[PCCraig]

Within the thread about "Practice Facilities," I mentioned that I thought a better use of 20, 30, or 40 acres would be with either a short or par-3 course.

There was always something about par-3 courses that I loved. I grew up near a dinky par-3 course that we played in the winter and once a year in a spring match-play tournament with a rival high school. I always enjoyed how par-3 courses seemed to be a little outside the box in that many times they had approach shots you didn't normally see on a normal regulation 18 hole course.

Of course the most famous par-3 course in the world is in Augusta, however what are some that you have seen that you enjoyed for either personal or for GCA reasons?

[Tom Huckaby]

Another one covered many times before, but what the heck.

I am rather fond of par three courses and executive courses myself.  We have plenty here in CA.

The best I have ever seen is the Cliffs course at Olympic Club.  That little course is more fun that married males are allowed to have.

TH

[Deucie Bies]

There might be a par 4 or two, but what about the PVGC course? 

I also agree about the Cliffs at OC.

I didn't play it while I was there, but what about the par 3 course at Shady Oaks?

And I have heard Treetops is fun.

[PCCraig]

Another one covered many times before, but what the heck.

I am rather fond of par three courses and executive courses myself.  We have plenty here in CA.

The best I have ever seen is the Cliffs course at Olympic Club.  That little course is more fun that married males are allowed to have.

TH

I have played the par-3 course at Olympic and in many ways I enjoyed it more than the Lake Course!

I will ask this...

Do you think that an architect can and is allowed to "push the envelope" and experiment with par-3 courses? Why don't Golf Course Architects make some wild features and unique greens, as a way to test them out before putting them on an 18 hole course?

[Roger Wolfe]

Within the thread about "Practice Facilities," I mentioned that I thought a better use of 20, 30, or 40 acres would be with either a short or par-3 course.

There was always something about par-3 courses that I loved. I grew up near a dinky par-3 course that we played in the winter and once a year in a spring match-play tournament with a rival high school. I always enjoyed how par-3 courses seemed to be a little outside the box in that many times they had approach shots you didn't normally see on a normal regulation 18 hole course.

Of course the most famous par-3 course in the world is in Augusta, however what are some that you have seen that you enjoyed for either personal or for GCA reasons?

Kingsmill in Williamsburg has a nice one!

[Charlie Goerges]

Here is one that I like at the Legacy courses at Craguns Resort in MN. It's a reversible course with 10 greens, all par 3s. Designed by RTJII design. I've depicted the routing on the image below.

[Ronald Montesano]

Haven't played it, but the one on the practice range at Bandon Dunes must be pleasurable.  The two best I have played are Threetops at Treetops in Michigan and the Par-Three course at Turning Stone Resort outside Syracuse, New York.  Both of the latter two were designed by Rick Smith.

[PCCraig]

Here is one that I like at the Legacy courses at Craguns Resort in MN. It's a reversible course with 10 greens, all par 3s. Designed by RTJII design. I've depicted the routing on the image below.

Not that is really cool...I'm surprised more par-3's are not built reversible.

[Kalen Braley]

Lake Chabot par 3 course.

You won't play a short course where even though.... it often has bad conditions, some tees are mats, and the routing is a head scratcher.....afterwards you'll be itching to take another crack at it.

Its funk-a-delic, has some wicked cool shots, and some nice views to boot!!

[Steve Lapper]

Though it's been said before, and amply covered in the past, the very best out there might well be the fully-sloped and rated Hickory Course at Hamliton Farms, Gladstone, NJ.

This course has every length hole and full green complexes. It is grossly under-played by its membership.

[Paul Nash]

Haven't played it for years but Gleneagles is a proper full size par 3 course that I really enjoyed 12 years ago

[Tom Huckaby]

Lake Chabot par 3 course.

You won't play a short course where even though.... it often has bad conditions, some tees are mats, and the routing is a head scratcher.....afterwards you'll be itching to take another crack at it.

Its funk-a-delic, has some wicked cool shots, and some nice views to boot!!

Kalen... now ok, that is all kinda correct... but come on, would you REALLY recommend a visitor to seek that out?

