What golf course has your favorite set of par 3s?

[Kyle Harris]

Mayday,

Yes, the bunker has also been moved.

Before:


After:


As I mentioned to you last week, this is all part of a Ron Forse/Jim Nagle master plan.

I'd give Rolling Green's long Par 3s the nod of those of Mannies, but Mannies may take the cake for the 8th alone.

[JESII]

When spruced up, the four at Seminole are probably the most difficult to hit in regulation that I have seen. They are also pretty good...not my favorite...Shinnecock gets that nod.

[wsmorrison]

Kyle,

You have much to learn.  While Flynn was very attentive to par 3s and may have been as good as any designing great sets of them, Rolling Green gets the overall nod in my book among Philadelphia Flynn courses and just may the equal of Shinnecock Hills.

As you suggest, Rolling Green is much better than Manufacturers in the long par 3s.  10 and 14 at Rolling Green are superb and nothing comes close to them at Mannies.  The deception on 3 and the setting on 16 are at least the equal of the short holes at Mannies, even though 8 is a very fine hole.  6 at Rolling Green is very good and may be the only par 3 at RGGC that is not the equal of any at Mannies, but not by much.

Consider the par 3s at Shinnecock.  Wow!  I guess I have to give the edge among Flynn courses to my favorite course in the world.  2, 7, 11 and 17.  Forget the template holes of Macdonald and Raynor.  These natural sites (OK, Flynn raised the 7th and it is not natural--but it is great) blow away most every par 3 that I have personally experienced.  11 is the greatest use of a natural ridge site for a par 3 hole I have ever seen.  Wait till the tee is lowered to its original height and the forward tee moved back to the left.  It'll be even better with the sklyine effect that will be returned.

As regards Shinnecock Hills, right on, Sully!  Indian Creek are hard to hit as well.  Something about those perched greens on Florida courses and the wind.

[Jon Spaulding]

Based on very limited experience, I'd vote for LA North. Five par 3's, with a great variety, and two tough cookies at 7 and 11.

[Geoffrey_Walsh]

I'm impressed that Mayday mentioned Glen Mills already and I second his vote for the course's set of par 3's.  It is certainly well known in the Philadelphia area but I think it should be better known nationally.  The green on #7 is unbelieveable and was the culprit responsible for blowing up my round during a US Am Publinks qualifier there many years ago...

Others that should be mentioned:

Myopia Hunt Club
#3 & #9 is the best long/short combo I have played
Sleepy Hollow
#3 is an underrated IMHO.  7, 10 & 16 are all stunning holes.
Merion East
Harbour Town
Riviera

Honorable mention:
Mauna Kea
#4 from the tips is the single hardest shot I have ever played and one of the most beautiful.
Kapalua Plantation
With the wind up, you could hit any club in your bag on each of the par 3's but you must shape your shots.

p.s. - Speaking of Glen Mills, what has Bobby Weed done lately?

[Kyle Harris]

Kyle,

You have much to learn.  While Flynn was very attentive to par 3s and may have been as good as any designing great sets of them, Rolling Green gets the overall nod in my book among Philadelphia Flynn courses and just may the equal of Shinnecock Hills.

As you suggest, Rolling Green is much better than Manufacturers in the long par 3s.  10 and 14 at Rolling Green are superb and nothing comes close to them at Mannies.  The deception on 3 and the setting on 16 are at least the equal of the short holes at Mannies, even though 8 is a very fine hole.  6 at Rolling Green is very good and may be the only par 3 at RGGC that is not the equal of any at Mannies, but not by much.

Consider the par 3s at Shinnecock.  Wow!  I guess I have to give the edge among Flynn courses to my favorite course in the world.  2, 7, 11 and 17.  Forget the template holes of Macdonald and Raynor.  These natural sites (OK, Flynn raised the 7th and it is not natural--but it is great) blow away most every par 3 that I have personally experienced.  11 is the greatest use of a natural ridge site for a par 3 hole I have ever seen.  Wait till the tee is lowered to its original height and the forward tee moved back to the left.  It'll be even better with the sklyine effect that will be returned.

