Makings of great short par 3's

[John Foley]

There are plenty very good short par three's, but to make it great doesn't it have to either induce fear or create excitement?

To create fear, the risk of a high score must exist (a la #10 at PV & #17 at Sand Hills).

One way to create excitement it has to give you options in the way you play it. There in lies the rub. How do you creat options on a short par 3 which can create excitement? Chipping area's (ala #9 at Pinehurst - but it's too long from the regular tee's) preferend misses? How about boldly contoured greens? (a la #7 at Teugega).

I would defiently say that the great short par 3's need both.

I like Sean's point of the postage stamp and the wind giving the feeling of elasticity.

What about #13 at Merion? The bunker short seems to be deep, but not too difficult. Is the putting surface contoured enough? Would it meet the criteria?

Dave - What's the one hole which is flat that borders on being great?

[Jason Topp]

I think a real short par three with a giant green is actually a really interesting hole.  I played one such hole regularly as a kid.  It was 120 yards with a green that was probably 40 yards by 30 yards and a few bunkers around it.  It was so easy to lose focus and leave yourself a 40 foot putt.  It was also interesting when the pin was near an edge because you had to decide whether to go for the pin or hedge to the middle of the green.  The hole has since been altered to add a water hazard on the side of the green and I do not like it as well.

There is one at Wildhorse that I think is a fantastic hole, even though it does not really carry the threat of a high score.
 

[Dan Kelly]

I think a real short par three with a giant green is actually a really interesting hole.

I agree.

[Steve Kline]

Did nobody mention the 10th at Pine Valley? Undulating green with signature bunker, slightly downhill, only a 9 iron or wedge for me. I remember being afraid of sucking the ball back off the green. It's been awhile since I was there but I seem to recall there being some interesting pin positions on the back left.

There are tons of great short par 3s in the UK.

[TaylorA]

Here's a really fun, short par 3 from Reunion Golf Club in NE Atlanta burbs. From this tips, it plays to 150 yards. Most of the time, the holed is played 110-130 yards. It plays downhill, varying from 20-30 below the tee.





The green complex is really the beauty, though.  When the pin is in the front, middle, the green feeds the ball right to the hole. A ridge runs right through the middle of the green. You can also land the ball on the left side, between the bunkers and the green, and it will slingshot the ball right to the front of the green. Really fun short hole.

[Dan Kelly]

I think a real short par three with a giant green is actually a really interesting hole.

I agree.

Just thought of one:

As much as I hate to say anything nice about Mississippi Dunes (Cottage Grove, Minnesota), I do like No. 2 there -- a short par-3 with quite a large green. (No. 4 there -- a long par-3 with an ENORMOUS green -- would be a better hole, for my money, if it were 50 yards shorter.)

The key element of No. 2: a huge buried elephant smack in the middle of the green. Every putt from one side of the elephant to the other is problematical -- so it takes one big green and makes it into two small ones ... with an incentive to avoid the elephant and flirt with the sharp-dropoff sides.

[Michael Dugger]

It best have a small green and fearsome hazards to constitute "great" in my book.

[Brad Swanson]

I think a real short par three with a giant green is actually a really interesting hole.  

There is one at Wildhorse that I think is a fantastic hole, even though it does not really carry the threat of a high score.
 

I agree, Jason, and really enjoy #11 at Wild Horse.  I will also add the #17 at Greywalls is a fun short par 3 with a big, heavily contoured green.  What both holes have in common is incomplete visibility of the green, which I think adds uncertainty to the teeshot, several greens within greens, and an abundance of tightly mown grass around the green to allow the errant shot to scoot away to make recovery a challenge.

Cheers,
Brad

[Garland Bayley]

#15 at Bully Pulpit. Don't remember the yardage, but I hit 7 iron off the back of the green in a strong head wind. Counter's Shivas levelness theory. White and blue tees are at same elevation as green. Deep chasm between them though. I chose to hit it off the back of the green, because I figured every where I could see was dead and Hurdzan had to cut us some slack in the back. Chipped next to hole and secured par.

Agrees with what many have said, danger/temptation is a key element in the short par 3.

[Mark Pearce]

I really liked the 16th at Wolf Run.  A pitching wedge for me I played this twice, first time I had a 1" putt for birdie, second time I took six.  It's downhill, everyone must fancy their chance of birdie (or better!) but miss left and you're wet, right and you're chipping to a tiny, fast green with water on the other side.

I think a great short par three needs to offer birdie but threaten double bogey (even if that threat is hidden).

And I disagree with Rihc's semantics.  A "short hole" is any par three, a short par three is just that.

[Marc Haring]

Another great short hole is Saunton's Saddle.  Sorry, can't find a pic.

Ciao

Sean is this the one. #13, about 140 yards. Great green.




Also they’ve got an even shorter one, number 6. About 120 with a small and severe green; very exposed.

[Rich Goodale]

And I disagree with Rihc's semantics.  A "short hole" is any par three, a short par three is just that.

Mark (and Shivas and Garland, etc....)

I agree with your disagreements.  Mea culpa.

Rich

[Marc Haring]

!  Maybe my memory is failing me, but I thought Tiddler was #5.  You say #6 and RT IMed me saying it is #4.  

You're right. Tiddler is #5.
The day I took the pic I think I hit a 6 iron. Scary!!

[wsmorrison]

Any great par 3 can be made by placing the green at the top of a ridge line.  Short and long par 3 examples can be found at Shinnecock Hills GC

Hole 2 on a gentle ridge line:  221 yards



Hole 11 on an abrupt ridge line front and back:  158 yards