Uphill Par 3's

[James Bennett]

On the Best Public Course set of Par 3's, Matt Ward commented on Black Mesa.  Amongst his response was...

The 11th hole (172) is well done by architect Baxter Spann. The hole plays uphill -- one of the least used techniques for par-3 holes -- and the added club selction will be no less than 1-2 clubs than what one would normally use.


Why are uphill par 3's least used?  They seem to be a good way of getting up a hill when the routing requires.

What characteristics are necessary to make a good uphill par 3?  For a short 3, a medium 3 and a long 3.

_______________________________________________

In Australia, I can think of genuine uphill par 3's that are memorable.  

There are short holes (150 yards or less) such as Commonwealth #9, Victoria #14 and Yarra Yarra #4 (the putting surfaces are blind from the tee in all cases).  The prototype 'Short' hole fits well here.  Island greens requiring an exact shot.

There are mid-length par 3's (perhaps 180 yards) such as Yarra Yarra #11 (this putting surface is visible from the tee, due to the strong slope from back to front.  This hole also makes use of a side-slope from high left to low right) and Victoria #16.  I haven't played it, but I expect the Royal Melbourne composite long par 3 (used to be #16) would also qualify here.

The long uphill par 3's that are memorable are more difficult to identify.  I recall one hole at a local club (Flagstaff Hill #14, was #15) which does work, because the uphill rise to the green is constant (ie, not a sudden false front to the green), the target area surrounding the green is generous, the green itself is large and convex (making for an interesting 2nd and 3rd shot on the hole), and the bunkering is minimal.

I much prefer an uphill par 3 to an uphill par 4, because of the ability to use a tee to execute a demanding shot.  I don't mind a long uphill par 3 as long as the ground game is an option.

[Wayne Freeman]

This is a good question which hopefully the architect types will answer-  I don't know why uphill par 3's are not utilized more.  There is certainly no shortage of great ones. BelAir has 2 super ones ( the 10th being one of the best anywhere), and what about the 17th at Oakland Hills.  One of the best I've seen recently is the long 2nd at St. Louis CC.  213 yrds. from the back with a Biarritz green.  Very cool.  

[James Bennett]

Wayne Freeman

re the St Louis CC #2
how does a long uphill hole successfully utilise a biarritz green?  Is the slope approaching the green gradual, so that some of the biarritz surface can be seen?  Can the ball be seen to disappear and reappear from the valley?  If so, I assume this 'long uphill par 3' is suited to a ground game run-up shot.

James B

[Jonathan Cummings]

The 9th at Jupiter Hills is a super uphill par 3.  Or, how about the 7th at County Down?  JC

[Matthew Mollica]

James,

Add RMW 7 to the list, along with KH 15 and Metro 2 as well, to the list of good (even great) uphill par threes on the sandbelt. Maybe even H'dale #3 could go on it too...

As you may do too, I often wonder how this style of hole has been executed so very well on so many courses in a concentrated area, and not that well in other parts of the world.

Matthew

[wsmorrison]

Uphill (and downhill) par 3s, both long, medium and short on Flynn courses definitely reflect his routing preferences--that is to rout the course without limits or narrowly defined tendencies--uphill, downhill, sidehill, at angles and whatever he felt would make interesting and challenging golf.  

The CC York analysis comparing and contrasting the Ross (built) and Flynn (not built) routings should be very informative.  We have Bobsy Crosby, Craig Disher, Scott Nye and Ron Forse to thank for their great help.  Flynn planned two uphill par 3 holes (4 and 13).

Bill V is right (imagine that   ) about Manufacturers set of outstanding par 3s and the uphill 6th (199) and 11th (201).  

Flynn's 15th at Philadelphia Country Club was admired by all Amateurs I spoke with.  It is long and uphill without any green visible.  Only been aced twice.  Hard to hit the green and it is a complex interaction of slopes that make it difficult to read putts let alone ace from 225 and 50 feet uphill.

Rolling Green has 3 great uphill par 3s, the 6th (210 from new tee), 10th (250 from the tips) and the 14th (201-- a new tee to be added, I think)

Eagles Mere old course (1917) has a 130 yard par 3 uphill 47 feet and another short par 3 uphill 17 feet.  Interestingly it has a 225 yarder downhill 88 feet and a 180 yarder downhill 71 feet. I think club selection on downhillers like this make them nearly as difficult for the newcomer as an uphiller.