As regards Shinnecock Hills, right on, Sully!  Indian Creek are hard to hit as well.  Something about those perched greens on Florida courses and the wind.

Wayne,

I am inclined to agree with your assessment. 6 and 11 are Mannies are just too much the same hole, and I don't believe 13 to be of the same caliber as the 10th or 14th hole at Rolling Green.

You'll have to pardon my hyberbole regarding the 8th at Mannies.  

[Sean_A]

I would probably go for Swinley Forest's.  Burnham & Berrow's are very good as well.  Though rarely mentioned, Addington has a fine set of one shotters.  

Ciao

[wsmorrison]

You are forgiven for your hyperbole, Kyle.  Youthful indiscretion.  Enjoy it while you can  

[wsmorrison]

Sean,

Wow, you sure are right about both Swinley Forest and the Addington.  They rival some of the best sets of par 3s anywhere.  I was blown away by both courses in general and by the par 3s in particular.

[James Bennett]

As you suggest, Rolling Green is much better than Manufacturers in the long par 3s.  10 and 14 at Rolling Green are superb and nothing comes close to them at Mannies.  The deception on 3 and the setting on 16 are at least the equal of the short holes at Mannies, even though 8 is a very fine hole.  6 at Rolling Green is very good and may be the only par 3 at RGGC that is not the equal of any at Mannies, but not by much.

Wayne,  I can't comment on Mannies, but your order on Rolling Green is, as a one-timer, spot on.  10 and 14 are unique, world-class and memorable, 3 and 16 are very good (I would have liked to see 16 with the old green and the trees removed) and 6 is the least best, but is a good hole.  And 5 par 3'a - what a pleasant change.

Any highly rated course will have a great set of par-3's.  That goes without saying (CPC, Merion East, Pine Valley and Royal Dornoch have all been mentioned).  Is there a Doak 9 or 10 in the world that doesn't have a top set of par 3's?

James B

[Tommy Williamsen]

My favorite par threes are at my club in SC: Musgrove Mill.

Number two is 135 yards downhill to a smallish green with a creek in front, back and left with waste area on the right.

Number seven is 200 yards across a bend in the river to a large two tier green.  There is a bailout area left and short. but it is some four or five feet below the putting surface.  Anything right is wet.  No bunkers.

Number twelve is 160 yards across a ravine.  The green is narow but deep with many different pin options.  It is severly sloped with bunkers right and back left.  Hit it to the wrong part of the green and two putts are tough.

Number seventeen is 190 yards up a hill to another two tiered green.  There is a waste area that snakes its way up to the green with a small pot bunker on the right.  Left is a bail out area on the same level as the green but makes for a difficult up and down because of the way the green slopes.

If Darryl Boe sees this maybe he cn post pictures.

[Andy Troeger]

Andy & Jeff--

I heard from several people that I really respect about the quality of Harbour Town's short holes.  I'm not sure if it was the day that I caught it, but three of the four short holes were a five iron and the 14th was a 6.  To me a great set of short holes need to be varied in distance and the ones at HT aren't IMHO.  I agree with Jeff that 17th is a great hole and the other short holes are really good on their own, but they just aren't the best as a set.  

From the variety standpoint, Rolling Green is about as good as they come:  160, 200, 245 (until Wayne's 260 gets put in), 210 uphill, and 145.

Colorado Golf's are 155 uphill , 260, 210 slightly down, and 195 downhill.

Adam,
For whatever reason the day I played I don't remember this being the case, although I can see a slightly different set-up making it so. It seemed that #4 was a 4 or 5-iron, #7 and #14 were around 6 or 7, and then I think the tee was up on #17 so it didn't play as long as it could and it was an 8. That doesn't provide a lot of variety, but either way I do think they are all good holes in their own right. In a perfect world you'd have them all different lengths requiring different clubs and going in different directions I suppose, but the quality of the holes there still make them worth mentioning. If I had to rank the list of the five I listed I doubt HT would be #1.


