bunkerless par threes

[Tommy Williamsen]

They are kind of rare but I can think to two off the top of my head, 7a at the European Club,








I think they add something to different and exciting to the hole.


I seem to remember bunkerless par threes at Rye and Bedford Springs as well.

[Ally Mcintosh]

On two of the courses I’ve worked on, I put in bunkerless par-3’s:


Both the 10th and 14th on the Dunes course at Carne (although both have open blow-outs that play through the green) and also the 14th at Strandhill.


I like a bunkerless par-3.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Deal's 4th.


One of the Older Members said to me. "I've seen a lot of 4's, but very few 2's".


GCA friend Nick Leafe had a 1 during a Buda!


Hope you're doing well and still checking the site out Nick.

[Niall C]

Hope you're doing well and still checking the site out Nick.

Well said

[Ally Mcintosh]

County Sligo 4th is another favourite.

[Ira Fishman]

The Dell at Lahinch.


Must be an Irish thing, although we actually have one at our course in Maryland--it is proceeded by a bunkerless Par 4.


Also the 14th at Primland; it does have a large chasm to carry. It is sandwiched between a bunkerless Par 5 and a bunkerless Par 4.

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

Victoria Club 16th
This is brilliant uphill Max Behr hole that is a fairly easy bogey, difficult par, and extremely hard birdie.  The green has some contour and slope set at an angle from the tee, so it presents a much smaller target.

[Mike_Clayton]

There are essentially three at Paraparaumu in NZ. The 2nd has a single, largely out of play, bunker 30 yards short of the green and 5 and 16 are bunkerless. All three are great holes.

[Jaeger Kovich]

I have a plan to convert the 9th at Cedarbrook in Philly to a bunkerless par-3. Hopefully we'll get to it next fall... It has taken some inspiration from Augusta's 8th hole.


WFE #17 is pretty incredible. So is the 6th at Royal Ashdown Forest... And #5 at Royal Worlington and Newmarket might be the best par 3 in the world!

[Steve_Lovett]

The 16th "Calamity" at Royal Portrush is the best I'm aware of.

[John Mayhugh]

And #5 at Royal Worlington and Newmarket might be the best par 3 in the world!

This one is definitely hard to beat.

DSC06059 by john mayhugh, on Flickr

Bunkerless green complexes work well when the land is interesting enough. Plenty of examples in the UK at places like Kington, Church Stretton, Cleeve Hill, Bamburgh Castle, Anstruther! and so on.

[Dan_Callahan]

Another great one in Ireland: the 6th at Narin & Portnoo. 

[Ally Mcintosh]

Dan - Now you mention the 6th at Narin & Portnoo, there are another 2 examples of very similar holes in Ireland:


The 12th at Waterville (Mass hole) and the 13th at Tralee.

[Jon Cavalier]

[JNagle]

The 12th at The Bald Peak Colony Club is a great downhill bunkerless par 3.  The green was fronted by non original bunkers which we removed many years ago. 


The 10th at Bryn Mawr in Chicago is a Langford creation which heaves out of the otherwise flat ground on the north side of Chicago.


Misqumicut 8th hole 

[Ben Hollerbach]

The 17th at Belvedere is bunkerless. The 4th has a lone bunker 30 or 40 yards shy of the green. Neither are easy pars

It would stand to reason that if a parcel of land was to severe to be used for a 2 shot or 3 shot hole, converting it into a 1 shot hole with no bunkers would be an excellent utilization of the features.

[Sam Morrow]

The devilish short 15th at Memorial Park is a Doak Special, I made 2 there earlier today.

[Richard Fisher]

Huntercombe 1 and 15 - both terrific. Ditto 14th at Harlech, even if the new elevated tee makes the whole slightly easier. Glad Worly 5th has got a much-deserved mention!

[Tommy Williamsen]

Huntercombe 1 and 15 - both terrific. Ditto 14th at Harlech, even if the new elevated tee makes the whole slightly easier. Glad Worly 5th has got a much-deserved mention!

I was wondering about 14 at Harlech. I just can't remember holes as well as I used to.

[Jimmy Chandler]

Isn't the 10th at Pacific Dunes bunkerless?

[Tim Martin]

10 at the Orchards GC in Western Massachusetts has no bunkers but does have a false front and a creek. 1 which is a par four has no bunkers.

[JohnVDB]

Isn't the 10th at Pacific Dunes bunkerless?

I just looked at the satellite image and it appears to be.  I haven’t played the Sheep Ranch yet but I don’t think it has a lot of bunkers.  Are there any there?

[Carl Johnson]

16 at Carolina GC in Charlotte is bunkerless, the only such hole on the course.  A small pond fronts the entire green, but it's only a psychological problem for less skilled golfers (such as myself). 

[Ira Fishman]

Swinley Forest number 8.

[Wade Whitehead]

No sand bunkers at all on Sheep Ranch, so all of its par threes qualify.

#10 at Pacific Dunes may not have (or need) any man-made bunkers, but that doesn't mean a poor shot won't be played from a very sandy lie.

WW