Longer par 3's...

**Razz11** · May 4, 2009

Hey I was just curious if anybody has any advice. Two of the courses I play regularly have 3-4 par 3's that are a little longer. Right around 180-210 depending on the tees. For some reason no matter what I always fall apart on these holes and it ruins my round. I know it is confidence because my longer irons 4-5-6 are a weak part of my game. It just drives me nuts because hitting them off the fairway into a par 4 or 5 I can hit them just as good as anything else, but when I step up to a par 3 I can't hit them for anything. Mostly terrible chunks that go 70-120 yards. I was just curious if anyone has anything that I could try and get around these "nerves" or whatever they are. Thanks in advance!

**Incognito** · May 4, 2009

Anything 190 yards and longer I like to use my hybrid. Launchers higher and lands softer.

**bruce** · May 4, 2009

If you can go on the course when its quiet in the evening,just go directly to the long par 3's and just keep hitting tee shots on them,it will build your confidence immensely on them and they will become easy.Just resist the temptation to play the other holes,bring only the irons you need for the par 3's.

**Zeph** · May 4, 2009

Good tip there bruce. The only way to get good and confident with a club is by using it alot.
At hcp 18 you are supposed to use 2 shots to get on the green, but I understand how tempting it is to go for it in one. If you have a round where you definately don't want to mess it up, hit a 7 or 8 iron to get the ball on the fairway. With a good chip you can still make par.

Getting a hybrid or wood is also an option. At this moment I don't carry irons lower than 5i. I can hit them with a good swing, but it rarely happen on the course. So I've got two hybrids and a wood instead for those shots. The lower your hcp gets, the better your swing is and the more likely you are to be able to hit longer irons. If you want them that is. Many players only carry hybrids and play well with it. We got the large headed drivers, so why not substitute the hardest clubs to hit in the bag with hybrids?

I like irons better, but I accept that I'm not good enough to play them at this point. I still use the longer irons on casual rounds and the range, but until my swing gets better I'm just wasting shots trying to use them.

**Shorty** · May 4, 2009

If you can go on the course when its quiet in the evening,just go directly to the long par 3's and just keep hitting tee shots on them,it will build your confidence immensely on them and they will become easy.Just resist the temptation to play the other holes,bring only the irons you need for the par 3's.

They will never become easy.

You need to adopt smart strategy and employ course management skills. That might be as simple as imagining the green to be sitting in front of where it really is and accepting that your best chance of par is a chip and one putt. In any case, a bogey on a difficult par 3 is never going to kill the score of an ordinary player. At my course there is a 210 metre par 3. That's about 230 yards. It slopes severely from back to front and is very fast, so even a good drive that goes behind the hole leaves you at dire risk of 3 putts. Best to play short and underneath the hole. I would rather be just short of that green than have a 10 foot downhill putt at some times of the year.

**Dub** · May 4, 2009

6 par 3s on my home courses....3 of them are generally 9-6 iron range.....three are usually 6iron - 4 hybrid....one being an island green. Birdies and pars don't seem to be a problem on any of them.....except the island hole.....played it probably 45 times....birdied twice.....parred it maybe ten times.....the rest being big numbers...........it's mental....not distance.

Playing a course on Thursday that has two really long par 3's. One off them is a forced carry.....the other is a wide open affair. The key for me is to take plenty of stick and swing smoothly.....don't tense up and then try to jump on it.

Taking numerous deep breaths and a few half speed loose practice swings helps on these holes.....focusing on simply relaxing and making a full pass at the ball. Don't know why I can do it on other holes....just not the island!!!!

**ks8829** · May 4, 2009

When you want to take the stress out of a long par 3 simply take a driver, yes driver and choke up on the club and take a regular swing and you will be suprise how easy it is to hit and forgiving to play, especially on uphill par 3s or into the wind.

Try it you will be suprise how well it works.

It sometimes takes thinking outside the box and being creative. I take no credit for starting this, my good buddy and a 3 handicap golfer does this all the time and I started to also from watching him and it works and almost feels like you are cheating.

**DavidFehertysBike** · May 4, 2009

par 3's over 180 yards piss me off. But anyway, i take a cue from Hogan when im confronted with a long par 3 than im not comfortable with in the tee box. Hogan (at marion i think) layed up on a par 3 he deemed treacherous all 4 times he played it.

