After playing my final golf game of the season, putting my clubs away in the basement and ruminating for far too long, I decided to write my latest column on the “short of it.”
The topic is apropos as the days grow shorter and winter’s embrace arrives. So, too, are many of the new courses which are opening – not just across North America. I’ve mentioned the trend of shorter courses in previous columns, but never devoted all of my allotted words to this topic.
First things first. These are not mini-golf courses with windmills, obstacles and pirate-themed holes. Nor are they bland and uninteresting nine-hole executive courses where every hole feels the same, except for a slight variation in yardage. Short courses, broadly defined, are shorter in distance than a championship layout. This does not mean that they are any less challenging, any less interesting from an aesthetic point of view or any less fun. From 12-hole tracks to 18-hole courses with reversible routing (to maximize space and reduce environmental impact) to par-three courses to putting courses, these variations of the typical 18-hole layout are cropping up more frequently for many reasons, including saving time and money, maximizing space, and growing the game. The strategy is working. Even snowbirds and retirees have time issues. When choosing between spending five hours on a golf course or spending 90 minutes golfing, and the rest of the time visiting with friends or grandchildren, it’s no wonder that these innovative courses are popular.
According to the National Golf Foundation, short courses have accounted for a significant share of new course openings over the past five years – 41 courses, or 37% of openings. Note that three-fifths of these opened at high-end private clubs and resorts. Since 2023, acknowledging this trend, Golfweek now annually ranks the top 25 par-three and non-traditional golf courses. Many of these short loops have great names such as The Gimme, The Sandbox and The Cradle that help with marketing, but also symbolize the raison d’être behind their creation. These courses are about fun and not taking the experience too seriously. If you are a golfer who loves playing courses that are more than 7,000 yards – and to be frank, other than low-handicap players and professionals who still really want length – then these short courses are not for you. For the rest of us, they are a welcome addition to the golf landscape. From coast to coast, these courses – some with holes that measure less than 50 yards – are bringing new players to the game. Many of the most popular golf resorts such as Bandon Dunes in Oregon, Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina and Cabot in Cape Breton have added short courses to their collections.
Himalayas Golf, a Canadian-based company, is a leader in building sustainable golf experiences in innovative environments. Many of its current and past projects focus on growing the game by increasing accessibility. Its founder and leader, Paul Janzen champions golf in small spaces. Putting Courses is one of the unique short-course solutions in which Himalayas Golf is a leader. These are scaled-down versions of traditional courses. They include bunkers, rough and contoured greens. When Janzen launched the ‘Golf in Small Spaces’ initiative last spring with Nick Faldo, he captured the need for these alternatives to the typical course: “Traditional golf takes a long time, requires a lot of land and can be intimidating for newcomers ‘Golf in Small Spaces’ offers an accessible alternative – shorter formats that need less space – and it helps players build skills. It’s about making the game more inviting and sustainable for everyone.” A couple of recent sustainable designs from Himalayas Golf are this Ontario pair: The Putting Zoo in St. Thomas and Patee’s Mini Putt, along the shores of Lake Erie in Port Burwell, which includes a replica of the famed lighthouse in this historic town. Himalayas Golf is currently building a 30,000-square-foot community putting course next to the new headquarters of Golf Canada at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. The course, set to open in the spring of 2026, will be free and open 24/7 to anyone. The final hole pays homage to Nick Taylor’s 72-foot putt with which he won the RBC Canadian Open at the 2023 event at Oakdale GCC.
Here are three other cool, family-friendly short courses to try on your travels, at home or abroad.
Wee Course at Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Michigan
Designed by Colin Montgomerie, the nine-hole track is a welcome addition to this golfer’s paradise in southwestern Michigan. The layout is similar to your typical pitch and putt, with the total length of the course less than 500 yards, or just 275 yards from the front tees. This is the perfect place to take the grandchildren. Kids 12 and under, (accompanied by a paying adult) are free, and kids ages 13 to 17 pay only $20. As the Scottish golfing legend Montgomerie told Links magazine, these courses are about bridging the generations. “Having seen how short courses bring people together around the world, especially in Scotland, I know this course will create the same sense of community here. It’s an investment in both the game and the community that will pay dividends for generations.”
The Cradle, Pinehurst, North Carolina
Designed by Gil Hanse, the nine-hole course has been a welcome addition to this golf mecca in the Carolinas. Golf Channel has referred to it as “the most fun 10 acres in all of golf.” At 789 yards total – with the shortest hole (the 5th) only 56 yards long, this par- 27 short course at Pinehurst is a joy – and also a test – for golfers of all skills and all ages. Rounds on the Cradle have increased from 34,719 in 2018, its first full year, to more than 60,000 in each of the past two years.
The Himalayas Putting Green, St. Andrews, Scotland
The home of golf is home to seven courses, including the famed Old Course, which draws 2,000 playing visitors weekly, but that’s far from the only tourist draw in St. Andrews. The Himalayas Putting Green (yes, for those wondering, it’s part of the inspiration behind the name of Paul Janzen’s company), offers both a nine- and an 18-hole course. It’s only a 10-minute walk from the centre of town and it’s open to anyone over the age of three. The best part about this experience is the cost: adults pay three pounds, and seniors and those under 12 pay only one pound!