Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: Bart Bradley on April 07, 2019, 09:16:51 PM
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I think great par 5s are rare. And I believe they offer a lot of diversity: Long v Short, split fairways, etc. [/size]They offer insight into the quality of the design that sometimes is revelatory. So what’s the single best par 5 you’ve played and why?Bart
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I too think they're rare, Bart, but in my case that might be due mostly to my lack of playing experience/golf travel.
But as I've mentioned before, the only Par 5 I've ever really liked, let alone loved, is the 8th at Crystal Downs. Why?
Because from tee shot to final putt your work is never done, and yet none of the pieces of work/tasks is too onerous for the average golfer to manage (at least sometimes, on a good day).
Because the length seems just about perfect: not a 'short Par 5', and because of the angles a 3-shorter for most; but neither is it, for the same reason, a 'long Par 5', and is reachable with two very exemplary golf shots (but only if one is willing to risk missing a cool & well protected green).
Because each of those three shots is uniquely challenging and fun given the bend of the fairway and its natural contours & undulations/rumples, and even the short 3rd PW to that wonderful green has one getting sweaty and tense.
And because it feels (though I don't know if it's true) that they didn't leave, as many architects of Par 5s seem to do, the crappy & uninteresting parts of the site to be used up by a long hole but instead used a charming if understated (and maybe most well-suited) part of the site for the 8th at CD.
In short: neither afterthought nor contrivance, neither pandering to birdie-starved average golfers nor granting great advantage to better/longer hitters, neither a postcard of a pretty vista nor a disguise for boring grounds, and neither a too-wide 'modern' nor a too narrow/penal 'test' of golf.
Peter
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Peter stole my favorite.
I'll quibble with his description of it, though. I've seen it hit in two, once, but up until twenty years ago no one had ever done that . . . the second shot is long and uphill, and the green is tiny so it's hard to hold even if you can get there.
What I've always liked about the hole is the second shot. There are no bunkers, but there is one particular spot to be, in the right half of the fairway, to give yourself a relatively level lie and not too uphill of an approach. Miss it in the right rough, though, and you'll be lucky to get it on the green at all; and miss left, and you'll have to hit your short iron with the ball way above your feet.
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Wasn’t the 17th at TOC once considered a ‘5’? With a decently rolled-back ball perhaps it might still be.
Atb
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Three utterly unoriginal British seaside suggestions, and an inland one
The 8th at Brancaster, with a brilliant 'bite-off-as-much-as-you-dare' drive, a not dissimilar second, and (usually) a beguiling pitch in from the left. Famously described by both Darwin and the authors of The Confidential Guide.
The 9th at Westward Ho!, where Fowler's cunning pot bunker about 100 yards out absolutely determines the way to play the hole. See Doak and Morrissett on this (I recall that this hole was in Ran's 'dream eighteen').
Both of these are, of course, a drive and an 8-iron for most touring professionals nowadays, unless the wind is strongly in the opposing direction, but for most handicap golfers both holes provide interest and challenge for all three shots, as well as fun putting, which seems to me the test of a great par five.
The 14th on TOC, where again all three shots (and Hell Bunker the green) provide huge interest, and of course off the black tee even the longest hitters are challenged to know quite what to do. There are plenty of alternative lines in, which again makes the golfer think in ways s/he doesn't necessarily want to.
The inland British three-shotter which was perhaps the most respected at one time was the eleventh at Worplesdon, a double-dogleg about which (e.g.) Tom Simpson wrote with reverence as, again challenging the player both to think, and to hit properly, with every shot.
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For ‘play long-and-hard’ in the modern day era, where at least three good wacks are probably needed by even some longer hitters to get near the pretty highly contoured greens, try the 1st and the 5th on the Kilmore-9 at Carne. Is there a harder, more challenging 9-holes than the Kilmore?
Atb
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In no particular order:
11 @ Tobacco Road
2 @ Ballyhack
14 @ Riverfront
3 @ Pacific Dunes
2 @ Royal New Kent
3 @ Bandon Trails
5 @ The Cascades
17 @ Streamsong Blue
7 @ Streamsong Red
Why?...... Memorability Primarily
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8)
The 15th at Pine Valley deserves mention. In an age of almost unlimited firepower with the driver and weaponry developed by the manufacturers it remains a difficult par for the bombers. Yet its beauty is that the non expert, using his knowledge of what shot works has a good chance of achieving the 5!