Let's just say I would ONLY for those with a very very strong sense of humor... and/or a capacity to carry a lot of beer.

TH

[Kalen Braley]

Well I can't think of a single Par 3 course I've ever played that I'd ever recommend to anyone visiting the area.  But then I didn't think that was the scope of this thread. 

[Trey Kemp]

The "Little Nine" at Shady Oaks is great.  It is pretty neat to go over to the tree where Ben Hogan used to practice and hit a few balls.

[PCCraig]

Lake Chabot par 3 course.

You won't play a short course where even though.... it often has bad conditions, some tees are mats, and the routing is a head scratcher.....afterwards you'll be itching to take another crack at it.

Its funk-a-delic, has some wicked cool shots, and some nice views to boot!!

Kalen... now ok, that is all kinda correct... but come on, would you REALLY recommend a visitor to seek that out?

Let's just say I would ONLY for those with a very very strong sense of humor... and/or a capacity to carry a lot of beer.

TH

Tom-

See these are the kind of courses I want to seek out. Something unique and all it's own. We write on here how important it is to be different when speaking about 18 hole par-3 courses, but isn't the easiest way to do something memorable and unique on a short course?

While not a perfect public golf format, places like the Sheep Ranch need to and should be the future of golf. Why not create more courses that have 5/6 greens in neat places in the property and the ability to change the course drastically every single day?

[Tom Huckaby]

Pat:

You miss the point.  Uniqueness is to be sought out for sure; all for it.  I am also all for places like Sheep Ranch and other non-traditional golf courses.  My comments are about THIS ONE THAT KALEN TRUMPETED.

He just rather undersells the "it often has bad conditions."

Change that to "it always has awful conditions, sometimes the greens are unputtable, and if you get a mat it's iffy it will have any more astroturf on it.. and by the way do not drive a good car, or if you do make sure insurance is paid up."

Hopefully that makes my post make more sense.

TH

[Charlie Goerges]

Tom! Quit beating around the bush. Do you like the course or not?!?!? 

[PCCraig]

Pat:

You miss the point.  Uniqueness is to be sought out for sure; all for it.  I am also all for places like Sheep Ranch and other non-traditional golf courses.  My comments are about THIS ONE THAT KALEN TRUMPETED.

He just rather undersells the "it often has bad conditions."

Change that to "it always has awful conditions, sometimes the greens are unputtable, and if you get a mat it's iffy it will have any more astroturf on it.. and by the way do not drive a good car, or if you do make sure insurance is paid up."

Hopefully that makes my post make more sense.

TH

Sorry, I didn't mean to quote down the course that Kalen. I wasn't talking about his course in particular, but more so courses that try to do something different and mostly by being a "par-3" short course.

THANKS FOR THE CAPS  

I'm interested in why people like Kalen enjoy these shorter unusual courses. Is it simply because it is cheaper, close, easy to drink beer on, or maybe because golfers are becoming tired of the standard 18 hole layout?

[Tom Huckaby]

Tom! quit beating around the bush. Do you like the course or not?!?!? 

Charlie - I have played it but twice, and each time enjoyed it.  But then again I expected the awful conditions and do not drive a nice car.

I just have a very hard time including this course on a list that also has Olympic Club-Cliffs and some of the others mentioned.  I know Kalen loves it - and in some ways so do I  - but well.... each of us know what to expect there.

[Tom Huckaby]

Pat:

You miss the point.  Uniqueness is to be sought out for sure; all for it.  I am also all for places like Sheep Ranch and other non-traditional golf courses.  My comments are about THIS ONE THAT KALEN TRUMPETED.

He just rather undersells the "it often has bad conditions."

Change that to "it always has awful conditions, sometimes the greens are unputtable, and if you get a mat it's iffy it will have any more astroturf on it.. and by the way do not drive a good car, or if you do make sure insurance is paid up."

Hopefully that makes my post make more sense.

TH

Sorry, I didn't mean to quote down the course that Kalen. I wasn't talking about his course in particular, but more so courses that try to do something different and mostly by being a "par-3" short course.

