[jeffwarne]

1 at NGLA
Surprised nobody has mentioned 15 at Fenway.

Nice call on Fenway
In the MET PGA this year I hit 5 iron , 3 wood, and driver off the tee in my 3 rounds.
What a green-what a simple concept.

[Lenny Polakoff]

In the met PGA pro-am.  Our pro + 3 of us (all under 5 hcps) were lucky to walk away with 4 and we were playing well as we won the event.  One of the most interesting green complexes around. 

[jeffwarne]

In the met PGA pro-am.  Our pro + 3 of us (all under 5 hcps) were lucky to walk away with 4 and we were playing well as we won the event.  One of the most interesting green complexes around.

Tough hole.
Didn't play in the Pro-am but I played the first 12 holes afterwards later that evening.
Took a look at 15 but didn't play it-hence the 5 iron in round 1 to insure a good angle.
Right's not bad there either

[Mike_Clayton]

Pat Burke


I played 15 at Victoria a few days ago and hit a 4 wood into the left bunker. You can't believe you have done it given how wide it is - and it's wider now than when you saw it. It's a truly confounding hole for one so seemingly wide and simple.


4 Woodlands, 1 East at RM, 7 Peninsula South are a few of the other good ones in Melbourne.

[Andrew Simpson]

James Boon -

I am surprised you didn't mention the 12th at Brora. That is a good one too. Nice rumpled fairway and a green that is a tough target in the wind.

DT

Not addressed to me but I've always seen the 12th at Brora as longer than 325Y and the box tee at 315 plays completely different to the back tee at 360. I know that should help exclude the 5th at Dornoch but 90% of my play there is off the box tee, so under 325 and the back tee adds very little, it's a great hole at 320 +/- 40 yards doesn't change it for me.

[J_ Crisham]

9 at Old Elm
14 at Beverly
15 at Skokie
4 at Flossmoor

[James Boon]

James Boon -

I am surprised you didn't mention the 12th at Brora. That is a good one too. Nice rumpled fairway and a green that is a tough target in the wind.

DT

David,


12 at Brora is a cool hole and one I have good memories of as a kid teeing off there when staying at the campsite. However it plays 360 odd from the back tees these days. I think its about 320 from the daily tee, but it never really feels like a short 4 to me for some reason? I'm often going in with a short iron or wedge but its not like I'm getting anywhere near the green with a drive.


Cheers,


James

[Thomas Dai]

One of the craziest under 325 yds par-4 I've ever played is the 4th at Bewdley Pines, very appropriately called 'The Snake'.


Blind tee shot over a hill to a small fairway set in a narrow valley with trees blocking the left side if your tee shot goes to far, then under or over the trees to a very long very thin crescent moon shaped green.



Some other good short par-4's on the course as well, particularly the 7th, but it's a wee bit over 325 yds so doesn't make this listing.


Atb

[Greg Tallman]

I'll offer up a couple of Baja shorties...

Bahía de Los Sueños #8 (NLE) - Checked in at precisley 325 and was equally tempting as it was maddening. The maddening part was that the layup was such a tough shot, seemingly playing away from the green that you couldn't help but lean toward going for the Green which brought considerable trouble into play. Have played the hole hitting everything from driver to 5 iron from the tee. Perhaps one birdie made on numerous plays. Really good 325 yard golf hole.

Cabo del Sol (Ocean) #3 - Cheating a bit at 327 from the tips. Completely different challenge tan the BDLS shorty in that there is not much lurking in the way of trouble that could result in a penalty shot but placement of the tee ball is dictated, or should be, by the hole location. Go for the front left and come up 10 yards short and the best you can do is probably 25-30 feet on your second. The better play with such a hole location is a long/mid iron cheating to the far right side and as close to the fairway bunker as posible. Well executed this can set up a relatively simple 80-100 yard wedge from a receptive angle. Could go on and on with strategy for each hole location but I am sure I have bored you enough already.

At any rate a pair of truly world class short 4s. 

[jeffwarne]

Nice descriptions Greg,
haven't played either but I love the description of #3 at CDS where the angle matters depending on pin placement.


So many modern "driveable" par 4's are frought with such danger and obvious penalty that the best play is nearly always 5 iron or even much less. Love a hole that doesn't offer an obvious penalty from the tee, but gives you a seemingly free play at the green but if you miss on the wrong side (that can vary) getting it close becomes a very daunting task.

[Morgan Stephenson]

I'm a bit biased but I've always loved the 5th hole at Tobacco Road. Seen many hearts broken as the ball trickles back down into the approach from the false front green.

[Sean Ogle]

A few of my favorites:


#8 at Bandon Trails
#4 at Diamante (Dunes)
#17 Pumpkin Ridge (Ghost Creek)
#12 Chambers Bay
#5 at Boston Golf Club (one of the most unique holes I've ever played)
#1 Myopia Hunt

[Ally Mcintosh]

A lot of my favourites already mentioned.

Didn't see 16 at Royal Dublin though... A Colt classic.

[David_Tepper]

 "I'm often going in with a short iron or wedge but its not like I'm getting anywhere near the green with a drive."

James B. -

There are a lot of us older folks who are not getting anywhere near the green with our drives on a 300-325 yard hole.

DT

[Tim Martin]

7 and 8 at Merion West are 287 and 242 respectively. Two really fun holes where options abound.

[Niall C]

A few crackers from up north;


Moray Old 9th & 10th - being a links both are driveable by even a moderate hitter like myself in the right conditions. Need to be accurate though.