The king of elevation changes in Flynn's portfolio is the NLE new course at Eagles Mere (1925):

1.  367 yards  - 110 feet!!
2.  409 yards  - 75 feet
3.  235 yards  - 40 feet
9.  396 yards  + 130 feet!!!
11. 363 yards  - 90 feet!
14. 370 yards  - 180 feet!!!
17. 453 yards  + 75 feet
18. 414 yards  + 130 feet!!!

But I digress. I really like elevation changes, they make interesting holes and require good decision making, especially with wind.

The 1st at the Addington is strongly uphill and is an early wakeup call to the topography ahead.  Awesome stuff there!

[Jason Mandel]

wayne m,

when i think of classic flynn uphill par 3's i think of the 6th and rolling green.  i think that is a very good hole.  

jason

[Craig Van Egmond]

Dornick Hills has a very cool uphill par 3 (4th hole?)  that  plays tough.

The 8th hole on the Coal Creek course at NewCastle is an uphill par 3, that I always liked. The China Creek course also has at least one uphill par 3.  The property had lots of elevation changes which provides both uphill and downhill one shotters.

[Forrest Richardson]

There are other threads here that one can search — the uphill par-3 has been discussed at least three times. (FYI)

My theory is that the temptation for architects — and owners — to situate the par-3 green where it can be seen from above, or slightly above, is at play. It is a similar gene to that which causes owners to insist on clubhouses at the top of a hill, where the view are spectacular and the walks on the finsihing hole(s) are, at best, tiresome.

Desmond Muirhead spoke often about the elevated tee — the thrill and power it bestowed to the golfer. I believe this is a true desire among golfers. It also makes the uphill par-3 unique at most routings.

- - -

The following is from Routing the Golf Course — which, by-the-way, is a decent book that a few more of you should buy before the First Edition goes out of print! This writing is from Dr. Ed Sadalla, who completed an excellent chapter about the Psychology of Routing:

Why is the elevated tee a source of such great pleasure to the golfer? The best holes are likely to be those with elevation changes, especially from higher elevations to lower. Natural tee sites are those with an impressive view. Books that depict great golf holes are invariably filled with vistas from elevated tees.

Relatively few classic holes have significantly elevated greens or holes where the tee box is at a lower elevation than the rest of the hole. Interestingly, studies of human reactions to paintings and photographs of landscapes reveal similar preferences. There is a strong human tendency to prefer landscapes that contain a prominent elevated place where one or more people could stand.

British geographer Jay Appleton proposed that humans are born with an innate preference for places that offer both prospect and refuge. Prospect refers to a clear, unobstructed view of the landscape. Refuge means a safe place where one is secure from threatening or dangerous parts of the environment. Environments with both of these features historically offered the opportunity to see without being seen and to eat without being eaten.

Humans have excellent vision but a poor sense of smell and only average hearing. Our ability to locate both prey and predators depends largely on vision. It is suggested that we therefore automatically prefer places that offer a good view of the surrounding terrain. Historically, humans have also had to be concerned with refuge from predators or from other hostile humans. Elevated places are more easily defended and hence offer refuge. Projectiles such as rocks and sticks can be rained down on an enemy from an elevated place with less effort and over larger distances. The elevated tee is therefore a place where the golfer feels a sense of power, peace, and security. The shot will carry farther, increasing the sense of personal power.

[wsmorrison]

Jason,

I corrected my omission.  Thanks for the reminder.

[mike_malone]

 I'm still trying to get my hole-in-one on that #14 at Rolling Green. #10 and #6 have been accomplished.  How about you Wayne?

[TEPaul]

Personally, and only due to my own game, I've never been a big fan of real uphill par 3s, particularly quite long ones. But there's no question in my mind that William Flynn was basically the king of highly demanding uphill par 3s---as he designed and built so many really good ones. Most have been mentioned on here. Don't forget Lancaster's really good #8.

Why did Flynn get into this so much? Who knows? Wayne and I think he had an unusually gutsy penchant to route holes over some pretty radical topography that other architects may've tended to steer clear of or use in other iterations. We think it may've been that way with him since it's clear that in many ways he was personally a bit of a daredevil!  

Perhaps it had something to do with a ground-breaking par 3 like PVGC's #5 which apparently got everyone's attention. Flynn apparently did do more work at PVGC (particularly after Crump's death) than most have heretofore realized.

[TEPaul]

Mayday:

You've had a hole in one on Rolling Green's #6 and #10. Jeesus man---a belated congratulations. You better try for a double eagle on #7 pretty quick because due to a particular bunker change on that hole that's not likely to ever happen in the future.  

