Courses with more than one strong par 5 (Praise for Tim Liddy)

[Dan Boerger]

Wayne - In this area, Aronimink has only two par fives. And while I'm certainly not as experienced as many (most?) of the contributors here, the two par fives at Pine Valley and the most demanding I've ever encountered. -Dan

[Phil_the_Author]

Bethpage Black.

The 4th hole is stunning visually and offers options on each shot played. The better the player, the more options and greater risk/reward.

The 7th hole is 600 very long yards. Tilly wrote that a hole is only as long as it plays and this one plays longer than the number, especially as the shorter the drive (especially from the back tee) the further left it must be played and the hole just increases in length. This hole can be reached in two, yet when trying to cut the corner, the tree line forces the long hitter left toward the outside fairway bunker. The green and bunker complex allows for some great and challenging pins.

The 13th hole is also a brute from the back, playing some 585 yards. It is a long carry to the fairway that brings into play the left-side fairway bunker that sits about 150 to 130 yards from the green, pinching the fairway here to a very small target. This requires a most carefully played second shot, especially when the longer hitter tries to carry it and then must concern himself with the cross bunker 40 yards in front of the green. This is an excellent illusionary obstacle when considering distance to green from the fairway. Avoiding the right-hand green bunkers and fall-off into th trees, many players end up in the rough left of the green with a tough up & down.

Three great par-fives.

When you think about it, with 12 playing at 500 as a par-4 in the Open, it becomes an outstanding short par-5 for the evryday player from there.

Make that four great par-fives.

Wait, then there is 15 & 16... they certainly play as 5's for the average player...  

[wsmorrison]

Dan,

Right you are.  Aronimink's 9th (556 uphill) and 16th (549 level) are excellent par 5s.  I especially like the 16th with its risk/reward tee shot and the approach to that great green with the fronting bunker and two entries along the ground.  I like the greens at Aronimink the best of any Ross I've played (admittedly a small number) and think the 9th among the best on the course.  Overall I feel Aronimink doesn't live up to its reputation because there is not enough of an emphasis on angles and the par 4s are not a strong set of holes in terms of variety.

[Andy Scanlon]

Both par 5s at Merion East are very strong.  Rolling Green has one par 5 that I'd argue is as strong (especially from the back tee) as any around, but the other three (or two, depending on who you talk to   ) are scoring holes (and welcome ones at that).

[Tim Pitner]

Bandon Trails--3 and 16.  

Pacific Dunes--3, 15 and 18.  Compared to the par 4s at PD, they're not that strong as a group but, when you think about it, they're very good holes.  

[ChipOat]

Shinnecock.

#5 has an excellent green complex.

#16 looks straightforward and easy but rarely seems to actually play that way.  Or maybe it's more specifically the way I seem to play it.

With all respect to Jeff Slonis' most excellent playing ability, I've played ANGC and didn't care for #'s 13 & 15 as par 5's for the average player as they're both 8 iron (or less) lay-up holes on the second shot (at least for me).

#2 is pretty good and #8 hadn't been restored so the big mounds were still there.  Maybe it's now very good, too.  The buzz indicates that it probably is.

In that case, Jeff is correct - ANGC does have 2 good par 5's.