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8)
The 15th at Pine Valley deserves mention. In an age of almost unlimited firepower with the driver and weaponry developed by the manufacturers it remains a difficult par for the bombers. Yet its beauty is that the non expert, using his knowledge of what shot works has a good chance of achieving the 5!
Sometimes a non-expert, if guided by the Sherpa-like Lurker, can make 4.
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Here's my vote...#16 at Sand Hills. It's like a three-act play.
Tee Shot...can you bite off the right amount, and then catch the slope for more yardage?
Second Shot...can you slide the second off an uneven lie to the right (or over) deep bunkers that jut into the fairway?
Third shot...the least interesting of the three, but this green is surrounded by subtle movement and lots of short grass. For many, one of the first two shots goes haywire, so this green is good for long approaches too.
Three singular challenges that add up to a fantastic hole. I'd compare #18 at Yale to it in terms of three distinct challenges presented one at a time.
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I think great par 5s are rare. And I believe they offer a lot of diversity: Long v Short, split fairways, etc. They offer insight into the quality of the design that sometimes is revelatory. So what’s the single best par 5 you’ve played and why?Bart
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;D :D
So now I’ve got my thinking cap on and remember my favorite five ever. I’m pretty sure it was number eighteen at a small golf course called Tall Pines that was a short fun course with lots of history and local lore.
A kid named Doug Beechler shot 58 there and it had nine holes lighted for a while. Quite a place definitely a muni, later became part of ex eagles QB Ron Jaworskis group of local courses he managed/ owned .
You had to lay your tee shot to the end of a fairway that got tighter as it reached a big drop off. You were then left with a shot straight downhill to a green surrounded by trees rock and a moat/stream fronting same. The shot was about 240 yards from a perfectly placed tee shot but had no bail if you went for it, no bail long bad short water left/right dead
If you laid up it was a little flip but still a testy half wedge to the aforementioned green lots of quid exchanged on this one, Tried to recreate it with the tenth at Twisted Dune but couldn’t quite pull it off as well. Would like to try again now that I’m older and less knowledgeable
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Wine Valley #7
Risk the corner of the dog leg left at the start for best position for the second. Hole doglegs right into a punch bowl green site. A long drive risking the corner of the first dog leg can position you to get into the punch bowl with a long second. Otherwise, it still gives you the best chance for setting up the third so you can get it close.
It may not be the best I have played, as memory serves a function in recalling what may be the best. As the link below shows, the hole is very memorable for me.
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40942.msg865555.html#msg865555
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#6 at Pebble
Building it was audacious. It's still intimidating and I can't imagine what that hill was like with a hickory club.
There are many ways to play it. Even a non-elite player (like myself) can try to hit a big drive in the hope of getting home in two (or close), but to do so you're driving into a fairway that narrows progressively, with the ocean right and nasty bunkers left. Pull it off and you can get there, but the shot is blind an intimidating because there's a steep, giant hill in front of you, ocean to the right, and the green (like all greens at Pebble) is tiny.
You can lay back off the tee and the fairway is quite large. But lay too far back and you may struggle to get your second shot over the hill, so this is in fact a par 5 with second shot interest.
All in one of the most spectacular locations imaginable.
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The 6th at Carnoustie would seem to still fit the bill even after all these decades and equipment changes ..... maybe that’s because it should have once been categorised a par-6! :) Gotta hit some quality shots and keep your wits about you all the way from the tee peg to the last putt, even more so when the pin is back-right on the diagonal green (and the winds against).
Atb
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#1 at Spyglass is pretty darn good.
Collectively the 4 Par 5's at Beverly may be the best set in the US
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#3 Pacific Dunes
So many reasons why. I've played it in about every condition possible (including blind in the fog). I've made 3 and I've made 8. I've hit driver wedge, and I've hit driver / driver short. The setting goes without saying. Perfectly perched green that, if you hit it in 2, you know you've hit it as planned. One of the most treacherous bunkers on the course waits for the slightest mis hit. Amazingly wide fairway with a bunker that makes you think. A hole you can play with a putter. Brilliant.
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I'm not being all that sarcastic, but the best 650-yard bunkerless Par 5 I've played is the 9th at Diamond Hill in Dover, Fl.
