Short par threes

[Tommy Williamsen]

The thread on the Postage Stamp got me thinking about short par threes and which ones I like the best. I’ll just go with C&C and three of theirs.
Seventeen at Sand Hills. I spent a week there some years ago. When the round began, I looked forward to 17. It is a scary 150 yards. The green has movement, and the bunkers attract the pedestrian shot. In my ten rounds I probably birdied it twice but also made a couple of others. I did manage to get up and down from the front bunker. On one I made a ten-footer, the other was just a great bunker shot. It is a fantastic hole.
Eleven at Hidden Creek is only a short iron up a hill to a blind green. There is a bunker short and left and two on the right side. If you are short and on-line with the green you can have a relatively easy chip or pitch. The green slopes front to back and right to left. The front two bunkers are pretty deep and the bunker on the right side of the green will demand a deft touch as the green falls away from the shot. Anything left of the green will tumble down a hill. Most anything in the middle of the green will have a chance for two.
Twelve at Dormie comes between one of the most difficult stretches on the course. Seven (par three), eight (par four), ten (par five) are long tough holes and thirteen is a brute of a four. Twelve is but a wedge. It is a bit uphill, so you only get a glimpse of the green’s surface. Bunkers will gobble up anything short, but the main trouble is on the undulating green. The green is divided into three or maybe four parts. Miss your spot and two putts are exciting.
The three holes are all different from one another and all score high on the fun factor. No templates here.

[Anthony Gray]

 The 8th at Rustic Canyon is a jewel.  Wish I had photos.


 The 14th at The Honors is a nice example.

[Thomas Dai]

A tiny one I’d like to play is at Ilfracombe GC (in North Devon, not far from Saunton).
It’s only 65 yds and yet apparently has an evil reputation. Anyone comment more on it?
Atb

[Anthony Gray]

 11vat Pacific Dunes may be my favorite. It comes at a wonderful time in the round. The golfer is brought back to the ocean and plays against the cliff. There is the unpredictable wind so the length is perfect.  It has a nice backstop so the safer longer play may be preferable and the thrill of watching the ball come off the slope is there for the golfer. And eye candy. Let’s not forget an essential for a Fun 10. Right here we have it. Could you spend a few hours on that tee box in silence and serenity. Damn right. Or relax with a cocktail pitching woo. You betcha. It’s so scenic, very playable and worth the green fee for just this hole.


 

[Tommy Williamsen]

A tiny one I’d like to play is at Ilfracombe GC (in North Devon, not far from Saunton).
It’s only 65 yds and yet apparently has an evil reputation. Anyone comment more on it?
Atb

That's a course you don't hear much about.It is indeed 65 yards, 75 from the back tee. It is over a ravine, hence the name Quarry. The only thing that makes the hole is the wind, otherwise you desperately want a three. Only played it once, though.

[Tom_Doak]

A tiny one I’d like to play is at Ilfracombe GC (in North Devon, not far from Saunton).
It’s only 65 yds and yet apparently has an evil reputation. Anyone comment more on it?
Atb

I have never heard anything about that hole before!


The shortest hole I've seen on a regulation course is at La Cumbre in Argentina -- 66 yards.  It was hard to understand on an aerial photo, because it's so close to the previous green, you think it must be a practice green or nursery or something.  Very awkward length for me, since I don't have an L-wedge, but probably not as scary today as when nobody had an L-wedge.

[Thomas Dai]

A tiny one I’d like to play is at Ilfracombe GC (in North Devon, not far from Saunton).
It’s only 65 yds and yet apparently has an evil reputation. Anyone comment more on it?
Atb

I have never heard anything about that hole before!
The shortest hole I've seen on a regulation course is at La Cumbre in Argentina -- 66 yards.  It was hard to understand on an aerial photo, because it's so close to the previous green, you think it must be a practice green or nursery or something.  Very awkward length for me, since I don't have an L-wedge, but probably not as scary today as when nobody had an L-wedge.

