Most intimidating Par-3 from the tee

[Martin Toal]

In Northern Ireland, both Royal County down (4th) and Royal Portrush (14th, called Calamity) are pretty fearsome off the back tees, especially if there is some wind, which is pretty much always.

[TEPaul]

"# 5 at Pine Valley.
The first time I saw it I thought it was a short par 4."



It is Patrick, it is, and quite a few don't par it either!   

[Jon Heise]

Kingsley 2 and 9.
Ocean Course 17.
Arcadia 13.

[Mark McKeever]

Here's one that definitely is not well known, but when I take people out to the Hurdzan/Fry Pilgrim's Oak in Peach Bottom, PA, the 12th hole usually gets their attention.  From the tips it plays 200 yards to a fairly large green with a creek in play near the front, a junk lateral hazard area back and left, and big trees along the right.  Not too forget a fairly deep small grass bunker just to the right of the green.

Good one Joe.  Those trees to the right aren't very fun as I found out!

Mark

[Scott Weersing]

While a long par 3 is often intimidating, I tried to think of a short one. I came up with No. 8 at Rustic Canyon with the flag on the upper left. The hole is only 115 yards from the blue tees. But 115 yards is often betwen clubs.

There are very few places you can miss the green and still get up and down for par.

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/rustic-canyon-photos/8th-tee-sequence/

[Tim Gavrich]

#13 at Pawleys Plantation "FTW," as they say.

[David Kelly]

Prairie Dunes #10 in any kind of a wind, and there is always a wind.

[Jeff Evagues]

For what its worth I've birdied the 17th at TPC west. My pick is 12 at Pebble. I've stood on the tee and can't figure out how to stop the ball on the green. 

[Sam Sikes]

I nominate 17 at Winged Foot East.

Also, Ive always thought 8 at The Honors to be pretty scary.

[Jaeger Kovich]

Winged Foot East #17... It doesn't need bunkers!

The Castle Course (St. Andrews) #17... Very similar to CPC 16, only with Scottish wind and a DMK roller coaster green.

Shennecosset #4... A legit par 3.5!


Honorable mention: Yale #9, WFW #4, Stanwich #4, Friars Head #17

[Jason Walker]

This is a no-brainer for me...Number four at Royal County Down, from the new back tee, with a 30 mph direct cross-wind.  Even with a draw I still had to play the ball 40 yards left of the green and let it blow back.  The ball just gets up in the air off that elevated tee and does whatever the wind tells it, not to mention the landing area looks tiny from up there and the gorse is everywhere!  Green is off my left shoulder in the picture...

[JeffTodd]

Pine Valley #5 immediately comes to mind. As frightening as the prospect of missing right is, I missed left and lost the ball in the ivy below the house. Missed right with my provisional, and was thrilled to card a one-putt triple. It could have been much worse. That hole was in my head for years before I played it. I had walked the course prior to ever setting foot on the course as a player and I felt like I could, at worst, scrape my ball around the place. But even then I wasn't sure how I could pull off #5.

I also find #9 at Yale to be very scary, but that is as attributable to my numerous and colorful failures on that hole as it is the difficulty of the hole itself. That said, it is an intimidating hole even if it is not the "most" intimidating.

[J_ Crisham]

My hole would be #13 at Sand Hills. At 216 yds, a very uphill target in a prevailing crosswind -tough shot for anyone. Watched 3 very fine players, 2hndcp or lower, hit 3 woods and not even come close to this beast. Very hard green to figure out as well with a severe false front.                  Jack

[Matt_Ward]

Jason T:

I agree w you 1000% ... I've played nearly all the other holes mentioned by folks here -- the 8th at Wolf Creek is quite intiimidating to the max.

Tim G:

Ditto on your mentioning the 13th at Pawley's Plantation,

In both of the above cases the holes in question do not need a hint of wind to be demanding to the max. Throw wind into the equation -- from any direction at any measureable velocity and the demands can eaily double / triple.

Last thought -- I see both holes as quite fair -- it's the visual stimuli that throws people off their game. In addition, if people do play the appropriate tee boxes the scale of demands certainly becomes less intense / rigorous.

[Dan King]

I had trouble with the Himalayas at Prestwick. The hill just looked too damn high to get over it and still get the ball to the green. It isn't nearly as tough a shot as it looks, but that first time, jeez, what the heck kind of shot do I hit?