It makes the short list of best Par-5's I've played, too. Width, elevation, and a well-placed lake on the second shot.
"It's all golf." As the aforementioned lurker would say.
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Haven’t seen it mentioned too much here, but think 18 at Cabot Cliffs is a pretty great hole. Played in winds from all four directions and it evokes all the emotions I expect from a par 5: Fear, opportunity, decisionmaking, caution, self control, boldness.
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I always liked the set of 5s at Plainfield, specifically 12 and 16 which force a decision on the second shot.
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I’m surprised no one has mentioned #9 at Kingsley yet.....
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I will suggest an ideal par five rather than necessarily the best.
#12 at Philadelphia Country Club
The tee shot is slightly uphill with a fairway bunker left. This stresses one to pick the right line off the tee.
The second shot has one of those typical Flynn layup area bunkers. “ I don’t have to worry about that” which often leads to a lazy second which ends up in the bunker.
The green has the run up option but that can be a problem with a front pin.
The test of a great par five is making three interesting shots for various levels of golfers.
This hole succeeds.
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How about #4 at Bethpage Black? It's certainly memorable and the blind shot into the green adds just a bit of doubt on the approach. And, maybe the ultimate differentiator for a par-5 is that even a safe second shot has to be well placed.
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I’m surprised no one has mentioned #9 at Kingsley yet.....
Clever but I have made many easy five on that hole.
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I'll go with nine at Westward Ho! I hope the new rendition doesn't amend it too much. The fairway is miles wide but I always like to drive it down the right side. If I hit it well I can try to go for the green, but it don't really make much sense for me to do it. I'll either hit it into the bunker middle short of the green, or over the green into a mess at the back. The bunker isn't such a great spot because the green runs away from you and it is a difficult up and down. Short of the bunker is dead. It requires a flop shot from a very tight lie. My beast option is to try an hit it green high to the right where I get the best angle to the green.
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I’m surprised that no one yet has mentioned the 13th at Silloth. Indeed IMO (although I don’t know that anyone agrees with me much) the other par 5’s at Silloth would give the 9th at Westward Ho! a run for its money, and I like that hole as well.
As has been pointed out before, Scotland isn’t over burdened with great or even very good par 5’s however the 6th at Carnoustie that Dai mentions is top notch but it doesn’t beat Silloth’s 13th IMO.
In my view both have what it takes for a good par 5 which is that every shot has a purpose beyond dunting it up in the general direction of the hole. Care and a bit of thought needs to go into each shot. Where I think the Silloth hole works better is that it is still a belter of a hole in any wind direction and still leaves you with a decision.
Niall
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No mentions so far for:
14th hole at Sand Hills - I made eagle there once, converting a 3-foot, steeply downhill putt from behind the hole. Only needed a 9-iron to reach the green, as my solid drive crested the hill and earned the power boost down to the far left side of the fairway.
16th hole at Shinnecock Hills - That lucky day I played this one, it seemed this hole had an ideal shape for strategic play. The number of bunkers is a bit off-putting, but if I could play this one at 475-500 yards, it seems ideal in many ways.
13th hole at Augusta National - still an exemplary risk/reward par 5.
9th hole at San Francisco - Great strategic design as well. Mostly, it's being on the 9th green that feels special. Like Augusta, the 9th and 18th green are set way back from the clubhouse, so it feels spacious and luxurious out there.
18th hole at Tara Iti - The par 5 finisher here is among the best holes on the course. If I recall correctly, the design is inspired by the Foxy at Dornoch. It has an elaborate and flexible green design for changing the hole difficulty. To balance things, I never figured this one out, struggling for bogey in all three tries.
However, after mulling it over, my favorite par 5 of all time is probably the 3rd at Pacific Dunes, the home state choice. I've played 20-30 times, and never tire of the challenges presented by the tee shot and the approach shot over the deep fronting bunker. Use plenty of club on the approach.
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The 4th hole at World Woods Pine Barrens in Florida is a very good par 5. It makes wonderful use of the existing terrain, has a strong risk & reward character from tee to green and is good looking too.
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I found the concept of the 18th hole at Capilano to be unique; tackling the green head on is very risky as it is perched on a hill and well defended from that angle. Playing to the left of the green and attacking from 9 o’clock is a much easier shot. The 15th at Victoria Club in Riverside employs a similar strategy, it almost seems as if you are playing to the back of the green from straight on in the fairway.
