Your Top 10 Par 5s

[Sean Ogle]

Started compiling this list in no particular order but found a pattern I created after the first two that I decided to see if I could go through all 18…sorry for not following the rules and I’m very aware that some of these holes aren’t top 18…looking at you 10 at PRC, but still a good hole.  Would have love to have seen the Principles Nose bunker that is referenced in the 1^st Confidential Guide!  If it’s not obvious, I had trouble with Holes 11, 8, 3 & 1.
 
18^th The Course at Yale
17^th Boston Golf Club
16^th Olympic Club Lake Course
15^th Pine Valley Golf Club
14^th The Old Course
13^th Augusta National Golf Club / Pasatiempo
12^th Greenbriar The Old White
11^th Kiawah Island Ocean Course
10^th Piping Rock Club
9^th National Golf Links of America
8^th Fisher’s Island Club (yes…it plays as a par 4 from the Blacks…)
7^th Huntington Country Club / Pine Valley Golf Club / National Golf Links of America
6^th Pebble Beach Golf Links
5^th Cypress Point Club
4^th Bethpage Black
3^rd Stumped…can’t think of even a mediocre par 5 that is a 3^rd hole
2^nd The Maidstone Club
1^st Los Angeles Country Club North Course / Boston Golf Club

I'd say #3 at Pacific Dunes could definitely be a contender for your 3rd hole here.

[Jason Way]

In no particular order, my favorite 10 off the top of my head are:


#2 Talking Stick North
#15 Boston Golf Club
#11 The Country Club
#4 Old Elm
#8 Crystal Downs
#15 Shoreacres
#15 Lost Dunes
#6 Old Sandwich
#3 Bandon Trails
#14 Friar's Head


Honourable mentions:


#14 Kingsley
#15 Apache Stronghold
#14 Talking Stick South
#16 Colorado Golf Club


Not much commentary on these.  They are all just beautiful to my eye, and use the land in special ways.

[Sean Ogle]

Here's my list:

#14 Pumpkin Ridge (Witch Hollow) - Yes it's short, and the pros play it as a par 4. However, for the amateur golfer, the second shot into the green is genius. I've seen more doubles there than bogeys.

#1 Boston Golf Club - Frankly this course has a a few 5s that I could put on this list (14 and 17 are others that come to mind). Not overly difficult, but the large green forces you to think about where to put your approach, and a miss can be deadly.

#18 Pebble Beach - Don't need to say much here.

#1 Spyglass Hill - One of my favorite opening holes I've played. Love the opportunity to cut the corner and shave off yardage.

#12 Oakland Hills (South) - You have to be very deliberate about where you put each shot, and you cant just bomb it off the tee unless you know you can hit it dead straight.

#9 San Francisco - Some of my favorite bunkering on the course.

#11 Arcadia Bluffs - Purists will hate me, but talk about a fun and beautiful golf hole

#17 Waverley - Hanse's renovation added some of the best cross bunkering in Oregon, and this hole is the best example of it.

#2 Maidstone - This was mentioned by someone here already, and I totally agree. I'd been setup to think that Maidstone had a weak start, personally I thought 1 and 2, while not as dramatic as some holes, were an excellent start to the round.

#11 Galloway National - Trouble everywhere, and a really fun approach shot.

If I were to spend another hour thinking about this my answers might be totally different, but these are definitely 10 favorites.

[jeffwarne]

Started compiling this list in no particular order but found a pattern I created after the first two that I decided to see if I could go through all 18…sorry for not following the rules and I’m very aware that some of these holes aren’t top 18…looking at you 10 at PRC, but still a good hole.  Would have love to have seen the Principles Nose bunker that is referenced in the 1^st Confidential Guide!  If it’s not obvious, I had trouble with Holes 11, 8, 3 & 1.
 
18^th The Course at Yale
17^th Boston Golf Club
16^th Olympic Club Lake Course
15^th Pine Valley Golf Club
14^th The Old Course
13^th Augusta National Golf Club / Pasatiempo
12^th Greenbriar The Old White
11^th Kiawah Island Ocean Course
10^th Piping Rock Club
9^th National Golf Links of America
8^th Fisher’s Island Club (yes…it plays as a par 4 from the Blacks…)
7^th Huntington Country Club / Pine Valley Golf Club / National Golf Links of America
6^th Pebble Beach Golf Links
5^th Cypress Point Club
4^th Bethpage Black
3^rd Stumped…can’t think of even a mediocre par 5 that is a 3^rd hole
2^nd The Maidstone Club
1^st Los Angeles Country Club North Course / Boston Golf Club

I'd say #3 at Pacific Dunes could definitely be a contender for your 3rd hole here.

