Par 3 golf courses are courses where every hole is a par 3, usually from about 50 to 250 yards, played in an hour or two with a handful of clubs. The best you can play in America include Pinehurst’s Cradle ($50), Bandon Preserve and Shorty’s ($60 to $125), The Hay at Pebble Beach ($75 to $80) and Sand Valley’s Sandbox.
Ten years ago, a par-3 course was the scruffy nine-holer behind the driving range, where kids learned and retirees killed an afternoon. Then Pinehurst opened The Cradle in 2017, a nine-hole short course by Gil Hanse with music playing and drinks in hand, and it was busier than some of the resort’s championship courses. Every serious golf resort in America has since built one, or two. Short courses are now the most fun, the most social and often the best-value golf a resort sells, and the old municipal par-3s are having a moment too.
This guide covers the whole “less than 18 holes” world: what par-3, executive, pitch-and-putt and nine-hole courses are, the best short courses you can play and what they cost, and how to get the most out of them, whether you’re a beginner, a parent or a scratch player who just wants a fun hour.
How we built this. Green fees come from each course’s own site where published, checked in October 2026; several resorts show their short-course rates only in booking engines or images, so where a figure comes from a search snippet of the official page, a third-party booking site or press coverage, we say “reported” or note the date. Hole counts, yardages and designers come from the courses’ own pages. The national figures come from the National Golf Foundation. We haven’t played every course here; where a note leans on published data and the design rather than our own round, we say so.
At a glance
- Best short course in America you can play: The Cradle at Pinehurst, nine holes by Gil Hanse, $50 including replays, with up to two children free per paying adult
- Best short course for golf nerds: The Sandbox at Sand Valley, 17 holes by Coore and Crenshaw with versions of the Redan, Biarritz and Alps
- Best view: Bandon Preserve, 13 holes above the Pacific, $60 to $125, with profits going to charity
- Best for a famous hole: The Hay at Pebble Beach, Tiger Woods’s design company’s nine holes, with a replica of Pebble’s 7th
- Best municipal par 3: Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, $45 to $55, or $28 to $31 for city residents
- Best for night golf: The Swing at PGA Frisco, 10 lighted holes with music, from $20 to $40
- How long it takes: usually about an hour for nine short holes; two to three hours for an 18-hole par-3 course
What is a par 3 golf course?
A par 3 golf course is one where every hole is a par 3, a hole a good player expects to reach from the tee in one shot and finish in three. The USGA’s guidelines put men’s par 3s at up to 260 yards and women’s at up to 220, but most par-3 courses play from about 50 to 200 yards.
That makes them very different from a regulation course, which mixes par 3s, 4s and 5s to total par 70 to 72. On a par-3 course you might use a wedge, a couple of irons, maybe a hybrid, and your putter. There’s no need for a driver, no long walks between holes and much less ball-hunting. A nine-hole par-3 course is usually par 27; an 18-hole one, par 54.
The short courses being built at resorts stretch the definition a little. Some, like The Chain at Streamsong, include a few holes long enough to play as par 4s; others, like The Dozen at Arcadia Bluffs, mix par 3s and par 4s on purpose. For simplicity, we cover them all here, because they serve the same purpose: real golf in less time, with less pressure. Our guide to the parts of a golf course explains the basic terms.
