Rory McIlroy recently shared his pick for the best par-three he’s ever played.
The Northern Irishman is in Melbourne this week for the Australian Open, marking the second event of the 2026 DP World Tour season.
One of the big draws for McIlroy was the chance to play at Royal Melbourne, a venue with a long-standing reputation in golf circles.
Royal Melbourne is one of eight courses that make up the Sandbelt, an area often regarded as one of golf’s top destinations worldwide.
But his favourite par three doesn’t come from Royal Melbourne. Instead, it belongs to another course in the region that he played some time ago.
Rory McIlroy reveals his favourite par three
McIlroy’s favourite par three is the 10th at Kingston Heath. It’s not actually part of the usual professional layout but features as a member’s hole in regular play.
The Sandbelt area is well-known for its challenging bunkering, and this hole fits right in. Despite being just 140 yards, the surrounding sand makes it far from a straightforward play.
“Honestly, the one par three I would want to play for the rest of my life is the spare hole at Kingston Heath,” McIlroy said on Wide World of Sports. “The one that’s right in the middle of the course. I think it’s the 10th, and the members play it. That, to me, is my favourite par three in the world.”
Shane Lowry’s picks for the best par threes
Earlier this year, Shane Lowry shared his list of the top five par threes in golf. Lowry’s choices naturally included the three holes where he has made a hole-in-one: the 16th at Augusta National, the 17th at TPC Sawgrass, and the 7th at Pebble Beach.
The other two selections on his list were also well-considered, standing out as particularly memorable holes.
Lowry added: “The Postage Stamp (8th at Royal Troon) and 12 at Augusta. I don’t think anybody has had a hole-in-one at 12 in a long time!
“A lot of the time, you are not even aiming at the flag there. That is probably the top five.”
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