How do you play par 3s?

[George Pazin]

And what implications does this have for design?

I know this question seems so simple as to be a waste of time, but I don't think it is. I was reading the "favorite shots on Dunes Club" thread, and Shivas mentioned the balls required to go for a back pin on hole 6 (I think, too lazy to check).

I play virtually every par 3 the same way - center of the green. I might make minor adjustments based on hazards - a little more club if it's over water, a little less if there's death behind, a little right if water's left, you get the idea - or minor adjustments based on how I'm playing, but by and large, I'm really just playing to the middle and/or allowing for the largest margins for error possible.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that the par 3s I remember are generally the ones where I have to do something unusual. And I will also say, I probably remember par 3s worse than most other holes - maybe it's because of my basic strategy. I'm hard pressed to think of a single course I love where the par 3s were an important part of that.

Does that mean par 3s are the hardest to design?

Please share your thoughts - or ignore if you think it is indeed a waste of time.

[Garland Bayley]

You don't find some par 3s that have features so difficult that you would play away from the center of the green to steer clear of the chance of hitting that feature?

[JMEvensky]

I play virtually every par 3 the same way - center of the green.

Unless you're playing a golf course with 10,000 SF greens,this sounds like pretty good strategy.A little bit of thread jacking,but why wouldn't you use the same strategy for 4- and 5-pars?

I,too,am curious about the design of 3-pars.It seems like some great ones are done by using a piece of the property where nothing else would fit--almost like an architect uses a 3-par to get across an "unuseable" stretch of land.

For me,the way a 3-par is bunkered makes it memorable--maybe even more than the green design.I think that's where the artistry comes in.

[Buck Wolter]

I heard an interview with Jason Day, who has the best scoring average on Par 3's on tour, say his strategy is aim for the middle of greens and hope he makes some putts -- seems like most of us could learn alot from that approach.

Buck

[Jim Franklin]

I heard an interview with Jason Day, who has the best scoring average on Par 3's on tour, say his strategy is aim for the middle of greens and hope he makes some putts -- seems like most of us could learn alot from that approach.

Buck

I neeed to follow this strategy. I always seem to aim at the stick.

The back left pin at #6 has trouble long, left, and right. If you miss short, it is a long uhill putt. Michael and Terry both knocked it stiff in our group and made their putts.

[Bill_McBride]

You don't find some par 3s that have features so difficult that you would play away from the center of the green to steer clear of the chance of hitting that feature?

Here's how George expressed it in his original post:

"I play virtually every par 3 the same way - center of the green. I might make minor adjustments based on hazards - a little more club if it's over water, a little less if there's death behind, a little right if water's left, you get the idea - or minor adjustments based on how I'm playing, but by and large, I'm really just playing to the middle and/or allowing for the largest margins for error possible."

[Brent Hutto]

I think McBride plays a little baby cut with a driver, steering it around the pond and then right in the hole. Any other strategy seems foolish.

[George Pazin]

I heard an interview with Jason Day, who has the best scoring average on Par 3's on tour, say his strategy is aim for the middle of greens and hope he makes some putts -- seems like most of us could learn alot from that approach.

Buck

Do you think Jason's approach (and mine, though admittedly I don't lead the PGA in scoring average on par 3s) merely reflects more confidence in the flat stick?

Thanks for explaining the 6th more, Jim.

Just realized my favorite hole at my home muni is a par 3, so maybe I'm just beard pullin'...

A little bit of thread jacking,but why wouldn't you use the same strategy for 4- and 5-pars?

That is generally how I play the approach shot on par 4s and 5s as well. But at least on those holes, I give a little more thought to where I play my tee shot (and then, how I recover from where I've hit my tee shot...).

[Bill Seitz]

I heard an interview with Jason Day, who has the best scoring average on Par 3's on tour, say his strategy is aim for the middle of greens and hope he makes some putts -- seems like most of us could learn alot from that approach.

Buck

I neeed to follow this strategy. I always seem to aim at the stick.

The back left pin at #6 has trouble long, left, and right. If you miss short, it is a long uhill putt. Michael and Terry both knocked it stiff in our group and made their putts.