Buckpool 10th & 11th - tee to green, neither of these holes are fairly mundane but both of contrasting and unique green complexes that provide the thrills.


Strathlene 5th - slight dog-leg left to right with sloping fairway to left and out of bounds, playing up to a plateau green with two huge grass bunkers fronting it. Fantastic landform, possibly best hole on the course.


Granton on Spey 9th - as the blurb says, one of Scotlands more photographed holes. Just begs you to take a slash with the driver.


Niall

[Matt Glore]

My personal Michigan listing:

Crystal Downs #17
Kingsley Club #13
Harbor Shores #3
Forest Dunes #17

Kingsley Club #13 is my favorite. 

[David_Moorhead]

It took several rounds to grow on me, but I have grown to really like #5 at Ravisloe. At first, it felt like the most crammed in hole in a very cramped part of the course, but I have grown to really appreciate the strategy on this hole.  It is 315 yards with slight movement to the right.  The direct line to the green requires either a fade or a high ball flight.  Off the tee, you have the decision of whether to lay back of the cross bunkers or to fly them.  The well-bunkered green has a substantial ridge separating the upper and lower tiers so there is definitely an advantage to length off the tee.  Trees on the right and woods through the fairway left/straight make laying up, though, a better option for many.  With your second shot, the tier in the green tempts you to go pin-hunting to get the right tier, but the green is small and surrounded by several bunkers.  For a diagram that I haven't figured out how to post, see: http://www.ravisloecountryclub.com/course-layout/



Most of these short par-4 holes allow for the occasional eagle, but I've never seen one on this hole--and I feel delighted when I walk away with a par.  For a cramped hole that was likely designed to maximize a weird corner of the property, hole no. 5 is a great short par-4 that is not your typical half-par version. 

[Scott McWethy]

It took several rounds to grow on me, but I have grown to really like #5 at Ravisloe. At first, it felt like the most crammed in hole in a very cramped part of the course, but I have grown to really appreciate the strategy on this hole.  It is 315 yards with slight movement to the right.  The direct line to the green requires either a fade or a high ball flight.  Off the tee, you have the decision of whether to lay back of the cross bunkers or to fly them.  The well-bunkered green has a substantial ridge separating the upper and lower tiers so there is definitely an advantage to length off the tee.  Trees on the right and woods through the fairway left/straight make laying up, though, a better option for many.  With your second shot, the tier in the green tempts you to go pin-hunting to get the right tier, but the green is small and surrounded by several bunkers.  For a diagram that I haven't figured out how to post, see: http://www.ravisloecountryclub.com/course-layout/



Most of these short par-4 holes allow for the occasional eagle, but I've never seen one on this hole--and I feel delighted when I walk away with a par.  For a cramped hole that was likely designed to maximize a weird corner of the property, hole no. 5 is a great short par-4 that is not your typical half-par version. 

David, being from the Chicago area, I thought of number #5 at Ravisloe as well.  It's a great awkward hole.  Position off the tee is key and the green is so well bunkered.  A lot of fun to play.  Good call on that one.

I'll also nominate another one, which is the 5th hole at Black Sheep GC in western suburbs of Illinois.  Wonderful hole that plays 300 yards.  It's a hole where you can take anything from a 6 iron lay up to a driver that will leave you with a short chip left, but if you're aim is not dead on, there is a lot of trouble.  Left side of the green is hidden by a mound that covers that part of the green.  On the other side of the mound is a small little bunker that will catch a lot of balls if your distance isn't accurate right to this small green.  Great sucker pin on the left side of this green.  A hole that is a lot of fun and can be played so many different ways, especially when the wind is up.   

[Robert Kimball]

How about the old #7 at Augusta? There were reports of pros driving the green back in the '30s and '40s.

[Thomas Dai]

Some others that I've either played or been told favourable things about but which I don't believe have been mentioned yet -


15th at Nairn
16th at Royal County Down
5th and 9th at Royal Portrush (Valley)
15th at Saunton West
3rd at Cruden Bay
10th at Fraserburgh
3rd at Enville (Highgate)
17th at Cardigan
18th at Frilford Heath (Green course)
8th and 15th at Tadmarton Heath


Atb

[Sean_A]

9 Western Gailes


1 Portsalon


16 Aberdovey


Ciao

[jeffwarne]

16 at Aberdovey-great call
Great photo of 1 at Portsalon -Never thought of 1 at Portsalon as being a short par 4 but it qualifies from the whites though it is very uphill-never really been warmed up properly there to hit a decent drive

[Pat Burke]

Pat Burke


I played 15 at Victoria a few days ago and hit a 4 wood into the left bunker. You can't believe you have done it given how wide it is - and it's wider now than when you saw it. It's a truly confounding hole for one so seemingly wide and simple.


4 Woodlands, 1 East at RM, 7 Peninsula South are a few of the other good ones in Melbourne.

I hit it in the freakin left bunker so many times!!


Amazing the lure of the left side on that tee shot!

[Keith OHalloran]

Fun short par 4's
8th at Narin and Portnoo
3rd at Cruit Island
6th at Carradale(whichever 6th or 15th that uses high tee)
3rd at Buncrana (coolest short hole green I've seen) daunting shot over #1 green
12 Pennard
4th at Southampton
8 Goat Hill-driveable blind drive to hogback fairway
3 Goat Hill-driveable under ideal conditions severe right to left tilt
4 Goat Hill-mystery abounds-226 yards over an aiming flag to a green sloping away with a 6 degree slope

Jeff, I know you weren't there much this year, but 4 at Southampton is longer than 325 😀

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