Best Non-Private and Non-Resort Par-Three Courses?

[Sam Kestin]

I was having a discussion with a client of ours recently about increasing popularity of high-end par-three courses. I confess to having a love of these as they give the player the opportunity to have a truly quality golf experience in fractions of the time.


We both noted that its a shame most of the great ones are either private or part of upscale destination resorts--not really geared towards (or available to) the standard daily-fee player. I would kill to have something like the Bad Little Nine at Scottsdale National open for public play. It looks like an absolute blast and I lament there being nothing like it locally.


Here in Los Angeles, the Links at Terranea is probably the best of the bunch--but there isn't really a huge amount of competition in that category. Out in Arizona, the short course at Wickenberg Ranch looks pretty cool but I haven't yet had the opportunity to play it. The Cloud Nine out in Vegas seems like a cool premise as well--replicating some of the most famous holes in the world.


What non-private and non-resort par-three courses would the discerning eyes of GCA nominate to a best par-three course list?

[Tim Gavrich]

Terranea is part of a resort, isn't it?


On the way from the Milwaukee airport to Kohler, there's a little place called Missing Links that has a driving range and a funky-fun little 9-hole par-3 course. There are some faux-links touches that I found endearing, if somewhat kitschy. I think I paid $10 to play it, and would gladly do it again if in the area with a spare hour.

[David_Tepper]

There is a 9-hole, public par-3 course in the west end of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco that has great bones, but is in poor shape maintenance-wise. It is not more than 1/2 mile from the ocean.

There is also a 9-hole, public par-3 course at the Chick Corica golf complex in Alameda, on the other side of the Bay.

A problem with par-3 courses is that the tee boxes take a beating from all the divots. The Alameda par-3 course solves that problem by having the players tee off on mats.

I wonder if a "stand alone" par-3 course (either 9 or 18 holes) could be commercially viable. I have my doubts.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Wow...only one comes to mind and my old office used to look right into it.


Mariner's Point in Foster City, CA.
Great driving range, fantastic grass 18 hole putting course and a 9 hole par 3 course right on San Francisco Bay. At least 4 holes on the water.


http://www.marinerspoint.com/


I met Ken Venturi there as he was walking out of the restaurant, just a few weeks after his wife passed away.
Spoke with him for about 3 minutes. Humble gentleman. I was moved.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

@ Sam


Did you see my recent post of Forrest Richardson's interview by Matt Ginella about the Short Course at Mountain Shadows in AZ?


http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,66738.0.html


Yes, it's part of a resort but it's open to the public. Great course for practice while having fun!




https://www.mountainshadows.com/golf

[Blake Conant]

Schoolhouse 9 in sperryville, VA.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Ocean Course in Palm Beach, FL


https://www.golfontheocean.com/

[Ira Fishman]

I have not played it in almost 40 years, but Winnetka Golf Club in Chicago suburbs which is pure public has a Par 3 that was really good. The website claims it is a Langford design. I have no idea if still his work.


Ira

[Joe Zucker]

I have not played it in almost 40 years, but Winnetka Golf Club in Chicago suburbs which is pure public has a Par 3 that was really good. The website claims it is a Langford design. I have no idea if still his work.


Ira

I lived in Evanston from 2014 to 2017 and would often go up to Winnetka to practice.  The par 3 course there is wonderful.  It has some architectural interest, so it's not just a bunch of 90 yard holes with flat greens.  There were always groups of kids and seniors walking the course when I was there in the evening.  They also always had 2 pins on every green.  One that is standard size and another that was a foot or so wide. 


It is a great community asset for getting people into the game or to keep them in the came, but it's not something that would knock your socks off like Bandon Preserve.

[Mike Nuzzo]

THREE GRAND, Cleveland, TX

[Addison King]

Learned to play golf in college at Woodhaven Golf Club, a 9 hole par 3 course in Clemson, SC. Great place to learn the basics of the game.


Palm Beach Par 3 is an extremely fun course. Several holes play along the ocean and several play along the intracoastal. Depending on wind it can be very challenging. Good variety of holes, never feel like you are playing the same shot twice in a row.

[Tim Leahy]

Monterey Park golf course is a night lighted par 3 course in East LA that my office overlooked. One of the few night lighted courses I considered playable. It had furry greens but mats and grass tees with some changes in elevation that was fun.