For what its worth the 4 at the Point are similar in distances as well. #11 can be played a little longer than the other three, with #4 being a little shorter. #9 to me is the class of the group.

[Jim_Coleman]

    I agree with Doak's assessment in The Confidential Guide's "Gazatteer" - Teeth of the Dog.  #5 - 160 downwind to thimble green in middle of sea; #7 - 225 downwind to green surrounded by sand with sea in front and left; #13 - 175 crosswind to island (in sand) green; #16 - 185 over sea, into wind, with 60 yard wide green stuck on precipice.
   Three incredible ocean holes (unlike #17 at PB) and a neat "doughnut hole."  Can't beat it.

[TEPaul]

" Re:What golf course has the best set of par 3s?"

The best set of par 3s I've ever seen is Pine Valley's.

One of the reasons I'd give it an extra nod in this day and age is it is one that still has a short one that may be one of the best short par 3s in the world.

[Mark_F]

Similar to Sean, I think Burnham and Berrow have a great set of par threes, but I also like those at Royal Porthcawl too.

Good variety of length, great greens and greensites.

West Sussex also has a pretty nice set, especially the first two, five and six.

[Adam_Messix]

Andy & Jeff--

Thanks for the responses...it could be the way it was set up the day that I played.

Kyle H--

You really think that 6 & 11 at Manny's are too similar?  They're similar that they are both reasonably uphill and are both rare examples of excellent uphill par three holes, but 11 is such a unique hole in how it presents itself with that steep uphill rise not far off the tee and then gradually rising the rest of the way.  The green complexes on 6 and 11 may be similar, but those two holes still look and present themselves much differently.

[Mark_Fine]

Wayne,
Better title    You know I am not into those "best" lists  

[John Kirk]

I'd like to make a general comment.  I think a great set of par 3s should make the player hit  a variety of clubs.  Riviera was great in that respect.

[Jim Nugent]

The two par 3's on the back nine at ANGC are outstanding.  I don't know about the ones on the front.  

[Kevin Pallier]

Royal Melbourne (West) is for mine the stand-out in Australia followed by:
Kingston Heath
Barnbougle Dunes
NSW

In GB&I:
Cruden Bay has a good set as does Burnham & Berrow and Sunningdale (Old) but my favourites were perhaps Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin)

[Kyle Harris]

Andy & Jeff--

Thanks for the responses...it could be the way it was set up the day that I played.

Kyle H--

You really think that 6 & 11 at Manny's are too similar?  They're similar that they are both reasonably uphill and are both rare examples of excellent uphill par three holes, but 11 is such a unique hole in how it presents itself with that steep uphill rise not far off the tee and then gradually rising the rest of the way.  The green complexes on 6 and 11 may be similar, but those two holes still look and present themselves much differently.

Adam,

Another difference is with the right hand kicker mound on 6, but it is a rare day when both holes aren't playing the same length. That sort of lack of variance in effective playing length is rare in my experience with Flynn courses.

[Gary Slatter]

Cypress Point, Shinnicock, Villa d'Este, Oak Bay

[Joe Bentham]

Bandon Dunes's par 3's are the best on the resort.

[Greg Tallman]

Obviously I am biased but you would be hard pressed to do better than the collective attributes of the par 3' on The Ocean Course at Cabo del Sol.

#6 - 190 yards; ocean left and behind; run up option and small bail out right from where recovery is possible but difficult
Alignment - SSW; Prevailing Wind - quartering against from the right / direct cross

#7 - 162 yards; green perched on dune 25 feet above the beach to the left, bail out is green high right
Alignment - NW; Prevailing wind almost dead against

#13 - 213 yards; downhill across arroyo/stream to shallow  green running away from player from right to left
Alignment - SW; Prevailing Wind - quartering against from right

#17 - 178 yards; play across surf to green atop granite shelf; ocean short and right and long(visually).
Alignment - NE; Prevailing Wind - helping wind quartering from the left


       

[Jerry Kluger]

My favorite for years has been the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course in Williamsburg - beautiful setting and the holes require good solid irons with a premium on distance control. For its era, it is the best I've seen.