I've also played Pebble's 7th when the wind is gusting into your face. If you pick a long club, you better hurry up and hit before the wind died. If you pick too short of a club and then the wind suddenly returns, you could end up with the ball hitting you in the head.

Cheers,
Dan King

I think it would be intimidating as hell if 12 guys showed up at the Ryder Cup with shaved heads. People think I'm crazy for shaving my head. Can you imagine all 12 guys doing it? God, it would be great. Mickelson, I don't know, he puts that mousse on his head. I don't know if he'd let me do it.
 --John Daly
I think most of the guys are happy with their personal barbers. I don't want any part of John's barber -- not that it doesn't look good on John.
 --Lanny Wadkins (responding to John Daly's offer to shave the Ryder Cup team's heads)

[cary lichtenstein]

Pine Valley #5 immediately comes to mind. As frightening as the prospect of missing right is, I missed left and lost the ball in the ivy below the house. Missed right with my provisional, and was thrilled to card a one-putt triple. It could have been much worse. That hole was in my head for years before I played it. I had walked the course prior to ever setting foot on the course as a player and I felt like I could, at worst, scrape my ball around the place. But even then I wasn't sure how I could pull off #5.

I also find #9 at Yale to be very scary, but that is as attributable to my numerous and colorful failures on that hole as it is the difficulty of the hole itself. That said, it is an intimidating hole even if it is not the "most" intimidating.

I agree on Pine Valley #5, the first time I saw it I thought it was a par 4. Disagree completely on #9 at Yale, one of my all time favorite par 3's, which I think is easy unless there is a front pin.

[Matt Kardash]

How has no one said he 17th at Whistling Straits? I think that hole is way scarier than an island green. If you go left you may never get your ball back up to the green.

[Jay Kirkpatrick]

#12 on The Cardinal in Greensboro, NC.  There is a plaque as you ride to the tee that reads something to the effect of:

"The hardest par 3 I've ever created" -- Pete Dye

[Patrick_Mucci]

Pat wouldn't you say the very length of 8th at Troon and the 13th at Merion makes them intimidating as you totally expect to hit a green just over a 100 yards away but know the punishment for failure is high.

12 at Woodhall Spa is pretty intimidating especially if bunker play is a weakness.

5 at PV is intimidating but then i don't expect to hit a green with a 3 wood or rescue.

Mark,

The reason that neither hole is intimidating to me is that they don't scream out at the golfer that you can make double bogey or worse.

I think most see the distinct possibility of a bogey, but, holes like # 5 at PV scream out, "double, triple or worse"

# 9 at Yale also sends that signal.

Intimidation, to me, isn't about the possibility or probability of making a bogey, it's about the possibility or probability of making double bogey or worse.

[Wayne_Kozun]

#15 at Cruden Bay

[Chip Gaskins]

RCD #4 and Sand Hills #13 were both next on my list that was getting way too long!

With that said, I used Mr. Mucci's criteria, both RCD #4 and Sand Hills #13 are really "hard shots" but no where near as intimidating IMO as PV #5 and Augusta #12.  Of course, at this point, we are talking about the head games we all play, so I am probably just a mental dwarf on these anyway.

I will agree that with Kiawah #17 you have a definite bail out, so that one didn't make it in my mind.

[Dan Dingman]

The Creek Club - #11. Island green roughly 20,000ft2 that is difficult to land with the wind blowing off the Sound. Neat hole with the tide coming in and out around the green.

DD

[Scott Szabo]

Jack,

Couldn't agree more with Sand Hills #13.  Short is the ONLY place you can miss.  Any other spot, and you're hoping to find one of the bunkers, otherwise, you not only have to FIND your shot, but you have to PLAY it.  I can't think of anything more intimidating than that.  Depending on the lie you draw, it could take more than one or two whacks at it to get it back in play.

Scott

[ChipOat]

I have to go with Joe Bausch and #17 at TPC Sawgrass - especially on a windy day (the only way I've ever played it.

At CPC you can bail out left and at PV #5 you can play a 180 yard shot that's lower risk than the 235 yard "requirement".

At Sawgrass, not only do you have to hit a good shot, it has to be the right club.  There is simply no place to miss - period.

I agree that #14 at PV is more of a challenge than #5 in terms of the (no) place to miss.

[Mark_F]

7th at National Old.  Only a short iron, but nowhere to miss and totally exposed to Bass Strait.