Par 3 golf courses at a glance
The best short courses you can play in the US, with their 2026 green fees:
| Course | Location | Holes | Designer (year) | Access | Green fee (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Cradle | Pinehurst, NC | 9 (par 27, 789 yards) | Gil Hanse (2017) | Public and resort guests | $50 including replays; up to two kids 17 and under free per adult |
| Bandon Preserve | Bandon, OR | 13 | Coore and Crenshaw (2012) | Resort guests and day guests | $60 (Jan, Dec) to $125 (Jun-Sep) |
| Shorty’s | Bandon, OR | 19 par 3s | Rod Whitman, Dave Axland, Keith Cutten (2024) | Resort guests and day guests | $60 to $125 |
| The Sandbox | Nekoosa, WI | 17 | Coore and Crenshaw (2018) | Public and resort guests | About $30 to $65 (reported, 2025) |
| The Hay | Pebble Beach, CA | 9 (47 to 106 yards) | TGR Design (2021) | Public and resort guests | $75 Mon-Thu, $80 Fri-Sun; 12 and under free |
| Top of the Rock | Hollister, MO | 9 par 3s | Jack Nicklaus | Public and Big Cedar guests | Peak $150 public, $135 guests; shoulder $130 / $115 |
| Mountain Top | Hollister, MO | 13 par 3s | Gary Player with Johnny Morris (2017) | Public and Big Cedar guests | Peak $120 public, $100 guests; shoulder $80 / $70 |
| The Chain | Streamsong, FL | 19 holes, 50 to 293 yards | Coore and Crenshaw | Resort and day guests | $65-$85 in late September; $95-$115 from October 1 to December 14 |
| QuickSands | Brewster, WA | 14 par 3s | David McLay Kidd | Gamble Sands guests and public | $75 April to October, pull cart included |
| The Swing | Frisco, TX | 10 par 3s, lighted | Gil Hanse and Beau Welling | Public and hotel guests | $40 public, $30 hotel guests, $20 Frisco residents and juniors (reported) |
| The Wedge | Brooksville, FL | 11 par 3s | Mike Nuzzo (2025) | Cabot Citrus Farms guests and day guests | $50-$60 (Sun-Thu, winter) |
| Golden Gate Park | San Francisco, CA | 9 | Jack Fleming | Public (city course) | $45 weekdays, $55 Fri-Sun; residents $28 / $31 |
Fees from each course’s official site, October 2026, except The Sandbox and The Swing, which are reported. “Day guests” are golfers not staying at the resort.
Par-3, executive, pitch-and-putt or nine-hole: what’s the difference?
A par-3 course has only par 3s. A pitch-and-putt is a very short par-3 course, often under 100 yards a hole. An executive course mixes par 3s with some par 4s, usually totalling par 60 to 66 for 18 holes. A nine-hole course has full-length holes, just half as many.
| Type | What it is | Typical length | Clubs you need | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pitch-and-putt | Tiny par 3s, often under 100 yards | 9 holes of 40-100 yards | Wedge and putter | Butler Park Pitch and Putt, Austin |
| Par-3 course | Every hole a par 3 | 50-250 yards a hole | Wedges, irons, putter | Golden Gate Park, San Francisco |
| Resort short course | Designed short course, often with music and drinks | 9-19 holes, mostly under 150 yards | Wedges and short irons | The Cradle, Pinehurst |
| Executive course | Mostly par 3s with some par 4s | Par 60-66 for 18 holes | A half set | The Dozen, Arcadia Bluffs (par 3s and 4s) |
| Nine-hole course | Regulation holes, nine of them | 2,500-3,500 yards | Full set | Sweetens Cove, Tennessee |
There’s no official definition of an executive course; par 60 to 66 is the usual range.
The practical difference is time and clubs. A pitch-and-putt takes under an hour with two clubs. A par-3 course takes an hour or two with half a set. An executive course takes two to three hours and needs most of a bag. A nine-hole course is simply half a round, about two hours, with everything. Our guide to executive golf courses goes into the definitions in more detail.
Why are short golf courses booming?
Because they solve golf’s biggest problems: time, cost and difficulty. A short course takes an hour, costs less, and works for beginners, kids and good players together. Resorts discovered after The Cradle opened in 2017 that guests love them, and short courses are now among the most common new builds.