Andrew
3 at Long Cove
8 at ANGC
11 at TPC

[Sean_A]

Garland


Perranporth 2, Saunton West 3, Formby 8, Beau Desert 15, Brancaster 8, Silloth 13, Worpy 12, Sunny New 6, Enniscrone 5, Westward Ho! 9, Cavendish 14 and Princes Dunes 6 make the HM list. 


Ciao

[jeffwarne]

That rascal Jeff W has got to the keyboard before me so I can't now pick the 16th at Dunfanaghy or the 10th at Narin & Portnoo. Grrrrrrrr


So here's a few more, including a surprise, mostly from under the usual radar -


18th at Newburgh-on-Ythan - 550 or so yds into the prevailing wind, narrows and kinks near the green
14th at Tenby - less than 500 and usually downwind but a lovely narrow green with severe drop offs
4th/13th at Burnham & Berrow Channel course - under 500 yds, dog leg left around ditch, lay-up can be tight, small, narrow angled green
17th at Portsalon - 550ish yds, dogleg left around ditch, uphill to plateau green
6th at Carnoustie - just a tough old hole, Hogan's Alley, angled green and all that
7th at Nairn - 550ish and with bunkers just where you would ideally want to position your ball
7th at Portstewart - 520ish yds, the further you go the narrower it gets with a long fall-off on the right side
3rd at Saunton West - 475 yds over the diagonal ditch, through the narrows, blind shot into tricky angled green
9th at Painswick - 470ish, once played unlikely to be forgotten
18th at Celtic Manor 2010 - maybe a surprise choice! So what, if you've played it you'll know, if you haven't, well whinge away!!


Atb

nice call on 17 at Portsalon.
All world setting as well.
was over green in 2 last September something I never dreamed possible 15 years ago-a hole perhaps better from technology.

[Rob Marshall]

Jeff, you getting paid by Portsalon?  


I have to admit that the 2nd hole is awesome as is the scenery. Spectacular setting.

[Ronald Montesano]

Thanks to Jason's detailed structural demands ("What are they?") this should be easy, but it isn't.


I can pick 10 par five holes in the Buffalo-Niagara area that I would gladly play for the remainder of my days. If I were so inclined, I could then think about places I've played on trips, and pick 10 more, perhaps slightly better, but would it be worth my time? Finally, I could think of the top 50-calibre courses I've seen/played and pick a third set of 10, world-class, for sure, but are they MY top 10, and no one else's?


I'm going to give you 10 holes that are not common fodder for this thread. In fact, if someone else lists a one of them, I'll eat his hat.


1     #14-Butterfield Trail, El Paso, Fazio
2     #18-Harvest Hill, Orchard Park (NY), Hurdzan
3     #16-Crag Burn, East Aurora (NY), RTJ
4     #6-Mid Pines, Pinehurst, Ross
5     #7-Primm Valley Desert, California/Nevada border, Fazio
6     #18-Cherry Hill, Ridgeway, Ontario, Travis
7     #3-Lookout Point, Ontario, Travis
8     #10-Arrowhead, Akron (NY), Witter
9     #3-Dunes Club, New Buffalo (MI), Nugent
10   #2-Fox Chapel, Pittsburgh, Raynor

[Jason Way]

9     #3-Dunes Club, New Buffalo (MI), Nugent

Great call on this one RM.  Beautiful hole, and tons of fun to play from the tee all the way to the green.

[Don Jordan]

None from Australia yet?  1 or 2 from Cape Kidnappers, though ...............
The 5th at the Cascades is a very unusual hole.

A couple from my experience

Joondalup CC (Western Australia) 4th on Quarry 9.
National Golf Club (Moonah Course) 7th and (Old Course) 5th
Royal Melbourne West 4th
St Andrews Beach 17th
Darwin Golf Cub 7 and 14.
Barnbougle Dunes 1st
Moonah Links (Open) 4th.

From Indonesia the 1st at Ria Bintan is something else and the 2nd at Black Mountain in Thailand is also good.

I know that the 15th at Kidnappers gets all the praise but I really liked the 16th as a fun test.

