[Mark_F]

Melbourne has been blessed with an abundance of great short par fours, and it is arguable as to which amongst many could be called the best, but Kingston Heath's 3rd could probably claim the title if plainness of land is anything to go by.

A mere 270 or so metres, there's nothing here that couldn't be built anywhere in the world,, surely, but hasn't been. 

From the tee:


Nothing special there.


The best line into the angled green is from past or alongside these fairway bunkers:


There is nothing special about the land that the bunker was carved into, except the construction:



Now it gets more interesting near the narrow green, which has some dead ground between the bunker and the putting surface.


From the front:


And from behind the green:


The putting surface has a lot more break to it than appears at first glance. Going long isn't to be recommended, either, but like the rest of the hole, long doesn't seem as bad a mistake as it is.

Simple hole, plain land, great result.

[jeffwarne]

wouldn't the risk of losing 2 shots in those inpenetrable bushes outweigh any rewards of challenging that bunker?

[Mark_F]

Jeff,

Hopefully others who have played the hole more than I can comment more, but approaching from the right hand side of the fairway could see you taking a lot more than two shots if the pitch isn't spot on. 

I quite like seeing single figure players chip off the front of the green from behind.

[Jeff Doerr]

I quite like seeing single figure players chip off the front of the green from behind.

A little like Kenny Perry on 17... (I was really wanting him to make it happen)

This hole is really a great teaser. I think the bushes would scare me into a layup. It would be very interesting to see those cleared back a bit. I would not want to hit the approach from very far off the center line on a fast/firm day.

[Michael Warren]

I've always found that short par 4's are the holes that cause me to think the most.  The risk reward on this hole is big, but I think that I'd still end up going for it.

[Ian Andrew]

Mark,

You’re always thoughtful – good topic.

I was thinking about posting a question regarding what are the best holes on dead flat land. My reasons were personal - since I’m always looking to deepen my “toolbox” when it comes to architectural ideas. Since every site traverses over flattish land, there is always a need to have a series of great examples for that situation.

Where it gets real tough – as an architect- is when your looking a site with almost no elevation change and now you need to create all 18 holes. That’s why this post and others along these lines grab my attention. I’ve always wanted to find ways that I can leave the flat site intact and still create enough interesting ideas to make the golf course far better than it should be.

You post and pictures just went into my “toolbox” – thanks.

[Dick Kirkpatrick]

Mark:

Great looking reachable par 4.

Do you know what the edging is on the lip of the right front greenside bunker?

It looks like sand bags or perhaps concrete and sand filled sand bags---ouch!

[Rob Rigg]

The subtly raised green is a great touch - it is only a couple of feet but for people hitting or chipping in with a wedge it provides a great consequence for too much spin or coming up short.

The position of the bunker short of the green is another exquisite touch - nothing tougher for most golfers than a 20-30 yard bunker shot and fair punishment for trying to get there in one or chunking a delicate approach.

[Carl Rogers]

Did I read somewhere that Tiger is going to play at Kingston Heath?

Will he lay up on this hole?  Probably.  What do you think?

The thick shrubs so close to the green are more penal than any water hazard.

Great post.

[Doug Siebert]

That's a really cool hole.  I'd really have to be on to try to go at it but if I played it regularly I'm sure I'd have an eagle or two along with a box of balls lost in the bushes   It looks like it would be one of those frustrating holes that you feel like you should get your share of 3s but they'd probably be irritatingly hard to come by.

Do you have any overhead views or drawings of the hole?  I'm curious what the strategy is for the layup, it looks like the best play is past the fairway bunker on the left and short of the greenside bunker, but I'm not really sure how much room there is on the right for us hookers to bail out...  How far away are those fairway bunkers on the left?  Maybe its best played with two 9 irons on those days where nothing seems to go your way!

[Mark_F]

Doug,

Here you go.

                                                                                   

I think it's about 200 metres to get past the bunkers.

