By Jaime Diaz
PINEHURST, N.C. — Is it possible that in the big picture—or at least in a present that needs adjustments—golf is better smaller? That was the feeling I got earlier this week at The Cradle, the newly opened nine-hole par-3 course at Pinehurst Resort, which, along with an adjacent and also new 75,000-square-foot practice putting green, comprises a kind of small-ball paradise.

The overall staging of The Cradle—so named because it sits on the site of the golf mecca’s original (1898) course—is pretty perfect. Its gently rolling 10 acres, designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner to replicate the sandy, love-grass-accented look of the famed No. 2 course, complete with dramatically undulating greens, is set directly outside the main clubhouse and veranda. With the holes averaging 87 yards (the longest is 127 yards and the shortest 58), most golfers will only need a few clubs in a carry bag.

Not only are the shots short, so is the time required to play them, usually less than an hour for a foursome. The all-day rate of $50 is also proportionately modest. In this era of power and par 5s nearly as long as The Cradle’s 789 yards, small can be beautiful.

Of course, championship golf has to be big—in its footprint and in providing holes muscular enough to sufficiently challenge the players who hit the ball so much longer than ever.

But even at the top levels of the game, there are signs of a new appreciation for the more artful strokes. Jordan Spieth has shown how superior wedge play can overcome bigger hitters, while the improvement of PGA Tour Player of the Year Justin Thomas and current World No. 1 Dustin Johnson can in large measure be attributed to their focusing on their proficiency near and on the green. There’s no denying that the little shots count the same as the big ones, and on firm and fast major championship setups, sometimes more.

With so many regulation 18-hole courses struggling to connect with a customer base in economic and cultural flux, par 3s means faster, cheaper and friendlier.

Accordingly, the short par 3 has been getting more attention. As it always is when the Open Championship is at Royal Troon, the 123-yard “Postage Stamp” was a star in 2016 for its genius setting and design. And at the recent Walker Cup, the 15th hole at Los Angeles C.C. North was daringly shortened to 78 yards and drew praise for its shot making challenge.

Why are these holes almost as much fun to spectate as they are to play? Because there is a purity of technique, athleticism and skill over a short distance that touring pros exhibit with the wedges. For all the talk of power, the game is still foremost about ball control. That’s never more evident than with the precision required with the most lofted irons. The crispness of the sound, the flushness of contact, the fizzing of the flight, the penetrating (not ballooning) trajectory (what Paul Azinger, one of the best wedge players ever, calls “integrity”), makes up a medley that, to me, defines a pro’s gift better than any other part of the game. In Azinger’s case, it was the foundational skill, as his instructor, the late John Redman, believed a golfer who could execute a proper pitch shot by definition possessed the essentials of a sound swing.

David Cannon/R&A
On Saturday at the Walker Cup, LA North’s par-3 15th played a mere 78 yards, but remained a challenge.

You could make the argument that playing short par 3s builds more competency for the recreational golfer trying to improve than blasting away with the longer clubs. All the more because pitch-and-putts give him or her a better opportunity to go out and play. With so many regulation 18-hole courses struggling to connect with a customer base in economic and cultural flux, par 3s means faster, cheaper and friendlier.

Even at prestigious private clubs, a par 3 is often the most popular course with the members. The par 3 at Augusta National, built in 1958, has always been a big hit, and in the last 20 years more clubs like the Olympic Club, Hamilton Farms, Sand Valley and Colorado Golf Club have added well-designed and maintained par 3s.

RELATED: The clash between modern tour pros and modern course architects

The Cradle follows a trend of alternative course openings in 2017, with the new Jordan Spieth-backed six-hole course at the University of Texas, Tom Doak’s 12-hole par 3 at Ballyneal, and Dan Hixson nine-hole pitch-and-putt at Silvies Valley Ranch.

You may note a bias toward par 3s in my commentary. Like a lot of guys my age, my first rounds were on scruffy short courses, in my case the Fleming Nine at Harding Park and Golden Gate G.C., both in San Francisco, both enduring jewels from the city’s golfing heyday.

