Chicago’s Mike Keiser has developed world-renowned golf courses, including Sand Valley in Wisconsin and Bandon Dunes in Oregon. Within a pitching wedge of these gorgeous, physically grueling layouts, he also created spots that are more welcoming to less-than-stellar players: par-3 courses. He once said that these types of holes are “the most important thing about a golf course.”
Par-3 aficionados tout the benefits of their growing niche sport. Advantages of par-3 courses are many: novices, especially juniors, can enjoy playing a less-stressful layout, veteran golfers can work on their wedges, creative greens (such as punchbowl-style) that would be forbidden on an 18-hole tract are embraced, players can carry just a handful of clubs, and the time commitment of 90 minutes or less is minimal compared to what can be a five-hour slog. Also, let’s not forget: holes in one are possible on every tee shot.
“Par-3 courses are approachable, relaxed, and far less intimidating than a full-length championship course,” said Tyler Morse of The Club Lac La Belle in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, whose par-3 course – called Uncle Henry’s Backyard, a name which pays tribute to 1896 club founder Henry Shufeldt – is set to open in the spring of 2026 next to its 18-hole layout.
“You can push the boundaries of traditional course design and focus entirely on pure fun and creativity with par-3 courses,” Morse added. “They offer a quicker, more casual way to enjoy the game. That accessibility is a big reason they’re gaining momentum.”
In 2023, these short courses accounted for almost half (47%) of all new courses in the country, according to the National Golf Foundation (NGF). The 34 course projects that launched that year represented the highest U.S. total in more than a decade. From 2018-23, par-3 venues comprised more than one-third of course openings, though overall they’re only about 5% of the total number of golf courses in the United States. More than 700 are scattered across the United States, and the lion’s share are publicly accessible and not affiliated with a bigger course.
