At the heart of all great short par-4s is the interesting choice to be made on the tee. As a rule, if you decide to eschew the challenge and play the ‘easy’ tee shot the pitch will be pretty demanding. It works the other way too.
With that in mind, we asked our Top-100 Courses judging panel to cast their votes on the best short par-4s (measuring 340 metres and less) in Australia and here are the 100 best to be found.
TASMANIA
BARNBOUGLE DUNES
271-metre, 4th hole
A brilliant risk and reward hole (pictured above) dominated by a colossal bunker – one of the largest on the course – lying directly in line with the green on the corner of a slight dogleg and cut out of a high sand dune. Dunes also surround the putting surface, which slopes markedly from right to left. Big hitters, who can clear the aforementioned bunker, will get some assistance from the slope beyond to get their ball close to the flag.
BARNBOUGLE DUNES
321-metre, 15th hole
Laying alongside, but separated by sand dunes from, the Forrester River, the 15th covers remarkable natural terrain. The generously wide fairway features dozens of small bumps and hollows, while the right third of the fairway – offering the most direct route to the green – is a narrow high ledge. The green sits slightly above the fairway with deep bunkers right and a steep drop-off left.
BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM
253-metre, 3rd hole
The second of two short par-4s early in the round, the 3rd is lined by scrub-covered dunes but it is designer Bill Coore’s use of the natural terrain that raises the bar here. The wide fairway rolls over a plateaued dune cutting in from the right of the hole, which brings into play the green and a long bunker for those adventurous types taking aim at the green from the tee.
BARNBOUGLE LOST FARM
263-metre, 14th hole
The highest dune on the course casts a morning shadow over the 14th fairway as it descends towards the beach. As the sun rises, every little nook and cranny of the wide fairway is exposed, as is the full depth and size of the two fairway bunkers at the base of the dune. The deep, narrow green is slightly raised above the fairway and is just metres from the back of the beach.
CAPE WICKHAM LINKS
340-metre, 1st hole
It has been described as one of the most spectacular opening holes in world golf. It is hard to argue the claim. Cape Wickham’s opening gambit looks tougher than it really is … as long as you don’t carve your drive right and over the cliff’s edge. The beautiful bumps and hollows across the wide fairway ensure no two approach shots are the same.
CAPE WICKHAM LINKS
329-metre, 5th hole
With the summer easterlies behind you, this is a driveable two-shotter and the fairway bunkers left of the wide landing area. But, into the wind, a wide range of clubs can be used to get from tee-to-green. Again, the terrain is crumpled in parts and adds to the intrigue of what your second shot will offer.
CAPE WICKHAM LINKS
327-metre, 10th hole
One of the most memorable (in a long list) of Cape Wickham holes where the experience of beautiful surrounds and great golf combine. The fairway, bordered by long fescue left and right, cascades from the tee down to the green on the edge of the Southern Ocean. Hitting the steeper downslope from the tee will leave a short iron or wedge in hand for the approach shot into a green that has two distinct levels.
CAPE WICKHAM LINKS
295-metre, 12th hole
Of the quartet of Cape Wickham short fours featured here, this might be the best of them. The reward for hitting driver and taking aim at the green is huge, but the risks are also high. The slight dogleg left features a fairway that cambers toward the ocean left and the closer you get to the green, the steeper the slope becomes.
KINGSTON BEACH GC
311-metre, 2nd hole
The tee sits high above the fairway and presents a view of the second half of the hole and the winding Browns River as it meets the Derwent River well beyond the green. Heavily wooded scrub lies left of the fairway, while trees line the right of the straight avenue to the green, which is protected by two bunkers short left and right as well as out-of-bounds long.
LAUNCESTON GC
312-metre, 12th hole
A narrow corridor created by tall trees left and right dominates the view from the tee as the hole rolls across uneven ground and a gully before reaching the fairway, which veers slightly right. The closer you get to the green the narrower the landing area as three bunkers encroach diagonally from the left, making you cautiously play away from them. This, however, then forces you to hit over another bunker short right and pull up short of a lake, at the bottom of slope left of the putting surface. Wonderful hole!
OCEAN DUNES
280-metre, 2nd hole
A superb risk-and-reward par-4 from designer Graeme Grant that starts from one of four tees terraced above the edge of the ocean. Called ‘Outcrop’, the first half of the hole is as wide as a football field by the ocean. A massive, wide bunker carved out of a sand dune narrows down the route to the green and also hides the green beyond. Lay-up to the wide fairway and you have a blind second shot, while taking a risk from the tee can leave only a slightly obscured view of the putting surface.
OCEAN DUNES
271-metre, 13th hole
Beyond the digging of bunkers out of the ground, very little earth was moved in the creation of this wonderful short two-shotter. Bunkers on the crest of a hill dominate the playing line towards the green beyond. The second shot here is into an infinity green with the Southern Ocean filling the backdrop.
NEW SOUTH WALES & ACT
BONNIE DOON GC
268-metre, 8th hole
The choice of two paths awaits on this tee with dangerous bunkers splitting the two-levelled fairway. The left side is open and leaves a short, elevated shot up the hill onto the green, while the big hitter might choose to take on the right side of the fairway, hoping to catch the hill, which will feed your ball towards the green and a chance of birdie.
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