Teeth of the Dog.  Three dramatic ocean holes of different lengths; a fun island (in the sand) green; and three different directions.

First of all, doesn't it suck that it's come to recycling 5.5 year old threads to get any interest in here?

 

But on topic, I'd say I concur with Geoffrey C - either Winged Foot course is tough to beat on this, particularly the West.  Only #10 is not the best of the set there.  

I'm surprised no one mentioned Cypress Point... too trite and obvious?  #3 is good at the very least... #7 is great... then each of #15 and #16 have been called best in the world at one time or another.  Rather nice drama building there as well.

TH

ps - Philip - was that Tillie quote about WF-West? Maybe SFGC?

Tom,

He wrote that about Pinehurst #2. In the same writing he also stated, “These new greens are quite as fine as anyone could wish to play to or putt over.”

Considering what has become of these greens, I wonder if Tilly would have approved?

Of those that I have played in no particular order...

Pine Valley (#1)
NGLA
WFW/WFE (Especially #17 East)
Harbour Town (Diversity & Difficulty)
Yale
HCEG (#13 is a personal favorite)
Round Hill in Greenwich, CT (Highly underated)
Westhampton
Chechessee

Listen, I'm a dunce and I have played half the courses you guys have played but did I miss something at Wildhorse? Those short holes are fantastic.

#4 is a sweet reverse-Redan of about 175 yards. #9 has the coolest green surrounds and is about 150 (but will get longer with a new back tee). The short little 11th is fantastic and the long 13th is brutal on a hot summer day with a south wind in your face.

They all go a different direction and each troubles you in a different way. Great holes!

Also Huck: What about Pasatiempo?

add the 3 one shotters at Myopia Hunt Club to the list:

#3 -253 yds with a cross bunker to carry at around 200 yards - must have been a short par 4 in the early days or Messr Leeds was impersonating the Marquid de Sade

#9 -135 yard short hole - as good a short hole as I have played - skinny green with 7 bunkers to add to the excitement

#17 -190 yds downhill - a beauty

3 of the 4 one shotters at Tillinghast's only current contribution to Canadian Golf - Scarboro in Toronto are really great as well - all over 200 yds. The 4th equals if not surpasses  the #7 dual hole hole at SFGC IMHO.The short 11th could a gem with some tweaking and the par 3 19th hole(gambling hole)is a gem as well - 135 yards - severely sloped green - if you don'tmake 2 or 3 - 5,6 or even higher is likely when they roll the green.

Agree that the 4 one shotters at Merion are outstanding as well as are the quartet at Pine Valley and Shoreacres has a formidable 4 as well.
I also love the 4 one shotters at Forsgate (Banks Course)-  Eden  /  Reverse Redan / Short (aka the Horseshoe -one of the great green complexes anywhere / Biarritz  

What this thread elicits in me is the realisation that par-3s in general are exhilirating.  In fact, I find it very difficult to think of a course that has a BAD set of par-3s.

There is a je ne sais quoi about standing on a short hole, having the green framed in front of you and saying to you in a soft feminine voice, "Hit me, big boy......"

Robert Hunter says, in "The Links" chapter: Laying Out The Course, "Do not lay out holes toward the west, especially one-shot holes, and those coming in the last nine."

Why is this ?  The setting sun ?