentioned.

I LOVE that hole.  Its really a fortress green way up on a hill sort of into a punchbowl with raised sides all around.  Its a long iron shot that's do or die.

That hole reminds me of a hole called Tank at Ballylifin Old.  Its a very similar hole to the one at Westchester CC. Uphill and surrounded on all sides by sandhills with a steep dropoff short of the green.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Mature reflection suggests that there is little more severe, uncompromising or downright demanding than the 1st at Bala in North Wales.  I've mentioned it before.  Just make sure you pass through this 9/10-hole mischief on your way to Royal St David's or Aberdovey.

[JNC Lyon]

     At Midvale Country Club in Rochester, RTJ's first solo design, both 9 and 18 are steeply uphill par threes. Fortunately, one is short at about 130, the other is long at about 215, so you will be guaranteed a unique approach to the finishing hole for each nine.

     18 at Brook Lea (Ross) is also steeply uphill, and is actually a neat short three to finish at about 135 from the middle tees (original Ross tees), with a eight-to-ten foot-deep bunker short and right of the green.   The green is steep from back to front, and is surrounded by a mini amphitheater, with old members sitting and watching the action.  One could also play it at 171, but I remember the former superintendant saying he thought that, even there is a great amount of room behind the back tee, 170 was the maximum length for the hole without it becoming unplayable.

     Mark Twain, previously mentioned, does have four uphill par threes, of which Seven (very short at 150ish) and eleven (very long at 230) are the best.  11 is not as steep, but is very long, and the green is a wild two-tiered affair.  The two levels aren't flat either, as the green is rolled right down a mountainside.

     Seven, on the other hand, is quite steep.  The flag is barely visible from the tee, and, unlike the eleventh, there is no bouncing the ball on this green, as a there a deep bunker in front.   The green is quite wild as I remember.  These two par threes are great for a muni course, quite quirky, and this Donald Ross special with wild greens (bigger than most I've seen -- original size???) is a must play for anyone in the vicinity.  In fact, it is the only thing worth doing in town!!

[Gene Greco]

#13 Sand Hills last I remember was 220 yds of steep uphill terror

[Patrick_Mucci]

Gene Greco,

# 13 was one of my favorite holes.
As you know, I like skyline greens.

# 18 at Forest Hill Field Club is a good one as well.

# 5 on the 1st nine and Montclair and # 3 on the 3rd nine at Montclair.

# 16 at Preakness Hills

# 13 at North Jersey is really uphill
# 16 at North Jersey.

# 9 at Essex County East

# 13 at North Jersey is STEEPLY uphill, probably the steepest I've ever played.

[Mike Boehm]

One of my favorites is the 9th at Bloomfield Hills CC (Ross design in Metro Detroit).  Carrying two bags up that hill to finish off a loop always left me out of breath.  At just 159 yards from the tips, it played an extra club and half for most members.

[Keith Phillips]

14 at Wentworth is steep (though not great) and there is a hole at Crail that is nasty!!!  not sure the number but it's one of the scariest Par 3 tee shots I've played.

I'd add #2 of 2 to the Montclair list

[TEPaul]

"I was surprised that Tom Paul and Mike Cirba didn't mention the 16th at Whitemarsh, which is probably one of the all-world uphill par 3s in the game."

Kyle:

Isn't that funny---as I was reading through this thread of four years ago I too was thinking about the 16th at Whitemarsh the whole time. I know many of the holes mentioned on this thread and other than that hole I mentioned at Hershey I doubt any of them are as steeply uphill as Whitemarsh's #16.

If you think about the routing of that golf course there was basically no real way for Thomas to avoid using this landform for a hole somehow and I think he did it really well here with this particular par 3. This one will certainly stick in the mind of anyone who plays that course. The thing I think is so interesting about #16 is the teeing ground and more than half the hole is actually on flatland so the incline up to the green truly is incredibly steep and vertical. I don't think I ever hit it short on this hole but if one did it might be a bit hard to stand on the ground short of it.

