Best Par Threes in Ireland

Ed Winchester

A real shame that the 6th at Cruit doesn't qualify. The best par 3 I've ever played. Amazing hole, off either tee.

pinkdoubleeagle

GreeBo wrote: »

The first two par 3's in my own club are regular card wreckers.
1st 173M uphill, OB right, lateral WH all along the left, 20m drop off the left of the green.
2nd 122M downhill, 20m drop to the green, river in front, 6 greenside bunkers, green slopes towards each bunker and the water.

But I think anyone can find at least 1 good par 3 on any course.

Two really good holes. The first is a nightmare to begin a round with

alxmorgan

The 15th in Ballykisteen is one I like
Water on the right and OOB on the left.

Decent test off whites but I played in a scratch cup there one day off blues into a strong wind. Playing well over 200 yards.
Only time I've ever laid up on a par 3. Still made my par

The 4th in Mahon is a really short one and from a large height and catches people regularly. Lots go long (or short)

neckedit

15th in Rosslare, Not a world beater, but a good wee Par 3.

ozymandias10

the 15th in ballykisteen..off the blue...220 yards plus ..water right and out of bounds left...can imagine the members on their captains prize laying up if they have a score...nice hole though

PARlance

ozymandias10 wrote: »

the 15th in ballykisteen..off the blue...220 yards plus ..water right and out of bounds left...can imagine the members on their captains prize laying up if they have a score...nice hole though

We played a Boards outing there last year and I couldn't remember it being a monster*....so went and checked the scorecard online.
65 yards difference between Blue & Whites!!!!
That's one hell of a difference on a Par 3.

*it was our nearest to the pin hole, while it wasn't a monster, I don't think any of us fared too well even from the front tees

downthemiddle

Ed Winchester wrote: »

A real shame that the 6th at Cruit doesn't qualify. The best par 3 I've ever played. Amazing hole, off either tee.

Why doesn't it qualify? It is a par three after all.

Ed Winchester

downthemiddle wrote: »

Why doesn't it qualify? It is a par three after all.

That's what I was thinking, but Kevin said it doesn't because it's not part of an 18 hole course on his blog. Not sure the thinking behind that.

ChippingSodbury

13th in Rosses Point was on his honourable mention list, nice hole but I'd much rather the 4th: 165yds with no bunker and still a great test.
18th in Lough Erne was voted best Par 3 in British Isles when it opened a couple of years ago: I think it's one of the most disappointing finishing holes on an otherwise fab course that I've ever played.

scout353

ChippingSodbury wrote: »

18th in Lough Erne was voted best Par 3 in British Isles when it opened a couple of years ago: I think it's one of the most disappointing finishing holes on an otherwise fab course that I've ever played.

Have to agree with that!

Love the 9th on the new nine at Tramore. Stunning setting and excellent options for pin positions!

onlyfinewine

Don't know why I am not enjoying this thread on par 3's very much. Is it because the criteria for selecting a good par three can be met by numerous courses and it is difficult to get enthusiastic without having seen and played the hole in question? There are 5 pages of holes listed and I am sure there are many excellent holes included but how do you finally select the best par threes as the thread suggests?

Kevinmarkham

onlyfinewine wrote: »

Don't know why I am not enjoying this thread on par 3's very much. Is it because the criteria for selecting a good par three can be met by numerous courses and it is difficult to get enthusiastic without having seen and played the hole in question? There are 5 pages of holes listed and I am sure there are many excellent holes included but how do you finally select the best par threes as the thread suggests?

That's the question! It's a combination of factors and is, as always, subjective. I considered criteria which included:

• Length
• Difficulty
• Surroundings
• Number/position of hazards
• Fear-factor
• Where it comes in the round
• The influence of the elements
• The sheer beauty of the hole as you look at it from the tee

And then of course there's how well you played it. Everyone has their favourites and there have been great suggestions over the last five pages.

ozymandias10

ajcurry123 wrote: »

We played a Boards outing there last year and I couldn't remember it being a monster*....so went and checked the scorecard online.
65 yards difference between Blue & Whites!!!!
That's one hell of a difference on a Par 3.

*it was our nearest to the pin hole, while it wasn't a monster, I don't think any of us fared too well even from the front tees

ya it can be very short on the forward tees...anytime i am in ballykisteen we play it of the back sticks..great hole

blue note

I have played very few of these. Of those that I have, I really liked the second in Grange in particular. A nice interesting one.

Also mentioned was the Woodstock 8th which sticks out in my mind. But for being a little too difficult to be honest. It was a long hole to begin with and into a stiff breeze on top of that. There was water short left and long and there was very little room to go wrong on the right as well. I don't mind holes where a par is hard to find, but there wasn't much of an option to play for a bogey either.

On my home course (Tramore), the 9th on the Newtown 9 is my favourite of the 27. it's not too long, I think it can range from a 5 to an 8 iron depending on the wind and tees (plays between 165m and 140m). A drain runs away from you along the front right of the green, so if you are going for the flag on the right of the green you cannot be short. There's no room over it to the back either, so you have a small enough landing area if you attack the pin. Aiming at the left side of the green is safer, but the green also angles away from you, so if you hit it right of where you aim you'll be in the drain, long will be in the bunker, short could also be in the drain (although you have some room) and left will be safe, but a very tough up and down. Overall, I like that there's temptation on it, but it's still playable for anyone.

The_Architect

I'm just looking at the parkland choices now.