The numbers back that up. National Golf Foundation figures, as reported in 2022, counted about 1,538 par-3 and executive facilities in the US, roughly one in ten golf facilities, with executive courses outnumbering par-3s by about three to two; about 700 courses were par-3-only, and about 80% of those had nine holes. More than a quarter of all American golf facilities have just nine holes. The NGF has also noted that par-3s make up a bigger share of new openings than of existing supply. GOLF magazine’s list of the best par-3 courses in the world made the same point: more than a third of the courses on it had opened in the previous five years.
There are good reasons. A short course fits on 10 to 30 acres instead of 150, so it’s cheap to build and maintain; The Baths at Kohler occupies 27 acres. It turns a two-round golf trip into a three-round one without wrecking anyone’s legs. It’s where non-golfing spouses and children actually enjoy themselves. And for a good player, a short course is pure fun: no lost balls, no slow par 5s, just shot after shot at a flag. Many resorts lean into the atmosphere, with music, drinks, and dress codes relaxed enough that you’ll see bare feet at The Cradle.
The best resort short courses in America
These are the short courses that started the boom, and the ones worth building a day around. Our guide to the best resort short courses ranks them, and we have a separate list of the best par-3 courses in America.
The Cradle
Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, NC · public and resort guests; walk-ons welcome year-round · Gil Hanse (2017) · 9 holes, par 27, 789 yards · $50 including replays; up to two children 17 and under free per paying adult (Pinehurst’s site, year not shown) · music on the course
The Cradle is the short course that changed resort golf. Gil Hanse built it right beside Pinehurst’s clubhouse: nine holes, 789 yards in all, with big, wild greens, sandy waste areas and music playing. It takes about an hour, it’s the most fun $50 in North Carolina, and the replays are included, so many people go round twice. Our guide to The Cradle at Pinehurst covers how to get on, our guide to Pinehurst golf courses covers the rest of the resort, and our North Carolina guide covers the state.
Verdict: if you’re anywhere near Pinehurst, play it at sunset. Take the kids.
Bandon Preserve and Shorty’s
Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, OR · resort guests and day guests · Bandon Preserve: Coore and Crenshaw (2012), 13 holes · Shorty’s: Rod Whitman, Dave Axland and Keith Cutten (2024), 19 par 3s from 51 to 152 yards (reported) · each $60 (January and December) to $125 (June to September) · walking only; profits go to the resort’s charitable foundation
Bandon Preserve is 13 short holes on a dune above the Pacific, with big ocean views, and it’s as beautiful as anything at Bandon. Coore and Crenshaw kept it simple: big greens, natural bunkers and the wind deciding which club you hit. Shorty’s, which opened in 2024, is 19 par 3s by Rod Whitman, Dave Axland and Keith Cutten. Both send their profits to charity. We compare them in detail in Bandon Preserve and Shorty’s compared, and we have the Bandon Dunes courses ranked separately.
Verdict: the Preserve is the best short course in the West. At $125 in summer it isn’t cheap, but you’re on one of the best pieces of golf ground in America for the price of a dinner.
The Sandbox
Sand Valley, Nekoosa, WI · public and resort guests; golf-only tee times available · Coore and Crenshaw (2018) · 17 holes, about 40 to 140 yards · reported at about $30 to $65 (2025) · walking only
The Sandbox is the short course for golfers who love architecture. Coore and Crenshaw built 17 holes on Sand Valley’s sand, including versions of famous template holes: a Redan, a par 3 whose green falls away behind a deep bunker; a Biarritz, with a deep swale through the green; and an Alps, played over a hill to a hidden green. GOLF named it the second-best public par-3 course in America in 2018. The resort added a second short course, the 12-hole Commons, in 2026 (reported). Our Wisconsin course guide covers the rest of Sand Valley.
Verdict: the best-value round at Sand Valley, and the best short course in the Midwest.
