Playing Par 3’s Much Better Than Full Courses?

[ZANDER1994]

My girlfriend has just gotten into golf so we’ve been hitting a lot of par 3’s lately. If there has been one positive thing about this entire Covid-19 deal, it’s actually that the courses have completely ruled out pairing people up and are spacing everyone out further, making it an excellent time for her to learn with me. Not like there’s anything else to do (:

Anyway, I’ve noticed my scores have been strikingly better on these courses. I currently play off of a 17 handicap, but in the past 5 rounds I have shot +3 or +2 over thru 9. This is also playing at five different courses each time, for the first time ever. 

I’m wondering what sort of takeaways I should take from this, or if it is common for golfers to do better on shorter courses (my impression was par 3’s are more difficult holes)? 

I have always spent most of my time practicing irons/wedges, then putting/chipping, and driving last. But I’m thinking perhaps this is a signal I should be practicing my driver (admittedly the weak part of my game) a heck of a lot more than I currently do. 

[Vinsk]

11 minutes ago, ZANDER1994 said:

My girlfriend has just gotten into golf so we’ve been hitting a lot of par 3’s lately. If there has been one positive thing about this entire Covid-19 deal, it’s actually that the courses have completely ruled out pairing people up and are spacing everyone out further, making it an excellent time for her to learn with me. Not like there’s anything else to do 🙂

Anyway, I’ve noticed my scores have been strikingly better on these courses. I currently play off of a 17 handicap, but in the past 5 rounds I have shot +3 or +2 over thru 9. This is also playing at five different courses each time, for the first time ever. 

I’m wondering what sort of takeaways I should take from this, or if it is common for golfers to do better on shorter courses (my impression was par 3’s are more difficult holes)? 

I have always spent most of my time practicing irons/wedges, then putting/chipping, and driving last. But I’m thinking perhaps this is a signal I should be practicing my driver (admittedly the weak part of my game) a heck of a lot more than I currently do. 

The long game is considerably more important to develop for low scores on the long term journey. The short game is easier. Period. You’re playing better due to using shorter irons for the majority if not all of your rounds. Approach shots, Driving, chipping/pitching then putting. Read this thread. Glad you’re getting out to play!

 

[billchao]

7 hours ago, ZANDER1994 said:

I’m wondering what sort of takeaways I should take from this, or if it is common for golfers to do better on shorter courses (my impression was par 3’s are more difficult holes)? 

Generally speaking, higher handicap players score better relative to par on par 3s than they do on par 5s because there are less full swing opportunities to mess up.

[Killa]

Also on par 3 courses most of the holes are pretty short. You don’t see many 180-200 yard par 3s there. My local one has one with 170 to the center of the green, two with about 130 and the rest are much shorter. 
 

When I play “real” courses some of the par 3s are over 200 yards from the mens tees. The longest being 225. 
 

And also on longer par 4s even if I’m hitting a driver 240-250 yards I still might have a 180 yard shot into the green. 
 

I’d love a par 3 course where all the holes are 120 yards and more. 

[Yukari]

3 hours ago, billchao said:

Generally speaking, higher handicap players score better relative to par on par 3s than they do on par 5s because there are less full swing opportunities to mess up.

This.

Without any long games, there is less chance of having to hit another long shot (to make up for the topped, thinned, or other bad shots), less penalties, etc.  Thus, higher handicappers will see a more significant change in their score on par 3 courses relative to lower handicapper. 

[mcanadiens]

10 minutes ago, Killa said:

Also on par 3 courses most of the holes are pretty short. You don’t see many 180-200 yard par 3s there. My local one has one with 170 to the center of the green, two with about 130 and the rest are much shorter. 

Short par 3s are much easier. Long par 3s are much harder. 

Personally, 150 yards is my line of demarcation. Hitting my 150-yard club, the 7I, off a tee is doable. Each additional 10 yards and each club after that, the odds diminish rapidly.

Not all executive/par 3 courses are the short kind. Back in the 1950s, some psycho named Robert Bruce Harris designed our area's executive course (Kittyhawk Falcon) with eight par 3 holes over 200. One of them, No 12, stretches the tape at 256 yards (and no I've never had that green). 

I call Harris a psycho, but don't think there isn't some fondness for the course. It was already very much in the cross hairs for the cash-strapped City of Dayton. I think COVID just made the Falcon's demise a sure thing. 

 

[Patch]

I love playing par 3 courses. Just easy fun. I treat them as a short game practice course.

Even these days when playing a par 70 something course, once I get inside 200 yards of the green, I think to myself "ok, it's a par 3 hole now". Seems to make things easier. 

[Yukari]

when I lived in PA there was a great par 3 course near King of Prussia.  It was great place to practice your iron game.  I do miss having a short par 3 course.