I recall your comments on La Cumbre hole.
Here’s the 4th at Ilfracombe with a voiceover by Peter Alliss - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9SgVAgsyVtg&list=PLF6q0AxGQ0wZUD9NWkHO9nDkYPjpq0PG6&index=4 - no bunkers either apparently!

Atb

[Mark Molyneux]

Over the years, I've played some really interesting short par threes. By "short" I mean that even I can get there with a wedge or less (and my wedge is generally good for about 130). Around Philadelphia, #9 at Whitemarsh Valley stands out. It's 126 from the tips and it plays downhill to a devilishly small green that has a frightening front bunker. The Tour came through for the old IVB classic and there was a fair bit of talk about the par 3s at Whitemarsh. They are as different as could be, ranging from 126 to 161 to 193 to a full 241... back in the day that was pretty much pitch to driver.  Thirteen at Merion East may be the short 3 that's most widely known. It's so widely known that I don't feel a need to offer a description. How about #10 at Pine Valley? I got myself over the Devil's aperture and I could breathe again.  I feel a need to toss in the Casino hole (7-7-7) at Pocono Manor East. That'd be the seventh hole at 77 yards but with a 70-foot drop from tee to green. I have seen an ace there and I have seen an 11! One late add from Philly Section and Donald Donald Ross... the fourth hole at Lulu CC. The green sits atop a quarry wall and the players are playing up to the green surface so no matter what is hit from the tee, balls come into the extremely shallow green flatter than we might like.

[Stewart Abramson]

The 8th at Rustic Canyon is a jewel.  Wish I had photos.

Rustic Canyon #8 par 3 


Rustic Canyon #8 par 3  zoomed

[Anthony Gray]

The 8th at Rustic Canyon is a jewel.  Wish I had photos.

Rustic Canyon #8 par 3 


Rustic Canyon #8 par 3  zoomed

 Thank you Stewart. That’s it.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Number two at Musgrove Mill is a beauty. It is a drop shot 125 yard hole that you think birdie everytime you tee it up. It has a creek short and to the left of a crowned fall away green. The green looks benign but has mush more break than appears. It sits in between a par four and a par five. If I walk off three over par I get worried because the course starts on Number four.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned nine at Myopia Hunt Club. It is brilliant and requires great precision to find the small putting surface. It is called Pond because of the little body of water but it really doesn't come into play.





From the side. Stay out of these bunkers.

[David Amarnek]

Merion East #13
Gulph Mills #4

[Kalen Braley]

If you're looking for ideas...other short par 3 threads from GCA past

https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,57211.0.html

https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,31055.0.html

https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,31396.0.html

https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,1367.0.html

https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,4508.0.html

https://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,12010.0.html

[Ian Andrew]

The Bad Baby at Jasper Park remains a standout.
The open front is crowned and hard to find.
The easier to hit back seems protected and remote.
You have to trust the yardage and aim at the back.

[Tim Martin]

I don’t know if the “2 or 20” hole at Engineers is mentioned in one of the threads that Kalen referenced above but it is a noteworthy short hole. Although I believe the original version was roughly 95 yards it is listed on today’s scorecard at 122 yards from the back tee although plays the original yardage from a more forward set. I’ve been thinking about a thread that identifies short and medium length par threes that pose the toughest challenge to make par when you don’t hit the putting surface and this hole would surely be on the list. Any miss of the oblong shaped green provides nothing but trouble regardless of where.

[Kevin_Reilly]

The 8th at Orinda is a drop shot of about 120 yards.  We always joke that it is the shortest par 5 on the course.  Easy to miss left or right.  Or long.  Or short.  The worst place to miss is one of the bunkers on the right, because it is incredibly difficult to keep the ball on the green with your bunker shot.  If you miss left, it is all short-cut, so the prudent play is to use the Texas wedge and run it up to the green.  Superintendent Josh Smith taught me that shot. 


