Courses with more than one strong par 5 (Praise for Tim Liddy)

[T.J. Sturges]

I have come to believe that it is difficult for architects to build really strong par 5 holes.  I've always enjoyed the 4 1/2 par hole that is a par 5 on the card, and some courses have these, but in my opinion, it is rare to have a course with more than one interesting par 5.  

I recently played Tim Liddy's Trophy Club in Lebanon, Indiana for the first time in 2 years.  I had forgotten what an awesome job he did building the par 5's there.  3 of them are loaded with strategy, and the other one is a hole where he just built what the land gave him.

For those that have been there, you will know, but if you've not visited The Trophy Club, you should make it a point to get there, where you will enjoy:

#2 - Choices on the tee shot.  Choices on the 2nd shot.  Very interesting green complex.

#9 - Lots of strategy with the tee shot.  Lots of choices on the second shot...very interesting green complex.

#11 - Rip it from the tee, and then you can hit to the fairway on the left, the fairway on the right (divided by a huge bunker complex cut into a hillside), or try to knock it on the green...but a miss to the right and the ball runs off into a big hollow.  Very cool green complex.

#16 - My least favorite of the 4 par 5's, but a hole that plays along a creek, where Tim built a hole that the land dictated the golf hole for the most part.  A good looking hole, but much less strategic than the other 3.

What other courses would this panel nominate as having more than one great par 5?

TS

[JSlonis]

Ted,

A few quick obvious choices off the top of my head...

Pine Valley GC

The Old Course

Augusta Nat'l

[cary lichtenstein]

Highland Links

Lakota Canyon

[Phil Benedict]

TPC at Sawgrass.

[Ted Kramer]

Lido.
#9 is a sheer brute
#16 is strategy and options galore

-Ted

[john_stiles]

all four at  The Honors

[Ryan Farrow]

Oakmont has a great 3 shotter and a 2. 12 and 9 respectively. Number 4's not to shabby either.

[wsmorrison]

Jamie got one of two great courses in our district that only have 2 par 5s and all four are excellent holes.  Pine Valley's par 5s are the 7th and 15th.  The other club in the area with only two par 5s is Merion with its great 2nd and 4th holes.

[Tom_Doak]

Sebonack.

[Doug Wright]

Pebble Beach (14/18)

[Doug Ralston]

Ted found these great par-5's at an accessible public course. You folks counter with courses that mostly are either private or too expensive for most golfers to play. Try countering him with courses of the same genre.

I will offer 'Big Blue', the University of Kentucky course now with public tee times tuesadys and thursdays. Beautiful course with some tough par-5's, I think 2 are reachable from the back, but you better be accurate. Water if not on one, and some very tough bunkers [well, tough for ME!] on the other. At $55, $45 with Lung Card, this course is a deal!

[Ted Kramer]

Ted found these great par-5's at an accessible public course. You folks counter with courses that mostly are either private or too expensive for most golfers to play. Try countering him with courses of the same genre.

I will offer 'Big Blue', the University of Kentucky course now with public tee times tuesadys and thursdays. Beautiful course with some tough par-5's, I think 2 are reachable from the back, but you better be accurate. Water if not on one, and some very tough bunkers [well, tough for ME!] on the other. At $55, $45 with Lung Card, this course is a deal!

I hope your counting me along with the thread starting Ted . . .
Lido is right on the water in Nassua County and last I checked wasn't any more than $50 for out of towners to play.

-Ted

[Tim Liddy]

Thanks for your nice thread Ted.  Another private course, Crooked Stick, with #5 -My first look at this Raynor style green scared me to death, so hard and dramatic, a great golf hole.  #9- No other golf hole like it anywhere –pure Dye with railroad ties along a dry creek bed and a Mackenzie green. I will never forget watching John Daley hit this golf hole in two shots – amazing.  Also saw Paula Creamer finish a front nine of 32 in the Solheim Cup.  I have been in love with her ever since (do not tell my wife).  

[Ian Andrew]

(Ignoring #11 which Cooke converted from a mid four to a very weak five....... )

The best set on any course is Highland Links. #6 along bending right along the ocean; the wildly tumbelling, tight and long 7th; the spectacular roller caoster 15th out towards the ocean; and the short uphill 16th with 1000's of volkswagon sized rolls in the fairway. Nothing - Pine Valley, Augusta, etc - holds a candle to those 4 holes.

[Bill_McBride]

Pebble Beach (14/18)

Interesting, I've always enjoyed the challenge of #6 - can you drive it in the fairway and then make the carry up to the second fairway?  #18 is 3 safe shots.  #14 is not much of a challenge - UNTIL the green!  Then it's otherwordly with that drop off.  TV doesn't do it justice.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Ridgewood (NJ)

# 3 E
# 2 C
# 4 W
# 8 W

[Bill Brightly]

Saucon Valley has 3 courses and 10 really good par 5's. And the 15th on the Old not on the list yet, but will be the best after a Fazio redisgn lengthens the tee shot (forced to hit iron now)  and removes tees. Beautiful sweeping dogleg left downhill with cross bunkers to deal with on second shot.

[Craig_Rokke]

Plainfield CC

[Paul Payne]

I think Harvester has three very good par 5 holes. None can be had in two unless they are two exceptional shots. All three are different from one another and each offers its own unique strategies.

[Steve Lapper]

Sand Hills

Baltimore CC

Friars Head

[Paul Richards]

Call me a 'homer', but I'll hold Beverly's four five pars against just about any group of four at one course.



 

[Tom Forsythe]

I will agree with those choosing Highlands Links. The seventh has to be one of the best par 5's anywhere.

[Jimmy Muratt]

Boston Golf Club #1, #15
Old Sandwich Golf Club #6, #10, #13
Kingsley Club #1, #7, #14

[Greg Clark]

Blackwolf Run - River
#8
#11
#16

[michael j fay]

Plainfield-especially after the work that Gil Hanse has done on number 16.