[Wayne Freeman]

A course in Scotland called Loch Ness, built in '96 on the side of a hill has a par 3 on the backside 76 yards! I couldn't believe it when I got to it.  It plays across a ravine, a little downhill and has a trap in front.  I don't remember what the green was like, only that it played about 60 yards.

[Tom_Doak]

What's the shortest par 3 you have played that you really liked?

I've only played the hole at Pocono Manor of those listed so far, but I'm not looking to copy it somewhere on one of my own designs.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Tom Doak,

The 10th at Inwood is a nice par 3 at under 100 yards.

The rear tier in the putting surface and falloff long make the hole more challenging than indicated by the yardage, and, being close to the water makes the wind more of a factor.

It's a neat little hole.

[Andy Troeger]

Tom,
Personally, I love the little par three at River Run. My poor father hated the golf course, but while my grandparents lived in the area I tried to drag him back every year we went down. It wasn't just for the one hole, but it was a terrifying little shot. One would think you should be able to stuff it from 75 yards, but 'twas not always the case here

[Doug Siebert]

I would think these holes would really only work on courses in VERY windy climates that play fast/firm (see Postage Stamp) or on a private course that doesn't see much play, so you can have the 800 sq ft green you need to preserve some challenge.

Even that wouldn't be challenging enough for the stereotypical old guy who can't hit it like he used to but has a wedge game most of us would kill for.  But I guess that's fair enough considering that every driveable par 4 and reachable par 5 is an advantage (well, in theory at least) for us younger long knockers.

[Kalen Braley]

The 11th at SaddleCreek in Copperopolis.  Its pretty short from the whites, less than 110 if memory serves me right.  Its a tiny little undulated green surronded by a hazard on 2 sides with big willows growing in the pond.  The hole plays downhill and even at such a short distance, the tee shot is very intimidating.  Its only after you get down to the green that you realize there is a little more room than appears from the tee box .

Great little short par 3.

[Brad Tufts]

I think these holes can be more fun with a large green with many shelves, fall-offs, and sections, ala #5 at Bandon Trails.  That green may have 10-12 great pin locations.  The one rounds I played there, it was located on the tiny little plateau in the green's center, about halfway between the lower front section, and the upper rear section.  There was not more than an 8 ft. X 8 ft. level section around the hole that day....

[Matt_Cohn]

The Ranch in San Jose probably holds the record for shortest total par-3 yardage for the par-3's on its back nine. The course is listed at 6,747 from the tips.

The two par 3's on the back are listed at 119 and 143, but these yardages do not actually exist. The actual back-tee-to-middle-of-green yardages are 99 and 124; the 99 is not playable from beyond 95 due to that part of the teebox curving around an overhanging tree (!).

[Andy Hughes]

andy what did you think of the 3rd hole at PM east?

racetrack, sorry, just saw this.  It has been more than 20 years since I played at Pocono Manor. I'm afraid the 77 yarder is the only hole I remember well. Though I do recall going eagle-birdie on back-to-back par 5s on one of the courses, which was way cool for a 15 year old kid  

[Brad Tufts]

#4 at Hanover CC in NH is 106 from the back edge of the back tee...course is about 6600

#7 at the Va-Jo-Wa GC in Maine is about 105 to a green smaller than my desk, over wetlands...course is about 6200

#17 at Paxon Hollow in PA has to be like 100, straight off a cliff, this hole probably plays 70 yards....course is what, 6100?

[Chris_Clouser]

The shortest I have played is at Brockway Golf Club in Lapel, Indiana.  When I played it, the hole was only 67 yards in length.  The green was basically flat with a small spine in the middle that split the green in half.  There was a small bunker on the front left and the green was raised above its surrounds by about two feet, so if you missed the green it was a difficult chip up to the putting surface.  The one time I played it none of that mattered as I hit my shot within six inches, the closest I've ever come to a hole-in-one.  Since that time I believe they have changed the hole in some way from what I have heard because there isn't a hole of that length anymore on the course.

In general, the course was not anything to brag about, but each hole was rather unique on that little nine-hole course.

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