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I like # 4 at Lahinch-Klondyke. The drive and second shot as a set are as fun a pair as I can think of. You have to play the second blind over a huge sand dune and the mystery plays out until you finally get a look at the green. Finally the stone wall and street behind the green add an additional element of intrigue depending on how well you hit the second and the bounce as well. Really a fun hole to play.
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How about #4 at Bethpage Black? It's certainly memorable and the blind shot into the green adds just a bit of doubt on the approach. And, maybe the ultimate differentiator for a par-5 is that even a safe second shot has to be well placed.
I was thinking of this one. Off the tee you have to decide how brave you are going to be. If you bite off too much and hit it in the bunker, then you've got a choice about trying to get up the hill to the second bit of fairway or just play out to the end of the first bit of fairway. If you're too safe, you've got a really tough layup to the second bit of fairway. If you hit a good drive, you have a choice to make about whether to go for it. It's a short enough shot that you feel like you should go for it, but it's quite a lot uphill and then the green slopes away from you, so it's devilishly hard to hold. The sensible play is to play out to the right and leave you the pitch up the green, but do you have the strength of mind to do that? I don't.
Honourable mentions to:
- 14 at RSG where the layup is really tough, but the tighter to the OB you get it the better chance you have for your next.
- 7 at Pine Valley
- 16 WHO is a great short par 5, where getting too aggressive can bring six into play remarkably easily.
- 8 on WHO and 7 on BPB, where I got 2s
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Great idea for a post. I've always held par 5s in a lower regard for the obvious reasons: you can play a relatively poor tee shot and still have a decent lay up and wedge to the green. You can also play a good tee shot and a mediocre second and still have a wedge in.
I love par 5s where the second shot is difficult whether you go for it or lay up. I like holes where you can let loose with driver, but the fairway narrows. Then, the same with the second shot, regardless if you play short or go for it.
#6 at Pebble, #8 at Crystal and #16 at Shinnecock are great examples. I think my personal favorite is #10 at Machrihanish. The drive is tough and the second is blind. The second shot is difficult whether you go for it or not. There is more room left than you think on the left, but you must carry the junk. There is more room right but you play away from the green. Fantastic hole IMO.
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Call me nuts, but Sagebursh just may have the best collection of par 5s on any course I've played.
Terrific variety, uphill, downhill. Some tight shots some wide open ones and plenty of ways to play em all. #16 is pretty unique, hard to even describe it, although its a bit rough on the high capper without a tail wind...
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For ‘play long-and-hard’ in the modern day era, where at least three good wacks are probably needed by even some longer hitters to get near the pretty highly contoured greens, try the 1st and the 5th on the Kilmore-9 at Carne. Is there a harder, more challenging 9-holes than the Kilmore?
Atb
I'll second a nomination for no. 5 on the Kilmore 9. A memorable look off the tee into a canyon fairway and wild optionality on the second shot and a good green complex. Dramatic and strategic. While it honors the ideas Hackett's work on the original 18, it's the best par 5 at the club.
I also want to mention no. 1 at Rustic Canyon. A terrific opener with many solutions and room for conservative play, heroics, and given its length, demands a thoughtful third shot of almost all of us. None of the five par fives at Rustic are bad. Three are very good. I think Hanse has a great batting average for par-5s generally.
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Call me nuts, but Sagebursh just may have the best collection of par 5s on any course I've played.
Terrific variety, uphill, downhill. Some tight shots some wide open ones and plenty of ways to play em all. #16 is pretty unique, hard to even describe it, although its a bit rough on the high capper without a tail wind...
What was it you took there? 11? 12? I know I won the hole with double digits and arthritic hands. So it had to be 11 or higher.
But then, with the right drive it has been driver, 5 iron, 2 putt birdie for the high handicapper, making one fairway level irrelevant.
I wouldn't call it great. I would call it weird. Quirky
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For ‘play long-and-hard’ in the modern day era, where at least three good wacks are probably needed by even some longer hitters to get near the pretty highly contoured greens, try the 1st and the 5th on the Kilmore-9 at Carne. Is there a harder, more challenging 9-holes than the Kilmore?
