Five courses in the Golf Monthly UK&I Top 100 course rankings tee off on a short hole, but the word ‘short’ is a bit of a misnomer for all five measure 200+ yards off the tips.
And two of our quartet of closing par 3s also stretch to over 200 yards!
There are four par 3 18th holes in our top 100 – there to test out your ball striking right until the end of the round where a solid iron, hybrid or fairway wood is required before you get to enjoy a post-round beverage.
Opening par 3s
ROYAL LYTHAM AND ST ANNES
The 1st at Royal Lytham is the Open rota’s only par-3 opener
(Image credit: Geoff Ellis)
The most famous of our opening par 3s is the only one on the list of Open rota courses. Royal Lytham and St Annes’ 1st hole can stretch to 206 yards off the blue tees, with five bunkers closely guarding the entrance to the green.
It is possibly an easier angle off those back tees as you are playing directly between the left and right bunkers. From the left-hand tees you have little choice but to carry it over the left-hand traps.
SOUTHPORT AND AINSDALE
The 1st at Southport & Ainsdale plays to a well-bunkered green 202 yards away
(Image credit: Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club)
Just four yards shorter, a little way back down the north-west coast, the 1st at James Braid’s Southport and Ainsdale is perhaps just as tough on account of five more deep pot bunkers to avoid with your opening long iron or hybrid.
Mind you, there were even more until the most recent course works here.
LIPHOOK
Looking back up the long par-3 opener at Liphook in Hampshire
(Image credit: Kevin Murray)
Heading down south, Liphook, The Berkshire (Blue) and Walton Heath (Old) all open with long and testing par 3s.
Liphook’s is the shortest of the trio at 203 yards and does at least play downhill from a tee very close to the 18th green and clubhouse. Missing right is highly likely as the slopes will kick the ball that way, but with a good lie, getting up and down from here is easier than from the left as you are chipping back into the slope.
THE BERKSHIRE – BLUE
A view from behind the 1st on the Blue course at The Berkshire
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Next in terms of length is the 213-yard 1st on The Berkshire’s Blue course, which may just be the toughest of all our opening one-shotters.
The green is a good size, but between you and the target lies a sea of heather in a big dip, while anything pin-high but drifting right is likely to kick some way down the steep greenside slope.
WALTON HEATH – OLD
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