Favorite Half Par Holes- Par 3

[Anthony Gray]

  Bill McBride made an excellent statement about the joys of the "Half Par". He loves the short par 4 and the long par 3.

  So lets see some examples of "Half Par" Par 3 holes.

  What are some of your favorites?

  Anthony

[Emil Weber]

Maybe the 11th hole Los Angeles CC's North Course, because it can be both a very short par 4 and a long par 3.

[Jamie Barber]

How about the 18th at TOC? Actually it's not really a personal favourite but there is something special about playing towards the Auld Grey Toon

[Jed Peters]

#3 at Pasatiempo.

What do I win? I was first, right?

[Matt Kardash]

17 at Whistling Straits.

[Jed Peters]

16th at CPC.

Do I win anything YET?

[Anthony Gray]

  Jed is the winner. Your prize is at the Thousand Oaks fire department.

  I like Bandon Trails 12. Always a driver.

  Anthony

[Kalen Braley]

How about 1/2 pars in the other direction.  I've played some pretty short par 3s over the years that had felt like par 2.5s...

[JSlonis]

I think #5 at Pine Valley would qualify for this list, it's at least a par 3 1/2.  I've often joked it's the world shortest par 5.

[Tim Gavrich]

#8, Greenbrier (Old White): par 3.25-3.5 (I love any excuse to post this picture  )


#13, Gillette Ridge: par 3.5-3.75 (actual par 4)



#13, Crail Golfing Society (Balcomie Links): 3.25-3.5


#15, TPC at River Highlands: 3.5-3.75 (actual par 4, of which I wish I had pictures)

#10, Manchester (CT) CC: 3.5-3.75 (actual par 4)

[Anthony Gray]

  Tim,

  I love the one at Crail. Thanks for the photos.

  Anthony

[Mark Pearce]

  Tim,

  I love the one at Crail. Thanks for the photos.

  Anthony

Agreed.  Though if 13 at Balcomie is only 3.25-3.5 then Tim's a better golfer than me.  I'll take a 4 in a medal round and walk on happy.  Most often it plays a driver into the wind and then the green is the toughest on the course.

[Tom_Doak]

The only true dogleg par 3 I've ever seen is the sixth hole at West Sussex, England.  It's 220 yards, downhill with a small pond in front of the green ... if you don't go for it, you play out to the right of the pond and pitch in from there.  I'm surprised it doesn't get more attention, although the club does have a low profile for one so good.

[Tim Bert]

Kingsley has some great par 3s that play as 3.5+ and it isn't because of length.  #9 for sure, and possibly #2 depending upon the wind and the pin placement. 

[jim_lewis]

#16 at Carnoustie, especially into the wind. Wait.....into the wind it is a short par 4.

[Ben Sims]

Jed stole mine!!

#15 at We-Ko-Pa Saguaro is funny because it's long at 255 yds.  But I never felt pressed.  Has anyone else experienced this phenomena?  A 250yd+ par 3 that plays pretty close to par?

As for a reply to the question.  Hmm, I think the 19th at Legends Golf and Safari Resort in South Africa might get my vote.  I guess 830 meters is a half par right?

[Garland Bayley]

Since half par holes come as par 4s and par 5s, I think Anthony misspelled 4 as 3. We will also note that he spells face, s-h-i-r-t.

In case he didn't, there is an 85 yard par 3 at a local course that could qualify as a half par 3.

[Mark Pearce]

The only true dogleg par 3 I've ever seen is the sixth hole at West Sussex, England.  It's 220 yards, downhill with a small pond in front of the green ... if you don't go for it, you play out to the right of the pond and pitch in from there.  I'm surprised it doesn't get more attention, although the club does have a low profile for one so good.

Have you ever been to Anstruther?  A local 9 holer it may be but the 5th is a monster (235 yards into the wind) par 3 (the hardest in Britain according to one of the golf magazines) and plays like a left to right dogleg because of a dune which obstructs the right side of the (very small) green.  Worth a detour next time you're in Fife just to see that hole.

[Anthony Gray]

Since half par holes come as par 4s and par 5s, I think Anthony misspelled 4 as 3. We will also note that he spells face, s-h-i-r-t.

In case he didn't, there is an 85 yard par 3 at a local course that could qualify as a half par 3.

  And Garland lay ups!!

 Anthony

[tlavin]

I'll nominate the 17th at Beverly CC in Chicago.  It's 200 yards from the regular tees, 240 from the back, to a very tilted back to front and left to right green that is protected by one bunker on the left and three on the right side.  The green itself is so difficult to put and so hard to hit that many great players purposely hit their tee shot short and just left of the green in order to have a fair pitch to the hole, hoping to make par but definitely to take double or higher out of the equation.  When the pros played Beverly in the Western Opens back in the day, most of the field took this approach.  And that was when greens were only running at 9 on the stimpmeter.  Its position on the routing, after two murderously hard, long par-4's and just before an extremely challenging 600 yard par 5, adds to the compliment to the architect that most everybody in the "field" is happy making bogey on 17!

[Garland Bayley]

Since half par holes come as par 4s and par 5s, I think Anthony misspelled 4 as 3. We will also note that he spells face, s-h-i-r-t.

In case he didn't, there is an 85 yard par 3 at a local course that could qualify as a half par 3.

  And Garland lay ups!!

 Anthony

In case you didn't understand that one, you have to realize that Anthony spells basketball, g-o-l-f.

[Jon Spaulding]

Jed stole mine!!

#15 at We-Ko-Pa Saguaro is funny because it's long at 255 yds.  But I never felt pressed.  Has anyone else experienced this phenomena?  A 250yd+ par 3 that plays pretty close to par?

As for a reply to the question.  Hmm, I think the 19th at Legends Golf and Safari Resort in South Africa might get my vote.  I guess 830 meters is a half par right?

I experienced this phenomena at #15 Saguaro.....hitting a hybrid to about 3' and actually making the putt.

The hole is a bit downhill and the contours lead the ball towards the hole. Ample room out to the right for a bailout. The hole looks harder on the card than it plays, but is very well done in either event.