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What about a course starting with a par 3 hole?

#10 on my home course is a Par 3, and I actually like it when we start on #10. It's a 130-140 yard hole with a tricky green that slopes from left to right and back to front. When the pin is up front, you're better off with a shot that's short of the front than anywhere on the back of the green. It's an impossible 2 putt from the back to a front pin location. 90% of the time, your 1st putt will be back off the front anyways. When the flag is in the back, it's a nice hole to start on.
 
I think it might be nice for a change of pace, but I don't think the courses would really like it, especially a public course with a lot of play. It would probably make the flow better through the rest of the round, but it would also eliminate 2 or 3 tee time each hour. It simply takes longer for 4 people to hit about a minimum of 12 shots than for a group of 4 to hit a minimum of 8 shots. Instead of 8 to 10 minute tee times, you be looking at at least 12 minutes in between. Over 8 hours it could cost the course about 15-20 tee times if the course was booked.
 
I would much rather start a hole with a par 4 or 5. I feel confident enough in my driver/3W that I would rather tee off with that first than to have to see how accurate I am with my irons to start off a round.
 
Jeff Spicoli said:
It wasn't the first hole but when we played in Atlanta last year, but that was a tough way to start. I am impressed you managed to keep your second shot in play and avoid the traps.
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Haha, yeah, that was a brutal starting hole, and an even more brutal place to put my first shot. I was very lucky to get out of that one with a bogey. One more foot coming down off that bank and I might have been in the water.
 
Ive only played one course that started with a par 3. It was a 200 yard shot over a gully to a small green that slopes away from you...not fun. If your tee time was 1:00 you would be lucky to have teed off by 1:20.
I realize this is the exception and not the rule but it has soured my impression of starting with a par3.
 
I don't like it. Seems hokey. Not sure why
 
Course not to far from me starts with a 127 yard par 3. Nothing like pulling a PW to start your day. The only problem I have with that course is that there is no driving range or anywhere to warm up. Walk up, hit your PW, and be on your way.
 
Seamus MacDuff said:
I don't like it. Seems hokey. Not sure why
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Because it seems like bad design, IMO. They couldn't figure out a way to lay the holes out traditionally, so they just stuck a par 3 on the front end. I'm sure that's over-generalizing, but that is how it feels.
 
Meh I don't like the idea one bit but par 3's are my nemesis! One on my local courses start with a mandated lay up par 4 and I like that. Since your first tee shot is a 5-7 iron from the whites, its a nice way to start the round and the second shot is a carry over a pond to a rather large green.
 
I've played a few courses that start with a par 3, a little different, but I like par 3 holes so no complaint here.
 
Meh, I wouldnt be a fan of starting off with a par 3. 1st tee jitters and now you have to worry about hitting a green with your first swing of the day? Sounds like a recipe for some seriously bad self-talk on the 1st tee.
 
Have played almost 100 different courses now and have never started on the #1 tee box at a par 3 but I don't believe it would bother me. Have played several courses that have par 3 finishing holes, two of them local private courses.
 
I don't recall ever starting on a par 3. I don't think I would mind it though. It honestly wouldn't really bother me to end it on a par 3 either.
 
I play a course fairly regularly that starts with a 150 yard par 3. Since there's no range, it's a good way to warm up without being penalized too much.
 
Damaikis said:
I play a course fairly regularly that starts with a 150 yard par 3. Since there's no range, it's a good way to warm up without being penalized too much.
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What are tee time spacing at this course, dam? Are there more or less backups once you get out on the course compared to other courses that start with a par 4 or 5?
 
Smallville said:
What are tee time spacing at this course, dam? Are there more or less backups once you get out on the course compared to other courses that start with a par 4 or 5?
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No tee times, lol. You just walk up and pay then go. So I have no idea about backups because it isn't busy enough.
 
Damaikis said:
No tee times, lol. You just walk up and pay then go. So I have no idea about backups because it isn't busy enough.
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Well that isn't any help! Haha
 
I am not sure I have ever played a course with a par 3 starting hole....as long as it's pretty straight forward then I think it would be a good way to space out groups...my home course starts with a par 5 and like you said Smalls...as soon as the group in front hits their 2nd shots the group behind fires away...so now you have a group in the fairway, one on the green and one on the tee waiting...instant backup.

Most of the time I try to convince my group to wait till the group in front clears the green before we tee off, but if there is another group already waiting behind us it's tough because they get impatient.
 
Never played a course that started a par 3 but played one that ended as a par 3. #WinstarOK
 
Subbed in a league tonight. It is a shotgun start, and we headed out to #8, which was a 183 yard par three from the blues. I got a bogey on that hole and proceeded to play the next 7 holes in three over before taking a double on hole #7 to end the round. I liked that my first shot wasn't a driver shot (and that I didn't feel that I needed to play a driver to play the hole).
 
My home club has two courses, one starts with a par-3, and they both end with a par-3. I like it. The starting par-3 is a tough one. 210 yards from the tips, bunkers, OB and water that's rarely in play, but still, it's lurking 50 yards behind the green.
 
It's a really bad idea for the tee sheet and could cut your rounds played #s down across an entire summer. They should reverse the 9s.
 
York Golf Club in Maine starts with a par 3. It is about 200 yards and has an OB road all along the left side. That's a lot of pressure for a first swing.

It may have the effect of spreading out play right at the beginning. I don't know if this is ever done on purpose but it could have some value.
 
Our little 9 hole home course growing up starts with a 190 yard par 3 that's all carry...mostly. So I guess that never has seemed like a big deal to me.

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