Par 3s are often the most memorable part of any golf course and they come in all shapes and sizes. They can be tantalising birdie opportunities, the realistic gateway to an unforgettable hole in one, or the even ultimate card wrecker.
Today we’re intrigued by the last of those characteristics. We posed the question to the Golfshake Community on Facebook, asking golfers to name the most difficult, scariest and challenging short holes that they had played.
Some of these are among the most famous par 3s on the planet, creations that boast a legendary (or infamous) reputation. But there are also special designs that you may not have heard of but that nonetheless sound extremely terrifying to anyone with a club in their hand.
Thinking of all the holes that I’ve played, one that I wish to mention is the 9th on the New Course at St Andrews. Unlike much of the spectacular links landscape around it, there aren’t any bunkers to contend with, but it’s a lengthy par 3 up a gradual incline with the Eden Estuary on the left and gorse and rough on the right as you attempt to find a green that sits in a hollow. It simply requires a well-struck, straight shot, with no exceptions, and that’s an intimidating prospect to me!
But let’s take a look at what other golfers suggested. Here are several of the most fearsome par 3s in golf.
5th at Anstruther
Several respondents pointed in fear towards the 5th at Anstruther, a nine-holer just along the coast from St Andrews. Known as Rockies, this hole measures 245 yards from the back tee, you play towards a semi-blind green with just a narrow fairway short that runs left-to-right alongside the Firth of Forth. That sounds pretty nightmarish – but thrilling – to us!
16th at Carnoustie
Part of that famous stretch of closing holes at Carnoustie, the 16th is a par 3 that plays like a short par 4. It’s 245 yards from the back and regularly plays into the wind. Golfers often have to pull out their driver on this hole that the great Tom Watson didn’t par once when he won the 1975 Open Championship.
2nd at Royal Dornoch
The par 3s at Dornoch are exceptional and the 2nd might just be the standout. It’s a relatively modest yardage of 184, but you hit towards a plateau green that is guarded by a pair of deep bunkers. This is another hole that demands a perfect shot!
16th at Royal Portrush
It just had to be Calamity Corner. The 16th hole at Portrush is arguably the best known on this incredible layout – and it’s one that will have golfers feeling a sense of trepidation about. It’s a long par 3 on the highest point of the links, meaning that it’s often exposed to the elements. Whatever you do, don’t go right, otherwise you will fall into the chasm below!
8th at Royal Troon
The Postage Stamp is iconic – and for very good reason. Measuring just 123 yards, this can only be a wedge or short iron for most players, but you’re hitting towards a narrow green that is surrounded by some of the deepest bunkers you will encounter anywhere. Miss the surface and you are facing a potential golfing disaster!
17th at TPC Sawgrass
Undeniably one of the most recognisable short holes in the game, many a Players Championship has been decided here, as you hit towards a green that, apart from a narrow walkway, is entirely surrounded by water. It shouldn’t be as difficult as it seems, but the hazard makes it so, as does the history, and as one commenter said, when the wind is blowing, yikes!
16th at Vale do Lobo
The Royal Course’s 16th is considered its signature hole – and it’s easy to see why. Laid out across cliffs that overlook the Atlantic Ocean, you have a test here that is both scary and visually delightful. It’s an experience to take on this par 3 – but the dangers are obvious.
7th at Whistling Straits
Named Shipwreck, this hole will sink many a round, as you play across the edge of Lake Michigan to the right towards a green that is guarded by the trademark deep bunkers of this dramatic layout that has both staged the Ryder Cup in 2021 and several PGA Championships.
4th at Turnberry
“Woe-Be-Tide” is the name of this hole and it’s a warning to beware of the Firth of Clyde that sits to the left of this par 3 and all the sand that is short of the green. Your club selection and execution needs to be accurate if you’re going to escape with a respectable score.
12th at Royal Lytham & St Annes
The AIG Women’s Open returns to this revered Lancashire links in 2026 and the 12th will be one hole that demands attention. If you manage to avoid the numerous bunkers that guard the green, the surface is both raised and angled, making it a challenge to hold and get close to the hole.
11th at Shinnecock Hills
We’re impressed by the one golfer who has played the extraordinary Shinnecock Hills, which hosts the US Open once again in 2026, and he was right to identify the 11th, coined by some as the ‘shortest par 5’ in America. It boasts a modest yardage of 159 yards but your shot is played uphill to a shallow green that slopes away in all manner of directions. Bunkers – 15 feet below the surface – watch on and anything long finds itself into a collection area that leaves you with a herculean task to save par.
11th at Royal Ashdown Forest
The 11th hole at Royal Ashdown Forest’s Old Course sounds ominous when you read the description. “Your tee shot on the 249-yard par 3 11th hole demands straightness and distance as the hog’s back approach can take the off-centre hit away from the intended target.” A par here is to be treasured.
17th at Castle Course
The Castle Course just outside St Andrews divides opinion, but most agree that the 17th is quite the hole to play. Your tee shot requires a lengthy carry over a ravine to reach the green, with the rocks, beach and North Sea just waiting to ensnare a wayward golf ball. This is a pure thrill of a par 3.
5th at Lahinch
Host of the Walker Cup in 2026, Lahinch is one of Ireland’s greatest courses, and its 5th hole, the Dell, is one of its most famous par 3s. You are faced with a blind shot to a green that is obscured by impressive sand dunes, which is both intimidating and exciting.
3rd at Golf Torrequebrada
This is one of the shortest holes you will ever play, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Unless you hit the small green, which most golfers should with a wedge in their hands, you are going to find yourself in a deep bunker. Are you up to that challenge?
11th at Remedy Oak
This can play anything up to 235 yards off the tee and the danger here comes in the form of water that is waiting to catch any balls that drift right of the target. If you bail out to the left then you have a testing up-and-down to deal with, meaning that this hole is a question of how brave you are!
15th at PGA Riviera Maya
Mexico’s PGA Riviera Maya features one of the scariest par 3s we can think of. The 15th – from its back tees – measures 245 yards and that is a carry that needs to get over a lake. Ouch!
13th at Dunstanburgh Castle
Finishing with a short par 3, which can play as little as 94 yards from the forward tees, or a maximum of 124 from the back, this is a bunkerless hole that features a shot played over a ravine with a rocky beach to the left and OOB to the right, as you hit towards a green that sits beneath the castle itself.
Now that you’ve read about these par 3s, how do they compare to the scariest that you have played?
Kieran Clark is the Digital Editor of Golfshake. He oversees editorial content, community engagement, forums, and social media channels. A lifelong golfer from the Isle of Bute in Scotland who has now lived in St Andrews for a decade, he began playing at the age of five and maintains a passion for exploring courses, with a particular affection for historic layouts. Kieran regularly contributes in-depth opinion pieces and features, drawing on his enthusiasm for the game and its culture.