OK, I've been without a good course architecture discussion for a while. Lets try and get a collection of the best short par 3s in the world.

My list:

#4 at Hollywood.
#11 at Plainfield.
#10 at Pine Valley

One of my favorites is the 8th hole at TPC Sawgrass. It plays about 245 from the tips to a small tough green surrounded by bunkers.

When did 245 become a short par 3 lol?

haha sorry I skipped that part. The short par 3 at Sugarloaf Mountain is nice. I've never hit the green and it is only about 115 yards. Looks like the bottom picture you posted but a smaller green.

Postage Stamp at Royal Troon

7th @ Pebble

17th at sawgrass comes to mind. Think it plays around 140-something.

16th at TPC scottsdale. I mean it's got a stadium around it and it's built for aces (160ish yards)

12th at Augusta. Pretty much the only hole on tour with no spectators around the green (155 I think)

Good topic! A great short par 3 is so overlooked by architects today.

#12 Shoreacres
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#10 Chicago GC
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#8 Maidstone Club
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#11 Shinnecock Hills
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#16 Wolf Run GC
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I really like...

13 @ Merion East
12 @ Augusta National
14 @ The Honors Course
6 @ National Golf Links
14 @ Crystal Downs

My favorites that I've played that are under 160ish.

#17 at Purgatory
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#17 at Tartan Fields
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#16 at Golden Horseshoe
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11th @ Heaton Park in Manchester, England.

Sorry for the crappy pic.

Let me talk you through it. All those trees/bushes in in mid-picture are in a ravine that runs across the middle of the green. The green is in the far distance. To the right of the green there is a steep bank which, if you hit it in the summer, the ball will run down into the beginnings of the ravine, which also runs around the side of the hole.

This course is a muni!!! Quite a scabby one at times unfortunately. If someone bought it, tidied it up, etc. it would be a spectacular golf course.

This is definitely one of the best, most dangerous par 3's I've played.

#3 at Torrey Pines South is so gorgeous at sunrise.

My favorite that I've played,

4th Hole at National Golf Links
10 at Pine Valley
16th at Cypress
11th at Shinnecock
3rd at Tryall

You mean #15 at Cypress?

Ventana Canyon Mountain Course #3. 107 yds from the tips. Absolutely unforgettable! I would like to hear someone who has played this hole tell me that they've played a more dramatic short par three anywhere else in the world.
Sorry, no pic.

17th at Orange county national panther lake
9th at Yale Country Club
18th at Burning Tree Country Club

#5 @ Deer Valley Golf Course
Plays from 105-125 with a 100ft drop.

#6 at Worthington Manor 190 tips but a beauty!

here are a couple i like

14 at Tobacco Road



17 at Okemo Valley in Ludlow VT

# 3 at Tot Hill Farm
# 6 at Tot Hill Farm
# 13 at Tot Hill Farm

Stranz knew par 3s, that's for sure

Sorry edited to add:

# 15 at Tot Hill Farm

3 at tot Hill


6 at tot hill


13


15

17th at Apple tree

You got it! Absolutely the best and most expensive to build short par 3 on the planet....played it 4 times in a row one round, had place to ourselves, so why not?

Stunning hole....

Hi every one

3rd Hole, PGA NATIONAL at the Belfry

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Here's another I've played, #15 at Chambers Bay

14th at Pine Valley.

10 west Winged Foot

6 at Bandon Dunes

4 Lower at Baltusrol

3 at Pasatiempo


Would link pictures, but not really sure how.

please tell me that the cart in the last picture is not parked on the tee box

#17 at Tetherow (Bend, OR)

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#12 at Shattuck Golf Course (Jaffrey, NH). About 155 yds all carry over water.

Another great hole. I've played this hole about 90-100 times now. Tough hole when it's windy. Easy hole when it's calm. I've donated about 10 balls to Apple Tree's golf ball fund.

+1 for this, the postage stamp and #12 at Augusta National

Click to view attachmentClick to view attachment#9 At Ralston Creek..Daniel Island Club Charleston, SC. Look out if the wind is blowing!!!

not the greatest hole, but for coolness factor: #13 at Pawley's Plantation in MB. hitting off the bridge in the middle of the water to the islandy green. i first played it with my pops when i was about 12, you can imagine how cool that was to me then. so, it has a very special place in my heart. cant find any good pics. boo.

You can stop the debate now. The winner is:

http://www.royalcountydown.org/4th.htm

Another picture here:

http://www.historicgolfphotos.com/The_4th_...-ES18-1008.html

The Fifth at Lighthouse Sound in Ocean City, MD is a great hole. Can hit 8 iron one day, three wood the next if the wind is coming in from the Ocean.

this one isn't famous and i don't have any pix of it, but happens to be at my home course and it drives me crazy!!

oakhurst country club in clayton, ca (sf bay area). 8th hole. it's about 150, sharply downhill over a pond to a small green protected in front by the
ducks, right by heavy rough, and long by a tree and more rough. there's also a bunker to the left of the green. the other problem is the wind--the course
is back in the east bay hills and it gets very windy here, especially in the afternoon when i usually play. this hole almost always plays into the wind
which makes it even tougher to guage the right club and have the guts to hit it. i usually bail left and try to get up and down. if the wind is howling i'll hit
as much as a 6 iron and try to punch it out there. after hitting the shot, i just wait to see if there's a splash--if not then i've accomplished my main goal.

i'll try to remember to post a picture of it next time i play.

213 yards is NOT a short par 3! I'm going to post the 4th at Bethpage if we keep this up...

True, but that is the furthest tee back. Most players play it at 180 or so. Still plenty of trouble to be found!

The 4th at Deal, described here

3, 10 and 14 at Pine Valley (the 5th is the hardest par three I've ever seen anywhere, but is by no stretch of the imagination "short").

16 at Sleepy Hollow.

Cabo Del Sol Ocean Course

Banff Springs

Not shortish in the truest sense but somewhat short enough- 140 to 180 yds or so...
Neither picture really does them credit...

Ty Webb, do you play in the Hewitt by any chance?

The 4th at Deal is indeed a great hole. It can be a wedge- or it can be a 3 iron.

13th at Kings North at Myrtle Beach National, island green with "SC" written in the bunkers on the left of the green... sounds gimmicke, but beautiful whole.

Yep. I hit 9-iron on Tuesday this year and 4-iron on Thursday. Couple of years ago I hit a 3-iron that hit the flag and dropped down about 6" away. Probably the best shot I ever hit.

#12 at The Challenge at Manele on Lanai, hawaii. Bill Gates was married on this green.

As some previous posters mentioned, Ventana Canyon #3 mountain course:Click to view attachment

17 TPC Sawgrass
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