The Hay
Pebble Beach Resorts, Pebble Beach, CA · public and resort guests · TGR Design, Tiger Woods’s company (2021), rebuilding the old Peter Hay course · 9 holes, 47 to 106 yards · $75 Monday to Thursday, $80 Friday to Sunday; 12 and under free; replays 50% off · includes a replica of Pebble Beach’s 7th hole; free putting course alongside
The Hay is Tiger Woods’s design company’s reworking of the old Peter Hay par-3 course next to the Pebble Beach Lodge, and its nine holes include a replica of Pebble’s own 7th, the famous 106-yard par 3 on the point above Carmel Bay. Kids 12 and under play free, there’s a big putting course next door, and at $75 to $80 it’s the cheapest way to play golf at Pebble Beach by about $600.
Verdict: a must if you’re at Pebble Beach, especially with children. Play the 7th replica, then walk over and look at the real one.
Top of the Rock and Mountain Top
Big Cedar Lodge, Hollister, MO (near Branson) · public and resort guests · Top of the Rock: Jack Nicklaus, 9 par 3s with an island-green 6th; peak (April 13 to October 25) $150 public and $135 guests, shoulder $130 and $115; carts provided · Mountain Top: Gary Player with Johnny Morris (2017), 13 par 3s; peak $120 public and $100 guests, shoulder $80 and $70; walking only (official)
Big Cedar Lodge, the Ozarks resort built by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, has two of the best-known short courses in the country. Top of the Rock is a Jack Nicklaus par-3 course on a ridge above Table Rock Lake, with an island green and long views. Mountain Top, by Gary Player, is 13 walking-only par 3s through the hills. They’re expensive for short courses, but they’re spectacular, and Big Cedar’s full-size courses, including Coore and Crenshaw’s Ozarks National, are minutes away.
Verdict: Mountain Top is the better value and the better walk; Top of the Rock is the better view.
The Chain at Streamsong
Streamsong Resort, Streamsong, FL · resort guests and day guests · Coore and Crenshaw · 19 holes from 50 to 293 yards, played as 6- or 13-hole loops · $65 for guests and $85 for day guests in late September; $95 and $115 from October 1 to December 14, 2026 (official) · walking only; a separate 6-hole loop, the Link, is free to resort guests
The Chain is Streamsong’s short course, 19 holes on the reclaimed phosphate-mine dunes that give the resort its look. Some holes are long enough to play as short par 4s, which makes it closer to an executive course than a pure par-3. Its putting course, the Gauntlet, is a separate attraction. Our guide to Florida’s best courses covers Streamsong’s three main courses.
Verdict: worth a late-afternoon loop on a Streamsong trip. In late September, at $65 for guests, it’s a bargain.
QuickSands at Gamble Sands
Gamble Sands, Brewster, WA · Gamble Sands guests and the public · David McLay Kidd · 14 par 3s from 60 to 180 yards, with holes named Plinko, Crater and Donut · $75 April to October, pull cart included (official) · walking only
QuickSands is pure fun: 14 short holes by David McLay Kidd on the sandy bluffs above the Columbia River, with greens shaped like bowls, funnels and craters that send balls in every direction. It’s the perfect evening round after a day on Gamble Sands’ main course.
Verdict: the most playful short course in the West. Don’t keep score.
The Swing at PGA Frisco
Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Frisco, TX · public and hotel guests · Gil Hanse and Beau Welling · 10 par 3s, 45 to 100 yards · $40 for the public, $30 for hotel guests, $20 for Frisco residents and juniors 16 and under; 12 and under free (reported; 2026 rates not confirmed) · stadium lights, music and a roving bar cart
The Swing is built for the evening: 10 tiny holes under stadium lights at the PGA of America’s headquarters campus north of Dallas, with music and a drinks cart. It’s the closest thing to a nightclub on grass in American golf, and at $20 to $40, the best value at a resort where the championship courses cost far more. Our guide to Texas’s best courses covers PGA Frisco’s two big courses.
Verdict: go after dark with friends. Golf as entertainment, done well.