I’ve also seen a big appetite for pitch-and-putts overseas. They can be found in a bunch of little towns in Ireland, usually teeming with an informally dressed crowd whose members tend to nonchalantly pull off very useful bump and runs. And when the Open was held at Muirfield in 2013, the so-called children’s course next to the west course at North Berwick was a big hit with visiting American pros and their families.

Courtesy of Pinehurst Resort
The Cradle’s nine holes average 87 yards with the longest hole playing 127 yards.

Accordingly, the short par 3 has been getting more attention. As it always is when the Open Championship is at Royal Troon, the 123-yard “Postage Stamp” was a star in 2016 for its genius setting and design. And at the recent Walker Cup, the 15th hole at Los Angeles C.C. North was daringly shortened to 78 yards and drew praise for its shot making challenge.

Why are these holes almost as much fun to spectate as they are to play? Because there is a purity of technique, athleticism and skill over a short distance that touring pros exhibit with the wedges. For all the talk of power, the game is still foremost about ball control. That’s never more evident than with the precision required with the most lofted irons. The crispness of the sound, the flushness of contact, the fizzing of the flight, the penetrating (not ballooning) trajectory (what Paul Azinger, one of the best wedge players ever, calls “integrity”), makes up a medley that, to me, defines a pro’s gift better than any other part of the game. In Azinger’s case, it was the foundational skill, as his instructor, the late John Redman, believed a golfer who could execute a proper pitch shot by definition possessed the essentials of a sound swing.

To me, a good par-3 course works on many levels besides just the price and the pace. A little funkiness in design and even conditioning is a plus, as the capriciousness invites improvisation. The mood should be informal and promote a hint of relaxed raucousness.

Sure, the American hunger for optimization has started a trend toward par 3s for the golfer who has everything. Such courses can be pricey, too penal to avoid slow play, and over spectacular topography that isn’t ideal for walking. There have been a few such creations.

But done right, a high end par 3 can become destination golf. And several at major resorts have pulled off that “you’ve got to play the par 3” allure. The 13-hole Preserve at Bandon Dunes by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw is thrilling. So is the short course at the Colorado G.C. by the same team.

The Cradle has immediately joined this club, and may even jump to head of the class. Hanse and Wagner have found a delicate balance between playability for the beginner to average golfer, with difficulty that will challenge and delight the better player. There are no water hazards or unplayable areas, and on most holes the tee shot can be bounced in. But getting the ball close means landing the ball precisely and with some spin, and getting up and down from off the green requires a bit of delicacy. Junior golfers who go round and round The Cradle (it’s free for kids 17 or under when accompanied by an adult) will develop a nuanced feel for the scoring part of the game. As for the kind of single-digit sticks that flock to Pinehurst, teams of them will fill the course in the shadowy early evening, perhaps a cocktail in hand, but also fueled by an obsession to conquer a first-class golfing challenge.

“I was trying to find the fun,” said Hanse, who shaped both The Cradle and the new putting green, named Thistle Dhu and inspired by the humpy undulations of the vast Himalayas putting course at St. Andrews, which it exceeds in size but not in cost [it’s free]. “All of it is right out the front door, so it sets a tone of the game truly being enjoyed. I want to hear some yell, for great shots, crazy bounces, holes in one. I want people sitting outside the clubhouse to kind of bask in this great scene. I hope it just reinforces that true golf spirit that is such a part of Pinehurst.”

And which beautifully small courses like The Cradle will spread.

The post The long view on golf’s new fascination with short courses appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Huggan
ABERDEEN, Scotland — Ask your average golfer to name his or her favorite holes—whether par 3s, 4s or 5s—and the responses invariably include the word “short.” Hardly anyone loves long holes. Short is where it’s at for most players. Think of the diminutive but deadly Postage Stamp at Royal Troon. Or the drivable 10th at Riviera. Or the 13th at Augusta National, the ultimate “risk and reward” par 5 because of its slightness. All are prime examples of holes beloved by all—and all are a long way from long. Indeed, the Postage Stamp is so short Dustin Johnson might just about be able to reach it in zero.

Multiplying that widely held preference for brevity by nine, former Open champion Paul Lawrie this week hosted the Scottish Par-3 Championship at his eponymous golf center on the outskirts of his home city in the northeast of Scotland. Over two days, four rounds and 36 holes, an eclectic mix of amateurs and professionals teed-up with EuroPro Tour (Europe’s third division) player Louis Gaughan picking up his first win as a professional. A birdie at the first extra hole saw the 23-year-old Scot edge out former European Tour winner Alastair Forsyth after the pair tied on four-under-par 104. Vaughan earned £3,250 for his trouble.

