Short Courses: The Next Big Thing

Three par-3 courses to play this summer

By Ross Boissoneau | May 10, 2025

There are few things more satisfying for golfers than hitting that 250-yard drive long and straight. But that won’t fly on some courses. Like at Threetops, the famed par-3 course at Treetops Resort in Gaylord. Most of the holes come in around 150 yards, and the longest is just over 200.

Welcome to the world of short courses. No par 5s here, or even par 4s. Five-hundred-yard holes? Nope, try 50. Each hole is a test of your short game.

“We’re pretty proud of it. It has a rich history,” says Barry Owens, general manager and owner at Treetops. Famed golf architect Rick Smith designed Threetops to complement the resort’s two 18-hole courses, offering something different for newbies and seasoned golfers to explore.

While most courses boast 18 holes, that’s not the case for the nine-hole Threetops. Nor Doon Brae, the par-3 course at Boyne Highlands, which is also nine holes. The Rooster at Traverse City Golf Performance Center is only six holes—just enough to feel like golf when you play a quick round at lunch.

Threetops

The par-3 course at Treetops kicked off the trend in northern Michigan (and beyond) when it opened in 1992. Threetops soon became the number-one ranked par-3 course in America, and a model course for the many par-3 courses across the country.

What really put Threetops on the map was when it became home to the ESPN Par-3 Shootout in 1999. It hosted some of the greatest names in golf, such as Phil Mickelson, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus. Its legend grew with “the shot heard ’round the world,” Lee Trevino’s hole-in-one on High Five in 2001, which won him $1,090,000. He donated half his winnings to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

But back in 1992, Threetops was a unicorn. “When it opened, people didn’t know what it was,” says Owens. He says the tournament gave it legitimacy. “It shot up in popularity.”

Today, the course maintains its popularity, providing an option for golfers to add to their day when they still want to play some more but don’t want to go around for another 18. Owens says the elevation changes on virtually every hole make it challenging for even the best golfers, though it is still fun for those with higher handicaps. “People just absolutely love it.”

Doon Brae

Josh Richter, senior vice president of golf operations for Boyne Resorts, says the upcoming opening of the new par-3 course at The Highlands (pictured) will give golfers thrills…but not chills like skiers get there in the winter. The course is built into the side of one of the ski hills at the four-season resort in Harbor Springs.

Richter says short courses have become increasingly more popular in the last five to 10 years, pointing to clubs like Garland, Arcadia Bluffs, and Treetops. “One of the concepts is the opportunity to go play golf in an hour,” Richter says, rather than four hours for 18 holes or half that for nine holes.

He says while the challenges remain, it’s also easier on the psyche. “It’s a welcoming, relaxed, unintimidating experience.”

And he believes it can lead to a better experience on the regular course as well. “They are all less than 150 yards,” Richter says of the holes. “That’s when most of the strokes add up; most strokes are made inside 100 yards.” As such, playing short courses can provide opportunities to improve your game.

Doon Brae was originally going to open last year, but Richter says the course simply wasn’t ready. “We open our courses or newly renovated holes when they meet our expectations at Boyne.” He anticipates Doon Brae will open June 6. “What’s cool is it’s new. Everybody loves a shiny new toy,” he says with a laugh.

One other note: Both Richter and Owens say the ice storm in March that devastated much of the area across the tip of the mitt fortunately did not cause significant damage to their courses. “We [had] some cleanup to do, but just cleanup,” Owens says.

The Rooster

While those courses above are meant to complement and contrast with their sister 18-hole resort courses, that’s not the case for the Rooster. It’s not even at a golf club.

The idea for the Rooster stemmed from the owners at the Traverse City Golf Performance Center (TCGPC) wanting to offer a little more fun than just another green to putt on. “We wanted to provide a space for golfers of all skill levels to practice and play in an environment more akin to a golf course,” says their website.

That’s what Don Stefanko did. The director of golf and agronomy designed a course that offers various pitch and putt options. So keep that driver in your bag. Heck, keep everything there except your wedge and your putter: The longest hole measures a scant 70 yards, while the shortest checks in at 35.

Why so short, and why only six holes? “That’s all the space we have,” says Stefanko. He even utilized the space formerly occupied by an old barn, which is now number 6.

The course will open July 12 and fits with the center’s overall goal. “Our whole approach is we’re an improvement center,” Stefanko says. TCGPC includes putting greens, a Trackman range and Trackman performance center which use technology to measure shots, club fittings, clinics, and more. The various holes allow players to focus on their trajectory, distance control, their line, and/or their creativity.

“[The Rooster] felt like the next logical step,” Stefanko says. Best of all: “It’s fun. You can grab a couple wedges and feel like [you’re] playing golf.”

Fore!

So are short courses the future of golf? They’re a part of it for sure. Prior to the pandemic and the subsequent increased emphasis on outdoor activities, golf was on a downswing, in part because playing a round takes so long.

As Stefanko says, you can play a round at the Rooster during a lunch break. Typical short courses often take an hour or less. You also need less equipment. There’s no need for a bag full of clubs, nor deciding which of the several to use. Grab your putter and a wedge and maybe a couple short irons, depending on the course.

Beyond that, all the golf experts we talked with say par-3 courses are a less intimidating way for newcomers to learn the game.

“My teenage daughter wants to play a little bit but where [she] can see the green,” says Richter. “It’s not intimidating, it’s not scary—it’s fun. I’m anxious to take the girls to Doon Brae and see how it strikes them.”