In the lead-up to Kawartha Golf and Country Club officially opening two new replacement holes for the ones that will be forever lost to condo development, it’s time to sit back and admire the club’s powerhouse par threes.
I am hard-pressed to think of a course that has such an outstanding collection of par threes.
There are more famous and stunningly beautiful par threes at places like Pebble Beach (7 & 17), Cypress Point (15 & 16) and Pine Valley (3, 5, 10, 14), but not sure any measure up to KGCC’s 4 big par 3’s that weigh in at close to 850 yards in total.
As a tribute to the Fab Four, their creator, and the 90 years of anxiety these holes have induced in local golfers, let’s give them their due and sing their praises one last time.
Stanley Thompson knew that dramatic par threes had a special appeal that could make or break a course layout. Having played maybe 50 of his designs, I can’t think of a stronger example of that philosophy than Kawartha. As much as has been written about Pine Valley’s nasty one-shotters, I’d put Kawartha’s up against them in a heartbeat.
No. 6: After a gentle opening five holes, Kawartha’s first par three is in the back of your mind as soon as you spot it walking off the fifth tee. It is relentless in throwing bogeys, doubles and triples at players of all abilities. Uphill, to a slippery green nestled into a plateau that rejects more balls than it accepts, it can even be difficult to hit in two from some spots. Its putting surface is scary. Quite possibly the most difficult, but fair, par three in the country. Full stop.
No. 12: Another long, uphill climb to a severely sloped back-to-front green. Unlike No. 6, the entire target is sitting right there in front of you. And while your room for error doesn’t feel nearly as narrow as it does on No. 15, the combination of elevation and green slope requires you to fly it all the way to the pin. I have many memories of my ball falling back off the front of the green during fast, brown conditions many moons ago. Par is always a good score.
No. 15: Some members say they won’t be sad to see it go. But that’s just testament to the respect it has earned over the years. Mild mannered from the tee, it requires such accuracy — the narrow window required to reach the green and stay on it feels like about five yards wide. The longer the club you put in your hand the more you can feel your sphincter tightening. Steers here are common place. A chip from just short of the green works fine.
No. 18: It’s fitting that the last of the Fab Four is there for the end of your round. The water in front seems invisible now, but I remember it playing heavily on my mind as a youngster. The two-tiered green makes this one no cakewalk. And being your last full shot of the day can add extra pressure, especially with a good round going. It’s a great example of what Stanley Thompson was able to create when given such an expansive, interesting and scenic piece of land for a single hole. A masterpiece for sure.
I suspect that longtime members may have become more comfortable and daring with these threes, having the good fortune (?) of facing them several times a week for decades. As an outsider, someone who comes face to face with these brutes only a couple of times per year, I speak on behalf of the rest of us.
These holes scare the daylights out of us, especially from the back tees. Always have. Always will. But there’s nothing more satisfying than pairing all four of them in a round.
Cheers to Kawartha’s Fab Four. And RIP No. 15.
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