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Back pin vs Front Pin difficulty on any given hole


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  1. 1. Which is tougher? Back pin vs Front Pin

    • Back pin. I'd rather hoit two clubs less to that front pins
      7
    • Front Pin. I'want to stay away from that front bunker
      7
    • About the same. Where the center of the green is is what matters.
      15


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Just curious about your opinions on how the depth of the holes locations effects the difficulty of the hole. A front pin typically brings more hazards into play and shooting past the pin is more likely to leave a downhill putt. But a back pin will typically put an extra 20-25 yards between you and the hole compared to a front pin on good sized greens. I've generally considered back pins to be a bit easier but hole length is the #1 factor in difficulty ratings. Or is distance to the center of the green all that matters?

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If a pin is tucked in a spot where you know you could incur some additional shots, just hit the center of the green and two putt. If there is a front pin with no trouble go for it! Worst cast you miss the green short and have a putter or 8 iron chip onto the green for an easy par.

Kyle Paulhus

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I think the front pin is marginally easier, but not by a lot. If the pin is in front, I'm still probably aiming for the middle with any approach over 80 yards. However, if I hit it just a little poorly, it might end up pin high by accident. If it's in back, I don't really get this benefit unless I was already between clubs for the approach. If it's under 80 yards, I think I prefer the back pin -- again marginally -- because I have more green to go over to get there, so a mishit that results in more run and less carry isn't disastrous.

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Unlike the vast majority of golfers, I find myself going long more than short so back pins can be trouble for me.

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Back pins tend to be a little easier because of two reasons. First, most amateur golfers are short so short of a back pin is still putting. Second, most greens slope back to front so the pin in back yields more uphill putts. Smart golfers who have read LSW hit to the middle anyway… ;-)

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Back pins tend to be a little easier because of two reasons. First, most amateur golfers are short so short of a back pin is still putting. Second, most greens slope back to front so the pin in back yields more uphill putts.

I agree. I would reverse the second point, though. Front pins give you more downhill putts, which I like to avoid.

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I aim for the middle and hope to 2 putt regardless of where the flag is.

Overall I think front pins are tougher, they are usually better protected by sand and have more slope that punishes people who land short of the flag.

Joe Paradiso

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I voted the last one, but it is really the center of my shot zone that is important.  It may not line up with the center of the green if a hazard is on one side, left, right or front, back.

Scott

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I voted either. but its not just as simple as "either/or" you have to take several factors in and those factors are figured separately on each hole.

A): slope/tier

B): green speed

C): angle into the green

D): hazards around the green

E): Elevation on approach

F): wind direction and speed

G): size of portion of green (if it is a fatter part or thin offshoot of the center area of green

H): distance of approach shot

I): and the most important part that comes into play every hole that has to consider all of the above... the shots the player can make, and is comfortable with making. someone might be able to get a tucked and guarded back pin in a small portion of a small offshoot. but might not have the shot to make the ball check up or spin back hard to come back at a front pin on a wide funneled front.

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I voted about the same.....I'm sure that statistically there is a difference.  And I would bet that front hole locations might be a bit harder...But not enough for me to notice.  And I am firing at the middle part of the green shading away from trouble anyways.

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Wait, we had a long debate on a thread last year where some of the naysayers for aim at the middle were assuaged by the fact that the advice pertains mostly to left/right aim.  Like, over 80-120 yards, depending on how good you are, just aim at the middle of the green left/right every time (with some exceptions for particular green and green complex designs). But , aim a bit toward center green back to front wise from the pin.  So tucked back pin, aim for distance maybe 2/3-3/4 of the way back on the green.  Tucked front pin, aim 1/4-1/3 of the way through the green.

Of course, I'm usually playing not so fancy courses where the only info on pin placement is flag color front/middle/back, and often front or back color is more misleading than helpful, as the pin is still in the 40-60% through the green range (e.g. pin is left side 60% of the way through the green and marked back pin color).  So I'm often just aiming for center of the green distance anyway.  But that's more to do with lack of information than smart strategy.  If I know the pin is tucked back on a long green with a two club difference for front and back of green, I'm clubbing up unless my stock distances will go 1/3 and 2/3 of the way through the green, respectively.

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It's about the same.

Front pin:  I play punch and run more than most people, so I have fairly good results from dropping a shot just short of the fringe and letting it trickle on.

Back pin:  If the pin goes uphill from front to back, I can usually take an extra club without worrying about going long.

LSW... Go for center on green. This works OK at my home course, except on six holes . These holes have greens with distinctive nodes,  so a shot to the center is a real crap-shoot as to where it will end up.

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Back pins tend to be a little easier because of two reasons. First, most amateur golfers are short so short of a back pin is still putting. Second, most greens slope back to front so the pin in back yields more uphill putts.

Smart golfers who have read LSW hit to the middle anyway…

I did read the book and for the most part I aim for the middle or away from big trouble.  But, from 100 to 60 I will think about going for the pin.  Some days that partial wedge swing is scary accurate for distance and direction.  If it is one of those days I am usually shooting for the pin and getting great results.

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Front, or back, it makes little difference to me. I am usually aiming for a general area, near the pin on my approach shots anyways. The only time I take a real look at the pin's placement is when a hazard is involved.

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Front pin tougher. I've come up short on those far more often than I've gone long and short-sided myself on a back-pin. Just don't play for the mishit, which happens more frequently than I'd like.

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Back pins tend to be a little easier because of two reasons. First, most amateur golfers are short so short of a back pin is still putting. Second, most greens slope back to front so the pin in back yields more uphill putts.

This.

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I did read the book and for the most part I aim for the middle or away from big trouble.  But, from 100 to 60 I will think about going for the pin.  Some days that partial wedge swing is scary accurate for distance and direction.  If it is one of those days I am usually shooting for the pin and getting great results.

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