Most Difficult Par-3 Regularly Played in 2015

[bkuehn1952]

Describe the most difficult par-3 you regularly played this year.  Assume normal weather.

On occasion I play a little Mom & Pop course locally (Rolling Meadows).  The hole is listed at 268 yards but I suspect it plays a touch shorter and it is downhill.  The real issue is the small, heavily sloped green is located at the end of a chute through a heavily forested area.  One must hit a very straight shot a long way.  I hit a full out driver and hope the area in front of the green allows for a bit of roll out (typically wet/soft).  Generally I find myself punching out of the woodland area and scrambling to make 4.  When the stars and moon are aligned and it hasn't rained in a while, I roll one up on the green and manage to 2-putt.   

[mcanadiens]

There are two that spring quickly to mind at my home courses, Kittyhawk GC, in Dayton, OH. 

Falcon, No. 11. This stupid hole is 256 yards and that's roughly 25 yards longer than my best drives ever go. It's a par-save at best before I even tee it up. Plus, if I get the idea to cream the ball, there is OB with the Eagle course on the left side.

Eagle, No. 8. I call this the "Moat Hole". I'm not sure a single hole has caused my more pain over the years. It's a pretty mundane-sounding 150 yards, but has a massive hazard that covers the entire front three sides. For what-ever reason, I hook my tee shot into the left portion of the hazard nearly 75% of the time. Plus, if the wind is up, it's straight in your face on this hole. Lots of rounds on this course tend to come off the rails right here. 

[saevel25]

3 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

Eagle, No. 8. I call this the "Moat Hole". I'm not sure a single hole has caused my more pain over the years. It's a pretty mundane-sounding 150 yards, but has a massive hazard that covers the entire front three sides. For what-ever reason, I hook my tee shot into the left portion of the hazard nearly 75% of the time. Plus, if the wind is up, it's straight in your face on this hole. Lots of rounds on this course tend to come off the rails right here. 

The Eagle has some tough par 3's. I think 13 might be the hardest par 3 on that course. It's about 180-200 yards long. When summer hits and the course dries out that brings in the lateral hazard into play because you can land it just off the green and have it kick into the hazard. 

I would say #11 at Community Golf course is tough. It's plays about 180-190 yards because it's 25 yards up hill. I know people who just can't even reach the green on the fly because it sits up too high for them. Then the green is not that big and is two tiered. 

[mcanadiens]

Just now, saevel25 said:

The Eagle has some tough par 3's. I think 13 might be the hardest par 3 on that course. It's about 180-200 yards long. When summer hits and the course dries out that brings in the lateral hazard into play because you can land it just off the green and have it kick into the hazard. 

I would say #11 at Community Golf course is tough. It's plays about 180-190 yards because it's 25 yards up hill. I know people who just can't even reach the green on the fly because it sits up too high for them. Then the green is not that big and is two tiered. 

Both of those are definitely rough.

With Eagle No. 13, I take my 5W and just try to blast it to the left side of the green and keep the thing dry With my distance impairment, I usually avoid the wicked downhill putt which can really do damage. I haven't lost anywhere as many balls there as on No. 8.

I don't play Hills often because it's a bit much to walk, but I think I've hit the green on No. 11 once in the ten times I've played it. Last time around I ended up behind that stump next to the cart path and had a big number there.. 

[DaveP043]

The toughest one I play is the 4th hole at Stoneleigh GC in Round Hill VA, my home club.  Its 174 from the regular men's tees, 192 or so from the back.  The green sits roughly 25 feet higher than the men's tee, so all you can see is the flag above the 10-foot high near-vertical bank that fronts the green.  The green itself is divided into three basic sections.  The front slopes gently to the left, and is separates from the back left by a gentle ridgeline.  The back right, however, is elevated about two feet higher than the rest, with a sharp slope towards the front and back-left areas.  If you're right of the green, you're down below a steep slope, so you can't see much green, and the whole green runs away from you.  When the greens are fast, its next to impossible to stop the ball on the green when pitching from here.  If you're to the left, you can see where you're headed, that's the only "good" miss.  To top it all off, the prevailing wind is behind you, so its really difficult to hold the green.  Tough, and at times totally unfair, but its the same for everyone.

