3 Par 5's in a row

[Evan_Green]

Last month, I played a course in Delray Beach, FL called Polo Trace- a fairly average, nondescript Florida course with lots of water and houses- except for the fact that it had 3 par 5's in a row from holes 8-10.

I have never seen this before on any other course- does anyone know of another example of 3 consecutive par 5's?

Evan

[Tyler Kearns]

Evan,

     Town & Country Club in St. Paul, Minnesota has 3 consecutive par fives. The final five holes are quite unique, with pars of 3-5-5-5-3. Good course, I believe Robert Foulis was responsible for the design.

Tyler Kearns

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Inwood --Holes 3-5  #3 has one of the most interesting green complex that I see all summer--wild undulations, ability to bump approaches on to the green, and 3 severe bunkers.

[Kelly Blake Moran]

Walden on Lake Conroe outside Houston.  A von Hagge course. Holes 9, 10, 11 are par fives.

[Andrew Summerell]

Strathfield Golf Club, just your average members course in Sydney, Australia, has the same run as Polo Trace - 8, 9, 10.

Committees obviously think it looks better on the card when it's split by the turn, just because it doesn't look like 3 par 5's in a row on the card.

[Jonathan Davison]

Bishop Auckland in the north east of England, starts 4,5,5,5,3,4,3,3,5 or Whitburn my home club 4,3,4,3,4,4,4,5,5,5 for both clubs it works the holes fit within the landscape.

[JohnV]

While not 3 in a row, Persimmon in Oregon has a unique set from 2 through 7: 5-3-5-5-3-3 followed by a drivable par 4.

I notice that a few of these trios occur around the turn.  Did they reverse the 9s at any of them?  It could have been that they weren't designed that way but the reversal caused it.

[Evan_Green]

I am amazed to hear of so many courses with 3 consecutive par 5s- Im sure more exist- wonder what the best series of 3 par 5's in a row are?

Polo Trace's were very difficult water filled holes typical of Florida, but I would consider them more difficult rather that really good holes

Are any of those other stretches of 3 consecutive par 5's good or great holes?

[Mike_Cirba]

Evan;

Most of Polo Trace fails to inspire, even with the architectural oddities.

[Mike_Clayton]

Royal Waterloo in Brussels finishes with 3 par fives - none of them particurally memorable.

[Andrew Summerell]

While not 3 in a row, Persimmon in Oregon has a unique set from 2 through 7: 5-3-5-5-3-3 followed by a drivable par 4.

I notice that a few of these trios occur around the turn.  Did they reverse the 9s at any of them?  It could have been that they weren't designed that way but the reversal caused it.

John,

The turn at Strathfield GC is too far away from the clubhouse to swap the 9's. They did change the order of holes for a while, which meant only the 9th & 10th were consecutive, but it did work so they reverted back to the original.

The fun thing about it is that the only other par 5 on the course was short & has since been made a par 4, so the only par 5's on the course are the three at 8, 9 & 10.

[Jeff Shelman]

My home course doesn't have three 5s in a row but it starts like this: 5-3-4-3-5. Later in the round there's back-to-back par 5s.

[JohnV]

Jeff, Rock Creek Country Club outside Portland, where I was a member,  had a par 4 as #1, then from number 2 on it went 4-3-4-5 repeated 4 times and ended with a par 4.  Other than 1 & 2 you never played the same par 2 holes in a row and every other hole was a 4 so you never had a 3 and a 5 together.

[Doug Siebert]

While not 3 in a row, Persimmon in Oregon has a unique set from 2 through 7: 5-3-5-5-3-3 followed by a drivable par 4.

I notice that a few of these trios occur around the turn.  Did they reverse the 9s at any of them?  It could have been that they weren't designed that way but the reversal caused it.

And here I thought that Saddleback here in Iowa was probably the only course in the world with six non par 4s in a row (3-5-3-5-5-3 on #12 to #17)  Just goes to show you that everything's been done once.  Someone will probably come up with a course that has 7 non 4s in a row...

[Evan_Green]

I think I read something about a concept course that is being designed somewhere whereby every hole can be played as either a 3, 4 or 5- I think i read it in one of the golf or golf digest magazines but just cant remember the name of the place some time ago- anyone remember anything about this?

Imagine the fun of a 10000 yard par 90!

[Doug Siebert]

You are thinking of Sheep Ranch.

"Fun" isn't the word I'd use to describe a hole you have to hit three dozen layups on!