Is the 10th the best par 3 at Winged Foot?

[Noel Freeman]

Yes this may be heresy.. After all Tillinghast called the 10th at WFW his finest par 3 and of course it is renowned world wide.  Its merits have been talked about ad nauseum.. But the par 3s that really get my knees knocking at WF are on the EAST course beginning with:

#13 Cameo-- where can you miss on this hole?  Anything off the green is pretty much a 5.  The elevated nature with its false front throws off all short apporaches.  If you land in the right bunker you can't see the flag.   Back pin positions invariably bring in going long which is absolute death.. then the green and its contours--i'd never give a putt here in a match.. All this in 145 yards!

#17-"Lightin" Nary a bunker in sight but at 230+ yards it is probably the hardest shot to a green with terrific ridge on the left side.  If the pin is set back here you have to hit the most supreme shot at WF to get it close.  Plus you have another false front if you come up short to deal with.-- I hear Fazio might be changing this green too.

#3 "Cave"  You see the hole on the way into WF and it always makes me salivate.  One of the most steeply pitched greens I've seen in the Met Area outside of Tillie's Alpine CC.  It is almost a pulpit do or die hole.  I hear Mr. Fazio is decreasing the contour of the green by lowering the slope.. I think the slope was 8 degrees or so.. We have a similar situation with some greens at Alpine but I'm sad to see the challenge of this wee hole flattened a bit.  With an 8 iron in your hands it looks so easy and yet it is so hard if you miss.  I'd still find the 10th superior to this hole.

I've been lucky enough to play WFW and WFE with a friend who is fond of challenge putts.. I wonder which par 3 is his favorite.. A challenge putt is the hardest putt on that particular green with the largest amount of slope.

[Mike_Cirba]

Noel,

Is the 10th the best?  Who cares!!

With both you and Geoffrey posting on the same day, it's cause for celebration either way.  

[Tom Huckaby]

Noel - after I played Winged Foot in fall 2004, I postulated this same thing more or less, only I related it only to the West course.  My feeling was that #10 was only the 2nd or 3rd best par three on the West... Matt Ward and others tore me a new one for this, so to speak.  But I do remain unconvinced.  And it's not that #10 on the West isn't a great golf hole - it is - it's just that the others are even better!

I didn't get to play the back nine of the East, but I'm also pretty much with you on #3 on the East maybe being better also!

And I believe I played a bit of golf with Mr. Putt from Anywhere at Sand Hills... I too would be very interested into which of these get his motor running!

 

[Geoffrey Childs]

Noel

My favorites at WF at the 13th and 17th on the East course.  I believe at 145 yards, the 13th was the hardest hole in the stroke play US Am qualifying.  That says a lot about the precision required for such a short hole.  I think the only comparable holes for difficulty might be the 8th at Troon (postage stamp),, 9th at Myopia Hunt Club and 2nd at The Kingsley Club.

I think Fazio is rebuilding the green on 17 to USGA specs and softening it a bit.

The 10th on the West looks absolutely stunning.  I was there on Thursday evening after a round at Fenway.  The green expansion blows me away.  The new back left pin location will be a terror. It looks like you are hitting to a phantom spot with no green.  In fact its possible to hit it there as we showed last fall when playing with our friend.  This will be a most interesting Open.  #3 West can now play over 260 yards and I think for at least one day it will.

[Tom Huckaby]

Gents - faulty memory here, not sure which holes I played on the east... but isn't there another VERY cool par three on the front nine?  The hole directly after the wacky par five around the lake?  Uphill, green set into hill, very very sloped green?

I thought that was a damn fine hole also.

Is there a less than great par three on the property?

Working off of some 18 month old memory here... bear with me....

[Tommy_Naccarato]

It's one of my favorites, but without doubt, #3 is one of the toughest playing one-shotters I ever saw.

Great to see you both back. Hope you never ever leave ever again!

[Guy Corcoran, Jr]

Tom, I believe the par 3 you are refering to is 6 East "Trouble"  A pretty appropriate name for the hole. Personally the best par 3 between both courses is 17 East!  

[Tom Huckaby]

Tom, I believe the par 3 you are refering to is 6 East "Trouble"  A pretty appropriate name for the hole. Personally the best par 3 between both courses is 17 East!  

That's it!  Thanks.  And of course I'm no WF expert having only played one time and getting in only 26 holes at that, but... assume that's the weakest of all the par threes on the property... given it's a darn fine golf hole - and I think it is - that's testament in and of itself to how great the other par threes must be!

TH