The Wedge and the Squeeze at Cabot Citrus Farms
Cabot Citrus Farms, Brooksville, FL · resort guests and day guests · Mike Nuzzo (opened January 2025) · The Wedge: 11 par 3s, about 1,000 yards; The Squeeze: 10 holes, par 38 · The Wedge $50 to $60, The Squeeze $85 to $95 (Sunday to Thursday, winter rates, official) · no carts on the Wedge
Cabot, the Canadian company behind Cabot Cape Breton, rebuilt the old World Woods resort north of Tampa as Cabot Citrus Farms and added two short courses by Mike Nuzzo in 2025: the Wedge, 11 par 3s, and the Squeeze, a longer 10-hole loop with some par 4s.
Verdict: two short courses at one resort, and the Squeeze is a good choice for players who want something between a par-3 course and a full round.
The Baths and Threetops
The Baths: Blackwolf Run, Kohler, WI · Chris Lutzke with Herb Kohler · 10 par 3s from 60 to 160 yards on 27 acres, with four water features and a two-acre putting course · fee not published (booking engine) · Threetops: Treetops Resort, Gaylord, MI · Rick Smith (1992) · 9 par 3s, par 27, 86 to 219 yards (about 1,435 yards in all, reported) · fee not published
Two Midwest resorts have short courses with history and character. The Baths at Kohler, designed by Chris Lutzke with Herb Kohler, is named for the four water hazards, or “baths”, that play through it, a fitting name at a plumbing company’s resort. Threetops at Treetops in northern Michigan is one of the original resort par-3 courses, a hilly nine that hosted ESPN’s televised Par-3 Shootout for years. Our guide to Michigan’s best courses covers Treetops.
Verdict: both are worth an afternoon if you’re already at the resort. Neither publishes its rate online, so ask when you book.
The best public and municipal par-3 courses
You don’t need a resort to play a great short course. Some of the best par-3 golf courses in America are owned by cities and towns, and they cost a fraction of the resort versions.
Golden Gate Park Golf Course
San Francisco, CA · public (city course); book 8 to 30 days ahead · Jack Fleming · 9 holes, from under 100 to about 200 yards · $45 on weekdays and $55 Friday to Sunday; San Francisco resident card $28 and $31; resident seniors $23; under 17 $16 and $19 (official) · pull carts $12
Golden Gate Park’s nine-hole course sits among the cypress trees at the park’s western end, a few hundred yards from the Pacific, and it’s been a San Francisco institution for decades. The holes are short but tight, with small greens, and the cool, damp air makes every one play longer than its yardage. GOLF included it in its 2018 list of the best public par-3 courses in America.
Verdict: the best $28 round in California if you live in the city, and a lovely hour for anyone.
The same city’s Lincoln Park, a short 18 of 5,149 yards with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, is the classic “executive” alternative, at $49 to $55 for residents and $63 to $70 for visitors.
Palm Beach Par 3
Palm Beach, FL · public (owned by the Town of Palm Beach), with resident and public rates · Dick Wilson and Joe Lee (1961); Raymond Floyd redesign (2009) · 18 par 3s from 81 to 211 yards; 1,602 to 2,572 yards depending on tees · rates not published as text on the town course’s site (cart $23)
Palm Beach Par 3 runs between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway, with several holes right on the ocean, and it’s one of the prettiest short courses in America. It was built by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee, the architects of Doral, and rebuilt by Raymond Floyd in 2009. At up to 2,572 yards from the back, its 18 holes are a proper test of iron play.
Verdict: the best 18-hole par-3 course on the East Coast. Call for the current rate before you go.
The Short Course at Mountain Shadows
Paradise Valley, AZ (Scottsdale area) · resort course with public tee times · Arthur Jack Snyder (1961); Forrest Richardson redesign · 18 par 3s from 75 to 200 yards; 2,310, 2,065 or 1,735 yards · reported at $45.99 to $63.99 on a booking site in September 2026
Mountain Shadows’ 18-hole par-3 course sits under Camelback Mountain, and it’s one of the best short courses in the desert: well conditioned, cheap by Scottsdale standards and finished in two hours.