Here is old GCA guy Mike Benham playing the hole about 4 years ago.


https://youtu.be/-NQaV5hCu14

[Tommy Williamsen]

The 8th at Orinda is a drop shot of about 120 yards.  We always joke that it is the shortest par 5 on the course.  Easy to miss left or right.  Or long.  Or short.  The worst place to miss is one of the bunkers on the right, because it is incredibly difficult to keep the ball on the green with your bunker shot.  If you miss left, it is all short-cut, so the prudent play is to use the Texas wedge and run it up to the green.  Superintendent Josh Smith taught me that shot. 


Here is old GCA guy Mike Benham playing the hole about 4 years ago.


https://youtu.be/-NQaV5hCu14

Where did the ball end up?

[Kevin_Reilly]

I can barely remember what I just ate for breakfast, but the fact that I said "Stay.....nice" in the video leads me to believe that Mike's ball landed on the left side of the green and stayed on.  Solid shot, as usual, from the Silver Fox.

[Pat Burke]

#10 at Kingston Heath.


A little bit of an angle, and enough nastiness in the green to keep you honest.  Hitting it past this hole is not good!
And missing the green requires a heck of a shot to save par

[archie_struthers]

 


The 11th at Shinnecock is a beauty of a short one !

[MCirba]

Here's one you've likely never played, the 15th at Hickory Valley Golf Club (Presidential) in Gilbertsville, PA.

123 downhill yards from the tips, the green is fairly large for a hole of this length and depending on hole location presents any number of varying difficulties.   The creek diagonally fronts the green, wraps around on the right and flows directly behind.   As you progress further into the steeply sloped green the more the sides and back fall away from the player, so it's difficult to challenge a deep hole location, yet this front location brings it's own trouble into play with water awaiting a chunky shot and a very fast downhill putt awaiting the conservative one.   

[Tommy Williamsen]

THe trouble at Ballyhack's 17th 120-150 yard hole does not lie in the surroundings like so many short par threes. The green is not difficult to hit. It is pretty large. The green is divided into three sections. Hit your shot into the incorrect section and two putts is difficult. The front left pin placement is my favorite. I tend to make more birdies there. The back right pin is the most difficult. The green slopes away from the player so a high shot is preferable, but on such a short hole even I can get it high enough to stay on the green. The ravine in front of the green is only visually intimidating and doesn't really come into play. It comes in between two diffuclt par fours and is a nice late round respite.

[Tom_Doak]

I don’t know if the “2 or 20” hole at Engineers is mentioned in one of the threads that Kalen referenced above but it is a noteworthy short hole. Although I believe the original version was roughly 95 yards it is listed on today’s scorecard at 122 yards from the back tee although plays the original yardage from a more forward set. I’ve been thinking about a thread that identifies short and medium length par threes that pose the toughest challenge to make par when you don’t hit the putting surface and this hole would surely be on the list. Any miss of the oblong shaped green provides nothing but trouble regardless of where.

That is another one where the green slopes about 2% from front to back, so even if you hit the green, it's hard to hit it right next to the hole.

[Rob Nydick]

In addition to the ninth at Whitemarsh and the fourth at Gulph Mills (and the obvious recognition of Merion), there are two more in the Philadelphia area that I enjoy.


1.  Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon) #3 - (122 Yards) - A wedge over a sea of fescue to a green surrounded by deep bunkers at the front and both sides.  The tenth tee box sits directly behind.  The front bunker is flared slightly above the green which hides the first ten yards of the putting surface.  While the green is approximately 30 yards deep, the bunker and green contours deceive the golfer's eye into thinking it is shallower and a smaller target than it really is.  What should be a fairly easy wedge to a deep green is impacted by the visual deception created by the front bunker.   


2. Manufacturer's #8 - (117 Yards) - The hole plays over a quarry to a green set into the adjacent hillside.  A bunker placed behind the green, which slopes severely back to front, spells trouble for anyone taking an extra club to ensure they don't end up in the quarry short of the green.  It's a very touchy shot, and from the members tees at 105 yards it can be a very uncomfortable swing.