Shorty's · Hole 3
Back
95
Forward
75
The most penal hole at Shorty's. Hole 3 features an island-style green that is surrounded by fescue and rough that creates a pitch-and-retrieve scenario for anyone who misses. At 95 yards this is firmly gap wedge or pitching wedge territory, but the surrounded green design means that any miss — even by a few feet — results in a difficult chip or pitch from gnarly grass. Accuracy is mandatory.
Shot-by-Shot Strategy
Tee Shot
This is not a creative hole — it is an accuracy challenge. Pick a specific landing spot in the center of the green, commit to your trajectory and distance, and execute. There is no safe miss at hole 3. The island-style design punishes any ball that fails to find the putting surface, so the strategy is simply: hit the green. Full stop.
Putting
Players who find the green are rewarded with relatively straightforward putting. The green is reasonably level compared to holes 2 and 10. Make your read, trust it, and make a confident stroke. After the stress of making the green, the putt is your reward.
⚠Gotchas — What Kills Your Score
- •Never aim at a flag tucked near the edge of an island green. The risk-reward is terrible. Center green every time.
- •The surrounding rough changes based on conditions — dry days produce firm runoffs that bounce the ball farther away than expected. Wet days create buried lies. Either way, the fringe is bad.
- •The psychological pressure of the surrounded green can cause a quick, nervous swing. Take extra time in your pre-shot routine on this hole to counteract the anxiety.
Wind Intelligence
A crosswind at 95 yards on an island-style green is a double penalty: not only does it move the ball offline, but the landing zone is smaller because you cannot allow wind drift to push the ball off the island. Aim upwind of center and let the wind bring the ball toward the middle. Never aim at the flag in a crosswind on this hole.
Hazard Map
- ▲Island-style green surrounded by fescue — misses are severely penalized
- ▲No bailout area in any direction
- ▲Surrounding rough creates difficult recovery lie angles