The Scariest, Most Nerve-wracking Par Three on the Planet

[Mike_Cirba]

This view give a better perspective.

Unfortunately, just like the other picture, there are three lanes of traffic going eastbound, but no cars in the two westbound lanes.

Trust me, those lanes are just as busy as the others...it's simply the timing of traffic lights at the 5-way intersection that accounts for the inactivity.

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qvmzp98qkxt5&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=35875813&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1

[archie_struthers]

 

Garland


thaks for dredging up my old post

played in the Azalea Amateur in  1984 or 85 at CC of Charleston   watched good player after good player implode on that hole wiith no out of bounds ...not water  but an almost unhittable fortress green ...not the same terror as Mr Cirba's ...but  anyone who has played this knows of what I speak   

[Sam Morrow]

Waterwood National, Huntsville, TX,  #14, 225 yards

from the tee:

http://txexile.org/waterwood/DSC_0591_s.JPG

right of green:

http://txexile.org/waterwood/DSC_0595_s.JPG


Horseshoe Bay Resort- Ram Rock Course, #4

http://www.hsbresort.com/leisureactivities/golf/ramrock/detail.php?course=ramrock&hole_id=4


PGA West- Stadium Course, #17

http://www.eyardagebook.com/eyb4/?i=197018&s=105926&o=3500


Prairie Dunes, #10

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/images/Prairie10t2.jpg

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/images/Prairie10g.jpg

We onced played #10 after an "accidental" fire burned-down the natives to the left of the green and saw the charred remnants of hundreds lost balls.

Nice pics from Waterwood, I actually took both those pictures. I had just hit driver that bounced off the flag to within inches. The second picture is the always breathtaking Keith Kirkendall.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Nice pics from Waterwood, I actually took both those pictures. I had just hit driver that bounced off the flag to within inches.

I remember when you used to play golf...strong shot hitting that pin.  My last attempt had a much wetter landing.

[Sam Morrow]

Nice pics from Waterwood, I actually took both those pictures. I had just hit driver that bounced off the flag to within inches.

I remember when you used to play golf...strong shot hitting that pin.  My last attempt had a much wetter landing.

I have to start playing again, I'm getting new clubs next week.

[K. Krahenbuhl]

Nice pics from Waterwood, I actually took both those pictures. I had just hit driver that bounced off the flag to within inches.

I remember when you used to play golf...strong shot hitting that pin.  My last attempt had a much wetter landing.

I have to start playing again, I'm getting new clubs next week.

If something with 9º falls off the truck let me know.

[Sam Morrow]

Nice pics from Waterwood, I actually took both those pictures. I had just hit driver that bounced off the flag to within inches.

I remember when you used to play golf...strong shot hitting that pin.  My last attempt had a much wetter landing.

I have to start playing again, I'm getting new clubs next week.

If something with 9º falls off the truck let me know.

The Tech Van will be there.

PSA (Shameless Plug)
The Cleveland Golf/Srixon Tech Van will be at High Meadow Ranch Golf Club, Thursday November 13.

[TEPaul]

Mike Cirba:

If we catch a day when there's about a 60MPH headwind into that little hole at Pocano Manor let me know and I'll go up there with you. I'll show you the best hooked 2 iron you ever saw right out over the east bound lane of Rte 940 and into the middle of that little 30 foot wide green you ever saw. No problem at all---just like a simple piece of cheese cake!

[Kevin Pallier]

From what I've come across = 17th Sawgrass

Other one's that get the blood pumping of the plates = 3rd Joondalup(Quarry) / 6th NSW (especially in a Southerly) / 7th National (Old)

[Matthew Rose]

My grandparents live in Duncan, Oklahoma.... there's a rather "modest" muni there call Twin Oaks, which is actually quite quirky and interesting if not for the fact that there isn't a blade of green grass on it anywhere.

This is Oklahoma, so the wind is blowing 40 mph in all directions at most times. It's also bone dry and rock hard pretty much 24/7/365 as well.

The first hole there is a downwind, downhill par-4 with a slight dogleg left. The hole parallels US Highway 81 for it's entire length, which is a four-lane divided highway with a 70 mph speed limit, and there is no fence.