[David_Tepper]

I once played the 9-hole Hidden Oaks par-3 course in Santa Barbara. I recall the holes being in the 90-120 yard range. Opened in 1969. Designed by Billy Casper.

https://hiddenoaksgolfcoursesb.weebly.com/ 

[Jeff Schley]

The Lakes at El Segundo I played probably 10 x's when I lived in LA.  They have 2 short par 4's so technically not all par 3's.  Very large driving range open late. Can be very busy as it is right off Sepulveda south of the 105 and LAX.

This was 15-20 years ago, but know it is still there and had my first back to back birdies in my life there so memorable.
Also played Vista Valencia par 3 course during the same period, which has a 18 hole executive course and a 9 hole par 3 course. The greens there were in great shape which struck me because a par 3 green usually gets pelted with ball marks.

[Joe Bausch]

Ocean Course in Palm Beach, FL


https://www.golfontheocean.com/

Good call, Steve!


http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/PalmBeachPar3/index.html?

[John Foley]

Schoolhouse 9 in sperryville, VA.

Mic drop!!!

[Ben Malach]

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Coy's Par 3 in Columbia Lake, British Columbia. It is one of the few courses I have ever played where the shots into the greens are so interesting they overcome the banality of the putting surfaces.

[Paul Jones]

Sweetens Cove in TN, but that is just 9 holes - not a Par 3 course.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

In the UK there are a pair of such courses at Adlington a few miles from my house. Artificial tees, Hawtree designs. One is a proper pitch-and-putt, with holes of 50-82 yards, the other much fuller length with holes from 70-270 yards. Greens are slow (have to be to accept shots particularly on the shorter course) but they have lots of contour. Maintenance is a bit lacking, particularly bunker raking, but for a few £ green fee it's good fun. I even took Tommy Williamsen there once!


There are also several quite good short 9-hole courses with par 4s and 5s also - Hale, Knutsford and Cheadle spring to mind.

[Kalen Braley]

Lake Chabot in Oakland CA has an outstanding, quirky 9 hole short course with some very cool tee shots.  Been years since I played it, hope its still alive and well!

[Bill Seitz]

Arroyo Seco in South Pasadena was always fun.  It had an artificial creek that ran by a number of holes, and finished along the edge of arroyo (at the bottom, not along the cliff).  It was in pretty good shape and more picturesque compared to the other par three course in Arcadia that I played a lot while growing up.

[Brad Tufts]

Armand Hammer in LA?


More of a pitch-and-putt with no holes longer than maybe 55-60y, but a total blast for like $3 with unlimited play.


Other highlights:


1.  The temptation to loft a wedge into Aaron Spelling's compound
2.  The risk of a shank denting a car worth more than your house
3.  LA joggers wear the best athleisure wear
4.  Kikuyu practice!
5.  Completes the Holmby Hills trifecta after 36 at LACC

[Chris Roselle]

The Short Course at the RTJ Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove in Mobile, Ala. is a nice collection of one-shotters.  It was so good we would actually use it as part of qualifying rounds for college events.  Pretty much all clubs can be used which is a nice feature of a par-3 course.

[Matt Dawson]

In the UK there are a pair of such courses at Adlington a few miles from my house. Artificial tees, Hawtree designs. One is a proper pitch-and-putt, with holes of 50-82 yards, the other much fuller length with holes from 70-270 yards. Greens are slow (have to be to accept shots particularly on the shorter course) but they have lots of contour. Maintenance is a bit lacking, particularly bunker raking, but for a few £ green fee it's good fun. I even took Tommy Williamsen there once!


There are also several quite good short 9-hole courses with par 4s and 5s also - Hale, Knutsford and Cheadle spring to mind.

Mark, funny you mention Adlington, I grew up a couple of miles away and used to work there a little during school holidays when it was just a driving range. As it was built by a farmer on his land, the range ball washer was a repurposed carrot washing machine!

My father used to come along mainly to watch the huge planes landing at the old Woodford aerodrome just over the fence. Happy memories

The best 9 hole par3 course I remember is NLE - it was laid out on the high ground above Lyme Hall, where I first picked up a club. Some really interesting little shots over valleys, up hills etc

[Philip Hensley]

Ocean Course in Palm Beach, FL


https://www.golfontheocean.com/

Palm Beach Par 3 was the first that came to mind. It's also a community meet-up place of sorts, where people stop in for lunch, dinner, or drinks. The day we went, they didn't have any tee times available. And they first available tee time they had was the next day at 3:00.