The green at #6 is only about 35 feet wide, so left or right, if you aim at the middle and hit it there, you're going to be fairly close.  To a back left pin, aim at the middle of the green and take a little bit more club, and a well hit shot should leave a relatively short uphill putt.  

I'd agree with JM that the strategy for approaching a par three isn't really different from the strategy approaching any other hole.  A lot of which depends not only on hazzards, but length of approach and green contours, assuming a player knows what's waiting for him.  For example, the ninth hole at Ravisloe (a par four) has a fairly pronounced ridge running back to front down the middle of the green.  If the flag is on the right side of the ridge, I'd rather miss the green short and right then hit the green on the left.  It's an easy chip from the correct side of the ridge, but a difficult putt from the wrong side.  

[Garland Bayley]

You don't find some par 3s that have features so difficult that you would play away from the center of the green to steer clear of the chance of hitting that feature?

Here's how George expressed it in his original post:

"I play virtually every par 3 the same way - center of the green. I might make minor adjustments based on hazards - a little more club if it's over water, a little less if there's death behind, a little right if water's left, you get the idea - or minor adjustments based on how I'm playing, but by and large, I'm really just playing to the middle and/or allowing for the largest margins for error possible."

Caught with my pants down. Didn't pay enough attention. Sorry!

[Anthony Gray]

You don't find some par 3s that have features so difficult that you would play away from the center of the green to steer clear of the chance of hitting that feature?

Here's how George expressed it in his original post:

"I play virtually every par 3 the same way - center of the green. I might make minor adjustments based on hazards - a little more club if it's over water, a little less if there's death behind, a little right if water's left, you get the idea - or minor adjustments based on how I'm playing, but by and large, I'm really just playing to the middle and/or allowing for the largest margins for error possible."

Caught with my pants down. Didn't pay enough attention. Sorry!

  Garland,

  How do ypu play par 3s with water?

  Anthony

[Brent Hutto]

One of the Par 3's on our course is vaguely reminiscent of the twelfth at Augusta National. From my tees it's 150-something from middle of the tee box to middle of the green. Carry over water the whole way, couple of big bunkers set into the upslope on the right front of the green, flattish bunker long and left. No drop zone, though. And the green is probably twice the square footage of ANGC#12 albeit with more slope (especially the right side of the green which is a "false side" that falls away toward the 13th tee and will not hold a shot.

I basically play one of two shots toward that green. If the flag is left and/or front I club for the front of the green and aim at the very left edge. If the flag is back and/or right I club for the middle of the green...and aim for the very left edge. Between the pond, the bunkers short right, the bunker long left and that fall-off at the right there's just no reason to try to hit a 250 sq-ft target over there to try and set up a putt inside 20 feet.

Our other Par 3's I tend to play like George suggests. Although on the 190-yard uphiller I just swing like hell at my 175-yard club and then chip from in front of the green. Come to think of it, I've birdied that one a couple of times over the years. About as much as I've birdied the ones I can reach easily. Go figure.

[Duncan Cheslett]

Surely it depends on how familiar you are with the hole and the course in general.

When I'm playing an unfamiliar course, I'll aim for the middle of the green on all par 3's. On my home course however, I know all the tricks - play short on the 2nd to avoid a downhill putt - aim for the bunker on the 4th to avoid going OOB tight on the left - aim right on the 9th as the ball will kick onto the green off the slope - fade in from the left on the 12th to avoid the steep drop-off to the right in front of the green etc etc etc

I'm sure that we all have our examples of the idiosyncratic ways to play par 3's on courses we know well. If architects are designing courses with members in mind - and I'm sure most are - then they will need to include many more subtleties than can be overcome by simply 'aiming for the middle of the green'.

[Garland Bayley]

You don't find some par 3s that have features so difficult that you would play away from the center of the green to steer clear of the chance of hitting that feature?

Here's how George expressed it in his original post:

"I play virtually every par 3 the same way - center of the green. I might make minor adjustments based on hazards - a little more club if it's over water, a little less if there's death behind, a little right if water's left, you get the idea - or minor adjustments based on how I'm playing, but by and large, I'm really just playing to the middle and/or allowing for the largest margins for error possible."

