Why not 6 (Par 3s), 6 (Par 4s) and 6 (Par 5s)?

[SlickT73]

I'm not sure I've ever played a course laid out this way - and I can't figure out why that might be.

 

This should be the most interesting way to build a course and doesn't happen. Any reasons? Thoughts?

[Skydiver22]

Cheyenne Country club is laid out like this... they unofficially call it the Devils course.

[mci711]

Cabot Cliffs has 6-6-6. There are quite a few like this actually, I stumbled upon a list before. I'll try and find it. 

[AlohaGolf99]

Played a course with this set up in Dallas.  Was a blast, some LONG holes however.  Would enjoy more of the 6/6/6(no Omen ref there)

[DandyDon]

There is a course in Napa like this, I think it is Chardonnay?

[cardoustie]

Have played multiple courses like this ... big fan

[NYCGolfNut]

Have played Cabot Cliffs a couple of times. The 6-6-6 makes so much sense, and it a ton of fun. Makes you use a way more diverse mix of clubs and shots. 

[sabram]

The Berkshire Red Course outside of London is a great course that is 6-6-6. Link to photo tour: Berkshire Red

Pix of the six par 3's

 

 

 

 

 

 

[golfandtennisfan]

I am sorry to say I have never played such a layout but would love to as few more par fives are most welcome. 

[Chanceman]

On 9/29/2020 at 9:47 PM, sabram said:

The Berkshire Red Course outside of London is a great course that is 6-6-6. Link to photo tour: Berkshire Red

Pix of the six par 3's

 

 

 

 

 

 

Totally gorgeous

[crcraig]

Homestead Resort in Virginia.  Their Old Course is 6-6-6.

 

I think most architects would say that it's harder to design good par 5s than any other kind.  So that's probably you don't see this very often.

[br61]

Lake Valley Golf Club in Camdenton, Missouri falls into this category.

[Tim_Gavrich]

16 hours ago, crcraig said:

I think most architects would say that it's harder to design good par 5s than any other kind.  So that's probably you don't see this very often.

On average, I tend to find par 5s less interesting than par 4s and 3s. Pete Dye built great ones, as did Mike Strantz, but both architects tended to take up a lot of acreage with those holes, as they almost always tend to swing one or both directions. Certainly good to do on sites with a lot of space.

 

That said, I don't know that I've ever found myself wishing in hindsight that a course had had more par 5s. One of my favorite courses in Connecticut is the Country Club of Waterbury, a 6,500-yard par-69 course with just one par 5. In Scotland, not far from St. Andrews, Elie has 16 par 4s and 2 par 3s. Heck, the great Yale golf course's two par 5s are at 16 and 18 (18 being one of my favorite holes in the world), and 16 was originally a par 4 with a green in a different location. A world top-100 course with effectively one par 5.

 

IMHO, none of these courses suffer because of an absence of par 5s because the variety of shots you'll hit in a given round is so good.

 

Just some food for thought.

[GSDriver]

Since 2001 here in DFW, https://www.westridgegolfcourse.com/

 

 

[Santiago Golf]

The course I played in college had 5 par 3s & 5 par 5s 

 

I worked at a course with 6 par 3s & 5 par 5s. 

 

They exist ... but Most courses are 4 par 3s & 4 par 4s because golf hates change

 

Alot of courses in Asia I believe are par 72 because Augusta is Par 72

 

In my opinion, more course should be par 64 to par 68 with length of the course being 4000 to 6000 yards

[ClarkGrswld4]

played a few and they are a lot of fun!

[smashdn]

The flow of the round and more specifically the flow of groups around the course.  Only one group at a time can play a par 3 hole.  You want to avoid following a par five with a par three if possible.  You also wait on par fives more often than not as well.  From a course management standpoint you can fit fewer groups out on the course that way.

[scottc25]

There is a Tom Kite designed course in Raleigh, Eagle Ridge that is 6-6-6. Loved that course when I played it.

