Best Set of Par Threes

[David Wigler]

In reading this thread this morning, something struck me.  No one has mentioned anything by Donald Ross.  As good a designer as Ross was, could it be that he was an inferior (Or inconsistent) par 3 creator.  #17 at Oakland Hills may be the best hole on the course but his other 3's are uninteresting.  #9 at Franklin Hills is his second best hole on the course but his other 3's are uninspiring.  I wonder if the ability to create four solid par 3's was a weakness with Ross that I never thought of before.

[Mike Hendren]

David,

This might reflect a larger issue:  How many great HOLES did Ross create?  I think he was a genius, but his courses seem to me to be greater than the sum of the individual holes.  His routings and defense of par around the greens are outstanding but do not necessarily stand out in individual holes.  

While I've only played a handfull of his courses, the 2nd at Belle Meade (what's left of it), the 6th and 17th at Beverly (though the 12th has historically been highly touted), the 4th at Memphis CC,the 4th and 14th at Holston Hills and the 13th at French Lick's Hill Course are standouts.  With the exception of Holston Hills, none of those courses rank among his best, according to those who determine such things.

Regards,

Mike

[Dan_Belden]

David:

   Ross certainly did not have a  weakness designing par 3's.
He designed four superb and completely different par 3's at my home course, Brookside CC. They range in length from 230, 140.  
   Here are some more
 fabulous Ross par 3's.  
  13 and 17 at Seminole
   9 and 17 at Pinhurst # 2
   8 at Arronomick
   9 at Scioto
    12 at Inverness, a fantastic little hole in the middle of the course, and the only par 3 of his that was left.  Not only did he seem to be most adept at finding par 3's, but he seemed to understand the shot that was needed better then most architects.  In other words  I don't think he designed his short holes with par in mind.

[David Wigler]

Dan,

Not sure I agree.  Ross certainly was capable of designing good par threes (and we both listed some).  That written, you have to admit that an entire thread about the courses with the best par threes and not a single course from the most prolific US golf architect is even mentioned is an indicator that this was not his strengh.  If this thread was best set of par fours or fives, certainly Ross would be on the list.

[Sean_A]

I thought this was an interesting thread and I was wondering if there are any other candidates out there - perhaps Kingsley? 

Paul has obviously pushed forward Colt and it is hard to argue against this, but do some feel that Colt created a load of par 3s that are a variation on the theme of the plateau site? 

Ciao 

[Scott Macpherson]

Alex Russell created one of the best 'set' of par 3's at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club in New Zealand. All 4 are distinctly different.

The 2nd is about 200 yards with the green running away from the line of attack, and deep fall off's or grassy hollows either side.

The 5th is about 170 yard shot to a sand dune that had it's head cut off (i.e. fall off's all around), with no bunkers.

The 14th is about 140 yards, down hill to a green defend by two bunkers (beautifully revetted by the current greenstaff, I might add)
 
And the 16th tucks itself onto a dune. The carry is about 160 yards over a water hazard, but the green is a kidney shape, and with the wind, can be hard to shape the ball to hit. No bunkers.

[Jonathan Cummings]

Tom - here's an under the radar pick of the best par 3s.  Moselem Springs (George Fazio).  I'll bet there are not many on this site who have played MS and probably a fair number who have never heard of it.  JC

[Chris Cupit]

Tom -

I'm sure you've also heard of the steeply pitched 3d, which Billy Casper laid up on four straight times.

The 7th (or is it the 8th, I forget) is short (relatively) at ~155, and is probably the easiest of the bunch, due to its green, but it can be tough if the pin is cut next to the right bunker.

The 10th needs no description.

The 13th green is sort of flatter version of 10 green, but still very difficult and long at 200+. Your reward for making 3 (or birdie or triple bogey)? 5 brutally long par 4s, easily the toughest finish to any course I know of.

The problem with all the par 3s is there is nowhere to miss on any of them, and over on each of them is total jail (if not stroke penalty).

they are terrifying.

The four one shotters on the east course are terrific as well.  #3 is a shortish 150 yard downhiller tucked neatly into the rocky hillside.  Green is deceptively severe on the upper level and from right to left.  Buners may be a good miss as the miss left and just beyond the bunker is dead.

#6 (I think this is the hole at the center of the dispute with the homeowner who is getting pelted with balls after some tree removal).  Anyway a terrifc 200 yarder slightly uphill.  The huge tree short and right was a golf ball magnet (now I guess the magnet is the house ) and the green though pretty well surrounded by bunkers left a small alley way to look into the green.  I guess you could run it up but the slope was steep enough that balls landed just short or even barely on the front tended to come back toward you down the hill.

