Anyone play a course that has a par 3 opener?

[fastswinger]

Rockleigh Blue starts with a 163yd par 3

[BuffaloTim]

There is a track near my house that I've played a few dozen times.  Par 3's on 1, 9, 10, and 18......I'm not even kidding.  After the 1st hole Par 3 opener it goes with back to back Par 5's on 2 and 3.

 

https://www.pendletoncreekgc.com/course-details/

[MountainKing]

Mentioned earlier, Tanna Farms in Geneva starts out with an island green par 3, then goes par 5 followed by another par 3, with no driving range to boot.  It's an awful layout, front 9 is a 2800 yard Par 34, back 9 is almost 3700 yards and a Par 37.  

[Mario2625]

Yep, Pine Springs Golf Club in Tyler, TX. Seems to make or break your round.

[Bonneville85308]

The only one I can remember in the hundreds of courses I've played (other than courses that are all par 3's, obviously) is #1 at Red Maples in Waymart, PA, a short 9 holer that's maybe 2,200 yards from the tips. I recall #1 being a short-iron par 3 downhill.

 

I'm not counting 27 hole facilities where depending on which 9 they start you on, you may be starting with a par 3. I've played a few of those, particularly Copper Canyon in Buckeye, AZ. One nine starts you on a par 3 with a mid-iron shot over a pond.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Bonneville85308

[Andygolderson]

yup, played one in Netherlands that I rememeber. Kind of intimidating since there is an electronic board with the names of the group and tee times, while people sit behind the tee on the terrace having coffee, drinks or lunch.

 

car park OB all the way down the left and 20 yards long of the green. 2 bunkers either side of the front approach.

 

It actually feels very weird starting on a par 3.

[sevenfourate]

My old home club had 2 x Par 3 openers ! 
 

First was around 170 yards and pretty tight (Gorse bushes) at the target / green area.

 

Second was 227 yards with a completely blind tee shot and a tiny green….

 

NOT the easiest start to a round 😉

[phil75070]

The municipal course in my city, before expanding from 9 to 18 holes, started with a fairly lengthy par 3. 

[TCGolfer35]

God bless all these courses.. must be rough opening few holes.

[PureGolf313]

A great local club that I am thinking of joining next year ends the front nine with 8 & 9 being par 3's and `then on the backside 18 is a par three, also has a large tree in the middle of the fairway on one of the frontside holes. I love the quirkyness of the layout, my dad hated it. 

[PDWALKER]

That such a weird question but when i think about it i dont think i have played a course like that. It was cool to see some courses that do I would be cool with that!

[2ball]

On 5/1/2021 at 2:55 PM, Markrip said:

I played one a long time ago. I think it was in Geneva Illinois. If I remember right it was 150 yards over water. Not a fun way to start without warming up.

This one at Tanna Farms not to mention everyone in the parking lot can watch...

[uitar9]

My wife and I play a muni regularly which has a 220 yard opener. Downhill. Its an island green and its a par 4. I've never seen anybody stick the green. I birdie it 50% of the time. 

 

Call it a three, call it a 4, its a b**** of a way to start

[BIM_Monkey]

On 6/3/2021 at 12:05 PM, UKGolfer86 said:

My home course, Thetford Golf Club, in the UK starts with a par 3, 186 from the whites, 176 from the yellows.  2 tiered green, trap front left, tree lined teebox on both sides.  Not an easy start at all. I know if i hit the green with a solid iron that im going to play well that day, but a weak push or something worse really can set the tone.  Number 3 sees another par 3.  Course finishes with a really tough 472/464yard par 4 which turns right and heads up hill to the green which sits right in front of the clubhouse.  Easily the hardest hole on the course and can often kill a score.

Played Thetford a couple of weeks ago.

 

Lovely course in a fantastic setting. 

The 1st hole kicked me in the nuts. Almost missed the ball and toed it into the trees right. And finally walked off with a 7 😭. 

 

Birdied the 2nd though. 

 

The par 3s are all strong holes. And you are right about the 18th. Especially with the sneaky bunker at the back of the green. 

 

I'll definitely be going back. Maybe for the winter open in November. 