The other interesting thing about this hole is not just how far above you the green is but although the green is pretty big you do know that it's very dangerous if you happen to hit the ball above the pin (very fast downhill putt). So you sort of have two opposite problems working on your mind on that tee!

The only thing that bothered me about #16 is that tree or trees just to the right and front of the green. I think those trees makes the golfer feel somewhat restricted on that shot and that shot is not one where a golfer needs to feel restricted in any way, in my opinion. Another thing that's good about the hole is it's distance. I don't ever remember hitting more than about a 7 iron there and that's a good thing. One would not want to be hitting something like a 4 iron up to a hole that steep.

By the way, how good and varied are the par 3s at Whitemarsh? They could be as good and varied of any par 3s on any course I know of. Not surprising, though, as this course was George Thomas, perhaps the most unsung creative and innovative genius in the history of golf course architecture.  

[peter_p]

The 12th at Machrie, New Mt Zion at 174 yards to a skyline green. The 5th and 15th at Bandon Dunes, probably not steep enough to count.
I did drive past two forward tees at Royal New Kent which were impressively uphill. The 3rd hole tee is totally blind, and the 15th blind for 2/3 of hole locations. Both were dictated by topography, sacrificing vision to avoid a heroic carry.

[JSlonis]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned two of Ross' greatest examples:

#4 & #7 at Mountain Ridge, West Caldwell, NJ.

#4 is a 235yd (bear) at least 30 feet uphill and #7 is more like 50-70 feet uphill. Both are very difficult to score well on and not a single golfer of ANY ability is less than happy with a par on those. Interestingly, #14 is also an uphill 3 par, but the most "benign" at only 15-25 feet up.

Good examples.  That 4th hole at Mountain Ridge is brutal.  Not only is it 210-225 uphill, the green is extremely difficult with a spine that runs vertically down off the back fringe 1/4 into the green, and two opposite horizontal spines that are located about 1/3 of the way into the green on the right side and 1/2 of the way on the left side.

The 7th is also interesting, but it's not nearly as uphill as you stated. Maybe 20-30 feet. The green on that hole is crazy as well.  The entire green is a punchbowl with a pretty good slope from back to front, and a small false front.  You can hit a shot that lands almost anywhere past that false front on the green, and if the greens are quick your ball will end up somewhere near the middle.

Thanks for the remembrance of Mountan Ridge.  This summer was the first time I played there.  I don't think I'd be overstating much to say that the front 9 at Mountain Ridge is ranked among the best 9 holes I've ever played or seen from an architectural standpoint.  Every hole is a uniquely superior design.

[les_claytor]

Although steeply uphill par 3's are far from ideal in most cases, they are a favorite of mine.

My all time favorite is #16 at Shaker Hts. CC in Cleveland designed by Ross in 1913.  At 107 yards stratight up a 25 foot hill, the 16th requires a deft touch and confident play to a small, steeply canted green surrounded on all sides by trouble.  The amount of flagstick visible from the tee but hidden by bunkers is all provided to inform the player of pin position.  Pitch the ball over the right front face-bunker and let the ball relaease down to the left.  Putting on this green was always an adventure.  Number sixteen at
Shaker remains the most exciting short hole I have ever seen, and is yard for yard one of the greatest I have had the pleasure of knowing.

[Kyle Harris]

Tom,

Not only does Whitemarsh have wonderful variety in par 3s, but they also solve routing problems inherent to the site. The wonderful 9th hole is wedged between Thomas Road and the clubhouse. It's a superb short style hole, and I believe there is even a picture of it in Thomas's Golf Architecture in America.

Same goes for 12th, which is wedged along Ridge Pike and is one of the nastiest shots on the course. Geoff Shack's Golden Age of Golf Architecture has a picture before the Shearon renovations that softened a lot of the features.

The 4th is downright scary long (240 yards).

[Evan Fleisher]

Another one I forgot about is the old #11 at Veenker Golf Course near the campus of Iowa State University.

That little bugger plays all of 155 yards up the steepest slope you'll just about ever see on a golf hole. The hole crosses a small stream, and the green (a somewhat bowl shaped design) which is about the size of a bathtub sits perched just on top of the hill on the other side of said stream.

