Redan Par 3 – Gold 206 Blue 179 White 153 Copper 132 Green 110
The REDAN; Perhaps the best par-3 design in golf, boldly declared to be so by Raynor’s mentor C.B. Macdonald. The Valley’s Redan is a visually compelling hole which exhibits all the features that characterize the design.
A angled green sloping away from front right to back left – a kick slope which funnels balls onto the middle and back of the green – a deep bunker front left which presents a very challenging up and down – and deeper still bunkers wrapping around the right side to the back of the green, which present a near impossible up and down. Back left is a closely mown area, veterans know this is the best miss spot as it provides options for a possible up and down.
Par is a great score here as hitting the green requires a perfect pairing of line and distance, any imperfect pairing caused by imprecision in either arena, is severely penalized. Mcdonalds first Redan at National Golf Links, which was built by Raynor in 1910, is widely considered to be the best in all of Golf. The National is perennially rated as one of the best courses in America alongside Augusta National, Oakmont, and Pebble Beach.