THANKS FOR THE CAPS  

I'm interested in why people like Kalen enjoy these shorter unusual courses. Is it simply because it is cheaper, close, easy to drink beer on, or maybe because golfers are becoming tired of the standard 18 hole layout?

Caps for emphasis, of course.

But you can count me among "people like Kalen"... as I said above " am rather fond of par three courses and executive courses myself.  We have plenty here in CA."  When asked for favorite courses I always tend to list a place now called Weddington Golf and Tennis... longest hole 143 yards.

Why do I like these?

Less time involved, action-packed.

TH

[PCCraig]

Tom! quit beating around the bush. Do you like the course or not?!?!? 

Charlie - I have played it but twice, and each time enjoyed it.  But then again I expected the awful conditions and do not drive a nice car.

I just have a very hard time including this course on a list that also has Olympic Club-Cliffs and some of the others mentioned.  I know Kalen loves it - and in some ways so do I  - but well.... each of us know what to expect there.

Tom-

Would you ever rather play Olympic's Cliffs Course over their Lake course? Perhaps if you were a member or had unlimited access to the facility?

[PCCraig]

Pat:

You miss the point.  Uniqueness is to be sought out for sure; all for it.  I am also all for places like Sheep Ranch and other non-traditional golf courses.  My comments are about THIS ONE THAT KALEN TRUMPETED.

He just rather undersells the "it often has bad conditions."

Change that to "it always has awful conditions, sometimes the greens are unputtable, and if you get a mat it's iffy it will have any more astroturf on it.. and by the way do not drive a good car, or if you do make sure insurance is paid up."

Hopefully that makes my post make more sense.

TH

Sorry, I didn't mean to quote down the course that Kalen. I wasn't talking about his course in particular, but more so courses that try to do something different and mostly by being a "par-3" short course.

THANKS FOR THE CAPS  

I'm interested in why people like Kalen enjoy these shorter unusual courses. Is it simply because it is cheaper, close, easy to drink beer on, or maybe because golfers are becoming tired of the standard 18 hole layout?

Caps for emphasis, of course.

But you can count me among "people like Kalen"... as I said above " am rather fond of par three courses and executive courses myself.  We have plenty here in CA."  When asked for favorite courses I always tend to list a place now called Weddington Golf and Tennis... longest hole 143 yards.

Why do I like these?

Less time involved, action-packed.

TH

I very much agree, maybe it is because I have always been a bad driver of the golf ball, and my short game is what allowed me to be a halfway decent golfer, but I have always liked being "launched ahead" to the best part of a hole (in many cases).

[Tom Huckaby]

Tom! quit beating around the bush. Do you like the course or not?!?!? 

Charlie - I have played it but twice, and each time enjoyed it.  But then again I expected the awful conditions and do not drive a nice car.

I just have a very hard time including this course on a list that also has Olympic Club-Cliffs and some of the others mentioned.  I know Kalen loves it - and in some ways so do I  - but well.... each of us know what to expect there.

Tom-

Would you ever rather play Olympic's Cliffs Course over their Lake course? Perhaps if you were a member or had unlimited access to the facility?

If I only had an hour there I'd much rather spend it on the Cliffs than playing a few holes on the Lake.

If time is unlimited, of course not.

TH

[Charlie Goerges]

Pat, I'm interested in the answer as well. I think the reversible course works well on a par 3 course. Another concept I'm interested in is the "kid's" course. Here I'm envisioning something about the length of a par 3 course, but with the design intent on beginners. So basically the length might be 1000-1200 yards, but it's not a "short course" by any means. 220 yards would be a true 3-shot par 5, 140 yards would be a medium length par 4 etc. If it were done with this in mind, I would think it would end up looking a lot different than a par 3 course with holes of the exact same length.

[George Freeman]

Another one covered many times before, but what the heck.

Tom,

I would assume this could be said about 99% of the threads out there.  If instead of starting new threads (and consequently new discussions), people simply searched old threads of a similar nature, this website would turn from a DISCUSSION BOARD to an archival/research site (the Wikipedia of GCA??).

So please, spare us!  

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