What is Your Closing Hole???

[Mmaynard11]

So if your a course designer what do you make your closing hole? Par 3, Par 4 or Par 5? Let’s hear it...

 

[Mmaynard11]

For me I want fireworks coming down the stretch. I am designing a long Par 3 (220yds +) over water. Want those coming down to the finish playing all the way to the end.

 

[SlightDraw]

Par 5 along some water. Give me some risk but with a solid chance at Birdie before hitting the clubhouse bar.

 

[campilobaxter]

Par 5 along some water. Give me some risk but with a solid chance at Birdie before hitting the clubhouse bar.

That's what I want too. Either that or a long par 4. Something that will add drama to the last hole.

 

[ArmyGolf]

I want the closing 3 holes to work together to create volatility and scoring down the stretch.

18 is a short par 5 with tons of trouble.
17 is a 300 yard par 4.
16 is a 200 yard par 3 with all manner of trouble.

 

[SquirrelyDave]

18 is a long par 5, but blind. Lots of uphill, generous landing areas, but a fair amount of trouble. Narrow chute coming off the tee, but definitely a driver hole. Reachable in two from most tee boxes, but to a small green that you can't see from the landing area.

Ideally you can stand on the green and look back at it and see just how getable it is, and it should have some good visuals to carry your round as you leave.

 

[donny475]

HATE a closing par 3....! should be a long 4 or a semi reachable 5 to give a chance for the swing in the game or a chance to press on a bet.

 

[DataDude]

Since most people are coming into the last hole with money or pride on the line I want mine to be a place where fortunes can be won or lost. It would be a medium length par 4 maybe 380-410 from the standard tees. There would be a dogleg with water between the landing area and the green. Length would help you get in a better position to attack the pin, but there would be no corner cutting. A shot curving away from the dogleg would have some room to roam so it doesn't eliminate the player who hit the shot, but they would definitely be hitting a much longer shot into the green. There would be space to miss in front of the green, but I would have bunkers guarding the left and right with a medium width 2 tiered green with a false front. The back would drop off to a collection area with short cut grass. Super fat approach shots would be in the water.

2 courses that have similar closing holes to this are Gatlinburg Golf Course in Pigeon Forge, TN and Heritage Hills in Mt Washington, KY.

 

[Brassie]

For me, the classic finishing hole is a long par 4 from the tips, 465 yds. Dogleg left, water on both sides, fairway bunkers all over the turn. Green heavily bunkered and a subtly crowned green, where your approach has to be hit to the right distance to hold. If you birdie this one, you've really done something special.

 

[OITW]

So if your a course designer what do you make your closing hole? Par 3, Par 4 or Par 5? Let’s hear it...

Either a 4 or a 5. Doesn’t matter birdie is attainable if you work for it, but not out of the question.

i think the last three holes should consist of a 3/4/5 with the hardest of them being 17

Never finish on a Par 3

 

[OhioGolfer]

A risk/reward par 5

 

[Golf Ghost]

Par 5. Want people to have to think. Also want water down one side or near the green.

 

[jpotas]

Since most people are coming into the last hole with money or pride on the line I want mine to be a place where fortunes can be won or lost. It would be a medium length par 4 maybe 380-410 from the standard tees. There would be a dogleg with water between the landing area and the green. Length would help you get in a better position to attack the pin, but there would be no corner cutting. A shot curving away from the dogleg would have some room to roam so it doesn't eliminate the player who hit the shot, but they would definitely be hitting a much longer shot into the green. There would be space to miss in front of the green, but I would have bunkers guarding the left and right with a medium width 2 tiered green with a false front. The back would drop off to a collection area with short cut grass. Super fat approach shots would be in the water.

2 courses that have similar closing holes to this are Gatlinburg Golf Course in Pigeon Forge, TN and Heritage Hills in Mt Washington, KY.

Exactly, reminds me of The Heather at Boyne Highlands in Michigan. Perfect closing hole!

 

[TheDoctor]

A risk/reward par 5

Exactly what I was thinking - something that can be reached in 2 shots if you are willing to take on a challenge

 

[Smiter]

I don’t have a true home course, yet the two I play 95% of my rounds are earily similar. At least in the way the last three holes play

Course 1.
16 is a 150 yard par 3 with an insanely uphill blind green and one that if you miss to the left of the flag, most likely you’ll be pitching from short and right for your third shot. If it ran any faster it would be impossible.

17 is a 375 yard par 4 that is crazy tight. You either can’t hit a fade or can’t hit a draw depending on where the tee is that day. It opens up about 100 yards out and from there is pretty benign.