[SavvySwede]

4th hole at Cream Ridge GC. Basically an island green with trees placed short and left blocking nearly half of the putting surface. On 150-160 yards but a likely disaster for anyone battling a fade/slice.

[DaveP043]

Well that only covers about 65% of all golfers!

 

1 hour ago, SavvySwede said:

 On 150-160 yards but a likely disaster for anyone battling a fade/slice.

---

[No Mulligans]

I've got one I regularly play.  Balboa Park executive 9 in San Diego.  The 175 yard 4th has been playing difficult lately only because the green now plays too fast.  With many hole placements you cannot stop the ball if you are above the hole, it just rolls off the green to the fringe and sometimes beyond.  

A completely unfair situation, you can be 4 feet from but above the hole on your tee shot and if you miss the putt you'll be 20 foot plus away.  I guess, just don't miss the putt.  However, this has only been like this for the last several weeks, hopefully it's a temporary situation.

As an aside, the courses I've been playing in the last month all seem to have greens that have become faster.  Maybe just a coincidence?

[Dave2512]

#11 at the home course is 210 on the card and plays uphill. It's the hardest hole on the course with the configuration of the bunkers and the difference in elevation from tee to green. A bogey is a good score on this hole. I made more double or worse on this hole than any other the last two seasons.

I don't have a good pic of it but it's OB right, which really is only in play for horrific shots but I do see people get it over there. A left miss is water short and long deep bunkers. They give a clue with the closely mown area short of the green to the right, aim there and pitch it on. That's my play. Taking risks is not smart for the score chasers. A double or worse here is the difference on whether not I have a chance to break 80.

[vangator]

Those sound like some tough par 3's.  I have one that plays ~200 from the back.  There is water right off the right side and I play a draw.  Trees left, but some room if not over hooked.  The toughest part is if the pin is in the back left, the putt is almost impossible.  There is a ridge going up to the hole and a pretty severe down slope if you do get it over the hump.  Par is a very good score then.

[inthehole]

BERKSHIRE VALLEY (NJ)  #2. 

Here's a flavor of what makes this particular hole SUCK !!!!!!!!

- From the WHITES, it plays anywhere from 210-230 yds.  PGA long for guys that routinely play 6000 yards - it's just wrong ... read on.

- Green is long from front to back, but very narrow.  A 6 ft high hump runs directly adjacent to the entire left side of the green - basically no fringe & demands a flop shot if you wind up on the wrong side of it due to the narrow green.

- Gnarly deep oversize bunkers on each side of the green.  

- Steep inaccessible hillside OB left, cliff OB right, OB fescue long.

- It runs parallel to the top of a mountainside - always have a stiff wind in your face.

I've played the hole probably 50-60 times & held the green maybe a half dozen times, probably less.    A good shot almost always winds up in one of the bunkers.    It's so tight, I know a split second after contact without even looking at the ball if I need to start reaching in my pocket for another ball - it's without question the most bastardly par 3 I've ever encountered.    One guy that is a much better player than me lays up and plays for bogie - I've never seen a good player do that anywhere else on a par 3.

 

I keep thinking one day the stars might align & if I ever birdie it, that sucker is going on the wall  !!!!!!!!!

 

[jsgolfer]

As I play my home course, SGCC, the majority of the time, it's our Par 3 - 6th hole from the back tees, 225 Yds uphill, with the wind normally in your face, bunkers left and right.  A par here and you're typically picking up a stroke or more on the field.  it plays tough even from the next set of tees up at 190 yds.  

20 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

The toughest one I play is the 4th hole at Stoneleigh GC in Round Hill VA, my home club.  Its 174 from the regular men's tees, 192 or so from the back.  The green sits roughly 25 feet higher than the men's tee, so all you can see is the flag above the 10-foot high near-vertical bank that fronts the green.  The green itself is divided into three basic sections.  The front slopes gently to the left, and is separates from the back left by a gentle ridgeline.  The back right, however, is elevated about two feet higher than the rest, with a sharp slope towards the front and back-left areas.  If you're right of the green, you're down below a steep slope, so you can't see much green, and the whole green runs away from you.  When the greens are fast, its next to impossible to stop the ball on the green when pitching from here.  If you're to the left, you can see where you're headed, that's the only "good" miss.  To top it all off, the prevailing wind is behind you, so its really difficult to hold the green.  Tough, and at times totally unfair, but its the same for everyone.