He pared the hole everyday while his competitors bogeyed, doubled, or worse. Dont be too proud to lay up on a long par three if there is a workable bailout area. I do it all the time.

**opie** · May 4, 2009

If you can hit the 190yd shot from the fairway it's all mental as to why you're not hitting it off the tee. Just need some confidence in the shot. Take 1 club more than normal, look and only think about the target, nothing else. Do your normal routine and hit a good shot. Don't think about previous times you've played the hole or previous shots that day

**PiKapp23** · May 4, 2009

par 3's over 180 yards piss me off. But anyway, i take a cue from Hogan when im confronted with a long par 3 than im not comfortable with in the tee box. Hogan (at marion i think) layed up on a par 3 he deemed treacherous all 4 times he played it.

...and Billy Casper did the same thing at Winged Foot when he won the US Open there. He layed up on the par 3's every time to save putting big number up.

**Chief Broom** · May 4, 2009

Long par 3's don't bother me. Par 3's with tiny greens, now those bother me. But being on the green with your tee shot on a par 3 and having a 100' birdie putt doesn't insure par either...

**Zeph** · May 4, 2009

Definately not. I'd rather have a chip than a long putt.

**blackxpress** · May 4, 2009

It depends on how well guarded the green is. It's pretty difficult to be dead accurate from 190 yds. Your chances of hitting the green and leaving yourself a short birdie putt are not good. Ask yourself how much trouble you'll be in if you miss the green vs. the safety of laying up for a chip and a putt. My home course has one par 3 (#7) that's 204 yds from the tips, uphill all the way. It was once rated one of the toughest holes in the Miami Valley. It falls off down a steep hill all the way down the right side. You do not want to miss right. It's so steep that when you get down there you can't even see the flag. Missing left is bad too because you end up having to play your second shot toward the hill, over a tree and a large grass bunker. If you're not real careful you end up at the foot of the hill laying 2 and count your lucky stars if you can get up and down for bogey. The smart play is to take the longest club you can hit straight and set yourself up to try to chip it up close laying 2. You might luck up and chip in for birdie. At worse you 2 putt for bogey, which is still very respectable on that hole. If I'm having a really good round and have been hitting my driver straight all day I'll choke down on my driver and try to go for the green. It works pretty good. If, OTOH, I've been struggling with the driver that day I lay up with my 5 iron and chip on with a half SW. If I was really smart that's the way I'd always play it. I'm not really smart so end up down the hill a lot.

**jambalaya** · May 4, 2009

Sounds like you are overswinging, tensing up. Being up on the tee for a 200 yard shot, kind of like you are on stage, brings a little extra pressure. Defininitely a different feel than being on a fairway. You could try to club down and swing easier. Long par 3's are tough. Hit the club you know will get it there. Don't go flag hunting, hit to the middle of the wide spot on the green.

**Mr3Putt** · May 4, 2009

Add two clubs and try to hit one over the green. Odds are, you'll be closer to the hole than you would be by consistently chunking one.

**ZaPPPa** · May 4, 2009

Long par 3's don't bother me. Par 3's with tiny greens, now those bother me. But being on the green with your tee shot on a par 3 and having a 100' birdie putt doesn't insure par either...

Long par-3's with 170y carry over water bother me. Mostly because it makes the game of golf more expensive.

Best tip I can give is to carry a forgiving hybrid for these holes and leave plenty of room to spare. On a 170y water carry par-3 I will hit a 4H or 5W knowing that I'll have at least 20-30y of mishit room to work with. Ok, so every once in a while I'll hit it on the next tee box, but at least it didn't cost me $2 for a lost ball.

golfin88 · May 4, 2009

I was watching on t.v yesterday the Quail Hollow tourney and it said Tiger has not birdied a par 3 since 2005. I found that to be a pretty crazy statistic. I love watching the pros on par 3s. Who's ready for some water action at TPC hole 17 this week.

**itzzzberny** · May 4, 2009

i think practicing hitting your irons/hybrid off a tee might help. i notice when i'm the course, some people tend to tee the ball a bit to high and chunk it. or tee too low and top or hit a very think shot. also you take a deep breath and RELAX.

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