The subtly raised green is a great touch - it is only a couple of feet but for people hitting or chipping in with a wedge it provides a great consequence for too much spin or coming up short.

Exactly.  I watched several groups whilst I was waiting for other shots, and one person who drove past the bunkers almost sucked his 40 metre pitch back off the front.

[Mike_Clayton]

Interestingly MacKenzie's drawing of the hole - and his vision presumably - had the fairway bunker closer to the middle of the fairway.
There was a narrow avenue down the left that opened up an ideal line for the pitch.

[Shane Gurnett]

Is the greatness of 3 at Kingston Heath partly enhanced by being wedged between two very ordinary holes?

[Mark_F]

Is the greatness of 3 at Kingston Heath partly enhanced by being wedged between two very ordinary holes?

That would make it a good routing, then?

[Ian Andrew]

Mike,

Would you happen to have a copy of that drawing that you could post?

Regards,

Ian

[TEPaul]

The third to last and second to last photos (same green) are a great example of a basic "pushup" green! 

[Anthony Butler]

Is the greatness of 3 at Kingston Heath partly enhanced by being wedged between two very ordinary holes?

I'm not sure I'd call 2 'very' ordinary. Except you will ordinarily make a 6 by attempting to cut off too much of the fairway from the tee.

After trying the conservative route on number 3 for the first 1/2 dozen rounds at KH with below average results. I went for the green two times on the same day. The first time a power fade stayed straight and I finished the hole with my provisional. Next time I went in the bunker to the right of the green but did not get up and down.

After playing a 270m par 4 hole 8 times, I am 7-8 over par. If greatness can be defined as achieving your intended purpose, number 3 at KH qualifies.

[JESII]

The adage "Ignorance is Bliss" was disproven and then supported in my one chance at #s 2 and 3 at Kingston Heath...very strong helping wind and I smashed a driver on #2 hoping to get near the green and thought I had, but still have not found the ball 3 and half years later...Then hit a 3 wood or something like that up to the front edge of #3 and made a pretty simple 3.

I am willing to bet right now that if I ever get back my scoring will be a minimum of one stroke lower on #2 than on #3...

#3 does alot of things very well, but best of all it illustrates the philosophy that one can hit it as far as they'd like and gain a reward by doing so, but they'll have to hit it straighter the further they drive it, and the penalty for a miss is worse the further you drive it...

[RichMacafee]

Mike,

Would you happen to have a copy of that drawing that you could post?

Regards,

Ian

Ian,

Neil Crafter posted it in this thread a few months back.

http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,34846.0.html

[Matt_Cohn]

Is the greatness of 3 at Kingston Heath partly enhanced by being wedged between two very ordinary holes?

Ordinary by KH standards, maybe. Not many ordinary ones on that track.

[Mark_F]

Is the greatness of 3 at Kingston Heath partly enhanced by being wedged between two very ordinary holes?

Ordinary by KH standards, maybe. Not many ordinary ones on that track.

2,4,5.

Which perhaps shores up Shane's position?

[Anthony Butler]

Does anyone happen to know the Index number for #3 at Kingston Heath?

[RichMacafee]

Does anyone happen to know the Index number for #3 at Kingston Heath?

Index 16 Anthony.

In the recent Open Qualifying it ranked #13 at 4.05 average, and from memory in the last Australian Open it ranked about #9. There were 3 days of strong Southerly (hurting) winds that week.

[Matthew Mollica]

Great photo essay and commentary on #3 Mark.

You mention 2 4 & 5 when the topic of ordinary holes is raised.

I may be missing something, but is #5 that bad?

Thanks for the good thread.

MM

[Mark_F]

Matt,

Maybe 5 suffers from the excellence of 10 and 15, so ordinary is damning it with faint praise, but it's a much easier green to hit than either of the other two par threes, and putting isn't as nerve-wracking.  I've only played it three times, so of course am barely qualified to comment, but it just didn't do a lot for me.

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