Caught with my pants down. Didn't pay enough attention. Sorry!

  Garland,

  How do ypu play par 3s with water?

  Anthony

On my knees with my head bowed.

[JESII]

George,

Isn't it the architects responsibility to tempt you to try shots you're not exactly comfortable with? Shouldn't they try to build a hole that makes you (and Jason Day!) want to aim for the pin?

[Anthony Gray]

  I've never had a hole in one and rarely play for score so I go straight at it.

  Anthony

[George Pazin]

Although on the 190-yard uphiller I just swing like hell at my 175-yard club and then chip from in front of the green. Come to think of it, I've birdied that one a couple of times over the years. About as much as I've birdied the ones I can reach easily. Go figure.

I do run into this every now and then, since I frequently don't carry a full set of clubs. When I'm carrying less, I often have a gap between 180-230. I almost always opt to find a spot to hit my 170 yarder, then pitch and putt.

Almost never works...

[JMEvensky]

George,

Isn't it the architects responsibility to tempt you to try shots you're not exactly comfortable with? Shouldn't they try to build a hole that makes you (and Jason Day!) want to aim for the pin?

George is too smart to fall for that.

But,risk/reward on a 3-par would seem a tough thing to design.I could see it being a lot more feasible for good players than high handicappers.

As example--maybe a hole where a high cut would be great and a straight shot would be OK.A better player could aim center and play for the cut knowing the worst result is center of the green.Not sure a higher handicap would take on the risk.

A lot of the risk/reward part of a 3-par would seem to be more hole location than design.

[George Pazin]

Surely it depends on how familiar you are with the hole and the course in general.

When I'm playing an unfamiliar course, I'll aim for the middle of the green on all par 3's. On my home course however, I know all the tricks - play short on the 2nd to avoid a downhill putt - aim for the bunker on the 4th to avoid going OOB tight on the left - aim right on the 9th as the ball will kick onto the green off the slope - fade in from the left on the 12th to avoid the steep drop-off to the right in front of the green etc etc etc

I'm sure that we all have our examples of the idiosyncratic ways to play par 3's on courses we know well. If architects are designing courses with members in mind - and I'm sure most are - then they will need to include many more subtleties than can be overcome by simply 'aiming for the middle of the green'.

Absolutely fantastic insight that I hadn't really considered. Thanks, Duncan!

Jim -

If the architect is designing for me specifically - can't speak for Jason - he should know I am rarely tempted by golf. Strategically placing beer, pizza and women around the green would serve far better to tempt.

Though I do relish the challenge of a 200 yard carry...over sand or scrub or ravine. Like most hacks, water messes with my head.

JME gives me too much credit... but he makes a keen observation with regard to hole location.

[Carl Rogers]

The middle of the green strategy breaks down on a large green (5th hole at OM).  Having only played it once, I think you need super x-ray vision from the tee and start green reading from there ... then figure out what segment of what quadrant to aim for.

[Shane Wright]

I look at the correct side of the green to miss on

Then I look at the middle of the green,

Then I look at the flag,

And consciously aim at a small object in the middle of the two.  Depending on the wind and side to miss on, I will visualize myself hitting a slight draw or cut. 

If I have no clue what is going on around the green, I will take aim at the front middle.

[Kalen Braley]

Thats one of the beauties of being a mid to high capper

Cause bogies aren't "bad" things...you just go right after it everytime!!   

[Will MacEwen]

8 iron or less I go pinhunting, unless it is a real sucker pin or a tight left pin that doesn't fit my draw.

[Howard Riefs]

As I'm not long off the tee, I don't hit a ton of GIRs on par 4s and 5s.  I need to 'make up' or preserve strokes somewhere, and the par 3s are the best place to make that happen.

With a new laserfinder in hand, I've been taking aim at most pins.  It's working.  I've played the par 3s, on average, .3 strokes better than the other holes this season.

[Garland Bayley]

  Garland,

  How do ypu play par 3s with water?

  Anthony

The answer Anthony want to see here was, I hit it in the water.
Had he asked how I intend to play par 3s with water, may answer is miss the water, or concede the hole and move on.