Ever stand on a par-3 tee, look at a green that seems to tilt away from you, and wonder what you’ve gotten yourself into? You may have just met a Redan, one of the most brilliant and intimidating hole designs in all of golf. This article will break down exactly what a Redan is, its strategic genius, and most importantly, a simple plan to help you play it with confidence instead of fear.
In the simplest terms, a Redan is a type of par-3 hole design where the green is set at a diagonal angle to the tee box and slopes significantly away from the player. The classic Redan runs from the front-right to the back-left and features a distinct tilt from the high right side down to the low left side. This isn't a subtle break, it's a prominent, defining slope.
The entire concept of the hole is to challenge the idea of firing directly at the flagstick. To guard the shorter, more direct line to the pin, a deep, penalizing bunker is almost always placed to the left of the green, ready to swallow any shot that comes up short or gets pulled. The genius of the design is that it offers a safer, more strategic route: using the high right portion of the green as a backboard. The goal isn't to attack the pin, it's to use the ground as your friend.
The original Redan can be found at the West Links of North Berwick in Scotland, a course famed for its quirky and classic design. The term "Redan" is a military word meaning a V-shaped or sawtooth fortification, and the 15th hole at North Berwick was named this because of how thegreen sits, perched and protected like a fortress.
This brilliant design concept was then studied, celebrated, and imported to America by the father of American golf course architecture, Charles Blair (C.B.) Macdonald. Macdonald believed certain holes were so architecturally perfect that they should be replicated. He created a series of "template holes" - like the Biarritz, the Eden, and the Short - and the Redan was one of his most famous. His version at the National Golf Links of America (the 4th hole) is considered one of the finest Redans ever built and set the standard for countless others that followed at legendary courses like Shinnecock Hills, Chicago Golf Club, and many more.
While Redans can vary in length and severity, they all share a few unmistakable characteristics. Understanding these features is the first step to knowing how to dismantle the hole.
Okay, enough with the history lesson. You're standing on the tee box, a 190-yard Redan is staring you down, and the pin is tucked behind that scary bunker. What do you do? Here’s your coaching guide to playing it smart.
The first thing to do on any Redan is to completely ignore the flagstick for a moment. This hole isn't about pin-hunting. Your assessment should include:
The traditional and most effective shot for a right-handed golfer on a Redan is a fade. For a lefty, it's a draw.
Your goal is to start the ball at the right shoulder of the green or just right of it, and let it curve softly back toward the middle. Landing the ball on the "kicker" slope or the high part of the green will kill some of the ball’s speed and let the contours of the green do all the work, funneling your ball down toward the hole.
Where the hole is cut on a Redan drastically changes the strategy.
Even the best plans go awry. What you do next can save your score.
Just to keep you on your toes, architects have also created "Reverse Redans." As the name implies, everything is flipped. The green runs from front-left to back-right, sloping hard from left to right. All the same principles apply, just in mirror image. The smart shot for a righty is now a draw, landing the ball on the high front-left side and letting it release down and to the right.
The Redan hole asks a sophisticated question, rewarding intellect and precision over brute force. Rather than just taking dead aim, it forces you to analyze the ground, respect the architecture, and play a strategic shot. Embrace the challenge, and you'll find it's one of the most satisfying holes to play well.
Planning the right strategy for a truly complex hole like a Redan is much easier when you have an expert opinion in your pocket. As you stand on the tee trying to calculate the wind, the slope, and the precise landing area, our Caddie AI simplifies the decision. Our platform can give you an instant, intelligent recommendation on club selection and shaping the ideal shot, taking the guesswork out of the equation so you can swing with conviction knowing you have a smart plan.
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