I've never been to Cairndhu or Moyola Park. The 2nd hole on the former looks like a cracker but scanning the websites, Moyola Park looks like it might have more promise as a course.

Without your book at hand, Kevin - what can you tell me?

onlyfinewine

ozymandias10 wrote: »

ya it can be very short on the forward tees...anytime i am in ballykisteen we play it of the back sticks..great hole

One tough hole from the blues, the tee is elevated and the prevailing wind is into you from ten o clock so you have to aim towards the edge of the out of bounds on your left or hit a controlled draw while the wind is blowing your ball towards the huge water hazard on the right.
Water cuts in on the front right and the green slopes back to front and a little from left to right. On top of that the hole is 223 yards long and there is a stand of trees to the left of the tee which shelter it from the full force of the wind but because of the elevation of the tee the wind effect is increased as the ball enters the final third of the journey. There is no fairway layup area short of the green so you take your chances of a good lie in the rough.
Conceived by a perfectionist or sadist it sticks in the mind, but the joy of seeing your ball pitch and stay on the green makes up for the difficulty.

SEORG

onlyfinewine wrote: »

One tough hole from the blues, the tee is elevated and the prevailing wind is into you from ten o clock so you have to aim towards the edge of the out of bounds on your left or hit a controlled draw while the wind is blowing your ball towards the huge water hazard on the right.
Water cuts in on the front right and the green slopes back to front and a little from left to right. On top of that the hole is 223 yards long and there is a stand of trees to the left of the tee which shelter it from the full force of the wind but because of the elevation of the tee the wind effect is increased as the ball enters the final third of the journey. There is no fairway layup area short of the green so you take your chances of a good lie in the rough.
Conceived by a perfectionist or sadist it sticks in the mind, but the joy of seeing your ball pitch and stay on the green makes up for the difficulty.

Great hole off the back sticks. Took a 7 there in the Intermediate SC in 2011, cost me first prize.

Some nice par 3's in Galway Bay. 7th & 13th are all carry.

PARlance

Forgot that I also like the 6th at Tulfarris (opinion skewed by a rare birdie)
Nice hole all the same though, 180 yards, nice scenery, water protecting front, bunkers protecting left and behind green, small miss area on the right!

Loire

@Kevin,

I don't have your book , but I wonder if you have ever played a greenfee only club in Cork called Water Rock? It's nothing much, but has IMO the BEST par 3 in the country. It's the 12th hole, index 1 and about a 200yd carry over water with trees lined all the way down the left and OOB right of the water. There is a bail-out area (over the trees ) the left but even hitting it there takes some doing. It's quite simply, IMO, a stunning hole. Any other Corkonians back me up on this one?

Loire.

PARlance

Loire wrote: »

@Kevin,

I don't have your book , but I wonder if you have ever played a greenfee only club in Cork called Water Rock? It's nothing much, but has IMO the BEST par 3 in the country. It's the 12th hole, index 1 and about a 200yd carry over water with trees lined all the way down the left and OOB right of the water. There is a bail-out area (over the trees ) the left but even hitting it there takes some doing. It's quite simply, IMO, a stunning hole. Any other Corkonians back me up on this one?

Loire.

Is this it Loire?

ChippingSodbury

Loire wrote: »

@Kevin,

I don't have your book , but I wonder if you have ever played a greenfee only club in Cork called Water Rock? It's nothing much, but has IMO the BEST par 3 in the country. It's the 12th hole, index 1 and about a 200yd carry over water with trees lined all the way down the left and OOB right of the water. There is a bail-out area (over the trees ) the left but even hitting it there takes some doing. It's quite simply, IMO, a stunning hole. Any other Corkonians back me up on this one?

Loire.

Sorry, not from People's Republic but I'm sure it'll be OK to comment! It's a damned fine hole: many a ball I've donated to the water there...
It's very long (~230yds from back tee?), almost all carry over water but it's fair because there's a bail-out area all the way up along the left.
On a slightly different note, the 16th there is a great hole too but not eligible as it a par 4! I haven't played there in 10 years: is it still in good condition?

Kevinmarkham

Loire wrote: »

@Kevin,

I don't have your book , but I wonder if you have ever played a greenfee only club in Cork called Water Rock? It's nothing much, but has IMO the BEST par 3 in the country. It's the 12th hole, index 1 and about a 200yd carry over water with trees lined all the way down the left and OOB right of the water. There is a bail-out area (over the trees ) the left but even hitting it there takes some doing. It's quite simply, IMO, a stunning hole. Any other Corkonians back me up on this one?

Loire.

I have it listed in the 2nd tranche (11-20). Yea, a great hole and I was lucky enough to play it off the back sticks because the guy I was playing with steered me that way - otherwise would have played from the normal (boring) tee. Found the bail-out area (unintentionally).

Loire

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Is this it Loire?

That's the one.

I've only ever parred it once and that was playing it off the back sticks as a dare with the big stick!

Loire

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

I have it listed in the 2nd tranche (11-20). Yea, a great hole and I was lucky enough to play it off the back sticks because the guy I was playing with steered me that way - otherwise would have played from the normal (boring) tee. Found the bail-out area (unintentionally).

Sorry, I missed the 2nd tranche, double for me then!

It's a cracker.

Loire

ChippingSodbury wrote: »

I haven't played there in 10 years: is it still in good condition?

Played it about a year ago and it was in good nick I must say. Pricey though for what it is considering what's available these days. Some nice holes on the course but some way-too-short par 4s. Savage for the ego though!