Verdict: the best-value golf in Scottsdale for a mid-handicapper who wants to work on iron play.
Elsewhere: The Links at Terranea in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, a nine-hole par-3 course by Todd Eckenrode on the cliffs above the Pacific (1,239 yards, reported), topped GOLF’s 2018 list of the best public par-3 courses; it was reported at about $85. Cloud 9 at Angel Park in Las Vegas is 12 par 3s modelled on famous holes, nine of them lighted for night golf. And the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama has full 18-hole par-3 courses at Grand National, Hampton Cove and Magnolia Grove; see our guide to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. For city-owned courses of every length, see the best municipal golf courses in America.
The short-course boom in the Midwest
Nowhere has embraced short courses faster than Michigan and Wisconsin, where the season is short and resorts want every guest playing as much as possible. In 2025 and 2026 alone:
- Arcadia Bluffs (Michigan) opened The Dozen, 12 holes in two six-hole loops of par 3s and par 4s, 3,063 yards in all.
- Harbor Shores (Michigan) opened the Wee Course, nine holes of 20 to 80 yards designed by Colin Montgomerie for young players, with launch prices of $30 for nine holes and $40 for 18, and under-12s free with an adult (reported).
- The Highlands at Harbor Springs (Michigan) opened Doon Brae, a walking-only short course at $35 to $60.
- Sand Valley (Wisconsin) added the 12-hole Commons beside The Sandbox.
- Grand Geneva (Wisconsin) added the 11-hole Wee Nip.
They join older favourites: the Bootlegger at Forest Dunes ($55, walking only), The Woods at Wild Rock in the Wisconsin Dells ($29 to $35), 12North at Trappers Turn, and the six-hole par-3 course at Peninsula State Park in Door County, which costs $10.
The best nine-hole golf courses
Nine-hole courses with full-length holes are a different animal from par-3s, but they share the same appeal: real golf in half the time. America’s most famous is Sweetens Cove in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, a nine-hole course by the design firm King Collins that opened in the mid-2010s and became a cult favourite; it sells “Reserve Passes” each autumn, and a day pass was reported at $110 on weekdays and $125 Thursday to Sunday in 2024. In Florida, the Winter Park 9, a city-owned nine restored by Keith Rhebb and Riley Johns in 2016, costs residents $20 to $26. And on Mackinac Island, Wawashkamo, a nine-hole course founded in 1898, costs $50 walking in spring and autumn. Our guide to the best 9-hole golf courses lists more.
How much does it cost to play a par-3 course?
Usually $10 to $60. Municipal par-3s cost $10 to $55, often less for residents; Golden Gate Park is $28 for San Franciscans. Resort short courses run from $40 to $150: The Cradle is $50, The Hay $75 to $80, Bandon Preserve $60 to $125 and Top of the Rock up to $150.
| Price band | Short courses (2026) |
|---|---|
| Under $30 | Peninsula State Park par 3 ($10); Golden Gate Park for SF residents ($28-$31); The Woods at Wild Rock ($29-$35); The Swing for Frisco residents and juniors ($20) |
| $30-$60 | The Cradle ($50); Golden Gate Park ($45-$55); The Swing ($30-$40); the Bootlegger ($55); Doon Brae ($35-$60); the Back Yard at Oxmoor Valley (from $35); The Wedge ($50-$60); Mountain Shadows (about $46-$64, reported) |
| $60-$100 | The Hay ($75-$80); QuickSands ($75); The Chain ($65-$115); Mountain Top ($70-$120); The Sandbox (about $30-$65, reported); The Squeeze ($85-$95) |
| Over $100 | Bandon Preserve and Shorty’s ($60-$125); Top of the Rock ($115-$150); Sweetens Cove day pass ($110-$125, reported 2024) |
Fees from each course’s site, October 2026, except where marked “reported”.
