Favorite Type of Finishing Hole?

[mikpga]

What is yours?

First question...A par 3, par 4, or a par 5?

Good examples of good finishing holes...

What makes a good finishing hole?

Risk / Reward?

Just Plain Difficult?

Easy Birdie?

[Road Warrior]

I prefer short par 4's as finishing holes. I like finishing with a good par or often a birdie. I don't understand why the PGA Tour always likes extremely difficult and especially long finishing holes. As a viewer, I would rather see a short 18th hole that the players know they need to birdie to keep up with the rest of the field and the leaders. It is possible to make a short par 4 difficult while still giving the players in the correct position an easy shot at birdie.

[golfernut78]

hate par 3's as the finishing hole.

 

i think the final hole should be a par 4 that par is a great score. par 5's leave too much room for a bad shot and still recover par and also can be too much of an advantage for a long hitter over a short hitter. yeah, a par 4 is easier for a long hitter than a short hitter, but for the long hitter he still has to get par in 2 putts not 3 putts. i want a par 4 that if i have a bad shot i have to save par with a great short shot and a preasure putt.

 

i consider 18 at the players or august good finishing holes. 18 at st. andrews isn't that difficult. its pretty hard to mis the fairway. maybe birdie isn't easy, but par isn't that hard.

[nick01]

short par 4 narrow fairway small elavated green surrounded buy bunkers maybe some water along one side of the fairway that out to test the nerves and reward 2 great shots and punish any bad

[USNHack]

Long par 5's are the best finishing holes IMO.

[drew123]

I think a good risk reward where to make the birdie it takes the risk option.

 

I like to see the last couple of holes be birdieable (probably not even a word) so as to make an exciting finish or allow someone to catch up from behind. Make the leader earn it and not just get to play safe.

[TourPro]

I like a challenging par 4. Espacially in tournaments. Makes it more intersting. Par 5's are ok too. My home course finishes with a 550yd par 5. Don't like par 3's as a finisher.

[billhager]

we have a par 5 here thats a double dogleg first left at about 280 and then about 100 yrs from the green goes right with a pond in front makes it a true 3 shot hole never seen anyone go for it in 2 very shallow green with being over the green dead

[Rich71691]

I like short but very hard par 4s and a reachable in 2 par 5.

Rich

[dmboak]

Long Par 4's that are tough as hell!!!

[hksaikung]

Long par 4 with green defended by water

 

 

[emc]

I like a par 5 hole with water short of the green where you need to hit 2 solid shots to get on in 2 but the short hitter can layup to a wedge and make birdie. Kind of like the 18th at the BellSouth Classic on the PGA Tour.

[mikpga]

I think a finishing hole should incorporate the following...

 

1. A risk/reward scenario...Either driveable par 4 or reachable par 5...

2. Along with risk/reward...The risk better be very punishing...

[Ty Webb]

The best finishing hole is indeed the 19th !!!! Merry X-mas to all... and to all a frosty Guiness :drinks:

[Rabidpenguin45]

I like either a long par 4, or par 5 as a finishing hole.

[690MB]

A risk/reward par five, you either go for it and make birdie/eagle or you play it save anfd make par.

18th at my homecourse is an dogleg par 5 with a possible second shot of 220 yards over an lake or go around it with 7 iron/ wedge.

 

It can ruin or make your day and that is what a closing hole should be for me.

[Nichols74]

I like short but very hard par 4s and a reachable in 2 par 5.

Rich

 

 

I agree. I love to have a tough but obtainable challenge as a finishing hole. Par 5's just rev me up knowing if I use my head and make solid swings I will Birdie.

 

Merry Xmas

[sheppy335]

Prefer Par 4 with risk reward! PAr 5's are ok but PAr 3's are terrible!

[retep]

par 4 layup for my lowsy 23 handicap... something you have to say water at 220-300 yards out so you need a 3wood or something less then over water or dog leg or something that is brains over distance... that would make me smile. hit something say 200 yards then have to hit it 180 to a bunkered green with water forced carry on the second shot!

 

par 5's seem ok i guess, par 3 no way...

[poppyhillsguy]

Par 5 that has water left and OB right like this one...

[mrpheebz]

I like a risk/reward Par 5 to finish the round

[shinr]

I like the finishing holes to be easy compared to the previous holes. I think it is best when someone can make an exciting comeback with birdie holes rather than someone losing the lead with a bogey or two. Its good to end on a good note.

[Thug Hunter]

Long par 4 with green defended by water

 

 

 

Geez, that green is HUGE. You can miss your shot 20-30yds in each direction and still hit the green.

 

Back on topic. I like Par 5's

[alcap26]

Risk Reward par 5. If you hit a great tee ball then you open up a chance for the green in two but a difficult shot. If the tee ball is not good then it turns into a 3 shot.

[scottyallanb]

I have a local course here that has 1 of the best finishing holes. 454 par 4 uphill. Trees on left side so if you hit your drive in the left rough you have to carry the trees to a huge geen that sloes from back to front. I always say par and you are more than happy.

[italianstallion]

Hate par 3s to finish on.

 

My home course finishes with a par 5, but also not my favorite to finish on. Again, you can have a terrible shot and still make par, not a good way to finish off a round.

 

My course for school golf has a great finishing hole. 415 yrds, straight away, fairway bunker at 250 yrds off the tee, large bunker to the right of the green, and a smaller one on the left curving towards the front protecting a mis-hit shot from trickling onto the green. And a nice undulating green that actually slopes from front to back. I've made birde there a decent number of times with well struck shots, but I've done worse with just the slightest mis-hit. Walk away from par there and you feel good.

[300_yard_drives]

a reachable par 5 in 2, where if you miss the green, you cannot get batter than par.

[scotty01292]

Mid length par 4... I hate finishing holes I can't reach in 2, I hate finishing holes that you play a drive then sand wedge or something.

 

Either that or short par 4 to elevated, island green... (Absolute HELL to hit!)

[ghodges]

Like a lot of others, my favorite is a risk/reward par 5. Chance to make birdie (or eagle), but make a bad shot or decision and you are staring at bogey or worse.

 

Second favorite is tough par 4. Par 3 stinks as finishing hole.

[scotty01292]

Par 3 stinks as finishing hole.

 

Usually, yes... At my home course we've got a 210 yard par 3, which is straight into the wind almost all the time. It's a links course, by the sea, and we get strong winds... Yesterday, I played in heavy rain and wind gusting up to 75 mph...