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George Freeman

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Walker Cup - Par 3s
« on: September 09, 2017, 09:40:38 PM »
Par 3 7th hole - 283 yards
Par 3 11th hole - 294 yards

Wait, what??  I'm not sure I have ever seen a par 3 on the PGA tour play over 280 (#8 at Oakmont maybe?).  But TWO over 280 yards for the Walker Cup kids?   
Mayhugh is my hero!!

"I love creating great golf courses.  I love shaping earth...it's a canvas." - Donald J. Trump

Greg Chambers

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2017, 09:54:47 PM »
Par 3 15th hole - 79 yards


Variety is the spice of life.
"It's good sportsmanship to not pick up lost golf balls while they are still rolling.”

jeffwarne

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2017, 10:12:05 PM »
Given hot equipment I applaud all three yardages- as Greg says- variety is the spice of life.


That said, I wonder what comes first in a future USGA event
a driveable par 5?
or a par 3 requiring a driver


my money is on the former
« Last Edit: September 09, 2017, 11:29:53 PM by jeffwarne »
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Chris Mavros

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2017, 11:19:28 PM »
I noticed the yardages of those holes as well, then noticed some of the players hitting irons into them.  The course is playing firm and fast, and I think at least one of the holes is downhill if I remember correctly, but I don't think I've ever seen par 3's that long.  The 78 yarder was also a nice change up. 


I'm really enjoying the coverage and the course. 

David_Tepper

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2017, 11:46:29 AM »

Kalen Braley

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2017, 12:33:05 PM »
That 15th hole setup yesterday was wicked cool.  79 yards and took everything they got to get it close....

Thomas Dai

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2017, 05:23:43 PM »
Isn't there another 'tiddler' par-3 as well? A Herbert Fowler hole?
Can someone throw some light on this?
Atb

Greg Smith

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2017, 07:53:33 PM »
I think the Herbert Fowler par 3 you are thinking of is the alternate (old) 17th, which was brought back as part of the recent restoration but is not in regular play.

This is the hole that got George Thomas in trouble at the 1926 LA Open due to the difficult setup (shades of Olympic's 18th!).  When Thomas did a major re-do of the North in 1927 the hole was eliminated from the routing.

I am thinking the par-3 15th was added at that time to replace the old 17th. 
O fools!  who drudge from morn til night
And dream your way of life is wise,
Come hither!  prove a happier plight,
The golfer lives in Paradise!                      

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Matthew Essig

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2017, 11:35:49 PM »
78 yards.
303 yards.


That is the most insane difference in par 3 yardages I have ever seen.... so it's a good thing I like insane sometimes.
"Good GCA should offer an interesting golfing challenge to the golfer not a difficult golfing challenge." Jon Wiggett

Matthew Petersen

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #9 on: September 10, 2017, 11:43:42 PM »
I noticed the yardages of those holes as well, then noticed some of the players hitting irons into them.  The course is playing firm and fast, and I think at least one of the holes is downhill if I remember correctly, but I don't think I've ever seen par 3's that long.  The 78 yarder was also a nice change up. 


I'm really enjoying the coverage and the course.


11 is pretty significantly downhill.


FWIW #4 is no slouch at 242 from the back tee, but it is also significantly downhill.

Duncan Cheslett

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2017, 01:04:57 AM »
Par 3 7th hole - 283 yards
Par 3 11th hole - 294 yards

Wait, what??  I'm not sure I have ever seen a par 3 on the PGA tour play over 280 (#8 at Oakmont maybe?).  But TWO over 280 yards for the Walker Cup kids?   


What difference does it make if you call a 300 yard hole a par 3 or a par 4? They're playing matchplay on equal terms - par has absolutely no relevance.


Why even give a hole a par figure in a competition such as this? Does anyone really think that it influences how the participants play the hole?








Thomas Dai

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2017, 06:13:05 AM »
I think the Herbert Fowler par 3 you are thinking of is the alternate (old) 17th, which was brought back as part of the recent restoration but is not in regular play.
This is the hole that got George Thomas in trouble at the 1926 LA Open due to the difficult setup (shades of Olympic's 18th!).  When Thomas did a major re-do of the North in 1927 the hole was eliminated from the routing.
I am thinking the par-3 15th was added at that time to replace the old 17th.


Thanks Greg.
I really like very short par-3's.
I also like par-3's that are so long that they require big hitters to use a driver/fairway metal from the tee.
There's a story, not sure of it's accuracy, that Tom Watson used a driver on the par-3 16th at Carnoustie in each round plus the play-off in 1975. Persimmon driver and would ball back then though.
atb

Lynn_Shackelford

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2017, 09:01:57 AM »
Yes, it was match play so length meant little.  In watching in person, those guys had little trouble with a 280 yard one shooter, mostly irons off the tee.  I thought the crowd in person most enjoyed the 78 yarder, both watching the tee shot and then watching the ball roll after landing.
Best line from walking behind two gentlemen Sunday.
"I still think yesterday's 78 yard par 3 was Mickey Mouse."
His friend
"Exactly, that is was the point."

It must be kept in mind that the elusive charm of the game suffers as soon as any successful method of standardization is allowed to creep in.  A golf course should never pretend to be, nor is intended to be, an infallible tribunal.
               Tom Simpson

Michael Whitaker

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Re: Walker Cup - Par 3s
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2017, 07:58:01 PM »
Lynn - I saw a few bogies win #7. Unfortunately, one of them was Boote over Doc Redman, my Tiger. 😡
"Solving the paradox of proportionality is the heart of golf architecture."  - Tom Doak (11/20/05)

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