Anyone miss the 'Hero Shot'?

ash · May 17, 2010

So I was standing behind a tree (driver missed left and long of a dogleg right), about 130m to the green, needing to draw the ball around the tree to get to the green and miss the short left greenside bunker... took the shot, perfect timing, exactly as I had planned (unlike the aforementioned drive), and onto the green... for me... a 'Hero Shot'.

Got me thinking, when I was starting to play the game, the Hero Shot was a frequent occurence, or at least, the attempt of one... as I've regained control of my driver somewhat, I haven't had to resort to this kind of shot in some many months... and there is a definite sort of pleasure you get from hitting this 'unlikely shot'.

So, those consistent fairway hitters... do you miss the 'Hero Shot'?
And for those, not so consistent fairway hitters... any great 'Hero Shot' stories?

**max power** · May 17, 2010

It is rewarding to occasionally indulge in what my friends and I call "stupid golf"-but not quite as rewarding as not leaving yourself the option to try those shots.

RC · May 17, 2010

I miss hitting hero shots because I can't hit them anymore... But I have fond memories of shots that had little to no chance, but something in your head said "go for it" and sure enough, you could pull it off. True hero shots of this type happen maybe once every 25 rounds or more and must have something causing adrenalin to flow -- like a tournament, and would usually be (for me) hitting a ball a lot further than normal -- massively further. There is a canyon...in front of the green, no margin for short, wind is... is maybe hurting, well forget the wind I already know its an 8 iron and the pin is 187 yards, 180 to carry the canyon... so you hit it and have a 10 foot birdie putt. Later you recoil in a cold sweat... what on earth was I thinking trying that. Then you smile. Yeah... I remember hero shots, and wish I could one again.

**microcrayfish** · May 17, 2010

Any part of me that starts missing the 'Hero Shot' is quickly shut up by the other part of me that sure doesn't miss the 'Try the hero shot and end up hitting the next one from a far worse off spot than you started shot'.

**pherg** · May 17, 2010

I had an interesting one on the first hole last week. I'd left my tee shot way right in the rough with a low-hanging tree between me and the hole, not to mention the little creek that runs across the front of the green. I was just to the right of the fairway bunker with a dodgy lie so pitching straight back to the fairway involved hitting it perfectly or dumping it in the bunker. Option 2 involved pitching it toward the hole past a lot of knee high rough that would've meant little chance of finding the ball if I missed it. As I was standing there I suddenly realised that if I choked down and played the ball off the back foot I could punch it under the tree, over the rough and hopefully over the creek. Made the choice, committed to the shot and bingo!. Didn't see it after it went under the tree but I knew it was well hit and on line, wandered up and there it was in the middle of the green. One of the rare occasions where the hero shot was also the best choice.

**te3point5** · May 17, 2010

Any hero shot i have ever hit has usually been an extremely lucky shot, or using my natural slice to hook around trees. Some good outcomes... some not so good.

**doctork** · May 17, 2010

I've learned, through much trial and error, not to attempt hero shots that are outside my limited capabilities. That said, there's nothing more fun or rewarding than conceiving a hero shot and pulling it off. Makes you feel like, you know, a hero.

For me, when I take the worst-case-scenario out of play and attempt a relatively "safe" hero shot, it's almost more thrilling to pull it off -- knowing that I was smart enough not to go for the full hero treatment, but still skilled enough to achieve something with a high degree of difficulty.

Good thread, thanks Ash.

DoctorK

**ET-Taylor** · May 17, 2010

Yesterday i drove the ball miles right of the tee i was miles back on a downslope with water down at the bottom of the slope so i pulled hybrid and hit it into the greenside bunker and got up and down for par

**dragonflyin** · May 17, 2010

I think Phil Mickelson perfectly summed it up after the Masters, "A great shot is when you pull it off. A smart shot is when you don't have the guts to try it." :p

**ET-Taylor** · May 17, 2010

Yesterday i drove the ball miles right of the tee i was miles back on a downslope with water down at the bottom of the slope so i pulled hybrid and hit it into the greenside bunker and got up and down for par

More info even my mate had no faith in my ability to hit it out so he just looked at me hitting it instead of looking on the fairway next to the green so he was aazed after i struck it

**Fairway_CY** · May 17, 2010

Two weeks ago... I was playing in a club match and I suddenly developed (and have yet to get rid of) a case of hooking the ball off the tee. On my 7th hole... I hit my driver but it started left and kept going left. I ended up about 20 yards to the left of the fairway... next to the 6th tee and behind a row of trees. My options were to pitch the ball back to the right towards the tee and in to the fairway, which would have left me about 335 yards to the green (it was a par 5)... or to try and punch a 5 iron through and opening between two trees that were about 5 feet apart.

I really wanted to pitch the ball back to the fairway, but as I had already struggled mightily to that point... I decided I needed a good shot to 'wake me up'. So, I took my 5 iron... choked down... put the ball way back in my stance and made a nice, smooth swing with a short follow through. The ball split the trees, never touched a leaf... and rolled about 170 yards up the fairway, leaving me just over 110 yards to the hole. My wedge found the green and I took 2 putts for par.

In the end... it didn't help turn my round around, but... it DID have me feeling pretty good for a LITTLE whle anyway.

CY

**ohiolefty** · May 17, 2010

I don't try 'hero' shots very often...

The only two shots I feel comfortable trying that might fall into the 'hero' category are...
#1 - Hitting an intentional snap hook around a tree or on an impossible dogleg where you've got tree trouble even though you're in the fairway
#2- Hitting shots over trees that most guys wouldn't try

Lately, I haven't had to hit many #2s and I find that pitching out or playing a shot where I concede a missed green but lower the chances of disaster is a better move.

i pulled off a #1 a few weeks ago where I hit an intentional snap hook onto a green of a par 5 with a 3 wood....probably about 245-250...a low bullet hoook that just rolled right up there....made birdie (2 putted). It was cool.

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