[Richard Fisher]

Trying not to repeat widely-rehearsed things like 6 at Carnoustie, 14 at TOC, but three obvious ones are

Brancaster 8th
Westward Ho! 9th
Walton Heath Old 16th

plus
Hoylake 14th (very clever positional bunkering)
Alwoodley 8th (as per Sean's pic): the 3rd at Alwoodley is also excellent
Harlech 7th (a rare three-shot hole with genuine mid-handicap challenge in all three shots, into the prevailing wind, with the most exposed green on the course)
The Sacred Nine 4th/13th (with a lovely drive and an absolutely brilliant away-sloping tiny green)
I have always liked  the double-dogleg 11th at Worplesdon, a hole which eighty years ago was seen (e.g. by Tom Simpson) as the epitome of three-shot excellence
Less widely known will be the 14th at the Gog Magog Old, again with a drive favouring a draw, a semi-blind second, and an inviting pitch to an interesting green - just a harmonious hole that works, if not necessarily world-class

[Ronald Montesano]

- just a harmonious hole that works

A few of these a round make the golfer content.

[Matt MacIver]

For me Tobacco Road #4 would be a contender, as would #10 on #2 and #7 (I think) at Charlotte CC.

[BCowan]

1. UofM #3, I have already stated many times why I love the hole
2. Dormie #17, I just love that they built this with a HHA going uphill.  The hole has great attitude and strategic functions all wrapped together.  The green complex is very nice as well.
3. Scioto #8, I will get burned to the stake for this one.  The tee shot is a great joy.  The options of going for in two are great too.  What I love about the layup is the mound/slope in the middle of the fairway for the player laying up.  It requires some thought when conditions are firm for the average golfer.
4.  Honors #2, Love this hole.  A short par 5 that is easily reachable.  Right of the green is a 40ft uphill bunker shot and bail out left is tough par.  Pete really rewards the player that thinks his way around and plays cautious.
5. Ravisloe #3, The tee shot is a blast, uphill blind.  The 2nd shot is really challenging.  The green complex is very bold from my memory.
6. Sylvania #17, Bust a drive on the up-slope and have a blind 2nd.  Carrying a grass gully about 40 yards short of the green and a front greenside bunker.  Great use of strategic choices for all level of golfers. 
7.  Diamond Springs #16, The tee shot is a little awkward, but the 2nd is a long iron for the better player that is of the most demanding I've seen.  Bailing out to the left leaves one of the smallest and well protected greens I've seen.  The line of the green for the 2nd shot that is the line of charm.  Hole has a Dye and Stranz feel to it with attitude.
8. Battle Creek #3, This is just a solid par 5, great land movement. The green is very long front to back and offers many enjoyable pin placements. 
9. Holston Hills #5, A long par 5 that is very enjoyable.  The hole tempted me to go down the right side off the tee and try and take yardage off the hole.  The rough was down and even though i pushed my tee shot out of bounds I really enjoyed walking the hole and watching my playing partners play it.  I'll need to play it again to reaffirm why i like the hole as much as I did. 
10. Naples National #4, Off the tee NN provides such great visuals and the 4th is just that.  With waste bunkers all down the right side, only the very long hitters can reach this hole in 2.  The right side of the fairway gives a great angle into a well guarded green.  For the shorter hitter plotting it around is fun too.  It's a very challenging hole. 

Honorable mention,

#5 at Radrick Farms
#6 at Mid Pines

[Ed Tilley]

Garland


Perranporth 2, Saunton West 3, Formby 8, Beau Desert 15, Brancaster 8, Silloth 13, Worpy 12, Sunny New 6, Enniscrone 5, Westward Ho! 9 and Princes Dunes 6 make the HM list. 


Ciao

St. Enodoc 1 not even on the HM list?

[Josh Tarble]

In no particular order, my favorite 10 off the top of my head are:


#2 Talking Stick North
#15 Boston Golf Club
#11 The Country Club
#4 Old Elm
#8 Crystal Downs
#15 Shoreacres
#15 Lost Dunes
#6 Old Sandwich
#3 Bandon Trails
#14 Friar's Head


Honourable mentions:


#14 Kingsley
#15 Apache Stronghold
#14 Talking Stick South
#16 Colorado Golf Club


Not much commentary on these.  They are all just beautiful to my eye, and use the land in special ways.

I considered #2 at Talking Stick as well.  I think it may be one of the most unique holes I've ever played, and the brilliant use of OOB has been detailed many times.  That straight line boundary line is ingenious.