#13  An outstanding 165 yarder with a massive front bunker angling from the front left to back right of the green.  The green is perched high up on a knob and death is long and left, guarranteeing a lot of bunker shots.  Another very sneaky, tricky putting surface--fast back to front.  Most know I am a "tree hater" but the backdrop of trees here is outstanding and affects play significantly since going long can leave you under the trees trying to pitch way back uphill with overhanging limbs in your way.  These trees are not little low hangers but very mature ones that normally would be no problem to punch out from--in this case though, climbing back up to the green put these limbs into play.

#17  After the lengthening of this bunkerless beast of a hole from 220 to 255 I am not sure I love it as much but it is a great example of an old school approach at defense.  Huge landforms plus a crazily pitched green that no one in their right mind would have the balls (or sense) to attempt today.

WF certainly has the best eight in the world  

[Ian Andrew]

Jasper Park Lodge. (my favourite collection in Canada)

4th
-somewhat downhill
- very long (240)
- plays south
- with open front available to run the approach in
- large green
- main concern is flanking trouble

7th
- uphill
- mid length (170)
- points east
- green sits up high and you need to carry it there
- slope in front and pitch of green

9th
-very downhill
- long (220)
- points north
- running approach is encouraged but you can fly it on
- triangle shaped green narrows as it goes back
- going long is a complete disaster

12th
-on grade
- mid length (200)
- points West
- raised green surface
- angles green
- bunker in front and back

15th on grade
- very short (130)
- points north
- all or nothing shot
- tiny green
- steep short grass bank in front

[Lester George]

The Old White - #3 Biarritz, #8 Redan, #15 Eden, #18 Short a very good set of threes

Seminole
Country Club of Florida
Starmount Forest
Kinloch

[Paul Nash]

I really enjoyed the some of the pasr 3s on Berkshire Red - there are 6 of them and the 18th is one of the worst last holes going, but 10 (I think) and 16 are superb - I can't remember the others that well as I have only played it once. Parkstone has some freat par 3s - and the last is a lesson of how to finish a course - what a hole! Woodhall Spa and Hankley Common are superb, as are Bearwood Lakes. And I loved Worplesdon - especially 13 and 16 - 13 is one of the best par 3s I have ever played.

[Paul Nash]

And another - there are some superb par 3s on the back 9 at Pennard - 2 very tough long holes that wer brutal in the wind.

[Anthony Fowler]

How about Bandon Trails?

Nobody could have suggested this course when this thread began, but Bandon Trails has the best set of par 3's that I have ever seen.  They are highly varied, requiring a wide range of shots.  Individually, I would put 2, 5, and 17 on my very short list of favorite par 3's.

[Bart Bradley]

I agree with Ian that Jasper Park has a great set..

How about Harbor Town...the par 3s there are all solid.

Ballyneal has great par 3s too.

Bart

[Anthony Butler]

Sorry Mdugger. it was posted for conversation purposes.  I have only played one of the courses listed.

I nominate Sandpines. Maybe you can tell us more about it.
On second thought, I come to this site for honest analysis.

I was kind of hoping that the 'mythical' Hamilton B. Hearst was taken down in the Madoff scandal. Then again, he's more likely to belong to a club with a 'closed' membership policy.

My nomination is for New South Wales GC (my home course):

Considering the severity and changeability of the wind conditions, the decision to have each hole play to a different point in the compass was sheer genius. Each day you play, you get one hole into the wind, one with it and two holes playing with a cross wind–no matter which way the wind is blowing:

#2 200yds: Across 150yds of tee-tree scrub to a green that sits on an exposed knob. Green is quite large, but slopes off on all sides reducing the size of the target greatly. Four different recovery shots depending on which side of the green you miss on. Hit everything from 3wood to 7 iron on this hole.

#6 193yds: One of the most spectacular and strategic par 3s ever. Play away from the ocean and try to make a par from right of the green. Not possible.

#11 162yds:  Weakest and shortest of the bunch. Still a good hole. Hard to tell what Mackenzie was trying to do here. Green almost plays as a redan that has been turned 35 degrees back towards the tee. Almost impossible to par if you go over.

#17 167yds: On the highest point of the course. You are truly at the mercy of the wind. I saw Robert Allenby nut a four iron and barely make the front of this green. When a northerly wind is blowing, beyond the ability of mere mortals.

