Welcome to GolfWeek’s Best 2025 ranking of the top par-3, short, non-traditional private golf courses in the United States. Recognizing the rapid growth of short courses in recent years, Golfweek’s Best has introduced rankings of these layouts in 2023. In 2024, we have divided the categories into two: public access courses and private layouts.
Basically, they all fit the criteria of traditional length, non-traditional purpose. And, like the best short courses, we did away with some of the rules used to rate traditional courses and asked raters to submit one overall score for each course based on how much they enjoyed the design and environment. These individual ratings were combined to create one average rating. Each course had to receive a minimum of 10 votes.
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This list includes the average rating for each private course on a point scale of 1 to 10. We also included each course’s 2024 ranking (if applicable), location, designer, year opened, number of holes, length, and par. An asterisk indicates a new course or a course that has returned to the list.
1. Pine Valley (Short Course)
2024 ranking: (1)
Average rating: 8.80
position: Pine Valley, New Jersey
Architect: Tom Fazio
Year of establishment: 1992
detail: 10 holes, 2,006 yards, par 31
2. Philadelphia Cricket Club (St. Martin’s)
2024 ranking: (3)
Average rating: 8.02
position: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Architect: William H. Tucker, Keith Foster, Kevin Hargrave
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Year of establishment: (1895)
detail: 9 holes, 2,617 yards, par 35
3. Augusta National Golf Club (Par 3 Course)
The par-3 course at Augusta National Golf Club is packed with spectators for the par-3 contest leading up to the 2023 Masters.
2024 ranking: (2)
Average rating: 7.98
position: Augusta, Georgia
Architect: George Cobb, Clifford Roberts
Year of establishment: (1958)
detail: 9 holes, 1,115 yards, par 27
4. Oakwood Country Club (Short)
2024 ranking: (12)
Average rating: 7.71
position: Kansas City, Missouri
Architect: Todd Clark, Ron Whitten
Year of establishment: (2023)
detail: 9 holes, 1,100 yards, par 27
5. Hamilton Farms (Hickory)
2024 ranking: (7)
Average rating: 7.69
position: Far Hills, New Jersey
Architect: Dana Frye, Michael Hardzan
Year of establishment: (1998)
detail: 18 holes, 3,080 yards, par 54
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6. Source
2024 ranking: 5
Average rating: 7.68
position: cashiers, north carolina
Architect: Tom Fazio
Year of establishment: (1999)
detail: 9 holes, 1,450 yards, par 27
7. La Quinta The Quarry (Short Course)
2024 ranking: (9)
Average rating: 7.66
position: La Quinta, California
Architect: Tom Fazio
Year of establishment: (2002)
detail: 10 holes, 1,653 yards, par 30
8. Whispering Pines (The Needler)
2024 ranking: (8)
Average rating: 7.63
position: Trinity, Texas
Architect: Chet Williams, Cole Sanders
Year of establishment: (2013)
detail: 9 holes, 1,682 yards, par 27
T9.Shelter Harbor (Par 3 course)
2024 ranking: (11)
Average rating: 7.60
position: Charles Town, Rhode Island
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Architect: Dana Frye, Michael Hardzan
Year of establishment: (2005)
detail: 9 holes, 1,206 yards, par 27
T9. Scottsdale National (Bad Little 9)
2024 ranking: (14)
Average rating: 7.60
position: Scottsdale, Arizona
Architect: jackson kern design
Year of establishment: (2016)
detail: 9 holes, 972 yards, par 27
11. Balinir (Mulligan)
2024 ranking: (10)
Average rating: 7.57
position: Holyoke, Colorado
Architect: tom doak
Year of establishment: (2017)
detail: 12 holes, unofficial distance, par 36
12. Olympic Club (cliff)
2024 ranking: (13)
Average rating: 7.37
position: San Francisco, California
Architect: Tom Weiskopf, Jay Morrish
Year of establishment: (1994)
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detail: 9 holes, 1,432 yards, par 27
T13. Desert Mountain (No. 7)
2024 ranking: (6)
Average rating: 7.36
position: Scottsdale, Arizona
Architect: Wendell Pickett, Bill Brownlee
Year of establishment: (2019)
detail: 18 holes, 3,114 yards, par 54
T13.Intersection*
Average rating: 7.36
position: Palmetto Bluffs, South Carolina
Architect: Tad King, Rob Collins
Year of establishment: (2024)
detail: Reversible 9 holes, 1,000 to 3,100 yards, par 27
T13.Old Barnwell (Kids Course)*
Average rating: 7.36
position: Aiken, South Carolina
Architect: Brian Schneider, Blake Conant
Year of establishment: (2024)
detail: 15 holes, 2,190 yards, no official par
16. Colorado GC (Short Course)
2024 ranking: (15)
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Average rating: 7.05
position: Parker, Colorado
Architect: Bill Coore, Ben Crenshaw
Year of establishment: (2006)
detail: 9 holes, 1,103 yards, par 27
17. The Concession (The Gimme)
The World Champions Cup trophy at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida.
2024 ranking: (17)
Average rating: 6.99
position: Bradenton, Florida
Architect: chris cochran
Year of establishment: (2019)
detail: 9 holes, 1,088 yards, par 27
18. Shady Oaks (Little Nine)
2024 ranking: (twenty two)
Average rating: 6.90
position: Fort Worth, Texas
Architect: Robert Trent Jones Sr., Michael Clayton, Jeff Ogilvie, Mike Cocking, Ashley Mead.
Year of establishment: (1958)
detail: 9 holes, 1,228 yards, par 28
19. Olde Farm (orchard)
2024 ranking: (19)
Average rating: 6.78
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position: bristol, virginia
Architect: bobby weed
Year of establishment: (2011)
detail: 8 holes, unofficial distance, par 24
20. Eagle Point (Short)
2024 ranking: (twenty four)
Average rating: 6.70
position: Wilmington, North Carolina
Architect: Tom Fazio
Year of establishment: (2023)
detail: 9 holes, 1,427 yards, par 27
21. Sutton Bay (Short Course)
2024 ranking: (20)
Average rating: 6.60
position: south dakota agar
Architect: graham marsh
Year of establishment: (2003)
detail: 9 holes, 1,244 yards, par 27
22. University of Texas GC (Speeth Lower 40)
2024 ranking: (twenty one)
Average rating: 6.50
position: Austin, Texas
Architect: Roy Vector, Jordan Spieth
Year of establishment: (2017)
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detail: 6 holes, 532 yards, par 18
T23. Blue Jack National (Playground)*
Average rating: 6.32
position: montgomery, texas
Architect: tiger woods
Year of establishment: (2016)
detail: 10 holes, 747 yards, par 30
T24. Wickenburg Ranch (Lil Wick)
2024 ranking: (twenty five)
Average rating: 6.14
position: Wickenburg, Arizona
Architect: Wendell Pickett, Bill Brownlee
Year of establishment: (2016)
detail: 9 holes, 1,240 yards, par 27
T24. Colleton River Club (Boland Par 3 Course)*
Average rating: 6.14
position: Bluffton, South Carolina
Architect: bruce boland
Year of establishment: (1991)
detail: 6 holes, 556 yards, par 18
This article originally appeared on the Palm Beach Post: Best Par 3 Private Golf Courses Include The Concession in Bradenton
