Poll: Is Hole #7 a Par 3 or Par 4 on the new course?

[Bob Horning]

Hi all, when I built the course I closely followed PDGA guidelines for setting par. Hole #7 on the new course comes close to reaching the suggested distance for a Par 4 but is short by about 40 ft and I have called it a Par 3. Because it is a dogleg uphill shot to the right and then a long throw afterwards through the woods it is a very difficult Par 3 at best, and it has been suggested that a poll be taken amongst the pro players as far as it being a par 3 or 4, and then set it as such.

So, in the pro players opinions, it is a Par 3 or Par 4?

thanks

[JMan]

Not a pro per se but I have been throwing for a few decades; 40 feet or not it plays as a good 4. One to the top, a long approach that leaves you a long, at best, birdie shot, with a par to finish.

[Pizzel]

It seems like a par 4 to me. It could be a tough par 3 with a bit of tree thining.

[Adam Schneider]

Better to call it a Par 4 than take out any trees, I think.

[Darr]

I 3'd it

[sillybizz]

There is nothing wrong with getting an eagle.

[Eric Olson]

I'm nowhere close to being a pro, so I might not qualify to vote in the poll, but I do have an opinion.

Hole 7 looked very intimidating the first couple times I played it. The third time, I realized that all you have to do is get the teeshot up and over the hill to be looking at a straightforward downhill approach to the pin. Once the underbrush is trampled down more I think we are looking at a hole that will generate an average score of below 3.5 in a tournament of open players. So... it's a 3, as PDGA guidelines suggest.

Talking to Bob yesterday, he suggested calling it a gold 3 and blue 4. This actually makes the most sense.

Anyway it's a fantastic hole either way.

[Bob Horning]

I was out today mapping the course, got to hole 12 before it got dark, will finish tomorrow so I can send in for the new signage shortly. Been taking a good hard look at #7, watched a few folks play it, and got a solid measurement today. I had thought it was close to 440 ft, turns out it's 425. That and watching folks play it and seeing folks that are not pros make it as a par 4 has made me decide to go with my origianal thoughts of double paring the hole, listing it as a par 3 gold tee, and a par 4 blue tee. While the poling wanted to have it otherwise, I just did not feel comfortable in saying it's a par 4, for I really believe it would have been a very easy par to achieve. If somewhere down the line after a few tournaments this needs to change it can, though for now I'm going to go with the spirirt of the thoughts and toughness behind what truely makes a gold tee course and separates it from all other types of courses.
Later

[Bob Horning]

Originally Posted by Bob Horning

I was out today mapping the course, got to hole 12 before it got dark, will finish tomorrow so I can send in for the new signage shortly. Been taking a good hard look at #7, watched a few folks play it, and got a solid measurement today. I had thought it was close to 440 ft, turns out it's 425. That and watching folks play it and seeing folks that are not pros make it as a par 4 has made me decide to go with my origianal thoughts of double paring the hole, listing it as a par 3 gold tee, and a par 4 blue tee. While the poling wanted to have it otherwise, I just did not feel comfortable in saying it's a par 4, for I really believe it would have been a very easy par to achieve. If somewhere down the line after a few tournaments this needs to change it can, though for now I'm going to go with the spirirt of the thoughts and toughness behind what truely makes a gold tee course and separates it from all other types of courses.
Later

Also I just wanted to say thanks to those who participated in the pole. Even though I'm going against the numbers, your time is appreciated. And as I mentioned, if it turns out that it should be a par 4 we can always change it.
Thanks

[Eric Olson]

Originally Posted by Bob Horning

I was out today mapping the course, got to hole 12 before it got dark, will finish tomorrow so I can send in for the new signage shortly. Been taking a good hard look at #7, watched a few folks play it, and got a solid measurement today. I had thought it was close to 440 ft, turns out it's 425. That and watching folks play it and seeing folks that are not pros make it as a par 4 has made me decide to go with my origianal thoughts of double paring the hole, listing it as a par 3 gold tee, and a par 4 blue tee. While the poling wanted to have it otherwise, I just did not feel comfortable in saying it's a par 4, for I really believe it would have been a very easy par to achieve. If somewhere down the line after a few tournaments this needs to change it can, though for now I'm going to go with the spirirt of the thoughts and toughness behind what truely makes a gold tee course and separates it from all other types of courses.
Later