"This is a perfect par-5"

[Jordan Wall]

That is what an announcer said (maybe Roger Maltbie???) about the eighth hole at Doral.

Is this true??

If not, what are examples of a perfect par-5 and why is it perfect??

Even though maybe the eighth at Doral may not be perfect, I couldnt help but notice how so many players had bogeyed it --even Phil-- and how some players just ate it up.  It seemed to me like a great par-5, at least for the PGA tour.  Are there any other par-5's that challenge the PGA better??  What about that would challenge amatuers better without being unfair??  I had a hard time seeing the eighth at Doral being 'perfect', but on the other hand it was interesting to see some struggle, including the big guns.  PLUS, it was just 560 yards, not 660, which is good...

[Tim Gavrich]

I played it from about 520 in the Doral-Publix this past December, and I think it is a great hole.  Perfect?  I'll reserve judgment, but it wasn't at all bad.  Downwind, it was reachable (I hit Driver-hybrid in the practice round), and was a pretty scary shot.  There was a little grace room over the back, but the bunker makes for a lot of drama if you find yourself in it, as the green slopes toward the water.  To me, it contains all the elements that make a hole great, but can a golf hole really be perfect?

[Matt_Cohn]

Someone will probably point out that the teeshot really doesn't present any options - you just aim down the middle of the fairway and try to hit it. Many on this website would probably call that a weakness.

But, yeah, it's still a very good hole!

[Bill_McBride]

Isn't that pretty typical of most of the holes at Doral Blue?  Bust it down the fairway as far as you can, angles not a problem, attack the pin on the softish green regardless of pin position...putt on the flattish green.  Perhaps it looks a lot more intimidating than it plays.  The leaders pretty well tore it up for four days.

[Evan_Green]

Isn't that pretty typical of most of the holes at Doral Blue?  Bust it down the fairway as far as you can, angles not a problem, attack the pin on the softish green regardless of pin position...putt on the flattish green.  Perhaps it looks a lot more intimidating than it plays.  The leaders pretty well tore it up for four days.

It's a cakewalk for the pros, but I would like to see what 100 two-handicappers would shoot playing the course the way it was set up today. I doubt many would break 80 and undoubtedly some or even many would not break 90.

Just another demonstration of the fact that those guys play a different game.  

[Jim Nugent]

In last year's 4th round, Tiger had 6 iron into the green on his second shot.  Hard for me to see that as perfect par 5 for pro's.  

[Joe Hancock]

How much elevation change exists on this hole?

Joe

[michael_j_fay]

No elevation change.

It is a decent hole but not an option for most at 560. At 520 it is scary but still not an option for most.

280 yard drive leaves a 230 carry second. Not many options on the lay-up either.

[redanman]

There is no perfect par 5.

I doubt that there is a perfect hole, except "Perfection", of course!

I'll take 18 at NGLA with its uphill character and exposed green, the 16th at Plainfield or #15 at Pine Valley (with a bunch of  trees removed) as being an incomplete list of really good 5's in the USA, each worthy of being played 18 consecutive (heck even 6 or times rather than playing the entire Blue Course at Doral.

The TV crews nauseate me with this kind of drivel.  

If 8 at Doral is "perfect", then #3 at Victoria National is "perfecter" because it plays quite a bit similarly and is on an overall better golf course. (Now I must sucking up to Barney???)

[Jordan Wall]

Is #14 Pebble possibly the best par-5 on the PGA??

Is it better then Doral #8??

I know it is like 575 or so, uphill, and a dogleg with bunkers (greenside and on both sides of dogleg) so it has more options.  

Also, is #16 at Firestone a good par-5 for the PGA??