[wsmorrison]

In a discussion with a GCAer in town for a visit, we got to discussing sets of par 3s and were trying to come up with a list of courses with the best set.  To nobody's surprise, I firmly believe that Flynn's sets of par 3s are hard to beat.  Among his best are:

Rolling Green (may just be the best)
Shinnecock Hills GC
Lehigh CC
Philadelphia Country Club
Manufacturers GCC
Lancaster CC
Pocantico Hills

As for modern golf courses, we came up with

Sand Hills
Colorado GC
Ballyneal
Friar's Head

So please, which course do you nominate for the outstanding collection of par 3s?

[Geoffrey Childs]

Very few if any can beat Winged Foot's par 3's.  I think the east course has a better set then the West.

For a modern course Whistling Straits is pretty darn good.

[Tim Bert]

Tough to beat the par 3 offerings at Banff.  The ones at Pacific Dunes are mighty fine as well.  

Ditto for Bandon Trails, though I'm not a big fan of #12, so that course doesn't make my final list.

Odd that my two favorite have 5 each.

[Kyle Harris]

Wayne,

I know you'll probably disagree in some form, but when done right the Raynor/Banks/Macd template Par 3s are quite good.

I can't think of a better set of Par 3s than those at NGLA in that regard.

My vote goes to Mannies, though. Rolling Green is up there too.

[Adam Clayman]

CPC, shouldn't be slighted because it's first one shotter is a bit on the momentum building side. The last three make up for the slighting by continuing that momentum magnificiantly.

[Andy Troeger]

Point O'Woods
Harbour Town
Wolf Run
The Golf Club
Long Cove

[Adam_Messix]

I agree with Adam Clayman's choice of Cypress Point's short holes as being outstanding and it's hard to go wrong with Flynn's par three holes as a rule.  

Among the newer courses, the short holes at Colorado Golf Club are awesome.  There is nice variety among them in distance, type of shot, and topography.  The large mound fronting the monster (260 yd) sixth hole is unique and makes shot selection interesting, the play is to land is way short and sling shot it in off the mound.  

Among the really new courses, the short holes at Fallen Oak in Biloxi are awesome.  

[Jeff_Mingay]

Andy,

I played Harbour Town for the first time in about 10 years last weekend, and agree: the par 3s there are good and excellently varied in terms of distance, direction (though I believe #7 and #17 point the same way) and look. #17 has to be one of the great par 3s of the world?

Stanley Thompson was very good at designing extremely varied and interesting par 3s. The short holes at Jasper are particularly outstanding. Cleopatra (9th) and Bad Baby (15th) are arguably two of the most interesting holes in the world.

As for more recent efforts... Sand Hills pops to mind immediately. I'm a huge fan of #6, #13 and #17. Then there's #3, which ain't to shabby either!

[Adam_Messix]

Andy & Jeff--

I heard from several people that I really respect about the quality of Harbour Town's short holes.  I'm not sure if it was the day that I caught it, but three of the four short holes were a five iron and the 14th was a 6.  To me a great set of short holes need to be varied in distance and the ones at HT aren't IMHO.  I agree with Jeff that 17th is a great hole and the other short holes are really good on their own, but they just aren't the best as a set.  

From the variety standpoint, Rolling Green is about as good as they come:  160, 200, 245 (until Wayne's 260 gets put in), 210 uphill, and 145.

Colorado Golf's are 155 uphill , 260, 210 slightly down, and 195 downhill.

[Jeff_Mingay]

Adam,

Interesting observation re the distances Harbour Town's short holes played when you were last there. The same occurred last weekend, during our round.

However, I think that might be the result of placing tee markers. Not Mr. Dye's original intent for those holes. I've run into this elsewhere, too. Where a clearly varied set of par 3 holes played similar distances.

This emphasises a point I always make. Green-keepers must understand the architecture of the courses they're looking after, in order to avoid such an occurrence.

I say that just before referencing the World Atlas of Golf - which happens to be lying next to me. Harbour Town's short holes measure(d), in order: 200, 195, 192, 185. Hmmm?

[Mark Bourgeois]

Rye? Yarra Yarra?

[Mike Boehm]

I think of courses I've played, my favorite set of par 3's is at Oakland Hills - South.  A nice variety of lengths and elevation changes, and each has a very difficult, well-bunkered green.  A great looking and challenging set of holes without any gimmicky feel to them.

Mike

[Doug Ralston]

Dale Hollow Lake State Park GC in KY has a sensational set of par-3's.

#3 is a deep drop from 269, 262, 229, 216, 180. It gets your juices flowing. #5 is a slightly uphill 215, 209, 153, 132, 121 with a tough green and death behind. #11 is a level, multi-acre sand desert from 213, 195, 150, 138. And #15 is a stunningly beautiful pitch across a huge chasm and over an elegant wall to a wide green with a dead drop behind also. Better choose the right club here from 215 [scary from here!], 208, 170; or you can cheat be going from the side 144 or 132 [but how could you on THIS lovely hole?].