Atb
I'll second a nomination for no. 5 on the Kilmore 9. A memorable look off the tee into a canyon fairway and wild optionality on the second shot and a good green complex. Dramatic and strategic. While it honors the ideas Hackett's work on the original 18, it's the best par 5 at the club.
I also want to mention no. 1 at Rustic Canyon. A terrific opener with many solutions and room for conservative play, heroics, and given its length, demands a thoughtful third shot of almost all of us. None of the five par fives at Rustic are bad. Three are very good. I think Hanse has a great batting average for par-5s generally.
Wow! Two diametrically opposed choices. i agree with RC being great, but being diametrically opposite, the Carne hole would be the opposite of great IMO.
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Garland,
Not sure what you're asking here, but 16 is the one hole I recall best, but I really liked #1 and 14 as well. Even #7 is pretty interesting as you get closer to the green.
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BRONZE: Pinehurst (2) #5....love the severity of the green
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[/size]SILVER: Pebble #6 for it's dramatic 2nd shot and seaside appeal (#18 just misses the podium mostly for sentimental reasons)
[/size]
[/size]GOLD: Fox Chapel #2.
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Seriously, why isn't 18 at Pebble Beach on anyone's list? It's strategic. It's memorable. It's historically significant. And, it's in one of the most beautiful settings of any golf hole on earth.
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I will throw a couple of Doaks in the mix. Both outstanding. #4 at Tumble Creek and #10 at Rock Creek. Probably 2 of his best.
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I also want to mention no. 1 at Rustic Canyon. A terrific opener with many solutions and room for conservative play, heroics, and given its length, demands a thoughtful third shot of almost all of us. None of the five par fives at Rustic are bad. Three are very good. I think Hanse has a great batting average for par-5s generally.
I agree about all the par 5s at Rustic, but also that #1 is the best of the bunch.
Wide open drive so you can swing away for your first stroke of the day, but after that it's decision time about whether to lay up and if so where. For such a wide hole, the OB starts to look really threatening down that left side, if you're thinking of going for it. And if you think, "eh, it's a dry creek bed, how bad can it be to miss in there?" Well, you generally only have to do that once to be disabused of that notion. And the third looks simple but is tricky as it plays a bit more downhill than it looks with the green not holding quite as much as you think. I've seen more wedges missed over the green at that hole than probably any other. At the length, and downhill, it's a very real chance to start with birdie, but unlike a lot of par 5s that play relatively short, it can easily take bogies even from good players. And does so with just one bunker that is barely even in play off the tee. Really good hole.
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I also want to mention no. 1 at Rustic Canyon. A terrific opener with many solutions and room for conservative play, heroics, and given its length, demands a thoughtful third shot of almost all of us. None of the five par fives at Rustic are bad. Three are very good. I think Hanse has a great batting average for par-5s generally.
I agree about all the par 5s at Rustic, but also that #1 is the best of the bunch.
Wide open drive so you can swing away for your first stroke of the day, but after that it's decision time about whether to lay up and if so where. For such a wide hole, the OB starts to look really threatening down that left side, if you're thinking of going for it. And if you think, "eh, it's a dry creek bed, how bad can it be to miss in there?" Well, you generally only have to do that once to be disabused of that notion. And the third looks simple but is tricky as it plays a bit more downhill than it looks with the green not holding quite as much as you think. I've seen more wedges missed over the green at that hole than probably any other. At the length, and downhill, it's a very real chance to start with birdie, but unlike a lot of par 5s that play relatively short, it can easily take bogies even from good players. And does so with just one bunker that is barely even in play off the tee. Really good hole.
Definitely agree about the 5 par 5's at Rustic being exceptional. I think #5 is my favorite, #1 is a perfect handshake opener but if it came anywhere else in the routing I'd knock it a bit. A little too wide open on both tee shot and lay up, though that green is amazing. Everything but that front bowl pin location runs away from you even with wedge in hand.
#5 has everything I look for in a great par 5. Options off the tee, longer hitters can go up the left where you can have a go for it in 2, while shorter hitters (like myself) can try and tack on the right where the ball releases more. The second shot has tons of interest even if you aren't going for it. If you misplaced your teeball you have to decide if you can clear the barranca. How much of the native area on the left are you comfortable with clearing? How close to the pot bunker are you willing to go? Can you hold the green AND clear the turtleback left side without going over into that hidden bunker? Similarly, the third shot even with a wedge in hand can be difficult. You don't want to go over the pin or left or right of the green. Recovery left of that turtleback is one of the most fun shots, but I've had that ball return to my feet countless times. You can literally pick any club from hybrid to bump to wedge to putter. Missing right of the green seems like the good side to miss on but the fall off is just perfect where you want your ball to crest to the top and then let gravity funnel the ball towards the hole. Danger lurks for the player who tries to fly the ball onto the surface because the turtleback comes into play again!