[jwellefson1]

I think the reason that most courses aren't designed like this is because if you look at the game's origins, there was no such thing as Par, you just tried to get around the 18 holes in the least amount of strokes. When par was introduced, most holes could be played in four strokes. On the Old Course they've only got two par threes and two par fives. I understand the merit of the 6-6-6 layout, but I think the reason it isn't used more is because the game wasn't always centered around par.

[Chanceman]

Too many par 5s makes it a bit of a grind. But not so with par 3s. I think they can enhance the experience.

[PhlashPhace]

I've played one course with 6/6/6 but when I go back in my mind most of my favorite courses are par 70's with four par fives and my favorite course is a little private club that is a par 71 with five par fives and six par threes.

 

I think the person above nailed it when he said it's much easier to design really good par fours than par fives.  I also think that you can actually get more variety with a lot of par fours. You can make a really good par four where you hit an iron off the tee but aside from some crazy conditions I can't think of any good par fives where you lay up with anything less than a fairway wood.

[ode]

Lawsonia back 9 is 3-5-3-5-3-4-4-4-5....front is traditional 36.  The par 3,s out there are amazing!.....but most par 3,s are underwhelming and if an extra per side then it better be a good par 3.

[cacophony82]

Westridge GC in DFW is set up like this .  

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

On 9/29/2020 at 8:47 PM, sabram said:

The Berkshire Red Course outside of London is a great course that is 6-6-6. Link to photo tour: Berkshire Red

Pix of the six par 3's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Came here to mention Berkshire Red. It's also worth pointing out that that the tee for first par 3, with the carry over the heather-filled hollow is right in of the members' lounge. It's a fairly long par 3 (190+, IIRC), and usually plays into the prevailing wind. I think I hit a 19* hybrid when I played it, hitting into the teeth of a strong wind.

That wind seemed to swirl through the course and change direction. I remember hitting more shots into it than having it following. 

Both the Blue and Red are great courses.

[sabram]

On 12/1/2020 at 7:01 AM, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

 

Came here to mention Berkshire Red. It's also worth pointing out that that the tee for first par 3, with the carry over the heather-filled hollow is right in of the members' lounge. It's a fairly long par 3 (190+, IIRC), and usually plays into the prevailing wind. I think I hit a 19* hybrid when I played it, hitting into the teeth of a strong wind.

That wind seemed to swirl through the course and change direction. I remember hitting more shots into it than having it following. 

Both the Blue and Red are great courses.

I think you mean #1 on Berkshire Blue which is approx 190 from the members tee and 220 from the tips  

 

Berkshire Blue #1 par 3 link

 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oVsv1C][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/3887/15044793688_990dc922df_c.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/oVsv1C]

Berkshire Blue #1- 220 yard par 3 [/url] 

Edited December 2, 2020 by sabram

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

24 minutes ago, sabram said:

I think you mean #1 on Berkshire Blue which is approx 190 from the members tee and 220 from the tips  

 

Berkshire Blue #1 par 3 link

 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/oVsv1C][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/3887/15044793688_990dc922df_c.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/oVsv1C]

Berkshire Blue #1- 220 yard par 3 [/url] 

 

Oops😆 It's been a few years since I played either one. I thought the course with the opening par 3 was the one with 6 of each hole, but you're quite right. I think I preferred the Red overall, but they're both excellent courses. I remember the Red for the very tricky par 3 near the turn (tenth?), where anything right is dead, and for a rather miraculous up-and-down from the heather on the left of the Eighth. 

[hack2489]

Here in Australia, my home track, Ocean Shores Country Club is set up that way.

 

It's also just been re-rated and us now officially one of the hardest courses in Australia.

 

https://www.oceanshorescc.com.au/golf-and-tours.html

 

https://www.golf.org.au/ocean-shores-country-club

 

Scorecard attached. Keep in mind the distances are in metres. 

 

Edited December 2, 2020 by hack2489
Typographic and Grammatical

[GeauxGolfLSU]

Copper Mill outside of Baton Rouge has had a course like this since the early 2000s. Played it last week. It's a fun change of pace for sure. Only once do you play holes with the same par back to back, and that's 16 and 17 being par 4s, but one is driveable and the other is long.