Par-3 first holes: bad or good?

[James Boon]

Lindrick has its 18th as a par 3, not its first? Did you mean Liphook? Thinking of Liphook and the Buda there quite a few years ago now, one thing I liked about it was you could watch the other matches play the whole first hole and therefore know how the matches ahead of you had started...

Liphook is one where the par-3 starter was a result of moving the clubhouse from its original location, was it not?


I think that's true for a few of these -- The Addington, also, IIRC.

Tom,


Yes that's correct regarding Liphook's first hole in that its not part of the original Arthur Croome layout. Maybe Tom Kelly can say more if he sees this but I understand the course originally started from the current 10th, and used the nearby hotel as a clubhouse. After the Second World War they wanted to have their own clubhouse and chose the current location. This meant that the original 10th was replaced with the current 1st and 18th and another par 3 (between the current 12th and 13th) was omitted.


Cheers,


James
 

[Mark Pearce]

Those who ventured to Bamburgh Castle before or after BUDA last year will recall that it starts with two par 3s (a short one then a long one).  Followed by two par 5s.

[Thomas Dai]

.. and then there’s Church Stretton which starts with 3 consecutive par-3’s, the first of which is a real beast. Which all fits in with Toms earlier comment about terrain, as the start at CSGC is pretty severely uphill.
Atb

[Marty Bonnar]

Lou mentioned Aberdour in an earlier post, which of course starts 3, 3.
I’m sure Rihc must have opined on it previously as his beloved home course. Sure miss him around here.
F.

[Forrest Richardson]

It's amazing to me that as much as we hear GCA posters complain about "normalcy" and "formula design", this thread does not have more of the attitude: "Why not?"

A few comments:

Matt — Embarrassing? Well, it also would allow an opening hole-in-one, so give that some thought

As for difficulty, a par-3 is THE equalizer among golf holes, with nearly all players being able to attain the green in regulation

Bill Yates — would remind us that an opener as a par-3 (unless it is some sort of odd-ball design), "self-regulates" the course by spacing groups appropriately without the need for much management.

Jeff B — Holes that are "progressively easier" is not science because that "difficult" opener could have as few as just two groups on it (depending on player ability and hitting length), or several groups....it would amount to the absolute worst situation, especially if "holes became progressively less difficult"following this hard and nasty opener.


Tom D — You are correct, most of are too worried about reputation to suggest and defend one 

[Stewart Abramson]

The one that sticks in the mind though is the lesser known of the Dunbar courses.

The opener at Winterfield in Dunbar is a very tough par 3 at 240 yards and the day I played there against the wind. It did separate the groups though so there was no wait later on the rather staright forward holes that followed.



Winterfield GC #1 240 yard par 3 into the wind