18 is a reachable par 4 with no real trouble unless you go right. Easy green and if you have a decent short game is easily a birdie hole.

Course 2
16 is a 210 yard par 3. Despite its length it plays easier than 16 on course one. A couple bunkers and OB right but it’s not a hard hole with an easy green.

17 is the driveable 4. Front of the green is protected by bunkers short and trees on the right. Slices will go OOB which makes it a great risk reward as the correct play is a high fade to the left side of the green. Pretty easy up and down if you stay left unless you go long and then you’re in the woods.

18 is a tight uphill 375 yard par 4 to a two tiered green. The second shot is steep uphill so you better not hit into the tier otherwise you may end up 50 yards back down the FW. Pretty easy par though if you play it conservative. Tough hole to birdie.

If speaking strictly closing holes I like course 1. You go into it thinking birdie every time and it’s even an eagle hole (same with 17 on course 2) with a great drive. A decent golfer is going to make par most of the time on course 2 but course one probably plays below par to a single digit. Gives the chance to make up some ground with a great tee shot.

 

[Nerdy]

18 for me would be a straight away par 5 with water in front of the green. Not easily reachable, but reachable with a long iron/wood if the player needs to go for it.

 

[Daddio]

I want the closing 3 holes to work together to create volatility and scoring down the stretch.

18 is a short par 5 with tons of trouble.
17 is a 300 yard par 4.
16 is a 200 yard par 3 with all manner of trouble.

I couldn't agree more. My course finishes just like this if you were to flip #16 and #17. It's my favorite stretch because so often we can get 2 (and even 3+) stroke swings on each of those holes.

I'd design a similar par 5 to ours if I were the architect. Difficult risk reward decisions on each shot. Got to hit quality shots just to get a good look at a par 5 but any score from 3 to 9 a distinct possibility.

 

[ntanygd760]

Total cop out but best hole for the land.

In a flat desert I like risk reward. Nothing too easy so a par 5 but not an easy 5 iron for second. Something Torrey Pines 18 length.

 

[WLG1952]

Interesting question. I am going to assume my course design would be for amateurs.

As a golfer, I like to leave the golf course on a high note, feeling good about my effort for the day's round.
..
So,. my 18th hole, would be an par 5. Nothing really hard about it, just a straight, easy par 5 with a sizeable green.

As the course designer, I figure I had ample opprutunity to kick the golfer's butt some where in the previous14 - 15 holes.

The fact that the 18th green is just a few steps away from the bar would be another plus.

 

[baylrballa]

majestic par 5 where you have to shape your drive. approach shot over edge of encroaching water.

 

[ShootzGolf]

A risk/reward par 5

This! There is a potential 3 shot swing lurking if you are in a Tourney and close.

 

[BlueHen2006]

I like either a reachable par 5 or a par 4 where you need to make a decision off the tee. Not a hole where you can just bomb it and be fine, but you either need to get rewarded well with a good shot, or penalized with a bad shot.

 

[CBaker]

For me I want fireworks coming down the stretch. I am designing a long Par 3 (220yds +) over water. Want those coming down to the finish playing all the way to the end.

220+ par 3 to end a round?...over water?! Who hurt you?

 

[MOS 67Y]

Home course 18th, short par 4 340yrds White tee. Tight landing area, center left is best short of water.! short iron or wedge for approach to two tier green.
Here's what other say,
Hole #18 is probably the most impressive looking. Views from the pond toward our beautiful Lowcountry-style clubhouse with the wraparound porch is absolutely gorgeous. It’s a pretty finishing hole, but it can be a challenge. We hear a lot of golfers say, “I had a great round until I hit hole 18.”
Photo from white tee today..

 

[M2Giles]

I want a risk/reward hole to finish things off.

One of my favorites is the driveable par 4. From the tips 300 yards but to an elevated green with decent bunkering and slopes. Either you hit it and have a good shot at making birdie or you think to yourself I should of hit iron off the tee.

I am also a fan of the par 5 that is downhill to the green. First shot is either to a plateau or something where you can either give yourself a flat longer shot in or try and catch the downhill to give yourself a better chance at eagle. With danger just past the plateau.

I think the par 3 finishing hole is not the best. A mid iron par 3 would be a let down while the long iron over a hazard would be the scorecard destroyer. Par 3s are so hard to get right for a wide range of amateurs so having it be the last hole is a huge risk. A beast of a par 4 would be the best way to finish if you want a hard hole.