Short Courses

[Frank Kim]

I recently had a conversation with a friend who said the best short course or "par 3" course that he has ever played is the Hickory Course at Hamilton Farms.  What's everyone's experience?  I really enjoyed the short courses on the Robert Trent Jones trail at Magnolia Cove and Silver Lakes.

[Anders Rytter]

The st Olaf course at Cruden Bay, all though it's 4 par three and 5 par four.  I found 6th and 7th very good  and the rest fine.

[Doug Spets]

If there is a better short course than the Hamilton Farm Hickory Course, I'd like to see it.  This one isn't really all that short. 18 holes.  Two sets of tees.  Blue...back.  White...up.  From the blues, you have four holes over 200 yards, including an opening 200-yard tee shot over a canyon to a tabletop green.  Always in incredible shape, because it just doesn't get that much play.  Green complexes by Hurzdan/Fry make for some really awkward chips and putts.  Utilizes every club in my bag, except the driver.  And if the pin is back on the uphill #14, I might as well hit driver.  Fun fun course with really interesting greens.  Many of the wild flashing bunkers really trick your mind on distances.  A truly hidden gem.

[Thomas Dai]

The st Olaf course at Cruden Bay, all though it's 4 par three and 5 par four.  I found 6th and 7th very good  and the rest fine.

Excellent call from Anders. The St Olaf 9-holer at CB is terrific. The 6th is a wonderful par-4 over a saddle and then dog-legging left to a rumpled green set onto a ledge in a dune. The 7th is a tiny wee downhill par-3 to a tiny wee green with a deep bunker at the front. The 8th is not dissimilar to the famous Foxy 14th at Royal Dornoch except of shorter length and with a smaller sized raised green. The 9th has a biarritz style green and the other holes are all very fine. I only wish I had some photos to post.
As to other short courses, The 9-hole Bann at Castlerock is terrific as is the 9-hole Channel Course at Burnham & Berrow. I have heard good things about the 9-hole course at Rathmore/Royal Portrush and St David's City in furtherest West Wales, which has been mentioned on this DB a few times, also fits the bill.
All the best.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Frank & Doug,

I'm curious, when did the short course at Hamilton Farms get named or renamed the "Hickory Course" ?

[Steve Lapper]

Frank & Doug,

I'm curious, when did the short course at Hamilton Farms get named or renamed the "Hickory Course" ?

Pat,

As an original founding member years ago at Hamilton Farm, it  was the course's original name. Daylar Properties contracted with Hurzdan & Fry for it and delivered it, with that name, to the original buyer-developer, Lucent Technologies. The full-sized 18 hole course, the "Highland" course was the venue for the LPGA Match-Play championships until a year ago

[Frank Kim]

Has anyone played Threetops at the Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan?

[Ronald Montesano]

I've played Threetops. It's fun. We played it while bunker reconstruction was taking place. The poor bastards with their hard hats didn't stand a chance on a shot from 90 feet in the air.

Threetops should not be in anyone's top five anymore. If you look at the scorecard (http://treetops.com/files/9013/3117/0342/Treetops_THREETOPS.pdf) you'll see that Rick Smith varied little in his distancing. Everything is between 140 and 170, and that includes the third hole, which plays straight downhill, some 90 feet. No pitch shots and no brassies.

[Tommy Williamsen]

it sure is hard to beat the short course at Pine Valley.

[Kyle Henderson]

Haven't played bandon preserve but the short course at Colorado GC is terrific.

[Frank Kim]

The Links at Terranea is a spectacular 9 hole course in Palos Verdes, California designed by Todd Eckenrode.  It's a par 27 course and plays 1,239 yards.  It's walkable and the views of the Pacific Oceand and Catalina Island are amazing.  

[Richard Hetzel]

I really enjoyed the 4 hole practice loop at Pineneedles, I played it a ton when I played Mid Pines and Pineneedles.

[Jordan Standefer]

Frank,

I'm a big fan of Terranea.  No better way to spend an hour and fifteen minutes.  Really good greens and bunkers.  Firm turf, too.

[Mark Saltzman]

Turnberry in Toronto is quite good.. http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,56743.0.html

[Chris_Blakely]

I don't care what Ronald says, Threetops is my favorite short course!

[Joel_Stewart]

I played last year with a major champion and current tour player who after coming back from Bandon felt the short course was his favorite.

[Frank Kim]

A neat short course is the Horse course at the Prairie Club in Valentine, Nebraska.  10 holes in the Nebraska sandhills.  Take a few clubs, pick a spot to tee off and have fun.

[Frank Kim]

Joel,

That's a quite a statement from the tour player considering the other courses at Bandon.

Frank

[Frank Kim]

Jordan,

I totally agree and you can't beat the replay rate if you want to play 18.

Frank

[Kyle Casella]

+1 for Terranea. Pretty good option for the price in that area. Love the firm turf and variation in hole styles and yardages. Also, it's pretty easy to get out as a single and hit from multiple tee boxes. The views are pretty good too...

[Phil Lipper]

The Hickory at Hamilton Farms is truly special its hard to imagine a more amazing par 3 course

[Garland Bayley]

The Hickory at Hamilton Farms is truly special its hard to imagine a more amazing par 3 course

Michelle Wie in Golf Digest

"HOLES-IN-ONE on par-3 courses are legitimate. They count, and here's why. After I lost my first-round match at the Sybase Match Play, I played in a pro-am the next day. Hamilton Farm has probably the best par-3 course in the world, 18 great holes. Two of my partners were brothers, one 18 years old, the other about 10. Early in the round I made a hole-in-one. The youngest brother had never seen an ace before, and he went nuts. On the 14th hole I made another hole-in-one, one of those shots you just know is going in. I'll never forget the look on the 10-year-old's face. He looked at me like I was a superhero. Thinking about it now, I hope he makes a hole-in-one someday. Because the next one he sees might be a little anticlimactic."

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2014-01/my-shot-michelle-wie#ixzz2o82y9Pb3

[Chris DeToro]

Bandon Preserve is really cool.  Definitely have to go with that as the best short course I've ever played.  Fits the aesthetic of the other courses on the property and is really quite a challenge

[Connor Dougherty]

I like Bandon Preserve and Colorado GC's short courses a lot, but for quality, variety, and length, the two best in my book are Terranea and Olympic Club's cliffs course. Anyone who's out there should at least try to have a look when they can

[Frank Kim]

Has anyone played Headwaters in Cashiers, North Carolina across from Wade Hampton?