By Fred Altvater
While the USGA and The R&A are studying the effects of longer golf balls, along with hi-tech golf clubs that increase distance, rendering older traditional courses irrelevant, several new short courses are bucking the trend to provide a wonderful golfing experience for the average golfer.
Maybe the USGA, The PGA of America, as well as, The R&A would be better served spending a few of the millions they are hoarding in their large bank accounts to update and renovate old municipal courses in urban areas along the lines of these short course models.
Existing municipal courses that are outdated and poorly maintained could be downsized to a short course, which would be fun for women and juniors to play, plus the balance of the property could be converted to a practice facility and host clinics for beginners to learn the game.
Young girls and women are two of the fastest growing segments of the golfing population. What better facility for a young girl to learn the game than on a short course with a practice green and short game practice area.
More skilled golfers can improve their short-game skills by occasionally playing a par-3 or executive course. As everyone knows improvement on shots from 150 yards and in to the green account will drastically lower handicaps for every golfer. 
Also, on the plus side, short courses require less land usage, less fertilization and lower maintenance costs are also a benefit for course operators.
One of the biggest detriments to more people playing golf is due to time constraints. A short course or par-3 can normally be played in a little over one hour. A quick nine can be played on a short course, during a lunch break or after work.
These are just a few of the reasons short courses are gaining popularity. Find a short course or par-3 in your area, take a friend, child or your spouse and have some fun.
Here is a listing of a few of the more famous par-3 courses in the United States. On your next golf vacation, you may just want to add a few of these to you itinerary.
Augusta National Golf Club
The par-3 course at Augusta National Golf Club (ANGC), home of the Masters, was certainly not the first short course in the country, but it inspired several other short courses to be built. Since ANGC is a strictly private club, it is not considered in this piece, but we do appreciate its importance to the development of these public short courses.
RTJ’s Magnolia Grove Short Course
Near Mobile, Magnolia Grove, one of the facilities on Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, sits a truly wonderful par-3 course. The Short Course at Magnolia Grove features forced carries to sloping greens, protected by deep greenside bunkers.
Even if you reach the green on your tee shot, your work is just beginning. Three and four putts are always lurking on these tricky greens.
Palm Beach Par-3
Raymond Floyd designed this short course sitting hard by the Atlantic Ocean in historic Palm Beach, Florida. It opened for play in 2009 and is still considered one of the very best par-3’s in the nation. After your round visit the historic Palm Beach Breakers for an enjoyable lunch or dinner.
Bandon Dunes’ Perserve
One of the newer par-3 courses in the country, The Preserve at Bandon Dunes was designed by the elite team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. The designers stopped at 13 holes using the natural rolling terrain and sandy soil to create a visually intimidating, but very playable short course for all to enjoy.
The Preserve makes the perfect afternoon or early evening round for Golfaholics, after playing one of the championship courses, Bandon Trails, Old MacDonald, Bandon Dunes, or Pacific Dunes earlier in the day.
Sand Valley’s Sandbox 
Developer Mike Keiser was so impressed with the work of Coore and Crenshaw at Bandon Dunes, he contracted them to build another short course gem at Sand Valley in Wisconsin’s heartland. It opened for play in May, 2018 and has been a raving success. Visitors to the Sandbox have so much fun, they cancel tee times on Sand Valley’s two championship courses, Mammoth Dunes and Sand Valley, to complete additional rounds on the 17-hole par-3, Sandbox.
Big Cedar Lodge Top of the Rock & Mountain Top
Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, Missouri has two short courses. The Champions Tour annually visits the Jack Nicklaus designed, Top of the Rock for the Bass Pro Shops Legend of Golf tournament. Developer Johnny Morris also added the 13-hole Gary Player short course, Mountain Top, which opened for play in 2017.
Mountain Top offers a variety of long and short par-3 holes, plus excavation exposed 300-million-year-old limestone rock formations that make it visually stunning.
Threetops at Treetops
The granddaddy of the par-3 public genre is Threetops at the Treetops Resort in Gaylord, Michigan. Rick Smith came up with the idea for a public short course after visiting Augusta National’s Wednesday par-3 contest at the Masters.
For several years, Threetops hosted the pros for the Par-3 Shootout on ESPN. Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson and Raymond Floyd competed in the event. In 2001, Lee Trevino made a hole-in-one that earned him the first $1 million payday in golfing history. A plaque still marks the spot of the Merry Mex’s historic stroke on the 7th tee box.
Threetops has been rated the top par-3 in the country on several occasions. Severe elevation drops from tee to green accentuate the beauty and difficulty of this short course. Everyone, who plays Threetops, can’t wait to revisit and have another go at breaking par.
