The Best Par3 Opening Holes

The Best Par 3 Opening Holes is a short golf blog post that looks at some of the toughest, shortest opening holes in golf.

There is a distinct kind of nervous energy that only a first tee box can produce. Most of the time, you're standing up there with a driver in hand, looking down a sweeping fairway, knowing you have at least a little bit of margin for error.

But opening your round with a par 3? That is an entirely different mental game. There is no "warming up into the round" with a loose tee shot. You are cold, your swing isn't locked in yet, and you are immediately asked to carry hazards, judge precise wind, and find a target from your very first swing.

While it is one of the rarest architecture choices in the game, the UK holds some of the absolute best, most intimidating, and most beautiful opening par 3s in the world.

1. Royal Lytham & St Annes (Lancashire, England)

When it comes to opening one-shotters, this is the undisputed king. It is famously the only course on the Open Rota that begins with a par 3.

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• The Yardage: Can stretch all the way to 206 yards from the blue championship tees.
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• The Danger: A visual fortress of five deep pot bunkers guarding the entrance and sides of the green.
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Graeme’s Tip: If you're playing from the back tees, you actually get a slightly more direct, square look between the left and right traps. But if you're playing from the left-hand tees, the angle forces you to carry it cleanly over the left bunkers. Don’t try to be a hero if the wind is off the Irish Sea—hitting the middle of this green is a massive win to start your day.

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2. Walton Heath - Old Course (Surrey, England)

If you want sheer, unadulterated brute force right out of the gate, look no further than the Old Course at Walton Heath. This legendary heathland track doesn't offer a gentle handshake; it offers a test of ultimate ball-striking.

• The Yardage: A monstrous 235 yards from the tips, and even the shorter member tees rarely play under 190 yards.
• The Danger: It is the only hole situated on the clubhouse side of the Dorking Road, playing over flat terrain that leaves you completely exposed to the elements.

Graeme’s Tip: Stiff, cold muscles and a 210+ yard carry over heather do not mix well. There is a massive bunker sitting short-right that absolutely swallows tentative opening shots. Take an extra club, commit to a smooth tempo, and remember that running it up onto the front edge is a perfectly respectable play here.

3. The Berkshire - Blue Course (Berkshire, England)

The Blue Course at The Berkshire features a wonderfully unique routing consisting of six par 3s, six par 4s, and six par 5s. But it’s the very first shot of the day that leaves the biggest impression.

• The Yardage: 213 yards.
• The Danger: A dramatic, plunging dip between the tee box and the green that is filled with a sea of thick, ball-snatching heather.

Graeme’s Tip: Visually, this is one of the most stunning opening holes in England, but it’s an absolute card-wrecker if you pull it. The green is relatively large, but if you drift pin-high to the right, the steep greenside slope will kick your ball far down into a difficult recovery spot. Trust your yardage, ignore the heather canyon below, and aim for the heart of the green.

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4. Southport & Ainsdale (Merseyside, England)

Just a short trip down the North West coast from Lytham sits Southport & Ainsdale (S&A), a magnificent James Braid links layout that has twice hosted the Ryder Cup.

Golf Monthly

• The Yardage: 202 yards.
• The Danger: True to Braid's philosophy, the green is heavily fortified. Five deep, penal pot bunkers wait to punish anything slightly off-line.
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Graeme’s Tip: The wind here dictates everything. Because you are standing right by the clubhouse, the nerves are already heightened, and trying to execute a low, penetrating long-iron or hybrid into a crosswind on shot number one is a severe ask. Focus purely on a solid strike; making a 4 here isn't the end of the world, but finding the sand puts you in an immediate hole.

5. Liphook Golf Club (Hampshire, England)

For a slightly friendlier—but no less strategic— heathland opener, Liphook provides an absolute masterclass in course design.

• The Yardage: 203 yards.
• The Danger: While it's long on paper, it plays significantly downhill from a tee box located right next to the 18th green.
• The Danger: The natural contours of the land lean heavily to the right.

Graeme’s Tip: Missing to the left is a disaster because you'll face a near-impossible up-and-down back down the slope. However, because the terrain naturally kicks the ball to the right, missing slightly right leaves you a much cleaner chip straight back into the hill. Use the contours to your advantage and let the downhill slope do the work for you.

The Verdict: How to Survive a Par 3 Opener

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When you’re preparing to play a course that starts with a short hole, your warm-up routine has to change. You can’t just hit a few wedges and a couple of drivers on the range. You need to pull the exact club you plan to hit on the 1st tee—whether that's a 4-iron, a hybrid, or a 5-wood—and hit enough shots with it until you can feel the exact swing tempo required.

Starting with a par 3 is a mental battle against cold mechanics. Respect the hazard, aim for the safest part of the green, and secure your par!

When you walk onto a first tee that demands a 200-yard carry over heather or pot bunkers, your body needs to be ready to deliver a pure, flush strike immediately. There is no time to "find your swing" by the 4th hole.

To survive a brutal par 3 opener, your practice range session needs to move away from mindless beating of balls and focus on two things: achieving an explicit low-point control (getting a clean, crisp strike) and priming your mind for a high-pressure opening shot.

Here is the exact 3-step warm-up routine to get your long irons and hybrids locked in before you head to the first tee.

1. The "Feet-Together" Tempo Drill (Low-Point Finder)

When players are cold or nervous, their lower body tends to get overly active, leading to lateral swaying. With a long iron, this completely ruins your strike, causing fat or thin shots.

• How to do it: Grab your 7-iron. Put your feet completely together (ankles touching) and place the ball in the middle of your stance.
• The Swing: Make smooth, 75% length swings. Because your base is narrow, if you sway or rush your transition, you will completely lose your balance.
• The Goal: Hit 5 to 7 balls this way. It forces your upper body to rotate beautifully around your spine, locks in your timing, and guarantees a crisp, center-face strike.

2. The Tee-Peg Friction Drill (Premium Contact)

Long irons require a sweeping strike with a very shallow divot. A common mistake on a tough opening hole is trying to "help" or scoop the ball into the air, which results in a devastating topped shot.

• How to do it: Push a wooden tee peg completely flush into the turf so the head of the tee is level with the grass. Place a ball directly on top of it.
• The Swing: Pull out your opening club (your 4-iron, hybrid, or 5-wood). Your goal is to strike the ball and clip the top of the tee peg out of the ground.
• The Goal: Hit 5 balls. If the tee stays perfectly intact and unclipped, you are scooping. If you smash the tee deep into the ground, you are coming down too steeply. You want to see that tee pop cleanly out of the turf. This ensures the shallow, penetrating launch angle you need to fight the wind.

3. The "First Tee Sandbox" (Mental Simulation)

Never leave the range immediately after hitting a great shot. Your brain needs to transition from the safety of the practice ground into the reality of the golf course.

• How to do it: Step off the mat or grass, close your eyes, and take a deep breath. Stand behind the ball and visually construct the opening hole. Picture the deep bunkers at Royal Lytham or the heather at Walton Heath.
• The Routine: Go through your exact pre-shot routine. Go to your bag, pull the headcover off your opening club, walk up, take your alignment stance, and hit the shot.
• The Rule: You only get one try. Whatever happens to that ball is your result. If it's a good shot, walk to the first tee with that exact visual locked in your mind. If it's poor, accept it, understand why it happened, breathe, and head out.

Graeme’s Golden Rule: On a cold morning, a long iron will always carry about 5 to 10 yards shorter than it does mid-afternoon. If your yardage chart says 200 yards to the pin, treat it like it's playing 210 yards. Swallow your pride, take the extra club, and swing smoothly at 85% power.