(Early) Weekend Chat: What Makes a Great Set of Par 3s?

You’re probably saying to yourself, “Hey, it’s not Friday.”

You are correct. We’re bringing you the Club TFE weekend chat a little early. Our hectic Masters week schedules got the better of us, so we need one more day to put the finishing touches on Andy’s profile of Ohoopee Match Club.

In the meantime, the comment section is below. Get after it.

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Your Friday Thursday question

This week, (most of) the top players on the PGA Tour are at Harbour Town Golf Links for the newly designated RBC Heritage. A Pete Dye design, Harbour Town has an outstanding quartet of par 3s. Here’s what The Fried Egg’s own Matt Rouches has to say about these holes:

The par 3s at Harbour Town Golf Links demand precision and commitment. Despite being similar distances, each one provides its own unique challenge.

Hole 4 at Harbour Town, 194 yards, south

The winding bulkhead edge on No. 4 runs down the centerline and around the back left of the hole, causing uneasiness from the tee. Short is dead and long leaves a daunting bunker shot that slopes back towards the hazard. Distance control is key here to left and center pins.

Hole 7 at Harbour Town, 197 yards, west/southwest

Two gnarly oaks frame the long, narrow seventh green. Simply put, you must hit a quality golf shot here to find the putting surface as the surroundings bunkers create an “island” effect. My favorite of the four.

Hole 14 at Harbour Town, 192 yards, northeast

The toughest of the 3s at Harbor Town is No. 14, which has a tiny green and diagonal water hazard. When bailing out left, you must avoid the hidden pot bunker, but even if you do, you’ll still have a scary chip shot that runs away towards the water.

Hole 17 at Harbour Town, 212 yards, west

Turning the corner from 16 to 17 provides a tremendous reveal of the Calibogue Sound. The green complex here might be the coolest on the course, with tons of internal movement. The wind will have a huge effect for the first time in your round on this exposed hole. One of Pete’s best.

Those are Matt’s thoughts. What, to you, makes a great set of par 3s? What are some of your favorite examples?

To drive to Hilton Head Island, you need to cross the J. Wilton Graves Bridge. That’s your factoid for the day. Thank you for your continued support of The Fried Egg.