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Two of my favorites that haven't been mentioned are Western Gailes #6 and Ballyneal #8
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#15 at Cabot Cliffs - I love the scale and scope of this hole. It has an interesting tee shot where you can take the high road to the left or take the safer route to the right - but beware the bunker in the centre. As you crest the hill you see a spectacular view of the ocean that takes your breath away and leads to the anticipation of your tee shots at 16 and 17. If you hit a decent drive the green is very reachable in two as the shot is severely downhill, but there are bunkers to navigate and going long is death.
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The first at San Francisco Golf Club is both one of my favorite Par 5s as well one of my favorite openings holes.
The tee shot is wide open and inviting for the first stroke of the round. The second shot requires a strategic decision - go for a chance at the green but a poor shot will result in an awkward lie or lay up safely to get a longer shot off a flat lie.
The green complex is magnificent - a bunker protecting the left side, a visually arresting slope on the right that will heavily penalize a wayward shot. The back drops off beautifully with views of Lake Merced that have been opened up nicely.
Everything you could ask for from an opening hole and a par 5.
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Seriously, why isn't 18 at Pebble Beach on anyone's list? It's strategic. It's memorable. It's historically significant. And, it's in one of the most beautiful settings of any golf hole on earth.
Completely agree. Is PB #18 considered a dumb blonde? I hate the tree in the middle of the fairway -- I hate any tree in the middle of any fairway -- but that doesn't even diminish the hole all that much, in my opinion. For mortals, the drive is cheek-clenching, especially if you have any designs of getting home in two. The second shot presents some of the same challenges -- ocean left, OB right -- but adds distance judgement, assuming you're trying to lay up to a yardage. The approach over the front right bunker is more visual intimidation, but like all three shots, it can be played if you're competent and not overwhelmed about where you are and how this is your last chance to do something noteworthy. This hole immediately came to mind when I saw the thread title. If it's too obvious a choice, I can live with that.
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I immediately thought of two of my favourite (without thinking necessarily "best") that happen to be only 4 holes apart on the same course. The 12th and 16th at The Addington are wonderful three-shotters without a single bunker between them. Amazing topography - hardly the "dull" land some architects describe as being perhaps best for long holes. I must say though that I remember the 12th as a par-4 when I played it.
Another that came to mind is the 17th at Springfield CC which is a hair under 600 yards. A heroic blind tee shot over a gulley out of a chute of trees is a blast to play with the hole flowing downhill and left (while sloping right) from there making for an unlikely 4 and a tough 5. Not nearly the best hole on the course, but one of my favorites.
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After reading this thread I went back to Bart's opening post and was struck by his idea that Par 5s are 'revelatory', ie that they offer unique insights (relative to the other 'pars') into an architect's approach to design. At the same time, I've been listening to one of my favourite musicians, famous for amazing technique/facility and for blazing through up-tempo numbers; but for me (and many) his great musicianship and mastery come through most of all when he is playing slow ballads -- it is then that I can most 'hear' his talent and get the clearest sense of his ideas on how to explore a theme and build a solo. Which is to ask: do you think that Par 5s offer us the best (of all the 'pars') window into an architect's ethos and design philosophy?
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I can't believe Niall is the only person to suggest 13 at Silloth. The best set of par 5s I have played is at Muirfield, where each par 5 is an excellent hole. But 13 at Silloth would be the best there. It's unique. Each shot is harder than the previous one. The drive, to a wide fairway, needs to be well placed to give an easier second. This is a rare hole where the middle of the fairway is the best lace to be off the tee. Be far to either side and you're playing across a narrow, hogs back fairway with your second. Be near the middle and long (but not long enough to run into the broken ground at the end of the first part of the fairway) and you have a view through and up the gap between two dunes, to that elevated hogsback fairway. If you're far enough down, dreams of going for it in two come into consideration, though that elevated green, with steep drop offs on either side to rough makes the risk greater than on many par 5s. Hit the fairway with your lay up and you leave a steeply uphill wedge to a long, reasonably narrow green where missing either side is horrible. If you do miss to the side, there's no guarantee you'll be able to hold the green with a chip.
