Four hours is a commitment. Often a joyful one, sometimes a quiet test of patience… and interpersonal relationships. But some of golf’s best moments don’t ask for that kind of buy-in. They ask for a wedge and a flatstick, shoes kicked off, music humming, and maybe a second loop simply because there’s daylight left to chase.
Short courses and par-3 layouts have become some of the most in-demand experiences in the game—designed with intention, not leftover land. For the golf-obsessed, they’re an excuse to sneak in another nine before dinner. For the newcomers or non-golfers tagging along, they’re golf at its most welcoming.
Less time. Less distance. More fun. These are the short courses leading the charge.
1. The Cradle at Pinehurst Resort
Pinehurst, N.C.
If modern short courses had a spiritual home, this would be it. The Cradle pairs classic Pinehurst with a refreshingly loose, come-as-you-are energy. Music floats through the pines. Transfusions flow at the Cradle Crossing bar. One loop turns into another because, well, why not? And when you finally decide you’re done, you grab an Adirondack chair and watch the next wave of groups roll in—half spectating, half plotting another go-around yourself.
2. Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course
Palm Beach, Fla.
Wedged between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, the Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course occupies a truly stunning slice of real estate. Holes stretch from a flip wedge to a nervy long-iron, with multiple tee options that make it playable for everyone. After the round, head upstairs to the Key West-style clubhouse for an al fresco drink and American/Italian grub.
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3. The Sandbox at Sand Valley
Nekoosa, Wis.
The Sandbox sounds like a playground—and to be fair, it is—but it’s really a love letter to golf’s greatest hits, packed with nods to some of the game’s most famous template holes. Take the 8th hole: a Biarritz that winks at North Berwick’s 16th with a mischievous gully cutting through the green.
There are 17 holes in total, winding through the prairie and stretching anywhere from 40 to 140 yards, but distance is beside the point. It’s all about touch, imagination, and surviving the surprises of Coore & Crenshaw’s design.
4. The Hay at Pebble Beach Resorts
Pebble Beach, Calif.
The Hay sits on a meaningful piece of Pebble Beach history. Originally opened in 1957 as the Peter Hay Golf Course, named for the longtime head professional, it has since been reimagined by Tiger Woods’s TGR Design.
The routing was reworked to open up sweeping views of Carmel Bay, with a highlight at the 2nd hole: a faithful replica of Pebble Beach Golf Links’s iconic par-three 7th, even angled to catch the same prevailing wind. Beyond that homage, Woods designed each hole to be played with any club in the bag, encouraging plenty of Texas wedges and bump-and-run creativity.
5. The Swing at Omni PGA Frisco
Frisco, Texas
At the heart of the PGA of America’s new home in Frisco, The Swing is a lighted 10‑hole par‑3 short course—meaning you can beat the heat and tee it up long after the sun goes down. It sits alongside other entertainment offerings, including The Dance Floor putting course, Topgolf simulators, and live hitting bays at the Ice House restaurant.
6. The Chain at Streamsong Resort
Bowling Green, Fla.
Golf at Streamsong Resort is unlike anywhere else, and the resort’s 19-hole short course is no exception. It all starts with the name: The Chain. Instead of polished tee markers, massive dragline chains buried in the turf define your teeing areas—a cheeky nod to the mining equipment unearthed on-site from when this land was a phosphate quarry.
The course loops in six- and 13-hole circuits through live oak groves, winding creeks, and sculpted sandscapes. Match play is the suggested format, and with no set tee boxes, the winner of each hole decides where to hit next.
7. Bandon Preserve & 8. Shorty’s at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
Bandon, Ore.
Bandon Preserve and Shorty’s at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort make the most of the rugged, dune-driven landscape synonymous with coastal Oregon golf. Shorty’s, the newer of the pair, is a 19-hole par-3 track named for the resort’s first caretaker, Shorty Dow, and it leans fully into his laid-back spirit.
It’s the more playful, pitch-and-putt leaning of the two, while Bandon Preserve offers a quieter 9-hole loop with broader coastal views and a slightly more traditional feel. Together, they’re proof that at Bandon, even the shortest rounds are built with just as much intention and personality as the big courses.
9. Horse Course at The Prairie Club
Valentine, Neb.
If you spent your childhood losing H.O.R.S.E. on a cracked driveway and swearing you’d get your revenge someday (just me?), consider this your chance for redemption. The Horse Course at The Prairie Club takes its name and its format directly from the playground classic. There’s no fixed routing or set tee boxes. Win a hole, choose where the next one begins.
10. Cliffhangers, 11. Top of the Rock, & 12. Mountain Top at Big Cedar Lodge
Branson, Mo.
With three short courses on property, you’re spoiled for choice at Big Cedar Lodge. Each one offers a distinct take on the format, starting with Cliffhangers, the newest and most adventurous of the bunch. Conceived by resort founder Johnny Morris and his son, John Paul, the 18-hole par-3 layout lives up to its name, carved directly into limestone cliffs.
Top of the Rock leans more traditional, though the setting hardly plays it safe. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the 9-hole course weaves through lakes, cliffs, exposed rock ledges, and downhill tee shots that tumble toward the water below. So revered is the routing (and so dramatic the design) that it’s the only par‑3 course ever used for a PGA Tour-sanctioned event.
Lastly, there’s Mountain Top, a walking-only par-3 loop that feels like an ode to the Ozarks. Designed by Gary Player alongside Johnny Morris, the 13-hole course offers a more accessible, family-friendly experience.
13. Quicksands at Gamble Sands
Brewster, Wash.
Designed by David McLay Kidd, the same mind behind the full-length courses at Gamble Sands, Quicksands is where golf loosens its tie. There are no fixed yardages, but holes like Plinko, Crater, and Donut give some hint of what lies ahead. The routing makes full use of its rolling dunes, opening the door for a variety of shot options, including a personal favorite: putter off the tee.
14. The Baths at Blackwolf Run
Kohler, Wis.
Tucked alongside the challenging Pete Dye layouts at Blackwolf Run, The Baths feels like a collective exhale. It’s a 10-hole short course built for wedges and wagers, mixing Golden Age templates with a whimsical routing. Four water features (collectively known as “the Baths”) dot the landscape, a nod to Kohler’s plumbing heritage. Add in the two-acre putting course, and suddenly it’s less a stopgap and more a place you plan an entire afternoon around.
15. Golden Gate Park Golf Course
San Francisco, Calif.
Originally built in 1951, this 9-hole course takes full advantage of the rolling terrain and sandy soils of its seaside setting, giving it a links-like character that’s rare for an urban muni. Recently reimagined under the stewardship of The First Tee of San Francisco and architect Jay Blasi, the renovation peeled back years of overgrowth, restored the natural dunescape, expanded tees, and introduced larger greens—bringing fresh life to this beloved local favorite.
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