You can see all four holes here under Course Tour

http://www.nswgolfclub.com.au

[J_ Crisham]

Bart, I agree with the call on Harbor Town. Ken Venturi once declared the par3s here to be the best in his opinion. Obviously someone who has seen alot of courses. I felt that of the par 3s at HT the 17th was probably the weakest.                 Jacck

[Anthony Butler]

Kingston Heath:

#5th is solid mid iron hole with a tricky green

#10 is a short gem.

#15 is one of the best par 3's under 160yds in all of golf.

[Patrick Hodgdon]

I'll nominate Calusa Pines for best set of Par Threes... all 4 face a different direction on the compass and are different distances. All have very different and distinct looks and are underrated in terms of difficulty.

#3 110-150 yards. Affectionately known as the shortest par-5 in FL when you miss the green. Although the green is around 8100 sq. ft. the landing area is more like 1500 sq. ft.

#7 210-250 yards. Toughest to hit off the tee and the very large undulating green is very easy to 3-putt.

#11 175-190 yards. The wind swirls on this hole around as it is on the backside of the large man-made hill. Usually the wind blows differently on the tee than it does over the green.

#16 130-180 yards. Big down hill shot to a peninsula green that for all but the front third slopes away from you.

Anyone else that's played CP second this?

[Mike_Cirba]

The best set of Par threes I've played in recent years is at Bedford Springs.

[mike_malone]

Since Scott Burroughs mentioned Rolling Green's par threes in 2003, some significant things have changed.


    #3-This off season the tee has been moved back and the plateau at the back made level with the rest of the tee. The left greenside bunkers have been restored to one quite intimidating hazard as originally designed.

     #6-The left greenside bunker has been expanded and reshaped , again as designed.Several trees have been removed on the right side over the years, opening up that approach angle.

     #10- A    260 tee was added a couple of years ago. This winter the four bunkers on the left are now two, as originally intended.


      #14--A new 235 yard tee was added a few years ago; several trees have been removed on the right off of the tee and by the green allowing an approach from the right. This winter a new bunker has been added on the right which does not affect the intent or design of the hole but looks great and may catch a few balls from bounding down the hill.


       #16 This off season the right / front bunker has been expanded to the right, the two bunkers behind the green have been combined , and more trees removed around the green.


   You can't stand still !!!

[David Ober]

If not for the boring 3rd hole, I would vote Lakeside as having my favorite par 3's. I especially love the uber-short 75 yard 8th hole, and the uber-long 18th. They're two of my all-time favorite par-3's. And the 5th hole is pretty darn good, too.

[Don Hyslop]

I kind of like the one's at Digby Pines in Nova Scotia- a Stanley Thompson design. The one pitcured here is the 16th a very short hole from a higly elevated tee over a pond. The green slopes from back towards the pond. It plays at 116 yds. The second is a photo of the second hole. A 177 yd hole that plays from an elevated tee over a large pond. The fifth hole plays at 184 yds. It is well bunkered hole with bunkers short, long and to the
right. It has  a slightly elevated green and plays longer than it looks.
The 8th hole plays from an elevated tee across a ravine to an elevated green. A great little hole at 169 yds. The 14th hole plays up hill to a sloping green at 200 yds. Most would consider a par at this hjole to be a good success.  You can view the holes not pictured here on the video tour of the course:
http://www.worldwidegolfguide.com/hgg_home/digbypines/pages/digby_overview.html

[Scott Stambaugh]

How about Bandon Trails?

Nobody could have suggested this course when this thread began, but Bandon Trails has the best set of par 3's that I have ever seen.  They are highly varied, requiring a wide range of shots.  Individually, I would put 2, 5, and 17 on my very short list of favorite par 3's.

Very nice observation.  I'm surprised more people haven't chimed in about this one.

[David Botimer]

How about Bandon Trails?

Nobody could have suggested this course when this thread began, but Bandon Trails has the best set of par 3's that I have ever seen.  They are highly varied, requiring a wide range of shots.  Individually, I would put 2, 5, and 17 on my very short list of favorite par 3's.

Totally agree.  #2 and 17 are both 2 of the absolute best.  #5 is also outstanding, althought center pins on that one make the hole a bit ho-hum.  The only weak one in the bunch is #12.

Ironically, Golf Magazine's raters when asked what courses had the best par three's put Pacific Dunes at #3 (behind Cypress Point and Pine Valley).  That's a pretty good race between Trails and Pac for best par threes at BDGR.

[George Freeman]

what about Camargo?  I don't think I saw it reading through this thread.

I've never played the course, but I've rarely seen it mentioned without the disclaimer "and this course has one of the best set of par 3's in the world/I've ever seen/etc"

Any comments from someone who has played it?