I've visited a few times, and in more recent years, they actually relocated the tees to the LEFT of the practice green, which means that you are now teeing off on an angle which points you directly at the highway. You either have to aim 30 yards left or hit a raging snap-hook off the tee, otherwise your ball ends up in the median or in some guy's windshield.

[Lou_Duran]

Sam,

Nice job.  In real life, the hole is absolutely frightening.  Not a safe place to bail out.  Miss right and an X is probable.  I suspect that they played one of the short tees when they had the Tour School there.  I've played the hole at least half dozen times and I don't think I ever hit the green.  The hole is a hard 4.

[TEPaul]

Mike Cirba:

If you bother to check the archive records of the ultra secret "Philadelphia Syndrome Society" in the catacombs below Merion's clubhouse you will see that 1098 motorists and others have been killed to date by wild shots of golfers off #2 tee since 1912. That Pocono Manor hole will never hold a candle to that record-holder! I believe there is still an outstanding unpremeditated murder warrant on Seve Ballesteros from the 1981 US Open.

[Mike_Cirba]

Tom,

I'm going to bring you up there for that 2-iron shot.   I know you have mad skills but I'm betting that some asphalt will be involved.      

By the way, it's Mount Pocono Golf Course, not Pocono Manor.

This zoom shot shows some of the madness of the hole in question up close;

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qvmzp98qkxt5&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=35875813&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1#JndoZXJlMT1NdC4rUG9jb25vJTJjK1BBJmJiPTQxLjE1NDk0NDU5MTEwOTElN2UtNzUuMzA4MDYzOTg2NDcwNyU3ZTQxLjA5NzAwMzgyNTEyNCU3ZS03NS40MTA1NzgwMzk3MTUz

[Sam Morrow]

Sam,

Nice job.  In real life, the hole is absolutely frightening.  Not a safe place to bail out.  Miss right and an X is probable.  I suspect that they played one of the short tees when they had the Tour School there.  I've played the hole at least half dozen times and I don't think I ever hit the green.  The hole is a hard 4.

The days those pictures are taken the wind was gusty and Keith (the guy in the bunker) hit 3 wood, flushed it and still wasn't pin high. Keith is a long hitter and has a great beard.

[TEPaul]

"By the way, it's Mount Pocono Golf Course, not Pocono Manor."


MikeC:

Aaah, PIFFLE!---Mount Pocono, Pine Valley, Pocono Manor, Merion, whatever, a carefully hooked 2 iron into a 60 mph headwind out over asphalt and congested automobile traffic and back to a precise target on a golf course is still a piece of cheese cake!

However, don't forget to bring your official "Philadelphia Syndrome Society" badge. I won't forget to bring mine! There's about a .0375 percent chance I might need it.

[Rick Sides]

I'm looking at that Golden Pheasant picture laughing my head off because I have played there and have watched many a person smash a ball onto that road and have driven by the course and experienced incoming fire from golf balls!

[Tom Naccarato]

Mike,
What are you complaining about. you have that huge billboard as a back stop, protecting you from hitting the Pizza Hut.

Allan Long, I'm very disappointed in your decision of putting my home course, "Tori Pines" up there as one of these. We on the green committee have striven for years in keeping this gem whole, even though we have had to lose a few holes in the process due to those bastards at the park department. The "Road Hole" being one of them.

God I miss that hole, and don't come to me crying for access on your next visit. You've done yourself in there my former friend! (Drink my booze, bang my girlfriend, but don't ever bash my home course. EVER!)

Last time I was playing there, I really wanted to try and hit Mrs. Spelling after what she has done to Tori in the past years since Aaron's passing.

Recently at the George Thomas, Jim Murray inductions into the SCGA Hall of Fame, Amy Alcott who inducted Murray, actually told the story of her playing Tori Pines/Armand Hammer with the great scribe. We've had some famous people stroll our fairways....

[Mike_Cirba]

Mike,
What are you complaining about. you have that huge billboard as a back stop, protecting you from hitting the Pizza Hut.