[UKGolfer86]

15 hours ago, BIM_Monkey said:

Played Thetford a couple of weeks ago.

 

Lovely course in a fantastic setting. 

The 1st hole kicked me in the nuts. Almost missed the ball and toed it into the trees right. And finally walked off with a 7 😭. 

 

Birdied the 2nd though. 

 

The par 3s are all strong holes. And you are right about the 18th. Especially with the sneaky bunker at the back of the green. 

 

I'll definitely be going back. Maybe for the winter open in November. 

 

Ah cool  Where is your home course?

 

It has the benefit of being on heathland so is very free draining meaning even with our weather its playable pretty much year round, snow aside.  Can be like playing Frogger at times crossing the road after 2 and 5, but thats a small downside to an otherwise great course.

 

What did you score?  And what was your favourite hole?

[BIM_Monkey]

4 hours ago, UKGolfer86 said:

 

Ah cool  Where is your home course?

 

It has the benefit of being on heathland so is very free draining meaning even with our weather its playable pretty much year round, snow aside.  Can be like playing Frogger at times crossing the road after 2 and 5, but thats a small downside to an otherwise great course.

 

What did you score?  And what was your favourite hole?

My home Course is St Ives (Hunts) 

 

Shot 90 in the end. But after the first hole I decided I was playing in full attack mode, going for some crazy shots though tiny gaps. I also 3 putted twice for pars 😭. Playing more conservatively would have seen a mid 80s score. I wasn't striking it that well to score any better. I did putt well on the very tricky greens. 

 

Picking a favourite hole is tricky. The par 3s are all strong holes. Although I'd say the 1st isn't quite up there with the others. 16 is the signature I presume, but my favourite of them was the 3rd. I really like the way it was framed by the trees. 

 

If pushed I'd probably say the 5th was my favourite overall. 

[UKGolfer86]

1 hour ago, BIM_Monkey said:

I also 3 putted twice for pars

Let me guess... 6th and 13th?

 

the 3rd is quite an innocuous looking hole, but it really doesnt suit my eye with the tree covering the right hand edge of the green.  For a hole playing approx 150 yards it too often gives me a kick in the nuts.

Glad you enjoyed the course, they spent a lot of time an money on it over the lockdown and its really in good shape right now.

[milesgiles]

Bamburgh Castle, Northumberland starts with consecutive par 3s..

[PJ Blake]

I didn't look through every page to see if someone mentioned Pacific Grove Golf Links in Pacific Grove, CA. Hole 1: 146 yards from the whites and blues. In case you haven't heard of it its just up the road from the Pebble Beach courses. In fact, they call it the "poor man's Pebble Beach" because the back nine has ocean views on almost every hole and its sort of Scottish-like with natural sand dunes.  And its just a little cheaper- HAH.  56 bucks during the week.  The ocean is just across the street so it distracts you from the fact that it is definitely no Pebble Beach😂

Edited October 4, 2021 by PJ Blake

[LegendJeff]

Three Pines Country Club in woodruff SC opens with a 195y par 3. Tree branches down right favor strait or fade shots in.

[Caddyshacks]

Kilspindie GC and Glencorse GC in Scotland. Turtle Hill GC in Bermuda (par 3 course 😂)

[chussey]

On 5/1/2021 at 3:34 PM, puresurfr said:

Pacific grove in Monterey had  a opening Par 3 but im not sure if they rerouted it after the remodel.  The Back 9 is known as poor man's pebble Beach

Yeah both 9s start with Par 3s. In fact, the front 9 starts with two Par 3s…130yd then 200yd. Crazy. 

[CLSS]

La Canada Flintridge cc in the LA area opens with a par three.

[BabaBooey17]

I feel like I have but I cant think of what it is so maybe not.

The course I play most here has a Par 3 on #10 so occasionally when they have us going off the back 9 that's the set up.  I don't love it.  I think my preference would be to start on a Par 5 if I had my pick.

[xkilgorextroutx]

There's a shorter course (5300 yards) that I'll walk with my son that starts with a 156 yard Par 3 with water right in front of the green. There's no driving range there so it's one heck of a warmup. Only costs $28 to walk 18 and the course is VERY tight which makes up for the length.