Hole #5 - Crystal Downs Country Club, Frankfort, MI - 353 yards Par 4

For full disclosure, I should point out that short par 4s are my favorite holes in golf.  With that being said, no course has a better collection or more varied number of short par fours than Crystal Downs.  The 5th, 7th, 15th and 17th are all under 350 yards (from the back tees!) except for the 5th, which is a whopping 353 yards from the tips.  The reason I love short par fours is that it gives options off the tee for all skill levels, and also allows the course architect a little more latitude in terms of fairness and norm than say, a 450 yard par four.  The 5th a Crystal Downs has every great element a short par four needs-- options off the tee, small and difficult green, and some quirkiness.  The option off the tee at the 5th at Crystal Downs requires the player to decide whether to play over a large specimen tree/bunkers to the far/right side of the fairway which bring the trees, bunkers and OB right into play, or play safely to the short/left side of the fairway which has virtually no trouble, but leaves a longer and blind approach to the green off of a "crumpled" fairway.  This hole also plays unusually along the spine of a dune/hill as opposed to next to or over it.  It is the use of that land feature that creates such a beautiful and unique hole.  Even from the preferred position on the right of the fairway, the green is angled away from the player and falls off sharply to the right and the approach shot is off of a rolling fairway that is unlikely to yield a level lie.  This hole strikes as much fear into a golfer as any that I am aware of that is devoid of water hazards, and yet it is only 353 yards.  Incredible.

Next Best: Royal Portrush, Pinehurst (No. 2), Bandon Dunes, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, Shinnecock Hills
Most likely to take its place, but have not played: Royal Melbourne (West).