Tommy,

You're quite observant (as usual) in noting both the small backing billboard (which might lead to some interesting carom strategic options), as well as the bright red Pizza Hut across the street.

Much more in play, IMO, is the Burger King visible due south of the green across the 5 lanes of traffic.   Trust me...I KNOW!   

You simply would not believe how high a well-lofted nine-iron shot can bounce upon landing on such a firm and fast surface, how many bounces it can take unimpeded by softer turf, or how much total distance one can get out of the shot.   

However, despite your keen observation skills, I'm surprised that you failed to notice the two ambulances parked prominently in the parking lot of the diner.

I believe they are in competition from rival local hospitals, but each is obviously poised for continual imminent action.

Less obvious in the photo are what I believe to be reams of Lawyers inside of each restaurant, themselves all poised to chase said ambuli.   

[RJ_Daley]

Sorry if these were already mentioned,

17th Whistling Straits, I played it once with Pete Dye standing 10ft next to me... 


12th same course:

[Mark_Rowlinson]

Any par 3 is scary when there's someone watching you.

[Lou_Duran]

Any par 3 is scary when there's someone watching you.

A major factor on Prairie Dunes #10 with the back tee but a few feet from the club's dining room.

[mike_beene]

...or the 10th at Bel-Air with Mr. Merrins standing on the porch 4 feet away and watching.

[Allan Long]

Allan Long, I'm very disappointed in your decision of putting my home course, "Tori Pines" up there as one of these.

Tommy,

Maybe it was the fact that I almost got run down by Aaron Spelling while putting my clubs in the trunk, that I felt your beloved gem nerve-racking. Or maybe you are sensative because of the outcome of the big grudge match about three years ago.

[Scott_Burroughs]

The scariest ...most nerve racking par three I have ever played is at the Country Club of Charleston

It isn't that long....doesn't have any water or out of bounds....the green isn't filled with dead elephants....but
anyone who has played it in a tournament (stroke play) knows of what I speak

 Other than the original and  infamous "sharks jaws " at Stone Harbor...now radically altered to make it
easier....nothing has been more terrifying to me

That hole at CC of C made the worst 18 individual holes of the book titled something to the effect of "Worst
Golf Courses of All Time". If I recall correctly, other threads here have said the members are proud of the hole.

Garland


thaks for dredging up my old post

played in the Azalea Amateur in  1984 or 85 at CC of Charleston   watched good player after good player
implode on that hole wiith no out of bounds ...not water  but an almost unhittable fortress green ...not the
same terror as Mr Cirba's ...but  anyone who has played this knows of what I speak   

I believe Archie and Garland are referring to the 11th at CC of Charleston, described as thus by Ran in the Course Profile:

11th hole, 185 yards; One of the most feared holes in the southeast, this hole has intimidated many of
the country's best amateurs to lay up during the Azalea Invitational. Lay up you say? On a 185 yard hole with
no water?? How can that be??? Simply put, this green is a shelf with an eleven foot deep bunker on the right
and a seven foot bunker on the left. The bunker edges are right up against the edge of the green which
narrows to just eight paces wide at the back. Their fear, as is yours, is that you become involved in volleyball
as your bunker shots fly merrily from one bunker across the green to the other, and so on and so on.

The harshness of the hole is in stark contrast to the reasonableness of the rest of the course and to
Raynor's work in general. Indeed, some contend that the green surface has actually risen two or three feet,
due to the accumulation of sand thrown onto the green over the years since 1929 when Raynor designed the
course. Still, the authors wouldn't change a thing as it gives the course the kind of high drama rarely found on flat terrain.

[Ryan Chin]

My vote goes to the 13th at Devil's Paintbrush. 226 yards. Straight uphill. Usually into the wind. OB wall hard up against the green, which has a 3 foot high shelf between the lower front and the upper back. It plays about 240 all carry.

There's no real bailout - short left is okay but you can still miss the bailout easily with a pull where there's a cart path and then a pond.

I now have no shame in pulling driver on a par 3 after having played here for a year.

http://www.devilspulpit.com/images/00home/iFrame/dpb13.jpg

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