As Dave states, the 4th hole at Stoneleigh is a bear.  Even if you manage to find the green, you can be in for a roller coaster putt.  miss the green a little and a bogey isn't always a given.

[dave s]

Brookledge GC, Cuyahoga Falls OH - Hole #8

Front of blue tee marker is 198 to middle of green.  Hole plays due west into the sun and prevailing wind direction.  Depending on tee box markers, the hole can play from 198 to 225.  Club selection is anywhere from 6-iron, (the 'players') to driver.  For me, it's 5-wood at best, most times 3--wood and I've hit driver more times than I care to admit.

The 'fairway' portion of the hole picks up about 60 yards short of hole.  The green is narrow and deep and guarded by deep grass bunkers both left and right.  Beyond the bunkers right is naturalized areas which we call 'happy grass.'  If you push one right, it's a tough to even find your ball, let alone hitting from 3 feet tall grass that likes to lay down.  Right = pretty much dead.  A little right and it's grass bunkers and deep rough.  Too far, it's the happy grass.  Left is cart path and more naturalized area, but lots more room to 'miss' left.  My usual 'miss' is green- to pin-high left with a chance at an up and down par.  Usually writing a 4 on my card to be honest.

Best to play a R to L draw because the green shape is narrow and angles R to L front to back.  Dropping one in short allowing for roll out is probably the best option.  Favorite pin placement areas are always on the left half of the green to either front, middle or back hole locations.

To give you an idea of how difficult it plays, sometimes NOBODY in our league of 32 hits the green on a given Thursday night.  It's rare that a skin (birdie would always win) is won on the hole.  It's a tough par for anyone due to the 198 minimum yardage and wind factor.  On and close and a birdie is an incredible effort for #8 at Brookledge. 

dave

[mdl]

16 hours ago, inthehole said:

BERKSHIRE VALLEY (NJ)  #2. 

...

One guy that is a much better player than me lays up and plays for bogie - I've never seen a good player do that anywhere else on a par 3.

Geez.  If you're an 11, a much better player than you is what, a 5 or better?  I have also never seen a low single digit player lay up on a par 3!  Sounds like a bear!

[boogielicious]

Beverly Golf Club in Beverly Mass has a couple of tough ones. The first is a 150 yard par 3 with 60 feet of elevation from tee to green. It's hard to hit a 5 or 4 iron high enough to clear the hill for me.

The second is the 11th. 230 yard par 3. This is a driver hole for me. It is also over a marsh.

[DaveP043]

24 minutes ago, mdl said:

Geez.  If you're an 11, a much better player than you is what, a 5 or better?  I have also never seen a low single digit player lay up on a par 3!  Sounds like a bear!

Check this one out.  Billy Casper laid up all 4 days on one of the par-3 holes  when winning the 1959 Open at Winged Foot.

[DrvFrShow]

The second hole at my home course: 165 yds from the women's tees has two large bunkers in the front, and a narrow apron. I've tried several different approaches to this hole. When I started playing I'd hit a 4H, then it went to a 5 iron, then a 6 iron, last season I tried hitting a 100% 7 iron. The problem with is is that the green has a mound in it. If you clear the bunkers you'd better catch the green distance just right or your ball will miss the forward sloping part and find the rear sloping section that starts about 15 feet in and roll off. 7 iron plays with the beaches. 6 iron plays with the mound. I've never parred this hole. It's a bottleneck on the course.

 

[GolfLug]

This.. 15th at Brickshire, Providence Forge, VA. Long and much trouble around it. Even if you get on it one, the green is undulating. You've got to get on the proper shelf. If not, you might as well call it nGIR. Two putting very difficult. Hate greens with shelves. The hole curves right and almost impossible to set up right enough. You usually end up bailing out left even if you don't intend to. It is also visually terrifying to begin with.