The 108-strong field contained two major champions, two Ryder Cuppers and cardholders from the European Tour, the Challenge Tour, the EuroPro Tour, the German Pro Golf Tour, the Alps Tour, the Ladies European Tour, the Tartan Tour and the European Senior Tour, as well as a member of the Scottish Ladies amateur team. Connor Syme, a recent quarterfinalist at the U.S. Amateur and a member of the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup side that next month will take on the United States at the Los Angeles Country Club, was also in attendance.

And here’s the thing: A good time was had by all. In a world where “takes too long and costs too much,” is golf’s most common complaint, many rounds were completed in less than three hours at a facility where an adult membership costs £300 per year (less than $400). Even more farsightedly, juniors yet to reach their teenage years can play for 12 months for one tenth of that amount.

“We were members here when my two sons were small,” said Lawrie, who purchased the picturesque 1,352-yard course that sits hard by the River Dee in 2012. “We came a lot to play a few holes and hit balls. It was ideal for them. They learned how to play on a proper layout that wasn’t too long for them. This is not a pitch-and-putt course though. You could put any of these holes on an 18-holer. Nothing is compromised. The bunkers are just as you would see anywhere and the holes ask for a nice variety of shots with anything from a 5-iron down.

“The great thing is that families can come here and enjoy themselves. Most people get around in 90 minutes or so. That’s perfect for kids. They have a good time and don’t get bored by being out there too long.”

Lawrie, the former Open champion, sees par-3 courses as fun venues for players of all skill levels. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

Certainly, none of the competitors were complaining about any feelings of ennui at an event with a bright future. Already there is talk of moving to U.S. Open week in 2018 in the hope that majority of European Tour players not playing in the major would be able to compete.

“This is such a fantastic event and represents the future in many ways,” said 2005 U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell. “The dynamics of golf have changed over the last few years, and this sort of event is going to be more common. People just don’t have the five hours it takes to play most courses these days. So places like this are ideal. You can stroll round in an hour-and-a-half.

“I enjoyed it so much. I loved the variation in distances. The shortest hole is less than 110 yards and the longest is about 215. I hit everything from a 3-iron to a lob wedge. Brilliant.”

Whether this inventive but not unique format—the British Par-3 Championship has been played at Nailcote Hall in the English Midlands since 2001—has a future as part of an official tour remains to be seen, but anything that interrupts the almost constant flow of 72-hole stroke-play on courses stretched to their physical limits and beyond is surely worth considering. In the U.S., the PGA Tour Champions current plays a portion of its Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf event on the par-3 course at Big Cedar Lodge.

“Our executive director, Keith Pelley, is experimenting with a lot of different ideas, so anything is possible,” pointed out European Tour player Scott Jamieson. “This could be something he might look at. I love the shorter format. It was still 18 holes, but it was so nice to play quickly. And the golf was fun, interesting and challenging. I certainly had to call on a slightly different skill set.”

That sentiment was almost universally echoed elsewhere. Challenge Tour player Peter Whiteford, who finished T-8, was just one who celebrated the event’s “shortness.”

“There aren’t any 230-yarders out there [on the Lawrie course], holes where all you are trying to do is pump the ball into the middle of the green,” he said. “That’s boring. Here almost anything is possible. You can be as aggressive as you like really.”

All of which is great, but perhaps more important is that nine-hole facilities like the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre (one of two owned by the two-time Ryder Cup player) fill a void for those reluctant or unable to find the time and money to join a more traditional club. Unlike so many locked within that increasingly outmoded business model, the PLGC provides a welcoming environment for young people – and older citizens looking to get into the game. All those potentially intimidating rules – “Don’t do this. Don’t wear that. Don’t walk there.” – are absent. Anyone lacking experience and/or confidence is made welcome.

Fun for everyone. What a concept. With a bit of luck, it might even catch on.

The post The Scottish Par-3 Championship shows the promise a unique venue and format can bring to stroke-play competition appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.