All four are very challenging but very different. #15 is like a perfect spice for the devouring of this delicious course; one of the best unknowns in the USA. Golf as it Ault to be  

Doug

[John Kirk]

I think Riviera par 3s are as good as both Ballyneal and Sand Hills.

I think Yale has a better set than either Winged Foot (West) and Friar's Head.

[Ian Andrew]

Wayne,

Please explain your choice of Friar's Head.

I've never been crazy about the 4th (it's the C&C hole I like the least so far) and the 8th is a nice hole but not spectacular. I really like the remaining 3, although the 12th is excellent architecture in an average setting.

As much as I liked Friar's Head, I always think of other areas beyond the par threes first.

I look forward to your commentary, I feel like I have missed something along the way.

[Lawrence Largent]

Carmargo is thought to have the best set of inland par 3's in america. I can hardly disagree.

Lawrence

[Ian Andrew]

I'll try pick some less obvious ones to suggest.

Jasper Park is an excellent Canadian collection.
County Louth has three excellent holes

I'll need to think about this...

[Craig Disher]

MarkB,
You think Rye? Let's take them vs Littlestone's.

Rye #2 v. LGC #6 - LGC 1 up; a drop shot to a small target vs one of the best short par 3s in the UK. During the last Open qualifying it was the most difficult hole on the course

Rye #5 v. LGC #9 - draw, LGC still 1 up; LGC 9 looks more difficult than it actually is; Rye 5 is another drop shot to a somewhat larger target. However, there are many ways of playing the LGC hole; Rye is more one-dimensional. I'm generous here because I know what's coming.

Rye #8 v. LGC #14 - Rye wins here, all square. LGC needs to restore the back right bunker.

Rye #14 AND Rye #17 v. LGC #17 - LGC wins here and the match, one up. LGC #17 is all-world, one of MacKenzie's finest creations.

[mike_malone]

Kyle,

  On a recent trip to Manufacturer's I was very impressed with the par threes. Did they recover some fairway on the right side of #6 (the second par three)?  It looked like new fairway to me. If so, that really makes the shot fun.

  I wouldn't want to get into a contest between there and Rolling Green for par threes, because while there are five at each RG has two short ones and Mannies has three long ones.So, the mix is different.

    But, they are the strongest points of both courses.

  I think there is something about having five par threes that makes them stand out when you play the course.

  Glen Mills' set is among my favorites. The #4 is downhill and 170ish with a huge bunker that blinds the approach EXCEPT for ten yards or so on the right. This lets you "fill in the blanks" yourself. #8 is 200+ and uphill with four tiers to the green and a steep slope on the left that kicks balls onto the green. #10 has one of my favorite greens anywhere. It is 200+ downhill to a trapizoidal  green with a ridge that runs from front to back.#14 is a 150ish with a wonderful pot bunker on the right and a two tiered green that slopes right to left around a dropoff to a marsh area. It has a bunker in the back that adds to its  "redanish" feel(I hesitate to use that word).Finally, #16 is 140ish and is angled from front left to back right over a pond.There is a water hazard long left and a bunker (maybe two) in the back.

  The variety of length, elevation , green shape and angles, and hazards by the green makes for a great set of greens that anyone can enjoy , since it is public and reasonably priced.The spacing throughout the routing is also enjoyable.

   

[Jason Blasberg]

I put in a homer vote and say that for a classic Engineers is pretty darn Strong!

[Mitch Hantman]

Royal Dornoch's 3 pars are pretty strong.

[Michael Dugger]

I can't see how Pine Valley is not at the top of this list, both in quality and variety.

[mark chalfant]

Brookside, Ohio   Ross
Franklin Hills, Michigan  Ross
Orchards,  MA   Ross

Pasatiempo-  Mackenzie

Toronto- Colt

(Parker)Colorado  Golf Club  C&C
MPCC Shore   Strantz

[Mark_Fine]

Wayne,
You should probably label this thread - What golf course "that you have seen" has the best set of par 3s?  There are soooo many great sets of par threes out there.  Pine Valley was finally mentioned Michael.  Few compare to those that I have seen.  But how about Riviera or Prairie Dunes for example.  I could go on and on.  

For someone who doesn't like the Top 100 rankings or rankings in general, having people list the courses with the best sets of par threes is even more of a stretch isn't it  
Mark

[wsmorrison]

No, Mark.  It is not.  Why should it be?  You are considering 3-5 holes rather than 18.  It should be a lot easier.  I don't understand your contention at all.  I did not intend on asking for an objective decision, there can be none, I'm clearly asking for favorites or personal bests, so I will change the title of the thread.

I agree that Pine Valley is superb, 3,5 and 10 are among golf's best but 14 is not on par with the other three and is even worse with the new back tee.  Let us not forget Merion East.  Holes 3, 9, 13 and 17 are all excellent holes from 130 yards to 250 with outstanding variety.  The 3rd is one of the best par 3s on the planet despite its mistaken reference as a Redan  

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