"Why We Need More Par 3 Courses", Jeff Neuman, Wall St Journal

[Shripe]

Also, when money's something to take into consideration, the $7 par 3 courses (two+ within 20 minutes of me, one 9-hole and one 18-hole pitch/putt) are quite important for the new golfer when they don't quite have the confidence or knowledge to take on the pricier 18-hole courses and actually make it enjoyable, when they have to also think about spending $25-75 for an adventure in the rough.

[pup]

Nothing has helped my game more than a few rounds at a par 3 course. There is actually a Championship par 3 in town that is one of the hardest courses I have played yet. Narrow, separated holes with a lot of garbage in between that will really punish you for hitting a ball off line.

[Shripe]

Yeah, the course at the range I go to (Or should it be the range at the course? :P) is a championship par 3 course as well, 9 holes only, but quite well designed. I played it once or twice back in HS, and it should be a good test once I get to the confidence level I (think I) need before teeing off there.

[heyscuba]

age old question,... does a hole in one on a par three course deserve an asterisk,...? ( love this question )
I guess I say yes, because my friends played a par 3 course almost exclusively for a couple of years, sometime 27 holes a night 3 nights a week,... and they all started pumping in aces,... well yeah,... you see that may par 3's in that short of time your chances go WAY up,... but good for them, they count as aces, but with an * and an explanation when your talking aces at the 9th hole. oh,... and I get to brag that my 2 aces were on regular courses,..

[zeg]

I prefer a 9-hole regulation length course to a par 3. The two courses I play most are both 9 holes (par 35), and unless it's very busy, you can get through in 2-2.5 hours. It's quite playable for me in 1.5 hours when it's open, and I take 50 strokes to do it. A par 3 can be fun, but I really prefer playing full length holes.

[Shripe]

age old question,... does a hole in one on a par three course deserve an asterisk,...?

I don't think so. It still takes a great/lucky shot to achieve it, no matter what club you use to get it there. I'm still excited over holes in one in minigolf, but that's just me :P

[right handed phil mickelson]

I've played one par 3 course in my area. I think it's the only one around here. I remember teeing off and I had to PITCH it because it was like a 60 yard shot haha. I haven't been there in a while. It sounds like a good time to go back.

[The Flush]

Although the par 3 course near me is always in generally terrible condition, I love going there with my 7 year old son (see avatar) becuase it's good bonding time. He can drive the green on a few of the shorter holes, which makes him feel good. I feel less pressured to play quickly with him on the par 3 because it is less crowded. However he really prefers going to the full siz courses more than the par 3 and that is fun too. I just feel more pressured about holding up play if he is taking a lot of strokes to get to the green. He ends up just dropping his ball near mine on the longer ones. The par 3 here has a good deal in the summer where every Friday morning they have a 2 hour youth clinic for $8 and then you can play as many holes as you want. We've only been once becuase I would have to take off work, but we had a lot of fun and will try to do it some more.

[The Flush]

There was a pitch and putt near me in Oxford, AL that has recently closed down. It's a city owned recreational facility, and they are planning to build more baseball fields on the site.

I used to play that course (I grew up in Anniston). I did not know it was now closed.

[bwdial]

I used to play that course (I grew up in Anniston). I did not know it was now closed.

Yep. They keep it mowed pretty regularly, so I use it as my own practice facility. I've pulled it up on Google Earth and mapped out yardages from various tee boxes and greens so that I can practice pretty much any shot and have something resembling a green for a target. The driving range that used to be next door is closed as well, but they keep it mowed too, so I hit balls there on a regular basis. I've got a sack of 100, and I just hit as many as I want, for as long as I want, and since it's over 300 yards long, I can hit every club in the bag, except for driver.

No... not because I hit it off the end of the range... but because the ground is too hard too get a tee into. Good ol' Alabama red clay.

[O.B. Right]

I used to love playing at Heartwell Par 3 in Long Beach. There is no par 3 course up here in Humboldt County and I am always talking about gettng some $$ together and opening one up. (Will never do it, though, because it really wouldn't make any money . .too short of a season and not enough golfers . .land is cheap, though).

[DaSportsGuy]

I've never played a Par 3 course. The closest one to my house is 45 minutes away and it has lights which is probably the only reason it's still around since they also have an 18 hole championship course.