Look out for three money-savers. Replays: The Cradle includes them and The Hay charges half price. Kids: The Cradle lets up to two children 17 and under play free per paying adult, The Hay lets 12 and under play free, and The Swing and the Wee Course do the same for young children. And time of day: twilight and late-season rates at resorts can halve the price. Our guide to how much a round of golf costs puts these numbers in context.
How long does it take to play a par-3 course?
Most nine-hole par-3 courses take about an hour, and resort short courses like The Cradle or The Hay about an hour as well. An 18-hole par-3 course such as Palm Beach Par 3 or Mountain Shadows takes about two to two and a half hours, roughly half a regulation round.
That’s the whole appeal. A regulation 18 takes four hours or more on a busy day; our guide to how long it takes to play 18 holes explains why. On a short course, the walk between holes is a few steps, everyone in your group hits from the same tee, and there’s no searching for drives in the trees. The main thing that slows short courses down is a crowded tee sheet at sunset, when everyone wants the same slot. Book the first time of the evening, or play early.
Are par-3 courses good for beginners?
Yes. They’re the best place to start: the holes are short enough to reach with an iron, the rounds are quick, the pressure is low, and many short courses welcome kids and casual dress. Learn the basics at a par-3 course before you book a full 18 at a busy course.
- Bring the right clubs. A pitching wedge, a sand wedge, a 7- or 8-iron, a hybrid if you have one, and a putter are plenty.
- Pick a quiet time. Weekday mornings and early afternoons are usually empty; sunset is the busiest time at resort short courses.
- Learn the etiquette as you go. Repair your pitch marks, rake bunkers and keep up with the group in front. Our guide to golf etiquette covers the basics.
- Don’t keep score at first. Count putts or just enjoy it. Many resort short courses encourage exactly that.
- Use the putting course. Many short courses have one next door, often free, and it’s the fastest way to improve.
- Play with kids. The Cradle, The Hay, The Swing and the Wee Course let young children play free with an adult.
- Move up when you’re ready. When you’re regularly finishing holes without frustration, try a nine-hole or executive course before a full 18.
Night golf and lighted short courses
A few short courses stay open after dark under lights, and they’re some of the most fun golf you can play. The Swing at PGA Frisco has stadium lights on all 10 holes, Cloud 9 at Angel Park in Las Vegas lights nine of its 12, and the Drumlin putting course at Erin Hills in Wisconsin is lit from 11 am to 11 pm. Our guide to night golf lists more lighted courses, and if you’re weighing up Topgolf versus a real golf course for a group night out, we have a guide to that too.
How to choose a par-3 course
- For the best short course in America: The Cradle at Pinehurst.
- For architecture: The Sandbox at Sand Valley.
- For scenery: Bandon Preserve, The Links at Terranea or Palm Beach Par 3.
- For families: The Hay at Pebble Beach or The Cradle, where children play free.
- For a night out: The Swing at PGA Frisco.
- For value: Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, Peninsula State Park in Door County, or your local municipal par 3.
- For a proper test of iron play: Palm Beach Par 3 or the Short Course at Mountain Shadows, both 18 holes.
If you’re planning a trip around one of these resorts, our guides to Pinehurst and North Carolina, Sand Valley and Wisconsin and the golf course architects behind them cover the full-size courses too.
Frequently asked questions
What is a par 3 golf course?
A golf course where every hole is a par 3, meant to be reached from the tee in one shot and finished in three. Holes usually run from about 50 to 200 yards, a nine-hole par-3 course is par 27 and an 18-hole one par 54, and you need only a few clubs.
What is the best par 3 course in America?
The Cradle at Pinehurst, Gil Hanse’s nine-hole course from 2017, is the most famous and, for many golfers, the best. Bandon Preserve in Oregon, The Sandbox at Sand Valley in Wisconsin and The Hay at Pebble Beach are close behind, and GOLF’s 2018 list ranked The Links at Terranea first among public par-3 courses.
