Short par 4 exercise

[Chris Kane]

Shane, I concur.  #4 at Barnnougle Dunes is a great hole.  I'd also add Portsea #13 and Kingston Heath #3 to that list.  

[Ken Fry]

Gary Nelson,

I agree the look of the hole (#5 at Crystal Downs) would change dramatically with the loss of the large tree on the right.  It's not even in play but there's something about its presence.

Even without the tree, the overall design of the hole is truly unique.

Ken

[Gary_Nelson]

Ken,

The tree on the right seemed to be in play for me.  I tried smashing  a driver over the left side of it to get to the right fairway.  Maybe that's not the best play but it worked for me.

The blind approach from the left fairway is a tough one!  It is one of my favorite holes and was my screensaver for quite a while.

Gary

[Pete Lavallee]

MD,

My answer to your question is: build a good green. Every golfer is going to be coming in with a short iron, if the green is flat and does not reward coming in from a specific direction it will likely be without merit. All the examples that preceed my reply have better than average putting surfaces; greens whose undulations encourage thoughtful play. Can anyone think of a great short par 4 with a flat green?

Pete

The 1st at Dornoch.  Multiple tee shot options and possible results.  Firm and fast green.  Great green surrounds (lumpy approach, bunkers cut into the green, fall off areas--right, left and back), subtle contours to the putting surface.  Easiest hole on the course, which means that after you've taken 5 or 6 it's all downhill from there!

Rich,

I tried to answer my own question and the best I could come up with is the 9th at TOC. Again the subtlty of the hole can lull one into a mistake; it is frustrating to make worst than par on these type of holes. They work well as a change of pace on golf courses were great holes abound (TOC, RD). However, those other holes are great because of the green sites, IMHO.

[Michael Whitaker]

#5 at Cuscowilla: 292 - 305 yards


To quote Ran's report on this hole, "A huge pit of a bunker dominates the hole as it comes within 24 yards of the front edge of the green and stretches back over 100 yards. The bunker is in direct line with the green from the tee and splits the generous right fairway from the smaller and tighter left side. The high marker has ample room down the right for his typical slice/fade shot pattern, from where he faces a short-iron to a green whose 'only' defense is its contours. The most precise of shots is needed to offer a realistic chance of a three; a good-but-not-great approach leaves the player with a four half the time; and a poor approach will likely result in five, but no worse. For the low marker, however, the fifth presents an entirely different, but equally appealing, challenge. Even though it takes 250 uphill yards to carry the bunker, the player has difficulty not accepting the task. Plenty of fairway on both sides of the bunker encourages a good slash from the tee. The contours of the green and its slight left-to-right angle (which is accentuated the farther right, away from the bunker, one drives) will make him work hard for that desired three, no matter how good the drive."


As stated, from the tee you have two choices... play safe to the right or aim left and try to clear the hazzard.


Unfortunate is the player who takes the challenge but doesn't clear the hazzard (that's me )!

[Chris Perry]

From my trip the 6th at Pac Dunes comes to mind. Laying up isn't much of a decision as theres lots of room, but if you're dumb enough to leave your pitch short in the waste area fronting the green you deserve the score your going to get.

Two from my area are in the same complex, different courses. 16th at Northview Canal and 8th at Northview Ridge. Might as well mention the 15th as well.



Even a 5 iron off the tee is no guarantee. I remember hitting a 3 wood (from the whites) and pushed it dead out over the water. I thought it was fish food but to my amazement it carried enough and just hit the front of the green. Problem was the group ahead of us was still putting and it dropped 10 feet away from one of the ladies in the group. Oops.



With a 240 carry downhill to the green from the whites this hole always sucks you in. I don't think I've ever kept my first shot dry, of course the reload is always pin high but it's a little too late by then isn't it?



I think Hank Kuene came pretty close to driving this green. Uphill all the way and great bunkering by the green.


1st hole at Furry Creek:



350 but over 150 feet downhill. Can't be left. Can't be right either. I almost drove this sucker cept I pulled it just enough to have to bring another ball out of my bag.

Chateau Whistler has a couple to choose from. Take your pick on #13 and #14, one has everything in front of you, and the other is more target oriented. #2 has a simple tee shot but you can't be long or short on the approach.

15th hole at Shuksan:

It's about 300, doglegs to the right, has a ravine down the right and trees down the left, but has lots of room if you aren't overzealous with your tee shot. The trick is, the green is highly plateaued so you can't be short, and you don't want to leave yourself with a cutesy half wedge. I've learned to just hit a 5 or six iron off the tee and leave a full wedge shot in that will spin and hold. Hitting a driver though the fairway into the junk, or leaving your approach short in the front bunker or the steep slope above it is a sure way to guarantee a double bogey on the shortest par 4 on this course.  

[Eric Pevoto]

In the Phila area, would second Applebrook #3 and add the 1st at Phila Country.  

Homer Alert****Homer Alert****

The 15th at French Creek, 268 yd from mid-tee, 292 back, provides nearly endless options.  From the upper fairway the green falls away and left.  I've tried a bump and run into the green front and a higher lob, depending on pin position.

With the pin on the right half of the green, playing from the lower fairway into the slant of the green seems to be the only way to get it close.  

We've been collecting scores for stroke allocation.  For quite a while the 15th showed the highest differential between 0-8 hcpers and 20-28 hcpers.  It's currently ranked #3.  



From the lower fairway....


From the upper fairway....