Shortest par-3's on a full-size 18-hole courses

[Thomas Dai]

Which would be the shortest par-3 you've played or know of on a full-size 18-hole course, say a course that overall measures more than say circa 5,500 yds (or twice around a 9-holer)?


One that comes to my mind is the 95 yard 12th hole at Okehampton GC in Devon. A drop-shot from the top of a cliff to a tiny green tucked into a river bend.




The 3rd hole on the Bann course at Castlerock in NI is another. Only 90 yds long and pretty level but with a tight hourglass shaped green, a really evil deep pot bunker short left, a severe drop-off all along the right hand side and gunchy grass everywhere else. A really cool little hole.



Atb

[Patrick_Mucci]

Thomas,
 
INWOOD
 
Shortest par 3 is U.S. Open history.
 
Cute little hole,
 
Great Hidden Gem golf course.

[Bill_McBride]

The course at Glenbrook, Nevada, is only nine holes, but it has one of the prettiest short par 3s anywhere.  Only 85 yards, it's all carry over a big bunker, and the stunning backdrop is Lake Tahoe!   The next hole is the 225 yard, slightly uphill par 3 fourth, so the pair form quite a contrast.   

[Anton]

Pocono Manor East Course 7th is just 77 yards and severely downhill.  On past trips, I have hit a (half) lob wedge to the green and then reload to  try it with a full putter shot.   

[Phil McDade]

Janesville Riverside, a fine muni in southern Wisconsin, plays to 6,508 from the tips and 6,206 from the whites and has a par 3 of 108-96 (tips-whites). It's an up-and-over par 3 to a fairly generous green, but a massive oak tree sits directly between the tee and green. There really is no way to play around it. A neat little hole.

[Jon Wiggett]

Crossland Heath near Huddersfield has one that is 107 yards from the front tees and 107 from the backs.

[Sam Krume]

Ilfracombe 4th hole. 75 yards off the tips...thought it was 90 but got corrected on an earlier post!!

[Ally Mcintosh]

I like the 3rd on the Bann but on a big course, my favourite by far is the 93 yard Fairy Dell 16th hole at North West in Donegal. A cracking hole. Really wonderful green.

[James Boon]

Thomas,


Erewash Valley GC in Derbyshire has a short 4th hole, a drop shot par 3 of 92 yards from the white and yellow tees. Very tricky judging it as its down into a quarry and anything long can ricochet off the stone wall of the quarry and shoot back across the green into the front bunkers 


The course itself measures 6434 from the white tees and the 4th follows the opening par 5 of 557 which is quite a contrast...


Cheers,


James

[Greg Holland]

Ninth hole at Caledonia (81 to 122 yds)

[Tom_Doak]

Former leader for me was the 94-yard "Two or Twenty" hole at Engineers ... a terrific hole though it is only an alternate in today's routing.


I've seen the hole at Pocono Manor but did not think much of it.


However, last spring I saw the 12th at La Cumbre in Argentina, designed by Juan Denton who also built Mar del Plata, that was only 66 yards from the back tee ... if you looked at the course on Google Earth you would never figure out what that green was doing there.  It's a good hole, too, with a narrow green and deep bunkers on either side; you could make a real mess of it and feel like an idiot for the rest of the back nine.


I do not expect to see a hole shorter than that one, although I did see one on a 9-hole course in Tenerife the other day that was 81 yards and probably 75 feet downhill!

[Adrian_Stiff]

Ditto the 4th @ Ilfracombe that's a full lob wedge but don't you dare miss it. The old 8th at Cirencester was 96 yards and a full sand iron even as a junior...again don't you dare miss it. The shortie at Okehampton with the river behind. I think there is a 76 yarder that is the UK record at Windemere. Quite rare to get a doubledigit shortie in the UK off the whites but there are a dozen or so.

[jeffwarne]

I like the 3rd on the Bann but on a big course, my favourite by far is the 93 yard Fairy Dell 16th hole at North West in Donegal. A cracking hole. Really wonderful green.

+1
The first time I played that hole I won a skin with a bogie.
 