[Ian Andrew]

Bethpage Black 4th
Boston Golf Club 15th
Capilano 18th
Cruden Bay 13th
Crystal Downs 8th


Enniscrone 4th
New South Wales 5th

Pacific Dunes 3rd
Prairie Dunes 17th
Royal Cinque Port 3rd

[Sean_A]

Wasn't Deal's 3rd a par 4?  Has that par changed?


Ciao

[Andrew Carr]

Started compiling this list in no particular order but found a pattern I created after the first two that I decided to see if I could go through all 18…sorry for not following the rules and I’m very aware that some of these holes aren’t top 18…looking at you 10 at PRC, but still a good hole.  Would have love to have seen the Principles Nose bunker that is referenced in the 1^st Confidential Guide!  If it’s not obvious, I had trouble with Holes 11, 8, 3 & 1.
 
18^th The Course at Yale
17^th Boston Golf Club
16^th Olympic Club Lake Course
15^th Pine Valley Golf Club
14^th The Old Course
13^th Augusta National Golf Club / Pasatiempo
12^th Greenbriar The Old White
11^th Kiawah Island Ocean Course
10^th Piping Rock Club
9^th National Golf Links of America
8^th Fisher’s Island Club (yes…it plays as a par 4 from the Blacks…)
7^th Huntington Country Club / Pine Valley Golf Club / National Golf Links of America
6^th Pebble Beach Golf Links
5^th Cypress Point Club
4^th Bethpage Black
3^rd Stumped…can’t think of even a mediocre par 5 that is a 3^rd hole
2^nd The Maidstone Club
1^st Los Angeles Country Club North Course / Boston Golf Club

I'd say #3 at Pacific Dunes could definitely be a contender for your 3rd hole here.

Andrew
3 at Long Cove
8 at ANGC
11 at TPC

Well played Gentlemen...my brain wasn't firing on all cylinders.

[Eric Smith]

3 Prestwick Who doesn't think of the cardinal bunker when daydreaming of getting back to Scotland?
6 Pebble Beach A hole needing no designing. Golf as it was meant to be. Hey there's the Pacific Ocean!
9 Dismal River (White) Just like riding Space Mountain. In the dark most of the way. Hang on!
14 St Andrews See Prestwick (insert "hell" over "cardinal")
14 Friar's Head I must've dreamt I played such a stunning hole.
16 Shinnecock Hills It's really really hard if you don't avoid the trouble left. Bogeys are surely white hats here!
16 Sand Hills The grip it and rip it hole of holes. Sunsets and eagle putts with friends are the memories you want to carry with you.
16 Ballyneal Angry sea of sand dunes. Got to get it in the right spot to have a go. One of my favorite holes anywhere.
17 Prairie Dunes How does one make par? I do not know!
18 National Golf Links of America Home. You're damn right. The huge bunker off the tee. The clubhouse. The climb. The sound. The finish here and at St. Andrews are my two favorites in golf.

[Jim Franklin]

15 Pine Valley
10 Rock Creek Cattle Co
8 Crystal Downs
6 Baltimore Country Club
14 Sand Hills
18 Pebble Beach
4 Bethpage Black
7 Streamsong Red
18 NGLA
16 Ballyneal

[Kalen Braley]

....of those I've played.

18 at Pac Dunes - I know 3 is the popular pick, but I like this one better.
5 at CPC
15 at Wine Valley
8 at Gozzer Ranch
16 at Sagebrush
14 at Sagebrush
8 at Ballyneal
12 at Circling Raven

[Garland Bayley]

Kalen

Any par 5 where you take an 11 in a match should and does make your list.
Also good that Chambers Bay 18 where you made 4 doesn't make your list.

[Jim Franklin]

....of those I've played.

18 at Pac Dunes - I know 3 is the popular pick, but I like this one better.
5 at CPC
15 at Wine Valley
8 at Gozzer Ranch
16 at Sagebrush
14 at Sagebrush
8 at Ballyneal
12 at Circling Raven

Good call on 16 at Sagebrush.

[Kalen Braley]

Kalen

Any par 5 where you take an 11 in a match should and does make your list.
Also good that Chambers Bay 18 where you made 4 doesn't make your list.

Garland,

All the more to show just how objective I am!!     (I actually par'd Sage 16 in my previous round, it was in our match that I fubar'd it)

I did think about adding #4 at Chambers Bay, but isn't it a par 4 now?  Or was that just for the Open?

Jim,

That hole is one of the most unique holes I've every played, par 5 or anything else...