[wsmorrison]

Mike, as often as you play golf, you should have a lot more.  I have never had a hole in one, Rolling Green or elsewhere.  I think I must play about 1/10th as much golf as you, so hopefully my time will come.  

I did eagle the 2nd at RGGC from the old back tee...that's gotta be pretty rare. I played 36 that same day and had a one-putt birdie from the new back tee later that day!  I suppose that's a one day record that'll be hard to beat.

Mike, only fifteen more holes in one and you'll tie Tom Paul  

[mike_malone]

 I wasn't sure from what you wrote , but it sounds like you are still a virgin

[wsmorrison]

Tom,

It would be fitting if Mike Malone is the first to land in the MorrPaul bunker on 7.  He fought tooth and nail to keep it from happening...I think he'll learn to love it.  Though his capacity for learning is not encouraging.  If he doesn't come to love the change, the regular Friday night beating might need to be enhanced with some brass knuckles.  You bring yours and I'll bring an old baseball bat from the 1951 All-Star Game.  That should knock some sense into that dense Quaker head of his  

[wsmorrison]

"I have never had a hole in one"

That wasn't clear enough for you?  Man, you are dense.  I am a hole in one-less but remain hopeful that my status of greatest golfer without a hole in one will someday be removed  

[Chris_Clouser]

Craig,

Great point on Dornick's 4th hole.  When I was there last year for the Maxwell though there were several players that didn't like it because they couldn't see enough of the green.  They wanted to see the target.  It still think they should go back to the original bunkering on the hole.  The bunkers on the sides of the green just don't work for me, but there are more obvious problems on the course that should be rectified.

Of course I was hitting my 3 iron up the hill and the college kid I was with hit a 7 iron up there.  I turned to him and said, "If you're hitting a 7 iron why in the world do you need to see the green?"  He made par on the hole and said, "If I could have seen the green I would have birdied it."

[mike_malone]

 I wanted to rub it in. I don't let the facts get in the way.  


     As for the MorrPaul bunker, I support it much more than the current situation. But I still prefer what my buddy Bill did.

[TEPaul]

Making holes in one to me is somewhat akin to catching a really big and good bonefish---you never really expect to do it and it generally happens when you least expect it. I have had seventeen holes in one but to be honest I can't even remember seventeen other times I've come within three feet of the hole on par 3s.  

My Dad, who was a helluva lot better player than I ever was only had one hole in one in his life.

In my recollection I've certainly never had a hole in one on one of these demanding long uphill par 3s we're talking about. Maybe I haven't even had seventeen birdies on them.  

[TEPaul]

"As for the MorrPaul bunker, I support it much more than the current situation. But I still prefer what my buddy Bill did."

Mayday:

And what is the 'current situation'?

Don't worry about that bunker on #7. Let's talk about it some more. It occured to me last time I saw you that basically everything you like about that bounce in facet on #7 now can and will be maintained even with the bunker short of that area. My concept of that bunker is that it will not and should not compromise a good play off that hillside onto the green because it won't be that close to that type of play. Matter of fact that bunker will basically demand that that type of play be more exact and better executed. And it will induce a whole lot more thought and good execution on that second shot.

[mike_malone]

 Tom ,

   I can trust you, but I'm not too sure about the other guy

[Jerry Kluger]

I think that the biggest problem with uphill par 3s is that on par 3s the player wants to see the bottom of the flagstick unlike blind shots into par 4s.  A typical course has 4 par 3s and 10 par 4s so one or two shots into par 4s where you cannot see the bottom of the flagstick would be acceptable but harder to accept on a par 3.  What this means is that you would rarely find an uphill par 3 that does not have quite a bit of slope from back to front.  

On short par 3s the uphill green with only part of the flagstick visible can work on shorter holes like #11 at Hidden Creek. I like #7 at the Golden Horseshoe but the green slopes dramatically from back to front as does #5 at PVGC.  I believe it is #3 at Royal New Kent that has a blind tee shot and you just hit it and hope.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

I am not a big fan of uphill par 3's. We had a short one on the Muni in my home town. We did not like it then and I still do not to this day. One blind shot to a green per course is plenty of that type to challenge. On the muni it was one to many.

[wsmorrison]

Why do you say that, Tiger?  Did it slow up play so much that the sense of variety was compromised?  If so, you bring up a good point about blind shots on daily fee courses versus private courses.  The distinctions between types of play on the two should have an effect on design and routing decisions.