[Tommy Williamsen]

Some holes get more interesting or even more difficult the closer you get to the hole. In some ways this could be said of most courses but some holes demand more skill and imagination than others.
There are a lot of candidate holes. For instance, number one at TOC. Lay back 110 yards and it is a full PW or SW for most. Hit it to 50 yards and a SW from a tight lie is tough for your second shot of the day. That little burn suddenly becomes wider.
The same thing could be said of the par five second hole at Ballyhack, especially when the third shot is just over the middle bunker. Even a 60-degree sand wedge from forty yards will race to the back of the green unless perfectly struck. Farther back you can get a bit more spin.
Or maybe fourteen at Pebble Beach is an example. The first and second shots are relatively benign but the shot into the green is deadly difficult.
Number eight at Pine Valley might be the quintessential example. The tee shot, while important to place it well, doesn’t make you sweat nearly as much as the second shot, especially to the left green. From the fairway it looks like the smallest green on the planet.
What are some of your favorites?

[Mark_Fine]

Tommy,
Is it more interesting or more difficult or just scarier?  I just played #2 and while the tee shots on the par fours and fives are not so intimidating, the approach shots from any distance into those greens sure are.  For some, the real difficulty doesn’t start until they get a putter in hand and realize if they don’t hit it perfect they might be playing their next shot with a wedge! 


I think once you know what lies ahead, you know.  It’s like at Pine Valley, most of the tee shots are forgiving but it is one of the most challenging second shot courses in all of golf. #2 is right there with it only at #2 you know you will always find your ball.  Not so sure of that at PV.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Mark, it might be all three, but often the nearer you are to hole the more the ground game comes into play and the player needs to account for slope and undulation.

[mike_malone]

When more than ten of the greens are raised and the holes that are at grade still have challenges for short approaches or shots around the green then you have great interest as you get closer to the green.


 I experience that nearly every day at my home course—Rolling Green.


Only number ten which is a long par three is gettable short and in front of the green.

[Steve Lang]

   You know, if you spend your formative years playing a par 3 course, its just the shot, do what you have to do, dispassionately... if possible

[Thomas Dai]

… and the more interesting/wonderful/epic/evil/cunning/sneaky/wicked the green the more important it is to position your previous shot in the optimum location?
Atb

[Tommy Williamsen]

… and the more interesting/wonderful/epic/evil/cunning/sneaky/wicked the green the more important it is to position your previous shot in the optimum location?
Atb

Absolutely right. On holes that have interesting green complexes leaving yourself in the proper place is essential. I spent a few days at Dormie this autumn and some recovery shots were impossible from the wrong places. Fifteen is a short par four but I have chipped off the green when the pion is on the right side of the green.

[Steve Wilson]

I've always been in favor of the concept that "the dragon waits at the end."


Make it easy for the parlous knight to get a glimpse of the fair maiden, but make sure the dragon has at least one tooth and breathes, if not fire, at least some heavy fumes.

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