Greatest Par 3 you have ever played

[Dale_McCallon]

I really liked both par 3s on the front at Pebble.

I also thought the 7th at Royal New Kent was pretty special.  Water short, and a tough chip back down if long--you really have to hit a quality shot.

[ian]

11th at LA Country Club

So many ways to play the hole. I normally perfer a shorter iron for holes like the Devil's Cauldren, 17th at Seminole, or the 15th at Cypress Point; but that one remains the favourite....so far.

[SteveC]

Number 6 at Yeamans Hall.

[Joe Andriole]

7th at San Francisco GC

[Lloyd_Cole]

I believe the response to 'What's the toughest shot on the course?' at Dornoch is ' The second at the second'.
That said I still nominate Kingston Heath # 15
http://www.kingstonheath.com.au/18holecoursetour/hole15.html

[JNC Lyon]

Classic: Sixth at Country Club of Buffalo. Massive volcano green in the middle of a quarry. Has to be seen to be believed.

Fourth at Oak Hill West. Seven Bunkers surrounding green with massive horseshoe back tier. I have both aced this hole and made a 30 footer for six.

Fifth at Orchards. Love the "peninsula" green falling off on all sides.

Modern: Fourteen at The Ocean Course. Great plateau/Redan green requiring a great variety of shots to play consistently well.

Seventh at Oak Hollow. Short and seemingly simple, but partially hidden bunkering, vexing green contours, and seascape pilings complicate matters greatly.

[johnk]

Yes!  Thank you Lloyd Cole for reminding me.  I'll take the lot at Kingston Heath, but I think 15 is the one.  Of course, the Scaletti photo in the link you provide is not quite what you see on the tee -  the camera must be 20 feet in the air to get that view of the bunkers.

PS. Bob - I believe 17 mile drive fee is currently $8.25 - unfortunately I have to pay it on occasion.

[Tommy Williamsen]

i just don't know how it gets better than five at PV.  With the pin up front it isn't too demanding, albeit it is long and anything to the right is dead.  With the pin in the back it requires a great deal of though and good shotmaking.  I have just decidided to play everything to the front of the green and try like hell to two put.

Here's a sleeper---Number 10 on the Red courses at The Berkshire in England.  It is reiniscent of calamity at Portrush but with a more diabolical green.

[Wayne Freeman]

The 16th at Cypress point is the most photographed par 3 in golf for a definite reason-  it is the end all and be all.  The serenity of the 15th is pretty awesome also.   PV's #5-  the "shortest par 5" in the world-  definitely the hardest par 3 I have ever played.  I also agree that just about any of the par 3's at Casa de Campo are the bomb.

[Robert_Ball]

13th at The Addington - 220+, bunkers left & right...Rewards only a perfect long iron
My silver is 17 Pac Dunes & bronze to 10 Bel Air

[Gerry B]

Too many great ones to pick a clear cut #1. on this side of the pond here a few already mentioned and some additions:

16 at cypress - and 15 rates up there as well

9 at yale

5 at PVGC

5 at Fishers Island

4 at scarboro in Toronto -one of Tilly's best -Arnie thought it was pretty special as well - and they have 2 other gems that basicallycarry the course

10 at Bel Air plus the second par 3 on the back is really great as well

11 at LACC

12 at Manele Bay

7 at Pebble - great setting

17 at Merion - and 3 is pretty great as well

16 at Beacon Hall in Toronto - maybe in my top 5

7 at San Francisco Club

16 at Port Royal - back box is about to be extended to 192 yards -  bonus points for eye candy -what a setting!