It can be a birdie chance but, in any sort of wind, a 7 can feel like an OK score. And all achieved without a bunker in sight. Brilliant.
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I love the 14th at Royal St.Georges and think it's one of the best strategic uses of out of bounds on any golf hole in the world that I've played
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Not to be a wise-guy, but the 18th at Carnastie may deserve honorable mention, if not a participation trophy.
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Seriously, why isn't 18 at Pebble Beach on anyone's list? It's strategic. It's memorable. It's historically significant. And, it's in one of the most beautiful settings of any golf hole on earth.
Completely agree. Is PB #18 considered a dumb blonde? I hate the tree in the middle of the fairway -- I hate any tree in the middle of any fairway -- but that doesn't even diminish the hole all that much, in my opinion. For mortals, the drive is cheek-clenching, especially if you have any designs of getting home in two. The second shot presents some of the same challenges -- ocean left, OB right -- but adds distance judgement, assuming you're trying to lay up to a yardage. The approach over the front right bunker is more visual intimidation, but like all three shots, it can be played if you're competent and not overwhelmed about where you are and how this is your last chance to do something noteworthy. This hole immediately came to mind when I saw the thread title. If it's too obvious a choice, I can live with that.
It's a spectacular setting and maybe the best finisher....but if you remove the ocean, it's middle of the road at best. It is 4th on my list....but that is for sentimental reasons (popped the question on the green post round).
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I second the vote for Cabot Cliffs #15, although Pebble Beach #6 is right there too.
Two holes that I haven't seen mentioned are #11 and #16 at Sawgrass. Maybe not so much for tour players that bomb the ball and are great sand players (actually #9 might be a better "Tour" par-5), but for the rest of us, the strategy and shots required on those two holes can lead to anything from a 3 to an "x". I could have played those holes over and over again.
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One of my favorite par-5s is No. 3 on Stonewall's North Course in Elverson, Pennsylvania.
This par-5 measures 496 / 470 / 465 / 420 yards. It's an uphill semi-blind drive with a downhill approach.
The tee shot offers a wide fairway as a target, but those who take on the fairway bunkers and successfully fly them get a shorter second shot (~15 yards) compared to those who drive towards the left side of the fairway.
The second shot offers a dramatic view down the hill to the green and provides the golfers a number of options. Those who choose to go for the green in two face a a difficult shot: the green runs away from the midpoint towards the right, and a couple of bunkers ~30 yards short of the green guard from a long run up shot, In other words, precision is needed. For those who play a little safer and choose to lay up (like myself) have a choice on how close to the green (and bunkers) to get, and how much slope they want in their setup for their third shot, as the fairway has a fair from left to right and a bit uphill towards the green too.
The green itself is fantastic. It's fun and challenging. A hit the green in two or three shots does not guarantee a two putt!
It's one my favorite par-5s and probably one of the most fun golf courses I have played. It's always a treat!
Joe Bausch's photo gallery of the hole can be viewed here (the first few images are from the yardage book and a Google aerial): http://myphillygolf.com/uploads/bausch/StonewallNorth/pages/page_17.html?
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I will try and throw a couple of new ones out there (apologize if already mentioned - did my best with quick review of thread):
Jasper Park #13 - a hidden green below a large ridge creates a ton of options with the 2nd and 3rd shots
Roaring Gap #16 - what a wonderfully fun 2nd shot and unique green for a par 5
Royal County Down #1 - best opening hole that I have ever played
Pacific Dunes - #18 - great par 5s have interesting 2nd shots and this 2nd shot still has my head spinning
Clear Creek Tahoe #13 - incredible setting with great contours in the last 100 yards
Ballyneal #16 - everyone talks about #8, but I think this is the best hole at Ballyneal. Love 2nd shot through the dunes.
And one that no one talks about much on this site, but is just magical (especially the setting): Ardglass #11 (great place that could be out of this world with money and a great renovation)
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Prairie Dunes #17. Particularly from the offset northeast tee box. Unsurprisingly, a lot of similarities to Crystal Downs #8.