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Hardest Par 3 You've Played

Lions81

Lions81

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@JB 's thread about #15 in the Bear Trap got me thinking about tough par 3s. What is the hardest par 3 you've played? What makes it so tough? Feel free to post a picture of the hole if you have it!
 
#3 at wolf creek

why is this a hole

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I'm having a hard time coming up with any harder than 15 and 17 at PGA National, especially when the wind is up and into you.
 
#17 at Oakland Hills is the toughest I’ve played. It plays anywhere from about 160-200 but it’s straight uphill. It’s guarded by some of the deepest bunkers you can imagine and the green is very tricky too. Anything short in the fairway comes all the way down the hill leaving you an incredibly hard pitch shot.
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And here’s a closer look at that monster on the right. Don’t miss there

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#17 at the Ocean Course, about 20+ years ago, we played the blue tees, I am sure it's a bit different today but it was long, all water carry, and some sand long and left. Only birdie I had all day - and yes, it was a bit of luck dropped about 20 foot rainbow break - and this is why I remember it!
 
TPC Southwind #14 is a hard mofo. It's downhill making club selection difficult and the wind can be hard to read. If the hole is over on the right, that bunker gets a lot of play.

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Royal County Down Hole 4 - I played in wind a rain. ugh

I regularly play Wickenburg Ranch Hole 13. high to low and 230 plus yd shot with a ton of water.
 
I agree, #3 at Wolf Creek is the hardest par 3 I have played. YMMV
 
I had another hole in mind but didn't get a very good photo, so this one will have to do. #7 at Seguin Valley. 165 yards from the whites, which for me is just enough to start becoming uncomfortable. Really no bailout options - short is wet, long/left or right are no bargain for a lie and/or trees. Oh, and the green is shallow front to back.
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This one is no pushover either, but at least I was more comfortable with the yardage.
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Mauna Kea #3 is the one that comes to mind. 205 yards from the blue tees and 272 yards from the tournament tees. It’s mostly carry and often very windy when I’ve played it which makes it as intimidating as it is beautiful. I played it from the tips once and the center of green carry distance over the ocean was 245 yards. :)

 
The one that comes to mind isn't scenic or guarded like crazy like some of these above but Chuck Corica South Course hole #12 from the back tee. 248 yards on the scorecard but if you've played any Bay Area golf, it gets really windy. The one round I remember, it felt like it played 255. The yardage alone made it a tough par 3 for me.
 
As far as holes I play at least a few times every season I'll go with #17 at Ledgestone. It's pretty much a mirror image of #15 in the Bear Trap. It's a little longer at 232 from the gold tips (I've only ever played blues or whites). Even at 200 off the whites it requires 185-190 just to carry into the front bunker. What makes this hole especially hard for me is that my stock shape is a draw (RH golfer) and those trees about half way down the hole are tall, huge, and hang out over the water to block the line I'd need to either turn one over onto the green or even hit that layup just right of the green. Trying to force a fade in there usually ends in disaster. Trying to just skirt those branches usually ends up just as bad too. If I absolutely had to make no worse than bogey I could maybe go 9i over the trees and leave 75 in but what fun is that? Played this hole @ 20 times, only 2 pars, only hit the green in regulation once, other was from the right bunker. I bet I rinse a ball or two more than half the time.

Ledgestone itself is just a short target golf course from the tees I play, 6400 from the blues or only about 5900 from the whites and with several elevated tee boxes (#17 isn't). After playing such a comfortable course most of the day, the look from #17 tee ratchets up the pucker factor.

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GAMBLER'S REVENGE - PAR 3 - 232, 210, 200, 156, 140
Pump up for this long par 3. A four-acre lake will catch all pulls and you may have to play again from the tee, so evaluate your ability and play a smart approach short and right, pitch up close and make a par or bogey. Many good rounds have ended on this hole don’t let your ego cost extra strokes here. Sometimes bogies feel like pars.
 
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It's been forever but I played one in St. Louis that was 225 from the blues, into the wind, uphill. Oh, and the pin was set right on the crest of an undulation, making it a goofy-golf putt. I think I took 3 to get on and then 4-putted.
 
The 18th hole at one of the local muni’s is a 210 yard par 3 with a large irrigation ditch running in front of the green, plays #2 hardest hole, and is a real ball eater! I always regret not playing a 2nd rate/found ball when I get to the 18th, but just can’t bench the ball I’ve been playing with!
 
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Bet my average is north of 6....203yds Seems like every time I'm here the wind is blowing 20+ from the right

This hole has Runtz a solid career round before
 
Hole 6 at Country Club of Buffalo. Don Ross must have had a bad day when designing this hole because if you don’t hit the green it’s very unlikely you’re not making par.

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#6 At Pine Hills/Plymouth Ma- Reese Course.
The day I was there is was 235, over a ravine and fronted by a big crazy bunker.
 
Parrot said:
I'm having a hard time coming up with any harder than 15 and 17 at PGA National, especially when the wind is up and into you.
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I’m not saying I played them well but I didn’t think they were that tough.
 
There are a handful of par 3s I can think of where it’s almost impossible to reach. There was a hole at Ballybunion playing into the stiff wind where the caddie refused to give me the number and would only say “Driver”. A hole on Bandon Trails often plays the same way. And a few more. None of them are that hard except mere mortals often can’t reach in regulation.
 
tahoebum said:
Mauna Kea #3 is the one that comes to mind. 205 yards from the blue tees and 272 yards from the tournament tees. It’s mostly carry and often very windy when I’ve played it which makes it as intimidating as it is beautiful. I played it from the tips once and the center of green carry distance over the ocean was 245 yards. :)

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I’d forgotten about that beast!
 
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