Of course the shot is 100% blind, but the shape of the green does funnel most balls onto the small putting surface for a really fun (but dastardly) golf hole.

[Tom Jefferson]

If my memory has a shred of accuracy left to it (as it's been 24 years since I've been there), I remember the 3rd (I believe it's the third) at Gullane #2 is this huge par 3 steeply up, and a long way over, a massive hill of ancient dune.

It has been so long ago now, long enough that I remember the hole as if it were a fantasy, not quite real.  

I believe it played 251 yards, with an aiming post set at the long crest of the hill. Using the rental set provided, I smacked the play club, the driver, then trudged up and up and over the hill, to a completely blind green, set entirely on the ground, with absolutely no feature to it.  My ball was short, I chipped on, scored a 4, and went on to a most enjoyable round.

It was steeply, steeply up the dune.

Does anyone out there recollect this hole?

Matt Ward might call it the transition hole on that routing, for it took the player from the inland beginning holes to the other side of the ancient dune and the main body of holes that lay closer to the ocean.

It's the steepest, longest, oddest short hole I can remember playing.

Gotta go back there before it's all said and done.

Tom

[Steve Lapper]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned two of Ross' greatest examples:

#4 & #7 at Mountain Ridge, West Caldwell, NJ.

#4 is a 235yd (bear) at least 30 feet uphill and #7 is more like 50-70 feet uphill. Both are very difficult to score well on and not a single golfer of ANY ability is less than happy with a par on those. Interestingly, #14 is also an uphill 3 par, but the most "benign" at only 15-25 feet up.

The 7th is also interesting, but it's not nearly as uphill as you stated. Maybe 20-30 feet. The green on that hole is crazy as well.  

Thanks for the remembrance of Mountan Ridge.  This summer was the first time I played there.  I don't think I'd be overstating much to say that the front 9 at Mountain Ridge is ranked among the best 9 holes I've ever played or seen from an architectural standpoint.  Every hole is a uniquely superior design.

Jaime,

    I too initially thought 20-30 feet would be correct, but it's easy to forget that you descend 15-20 feet from the back of the 6th green to get down to the 7th's tee, thus making the uphill very close to 60+ feet (I've asked the greenskeeper for his opinion of the same).

    Glad to hear you found MR's front 9 so strong. The back, while not nearly as tough or architectually noteworthy, is a good test, especially when 17 and 18 always loom.  

[Cliff Hamm]

 
Another - I'm surprised no one has mentioned, unless I missed it is the 10th on Baltusrol's upper.  The description from their website:

The par 3, 166-yard tenth is uphill and requires a bit more club than its yardage might suggest. The green is on top of a knoll surrounded by sand and has more than its share of surface variations.

When constructing this hole, Tillinghast removed several trees close to the green to add a little deception. "When the several trees were removed," he later wrote, "...the distance immediately appeared longer than the iron-length, which it is."

Their is also a picture following this link:http://about.baltusrol.org/upcourse.cfm#

[Ed Oden]

    At Midvale Country Club in Rochester, RTJ's first solo design, both 9 and 18 are steeply uphill par threes. Fortunately, one is short at about 130, the other is long at about 215, so you will be guaranteed a unique approach to the finishing hole for each nine.

JNC, good call on #9 at Midvale.  According to Google Earth, the green is 40 feet above the tee.  But, since the hole's distance is so short, it feels even steeper and plays more uphill than any other par 3 I have seen.  None of the green and only the top of the flag can be seen from the tee.  Its like hitting to the rooftop of a 4 story building from across the street.  I'm not sure it is a good hole, but it certainly is unique.

Ed

[Alex Miller]

Wolf Creek #3. Steepest hole I've ever played, regardless of par.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

The hole that sticks out in my mind is the 16th at Clinton Country Club in Clinton, IA.  I don't know which was tougher to deal with - the uphill shot or the smell of the town's corn processing plant.

[Jason Topp]

2 at Veenker in Ames, IA and 3 at Wolf Creek are the steepest I have experienced

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