11 at Creek Club - hard to argue with a green that is over 100 yards deep

12 at Shoreacres purely for the setting

7 at Chicago Golf club -a Redan that is very underrated IMHO -and the 10th (short) has a great green complex
8 at Uplands in Toronto

3 at Forsgate -or is it 2? -a great eden hole - plus the horseshoe / short hole on the back has a green complex for the ages - in fact all of the par 3 's on the course are tremendous - if one refers to the thread about how important par 3's are to a course - Forsgate is the poster child

11 at pacific dunes - the longest 137 yard shot (from the middle tees) in golf when the wind blows

10 at Friars Head
 

[Sean Walsh]

I'm with Lloyd - Kingston Heath #15 - A great hole and a daunting task to hit what appears to be a miniscule green.  It is only when you arrive at the green that you realise the target is much larger.

Honorouble Mention to #17 at Waterville.  153yards (196 from the back).  Exposed to the wind.  I hit the green with driver.  
#4 at Cruden Bay for the reasons already listed.

I'm playing The National(Aus) tomorrow that has one of the most revered par3's in Australia.  

[Gerry B]

Sean:

If it is the 2nd  par 3 on the front 9 at The National Old that you are referring to - it is a gem. Plays 1 or 2 clubs longer than it looks. The par 4 - 3rd hole is also a great one as are some of the others. If you are walking the course be prepared for some serious elevation changes - take a pull cart - do not carry or you might need a nap after the front nine.

[Will Slocombe]

5West and 16East at Royal Melbourne, just superb.

[Dan Herrmann]

Will - welcome to GCA!  Do you have pics of the holes you mentioned?

We "North Hemispherians" don't often get south of the equator  

[Will Slocombe]

www.royalmelbourne.com.au/courses/index.php

Go there to see the tour of the course, 5West is on the composite, but 16East misses out, which is a great shame

[Chris Kane]

Dan,

David Scaletti's Sportscapes site has some excellent photos of golf in Australia.

16 East
5 West

Will,

16E has two tees - would the tee of the day be spread 50/50 between them, or is the lower tee preferred?  From either tee its a fantastic hole.

[Will Slocombe]

The lower tee is certainly used more often. However, I always enjoy playing from the alternate tee, it just gives another perspective, and depending on the pin placement and the wind, the hole can play very differently.

[Thomas_Brown]

#4 RCD

[Marty Bonnar]

Just to bend the thread a wee bit (most unlike me!)...

The greatest Par Three I have (n)ever played....

One of the greats at one of the greats BY one of the greats. Taken on a walking tour of Swinley Forest last year, I was almost in tears at not being able to swing a club on this tee.



FBD.

[Cory Lewis]

I will cast my vote for the 9th at Yale, simply because that was the most excited I was playing a Par 3, although I must say that I have yet to play a Biarritz green where the pin was in the back the day I played it.  I have played four of them that I can recall and all were in the front.  Of course I hit shots to the back of the green on each of these holes, but I have yet to play one where the pin was back there.  I wonder how often they actually put it in the back portion of the green.  

[A_Clay_Man]

John Krystynak-

PS. Bob - I believe 17 mile drive fee is currently $8.25 - unfortunately I have to pay it on occasion.  

There's nothing unfortunate. That little receipt they give you is exchangable, for cash, in any PB Co. store or resturant.

Martin- Great Pic! Thanks.

[Jerry Kluger]

I would add the 14th at the Ocean Course at Kiawah which plays at about a 45 degree angle to the ocean with the flag simply perched atop the green and the horizon behind it, simple yet absolutely spectacular.  It's also a very difficult shot as there is always some wind, a shallow green, and a dramatic dropoff on all sides.

[Dave_Miller]

WOW!!! With so many truly great par 3's how can anyone pick just one.  The 14th at Monterey Peninsula, 16 at Cypress,
7 at Pebble, Pine Valley, Sand Hills, Gulph Mills, Aronimink, Merion, Baltusrol, etc. etc. etc.  All have great par 3's.
Some that don't show on any list that could make at least honorable mention at least in New England are:
No. 9 at Winchester
No. 11 at Charles River
No. 8 at Brae Burn
No. 3 at Wannamoissett
No. 11 at Salem
The list could be endless
Best
Dave