The Swing Makes Links Magazines List of Top Short Courses

Four hours is a commitment. Often a joyful one, sometimes a quiet test of patience… and interpersonal relationships. But some of golf’s best moments don’t ask for that kind of buy-in. They ask for a wedge and a flatstick, shoes kicked off, music humming, and maybe a second loop simply because there’s daylight left to chase.

Short courses and par-3 layouts have become some of the most in-demand experiences in the game—designed with intention, not leftover land. For the golf-obsessed, they’re an excuse to sneak in another nine before dinner. For the newcomers or non-golfers tagging along, they’re golf at its most welcoming.

Less time. Less distance. More fun. These are the short courses leading the charge.

5. The Swing at Omni PGA Frisco

Frisco, Texas

At the heart of the PGA of America’s new home in Frisco, The Swing is a lighted 10‑hole par‑3 short course—meaning you can beat the heat and tee it up long after the sun goes down. It sits alongside other entertainment offerings, including The Dance Floor putting course, Topgolf simulators, and live hitting bays at the Ice House restaurant.

(This article by Links Magazine contributor Megan Dresser first appeared on linksmagazine.com in February, 2026.)