[Carl Rogers]

12th at Dormie ... must be less than 100 yards

[Ronald Montesano]

The Pocono Manor hole was closed when I played the course last summer. They have an old par three (behind the first green and the second tee) that they put into play, in such cases. That green is so protected by tree cover and so subject to damage from incoming pellets from on high that it must get the sh!t kicked out of it. I'm surprised it's ever open for play.

[Keith Phillips]

Bear Creek in Denver has a sweet 99-yard drop shot par 3 on the front nine - a quirky golf course to be sure, but #7 is a terrific hole.

[Ben Voelker]

Former leader for me was the 94-yard "Two or Twenty" hole at Engineers ... a terrific hole though it is only an alternate in today's routing.


I've seen the hole at Pocono Manor but did not think much of it.


However, last spring I saw the 12th at La Cumbre in Argentina, designed by Juan Denton who also built Mar del Plata, that was only 66 yards from the back tee ... if you looked at the course on Google Earth you would never figure out what that green was doing there.  It's a good hole, too, with a narrow green and deep bunkers on either side; you could make a real mess of it and feel like an idiot for the rest of the back nine.


I do not expect to see a hole shorter than that one, although I did see one on a 9-hole course in Tenerife the other day that was 81 yards and probably 75 feet downhill!

Tom,


I thought I had this one in the bag until your post!


When I was a child my family went to Door County, Wisconsin every summer for vacation.  Peninsula State Park's golf course in Ephraim, Wisconsin has a drop shot par 3 (8th hole) that is 69 yards.  It's a funny hole because it is literally chipping off the edge of a cliff with about 50-60 feet of vertical elevation change.  It's not a particularly good hole, but it was always an uncomfortable shot.


http://www.peninsulagolf.org/golf/details

[mike_beene]

How long is the little par 3 on the back nine at Lakeside?

[Greg Holland]

Panks & Graham's Grandover Resort East course's 12th hole is 60 yards at the red tees and 125 yards at the tips with a very tiered green. 

[Thomas Dai]

The little tiddler playing in the top left-hand corner of the course boundary Tom?


La Cumbre from Satmap
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@-30.9888195,-64.4891272,20z/data=!3m1!1e3

& from Streetview, which shows nicely the holes positional characteristics


https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@-30.9882978,-64.4891762,3a,30.8y,172.55h,87.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sY3aR26lyoSn3f-rX2JrgyQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656



Atb

[Ronald Montesano]

I'm in love! I would go out into that corner of the property and spend hours with my wedge. They'd have to chase me away from "The Little Tiddler of La Cumbre."

[Bill_McBride]

!2th at Dormie ... must be less than 100 yards

103 I think.  Makes me wonder why so many of us miss that wide but shallow green?  😫

[Bruce Wellmon]

Cliffs at Mountain Park. #7. Was playing 87 from the members tees my last visit.
River Falls in the upstate of SC as well, and also a Gary Player design, #6, is from 93 to 133 on the card.

[PCCraig]

The 2nd hole at my home course is a par-3 which plays 110 yards from the back tees. It typically plays anywhere from 90-100 yards from the middle tees depending on the pin and tee location for the day. It plays uphill, and the putting surface is blind to the player from the tee. The uphill nature of the hole makes it a tricky wedge shot for most players as the green is tough and the surrounds lend for difficult up and downs:

The view  from the tee:


Looking back at the tee box

[Thomas Dai]

I'm in love! I would go out into that corner of the property and spend hours with my wedge. They'd have to chase me away from "The Little Tiddler of La Cumbre."

Ron,

Couldn't agree more.

In fact, the whole course looks pretty tasty what with the rolling terrain etc and not being overly 'green'.

I wonder what a certain book by a certain author will make of it when the book is published?

In fact, I suspect the profile of South American golf in general will rise when said book is published.

All,

Thanks for some great suggestions. I've attempted to find each one of them on the web, mostly successfully (some clubs websites don't show-off their courses very well, unfortunately).

Please keep the suggestions coming.

Atb

PS - if we picked 18 of the holes mentioned above we'd have a pretty damn good par-54 course and it would be a whole load of fun to play.