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Should every course have a sub-300 yard par 4?

Should every course have a sub-300 yard par 4?

  • Yes

    Votes: 53 58.2%

  • No

    Votes: 38 41.8%
  • Total voters
    91
IMO yes, i mean i don't necessarily draw a line in the sand at this specifically.....but every course should have variety.

Our course turns a par-4 driveable in every CC and i think it's a great idea
 
No, pace problems are already horrible, this would make it much worse.
 
Absolutely! Love this
 
I put no because it slows down play.

I love them personally, but every Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks they can drive it still when they likely cannot, thus slowing play to a standstill.
 
I like this idea for the last hole on the course. Be a huge risk-reward if matches come down to the end or could mean big stroke play swings.
 
I voted yes because still a 2 shot hole for me. If we are talking professional golf... I wish every course they played had a version of the 10th @ Riviera.
 
Love the idea because they can be fun but also hate the idea for pace of play reasons.

We have a couple right around 300 in our area and they are always fun to play but It plays like a par 3 where you cant hit until they are off the green.
 
As much fun as it would be, no thank you. Too many idiots waiting for the green to clear to top it 80 yards down the fairway or slice it off the planet. On top of that, they’ll reload multiple times. Pace of play would suck! I know this because two of the courses by me have this and it happens all the time.
 
Only about 5% of the courses I’ve played do have a sub 300 yard par 4 unless you take the distances from the women’s or senior tees. My current home course has one that is under 300 if the flag is center or front but it‘s uphill to the fairway with an elevated green and allows for almost zero roll once your ball lands in the fairway. It also has a steep drop off behind the green(In 6 years I’ve never gotten up and down from over the green) and 3 large bunkers including one 240-260 yards out that catches many balls and leaves that not so fun 40ish yard bunker shot that if is missed just a yard short of the green, the ball rolls back down the slope 10+ yards. The first few years I was a member I used to hit driver about half the time and made a lot of bogies and doubles when I did I now normally hit 3 iron and make very few bogies and quite a few birdies on the hole. I hit driver there about a dozen times last summer and made a couple of birdies but also a few doubles for my my decision to go for the green. When they had the back tee box under construction for a month, we hit from the 240 yard tees and it was a much easier hole but I didn’t make as many birdies as expected.
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I love drivable par 4s! There shouldn't be one at every course though. Each course should be unique in its layout and hole designs.
 
No for the pace of play reason mentioned already.
 
I said yes. I would cap it at no shorter than 290 yards though
 
Let the land dictate what kind of holes can be carved into them. No need to force a "drivable" par 4.
 
tahoebum said:
Only about 5% of the courses I’ve played do have a sub 300 yard par 4 unless you take the distances from the women’s or senior tees. My current home course has one that is under 300 if the flag is center or front but it‘s uphill to the fairway with an elevated green and allows for almost zero roll once your ball lands in the fairway. It also has a steep drop off behind the green(In 6 years I’ve never gotten up and down from over the green) and 3 large bunkers including one 240-260 yards out that catches many balls and leaves that not so fun 40ish yard bunker shot that if is missed just a yard short of the green, the ball rolls back down the slope 10+ yards. The first few years I was a member I used to hit driver about half the time and made a lot of bogies and doubles when I did I now normally hit 3 iron and make very few bogies and quite a few birdies on the hole. I hit driver there about a dozen times last summer and made a couple of birdies but also a few doubles for my my decision to go for the green. When they had the back tee box under construction for a month, we hit from the 240 yard tees and it was a much easier hole but I didn’t make as many birdies as expected.
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Thats a nice hole. Has a water carry as well ;)
 
i guess i could see the Pace complaints, i'm a little insulated from that being at a private club where it's always good.

The good thing is you don't "need" a 300 yard 4 to play it at that length. My course doesn't have one ---But what we do is play one of the par-4's from the ladies tees in all of the big events.

When i was on the the match and handicap committee i pushed for this almost every weekend, but the main pushback was this would compromise the course rating
 
A driveable par 4 is a fun feature to have on a course. But I don't think a course *NEEDS* one in order for it to be a great course.
 
For enjoyment of play, yes. I think they should also have at least one sub 100 yd par 3.

Does it fix other issues, like JB brought up about pace? Debatable.
A couple courses here have multiple par 4's less than 400 yds. They seem to be ok on pace.
The real time drags ate the 230 yd par 3's.
 
Every? No. They suck for pace and I think the real short par 3 is more fun and fair for everyone.
 
No - we have a risk/reward 260 yarder with a pond in front at the 220 mark. It’s the slowest hole in the course, as most players who don’t know the hole wait for the green to clear before depositing at least 1 ball into the pond.
 
Given the recent driving distance data, for the average Joe Six Pack golfer is there really a thing as a driveable par 4?
 
No. Because I don't think there are any "musts" when it comes to golf courses. If it fits the design, cool. But if not no. Short par 4s can be fun though so I get why many would like that.
 
That post said:
I like this idea for the last hole on the course. Be a huge risk-reward if matches come down to the end or could mean big stroke play swings.
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Ooh this sounds fun and makes sense.

As others have said pace of play would be gross. This heading back to the clubhouse would keep people from hitting two or three trying to reach it.

Come to think of it, hole number 1 would also be good for the same reason with a starter there watching.
 
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