Benched Par 3’s

[Ben Sims]

Royal Dornoch #6, Lawsonia #7, Palmetto #7, among others. Why are these types of holes generally praised among golfers? Is it score disparity?


Sidebar: I think “do or die” shot values and large score disparity between players tends to inspire a sort of selective dissonance in golfers on the subject of a hole’s quality. Listening to the coverage of this years Open (postage stamp), or the Genesis for that matter (Riv #10), it’s always surprising how much people fawn over holes where a 7 is as likely as a 2. I digress.


What is it about a par three with a simple green benched hard into a slope that makes people happy?

[Peter Sayegh]

Ben, I love playing to any benched green.
Not to digress, but is your admiration restricted to par three holes?

[Marty Bonnar]

I’ve seen way too many totally artless benched greens to be much of a fan. In fact, I have a pet theory that nicely benched greens might be the single most difficult thing to do in golf architecture.
I think there’s two key ingredients. Firstly, the transition from fairway to green and secondly, the subtlety of the design of the upper side and lower side slopes. A simple ‘claw and drag’ never looks natural!
Show us some good ones, people!
F.

[Charlie Goerges]

The holes you mention, Ben, are in pretty rarified air. I can only think of one benched green (that I've played) that I really loved. Which makes me agree with Martin.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I’ve seen way too many totally artless benched greens to be much of a fan. In fact, I have a pet theory that nicely benched greens might be the single most difficult thing to do in golf architecture.
I think there’s two key ingredients. Firstly, the transition from fairway to green and secondly, the subtlety of the design of the upper side and lower side slopes. A simple ‘claw and drag’ never looks natural!
Show us some good ones, people!
F.

Thank you, Marty. I agree.

[PCCraig]

The 3rd at WBYC and the 11th at T&C (that comes right after a benched green on the par-4 10th) are two local par-3's that come to mind.

[jeffwarne]

205 uphill yards.
3 is a welcome score
9 at The Goat

[Thomas Dai]

Are such greens built as benched because benched greens are terrific or are they built benched because that’s a relatively easy/cheap way to build a green on a piece of otherwise awkward sloping terrain where a green is needed in that location for overall routing etc purposes?
Note the question mark (?)
Atb

[Sean_A]

I’ve seen way too many totally artless benched greens to be much of a fan. In fact, I have a pet theory that nicely benched greens might be the single most difficult thing to do in golf architecture.
I think there’s two key ingredients. Firstly, the transition from fairway to green and secondly, the subtlety of the design of the upper side and lower side slopes. A simple ‘claw and drag’ never looks natural!
Show us some good ones, people!
F.

What does nature matter? Is it about aesthetics, design philosophy or something else?

Signed… the guy who likes benched greens and believes far more exist than are recognised.

Ciao

[Sean_A]

205 uphill yards.
3 is a welcome score
9 at The Goat

Looks fake and good 💁.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Are such greens built as benched because benched greens are terrific or are they built benched because that’s a relatively easy/cheap way to build a green on a piece of otherwise awkward sloping terrain where a green is needed in that location for overall routing etc purposes?
Note the question mark (?)
Atb

The latter, Dai.

[David_Tepper]

#5 at Royal Dornoch, a short par-4, has a pretty good benched green as well.

From a design point of view, I think #5 could be the best hole on the course.
 

[mike_beene]

Help me understand what a benched green is. Maybe some more examples, good and bad.

[Matt Schoolfield]

Sidebar: I think “do or die” shot values and large score disparity between players tends to inspire a sort of selective dissonance in golfers on the subject of a hole’s quality. Listening to the coverage of this years Open (postage stamp), or the Genesis for that matter (Riv #10), it’s always surprising how much people fawn over holes where a 7 is as likely as a 2. I digress.

When it comes to the postage stamp, I have a strong theory that fun architecture is to "make an easy shot hard" and the Postage Stamp does that in spades. It's an archetype of a high-luck, low-skill golf hole that, at only 135 yards, any person "should" be able to par, except that the wind adds a bit of randomness, which most people enjoy. The idea that there are still golf holes where a weekend warrior can consistently beat a pro is deeply refreshing to most folks who aren't in it for the grind.

[Mark Pearce]

The existence of bad examples does not and should not mean that good examples aren't worthy of comment.


I'll throw a par 4 example into the mix, the 13th at Elie, many people's favourite hole on the course, and one of the best green sites in Scotland, for me anyway.

[David_Tepper]

"Help me understand what a benched green is."

A benched green is set into a slope, where one side of the green is even with the slope and there is a sizable drop-off past the opposite side or the green.

#6 at Royal Dornoch:

https://royaldornoch.com/hole/6th-hole/ 

[Marty Bonnar]

DT,
It’s actually a bit more like this:

Generally, the cut material taken is used to fill below the new green.
Cheers,
F.

[David_Tepper]

Marty -

Yes, your diagram illustrates it better. Thanks.

DT

[Mark Pearce]

Does the approach need to be from the side of the lower slope?  It occurs to me that the 3rd on Crail Balcomie is benched but you play from the higher side.

[Thomas Dai]

Are such greens built as benched because benched greens are terrific or are they built benched because that’s a relatively easy/cheap way to build a green on a piece of otherwise awkward sloping terrain where a green is needed in that location for overall routing etc purposes?
Note the question mark (?)
Atb

The latter, Dai.

Thank you. Suspicion confirmed.
Atb

[Kalen Braley]

Ally and Bonnar,

Thanks for confirming my assumptions here:

1) They are often filler holes in otherwise unsuitable areas to make the routing work.

2)  I didn't think golfers particularly thought they are fun, as a general rule I don't either.

[Sean_A]

Does the approach need to be from the side of the lower slope?  It occurs to me that the 3rd on Crail Balcomie is benched but you play from the higher side.

IMO the approach angle doesn't matter as it doesn't alter the basic design. What changes is the best way to tackle the concept. The benched green is extremely versatile...no wonder it is used so often.

Some examples below.




















Some are more subtle than others, but all follow the same concept...a green wedged between high and low ground. Its a sound tried, tested and proven concept which has stood the test of time.

Ciao

[David_Tepper]

Sean -

Thanks for the pics.


Any chance third one is #3 at Pasatiempo?

The two before the last pic are #6 at Royal Dornoch.

DT 

[Peter Sayegh]

Thanks Sean.
What hole is featured in the first picture?
To me, that's beautiful.
Peter.

[Ben Sims]

In the case of Dornoch and Palmetto, these are routing solutions. The previous green led part way up a grade, the golf course HAS to go up yonder hill, eureka!…pull some cut downhill and make a green and you have your solution. I’d be shocked if the 6th and 8th holes at Palmetto and the 5th and 7th holes at Dornoch were conceived after the par threes in their respective sequences.


Jeff and Sean both posited straight on examples from Goat and Cruden Bay. To be fair these aren’t examples I was really imagining but they also kind of do the same thing.