Opinion & Analysis
Par-3, Par-4 or Par-5 holes: Which is best?
If you asked a dozen golfers which type of hole they prefer — a par-3, a par-4 or a par-5 — I’d be surprised if any said they liked the par-4 best.
At least none did when I asked that question last week around some local courses.
The par-3 got some votes for its one crack at glory ethos; its closest to the pin competitions and the only semi-legitimate hope most golfers have for a hole-in-one.
Overwhelmingly though, in my admittedly small sample, the majority prefer a par-5.
[quote_box_center]“Especially if it bends a little left and maybe has an elevated tee,” G told me at Vellano Country Club. And it was instantly obvious. “If I catch my drive I can go after the green on my second shot.” Even if the 23-year old with a powerful, though ungainly swing mishits it a little, he’ll still have an attacking short wedge for his third. “Par should be the worst score I make then,” he said.[/quote_box_center]
“I like short par-3s,” Josh said. He’s probably in his early 30s in age and mid-teens in handicap and he was getting ready to play at Woodhaven. “But even when the par-3s are longer, over 165 say, I can still have a couple of ‘short par-3s’ if I hit two good shots on the par-5s.”
And he lost me there for a second, then I realized he meant he was playing the par-5s to make them into par-3s.
It’s true. A 520-yard par-5 sounds long and possibly intimidating to many golfers, but if you can hit two shots a total of 400 yards, your third shot on that par-5 will only be 120. And that’s shorter than three-quarters of the par-3s that most of us play.
The par-3 did get some outright love from the golfers I asked.
[quote_box_center]“Everybody in the foursome has the exact same shot, so it’s a chance to beat the other guys,” an older man, Richard, told me at Mesquite, a public course in Palm Springs. “Guys remember who hits it close on the 3-pars.”[/quote_box_center]
And I thought calling them 3-pars was something they only did on TV. Then I wondered away, wondering why no one ever mentions 5-pars during the telecasts.
[quote_box_center]“I like a golf course that opens with a par-5,” Luke told me at Shandin Hills, a course where the first hole is a 490-yard par-5 from the blue tees. “You can get a lot of roll here and have a shot at it, but with those traps in front of the green [on both sides] today I’ll probably lay-up unless I crush it.”[/quote_box_center]
On the PGA Tour, par-5s are the scoring holes, whether players are laying-up to their favorite distance or if they’re two-putting for birdie. Bubba Watson currently leads the Tour in percentage of birdies or better on par-5s, making a score of either 3 or 4 over 60 percent of the time.
On the par-3s, the leading pros are barely above 20 percent, though surprisingly to me, that’s slightly below the birdie or better percentage leader for par-4s. Then again, it’s Jordan Spieth leading that category, so maybe there’s no reason to be surprised.
[quote_box_center]“Par-4s don’t always give you a chance to recover from a bad shot,” Freddy told me at PGA West. And with that mindset, I told him I hoped he wasn’t playing the Stadium Course today.[/quote_box_center]
“With a par-5,” he said, “you can usually still recover from a not-so-great drive. Or if you hit a good drive but not a good second, you’ll still have a chance to get on the green in regulation,” he reasoned.
“But don’t most par-5s have more trouble than other holes?” I asked. “The greens are usually smaller on par-5s and there’s generally trouble around them.”
“There’s usually trouble on all the holes,” Freddy said, and I could see he was familiar with Pete Dye’s Stadium Course.
A woman named Jenny who was making the turn at Escena told me, “The par-4s and par-5s are usually too long for most women, so I prefer a par-3. I’ve made a hole-in-one before, in fact I have two of them, but I’ve never eagled a par-4 or a par-5.”
And with that she got in her cart to go try her luck at No. 10, a 260-yard par-4 from the forward tees.
The last golfer I asked was Damien, a deeply-tanned desert player wearing all white. “I’m pretty long off the tee,” he said, not bragging I knew since I’d seen him pound a few drives already. “I’ll usually have at least a short iron in on any par-4 or par-5. But sometimes, when par-3s are over 200-yards, then I’ll have to hit a 4-iron or hybrid.”
And thinking about hitting my driver from that distance on a par-3, I was sure Damien could feel my sympathy.
[quote_box_center]“I have a better chance on the par-4s and 5s,” he said. “But any hole, par-3, par-4 or par-5, if you hit a couple of good shots, or even a good chip, you should have at least a putt for par.” [/quote_box_center]
What’s your favorite par hole?
Let us know in the comments section below, and read the first three chapters of Tom Hill’s humorous golf book, A Perfect Lie – The Hole Truth: 18 Holes of Golf in Pursuit of the Round of a Lifetime, for free at 7-ironpress.com. Get free shipping on the paperback or $4 off on the e-book when you enter the code GOLFWRX1 at check-out.
- LIKE24
- LEGIT2
- WOW2
- LOL1
- IDHT6
- FLOP6
- OB1
- SHANK9
19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
- LIKE3
- LEGIT3
- WOW1
- LOL2
- IDHT0
- FLOP2
- OB0
- SHANK0
In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.
While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.
Here are some of my key takeaways.
Method Teacher
It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.
Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.
The Cult of Stack and Jilt
The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”
Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.
These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.
Fooled by Randomness
In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.
Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.
Practice
One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”
Sunk Cost
The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.
Cliches
Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.
The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.
This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…
- LIKE17
- LEGIT1
- WOW0
- LOL4
- IDHT1
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK18
The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
- LIKE8
- LEGIT3
- WOW1
- LOL1
- IDHT0
- FLOP3
- OB1
- SHANK2
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
John Daly stuns fans into silence with brutal opening tee shot on PGA Tour Champions
Justin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
Richy Werenski WITB 2024 (May)
Richy Werenski what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Houston Open. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (10 degrees, D1...
Wesley Bryan WITB 2024 (May)
Wesley Bryan what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple...
Adam Scott WITB 2024 (May)
Adam Scott what’s in the bag accurate as of the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (10.5 degrees)...
Pierceson Coody WITB 2024 (April)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi 10 (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi 10 Tour (15 degrees)...
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
-
19th Hole3 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
-
19th Hole2 weeks agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
-
Equipment3 weeks agoWhat we know about Bryson DeChambeau’s 3D-printed Avoda irons
-
19th Hole7 days agoLET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
Dave N
May 6, 2015 at 9:57 am
Absolutely a short (drive able) par 4. So much variety based on where they put the tees, what the weather is doing, etc. especially like one that requires skill to hit the green… No straight aways, plenty of risk to go for it. Options to lay back with an iron but still a challenging approach. Hole 12 at Chambers Bay is an example. Used to play a course with a hole that was 275-290 with a sharp dog leg right, over trees, three bunkers short and right, two bunkers left, tri-level green with a hill in the back. So you could go for it, but usually ended up with a sand shot or a downhill pitch onto a downhill green. Laying up off the tee still required long iron or hybrid to get around the corner– 220-250 and still required a good pitch because the green was tricky. So much fun to play.
TheCityGame
May 6, 2015 at 8:58 am
First thought i had was par 4’s. Par 4’s are the thinkers. The risk-reward decisions on par 5’s are always obvious : Hit driver, then go for it or lay up.
Par 4’s challenge you with club choice, ball flight, taking on a trap, finding the best angle.
One course I play, the 5’s are long and straight with occasional bunkering. The 4’s challenge you to hit draw, draw, draw, then 2 in a row that demand a fade. Then, a draw where you can reach if you carry some trees followed by a 420 uphill par 4. On the back, the 4’s require a draw, a fade, a fade, a draw, a fade and then a draw.
On my home course, my club selection on the par 4’s from the whites is typically driver, hybrid, 4W, driver, 4W, 4 iron, 4 iron, hybrid, 4W, driver, 6 iron. On the par 5’s, every one of them is driver-4W, unless you catch a good drive on one and then it’s driver driver-whatever. There’s no logic in laying up on that hole.
Most par 3’s are just a matter of club selection and good contact. They might have options to be beautiful, but strategically, the only question is really “how aggressive do I want to be?”
Par 4’s are the spice of a golf course.
other paul
May 5, 2015 at 10:11 pm
All holes are par 3s… Sort of…
CRiley
May 5, 2015 at 6:57 pm
Definitely a 270-310 yrd par-4. I love the variety and challenge. You can lay up with an iron if you hit it long, or for sorter hitters hit driver or 3-wood of the tee. Either of these leaves you a short iron in and a chance at Birdie. If you can hit it 240+ you can bomb and leave yourself a pitch or try and drive the green. Either way this risk can lead to a tricky short side or easy pitch. I just love the creativity and options. A short hitting kid with a good wedge can beat a Big hitter straight up. That is one of the things I love about golf.
acemandrake
May 5, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Any hole where the approach shot is a 7-iron or less.
TJ Horton
May 5, 2015 at 7:14 pm
That’s 90% of the holes i play…
Mke
May 5, 2015 at 5:58 pm
A par 5 you can reach in 2.
Craigar
May 5, 2015 at 2:02 pm
The one thing I have noticed in my area are the some of the disadvantages for the people playing from the forward tees. Most of the par 4’s & 5’s with elevated tee boxes have some sort of forced carry. As you move forward and by the time you get to the forward tee box, not only can you not see the flag most of the time, there are a few holes you can’t even see the 150 yard marker due to the hill you have to hit over. I am not sure how you can reverse the tee boxes to where the forward tee boxes are at the highest point and the tips are at the lowest to challenge the better players. The problem I have witnessed is that the majority of the players from the forward tees have the length to get to the 150 yd marker on a par 4, but don’t have the height to make it over the hill. Theoretically these become a par 5 for most of those players. My wife doesn’t complain because that is just the way has been for decades, but I have seen younger women starting out get frustrated and quit after a couple of years. Unfortunately I don’t know if there is a cost effective way to rectify the situation.
MHendon
May 5, 2015 at 11:54 am
Well if you putt a gun to my head and made me pick one over the other I guess it would be a par 5 for the chance at eagle. However I like them all, a par 3 gives you a chance at one swing glory for a hole in one, long par 4’s give me the opportunity to stripe a long iron onto the green, and short par 4’s give you a chance to drive the green. Any one of the above scenarios will have you sticking your chest out a little more than usual. The one hole I don’t like is the supper long par 5 that even with your best drive you still have to lay up.