How much does it cost to play The Cradle at Pinehurst?
$50, according to Pinehurst’s site, and the price includes replays, so you can go round as often as time allows. Up to two children 17 and under play free with each paying adult, and walk-ons are welcome year-round.
What is the difference between a par 3 course and an executive course?
A par-3 course has only par 3s. An executive course mixes par 3s with some par 4s, and sometimes a par 5, usually totalling par 60 to 66 for 18 holes. Executive courses take longer and need more clubs, but they’re still much quicker than a regulation round.
How long does it take to play a par 3 course?
About an hour for nine holes and two to two and a half hours for 18, depending on how busy it is. Resort short courses like The Cradle and The Hay take about an hour; sunset is the busiest and slowest time.
Are par 3 courses good for beginners?
Yes. They’re the best place to learn: short holes you can reach with an iron, quick rounds, low pressure and a welcoming atmosphere. Many resort short courses also let children play free with an adult, which makes them perfect for families.
Can you play The Hay at Pebble Beach without staying at the resort?
Yes. The Hay is open to the public and to resort guests, at $75 Monday to Thursday and $80 Friday to Sunday, with children 12 and under free and replays at 50% off. It includes a replica of Pebble Beach’s famous 7th hole.
What clubs do you need for a par 3 course?
A wedge or two, a couple of mid or short irons, a hybrid for the longer holes and a putter. On a pitch-and-putt, a wedge and a putter are often enough. You won’t need a driver.
Our verdict
Par 3 golf courses are the best thing to happen to American golf in a generation. They’re quicker, cheaper and friendlier than regulation golf, and the best of them, The Cradle, Bandon Preserve, The Sandbox and The Hay, are as well designed as any championship course. They’re where kids fall in love with the game and where good players rediscover why they did.
If you’re near one of the great resort short courses, play it at sunset with friends. If you’re a beginner, start at your local municipal par 3 and work up. And if you’re planning a golf trip, budget an hour for the short course every evening. It may turn out to be the round you remember most.
Sources
- The best par-3 golf courses in America, GOLF, December 27, 2018
- The 25 best par-3 courses in the world, GOLF
- National Golf Foundation, golf facility research
- The Cradle short course, Pinehurst Resort
- Bandon Preserve, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
- Shorty’s, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
- The Sandbox, Sand Valley
- The Hay, Pebble Beach Resorts
- Top of the Rock, Big Cedar Lodge
- Mountain Top, Big Cedar Lodge
- Threetops, Treetops Resort
- The Baths, Destination Kohler
- QuickSands, Gamble Sands
- The Chain, Streamsong Resort
- Golf rates, Cabot Citrus Farms
- Rates, Golden Gate Park Golf Course
- Course details, Palm Beach Par 3
- Golf, Mountain Shadows
- The course, Terranea Resort
- Cloud 9 course, Angel Park Golf Club
- Kettle Loop, Erin Hills
- The Dozen at Arcadia Bluffs, Arcadia Bluffs
- Harbor Shores opens Wee Course designed by Colin Montgomerie, DBusiness
- Sweetens Cove Golf Club
- City of Winter Park golf, City of Winter Park
- Lincoln Park Golf Course rates, Lincoln Park Golf Course
Image credits
| Image | Photographer | Licence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butler Park Pitch and Putt, Austin (featured image) | Larry D. Moore | CC BY 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| Peter Hay short course, Pebble Beach | Fred Hsu | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| Lincoln Park Golf Course, San Francisco | David Ohmer from Cincinnati, USA | CC BY 2.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| Pebble Beach 7th hole, historic print | Library of Congress | public domain | Wikimedia Commons |
| Streamsong Black, 5th hole | Baybay1901 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| Bandon Dunes Golf Resort | Visitor7 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Wikimedia Commons |