Short Par 3 for the 18th Hole?

[Mark Johnson]

Define a short par-3. We have one that is usually played at around 140-150 yards, with the back tees at around 170 yards. It plays over an old ravine with a classic green that slopes hard back to front. It doesn't look like much, but often with a couple dollars or a match on the line there are quite a few bogies or worse. In fact, over the last two days the Minnesota State Mid-Am (sub-8 handicaps) was played on our course and the average for the hole was 3.6.

Overall, I think they are fun and a nice way to end the round. You see a lot of long par-5 finishers built today, but after playing 17 holes they can sometimes feel like a long slog back to the clubhouse.

Especially after 3 par 5s in a round.

Actually T&CC's 18th is a great hole, one of my favorites on the course.   When there is a cross wind or a front pin, the hole is just pure evil.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Grew up at Deal
Those windows overlooking the 18th green caused at lot of screw ups as I struggled to
break 80 as a kid

Pat,

Funny you should mention that.
At Preakness Hills, when they lengthened the hole from 110 to 140 and elevated the tee, the windows in the 19th hole were being replaced weekly.  Finally they put up awnings to try to stop the breakage.  It took about 2 years for the membership to adjust to the new length.

In retrospect, it is where I started to learn to ignore my surroundings when competing

[David Cronheim]

Grew up at Deal
Those windows overlooking the 18th green caused at lot of screw ups as I struggled to
break 80 as a kid

In retrospect, it is where I started to learn to ignore my surroundings when competing

Pat you're 100% right. I still get a little nervous knowing everyone is looking out watching. It's a great setting for a last hole, particularly now that they've cleared out some of the trees and you have a beautiful view of the lake.

[Neil White]

Paul,

I can think of a couple of courses in the Birmingham (UK) area that finish on Par 3's.

Firstly is the fairly new West Midlands GC which has it's very own homage to Sawgrass' 17th as a finishing hole!!

http://www.westmidlandsgolfclub.co.uk/18th_hole.htm

The other is a Colt layout at Brandhall, a municipal course in Oldbury just outside Birmingham it suffers conditioning wise but is a fairly decent test. 

Neil.

[David Bartman]

Sandpiper near Santa Barbara has a disappointing par 3 over a man made lake. It has to be one of the worst holes on the course. I haven't played there in years so it could have been changed.

What exactly did you find so disappointing about it? 

[Keith Doleshel]

A friend of mine works at Glens Falls CC in upstate New York, a Donald Ross design.  They have a short, downhill par 3 as their 18th hole.  It is just shy of 150 yards, with a wicked two tier green.  Here is a picture of it, the teebox is directly to the left of the plants.  Pasatiempo was the other obvious one, but you guys beat me to the punch.

http://www.golfnewyork.com/courses/image/s300/16183.jpg[/url

[Bill_McBride]

Pensacola CC's new (2006) course, designed by Jerry Pate's team, finishes with a par 3, 165 tips, 125 front, to a 40 yard long green angled right to back left with Pensacola Bay on the right of the volcano green.  A ridge across the green halfway back makes for some intriguing pin positions.

[Sam Morrow]

Bill,

 Those pictures are so misleading, I was amazed at how big that green actually was. I remember the 4 or 5 iron I hit was on the back right and looked very good but I bet I wasn't more than 20 feet from the bay.

[Bill_McBride]

Bill,

 Those pictures are so misleading, I was amazed at how big that green actually was. I remember the 4 or 5 iron I hit was on the back right and looked very good but I bet I wasn't more than 20 feet from the bay.

You can't see the back half of the green that's behind the ridge.