How Would You Play This Hole (from LSW Twitter)?

[iacas]

First, specify which tees you're playing.

Then tell us how and why you're hitting the clubs you're hitting and the line you're taking. Assume this is, say, the 7th or 11th hole or something. It's not the 18th and you don't need a birdie to win or something like that. It's a hole in the middle of your round. You're playing your average round of golf - you're not slicing your driver nor bombing it better than you ever have before. Just a normal day.

---

Remember, TST members can save $30 off the LSW 4-Video Set:

You won't regret the purchase.

[billchao]

I'm playing the second to last set of tees, from 363yd.

From there I'm hitting driver. Based on my last Trackman session with my new driver, my average carry is 262yd, which is plenty to carry the left fairway bunker (236yd) even if I mishit it a little. My target is almost at the right end of my shot zone oval so I can safely aim at the right edge of the fairway or left edge of the right hand bunker if it's easier to see visually. This shot selection gives me the widest part of the fairway to hit and only rough to deal with if I overdraw or hook one.

[David in FL]

I have no idea what set of tees I’m playing, without knowing what the rest of the golf course looks like...

Assuming I’m playing from the one up tees though, I’m hitting driver to the right side of the fairway, away from the left hand fairway bunker, knowing that I can’t reach the right hand one. Then hitting an 8 or 9-iron into the green.

It doesn’t seem all that difficult…

[jamo]

If I'm playing the one-ups, then it's a pretty easy hole, as I could carry a driver over that left fairway bunker. A draw off the right side of the fairway would put me, at worst, in that swale on the left side of the fairway.

If I'm playing the back tees, it's a tougher equation. Either I try to draw a driver off that fairway bunker on the right and hope I either catch it pretty good or it stays between the bunkers, or I lay up with a hybrid, which would land near the 150 stake. I could maybe hit fairway wood - the fairway gets tight between the bunkers but not tight tight. I probably wouldn't, though. I certainly wouldn't take any less club than hybrid - the advantage of taking the fairway bunker out of play would be overtaken by the downside of having a mid- to long-iron into the green. 

[iacas]

18 minutes ago, jamo said:

If I'm playing the back tees, it's a tougher equation. Either I try to draw a driver off that fairway bunker on the right and hope I either catch it pretty good or it stays between the bunkers, or I lay up with a hybrid, which would land near the 150 stake. I could maybe hit fairway wood - the fairway gets tight between the bunkers but not tight tight. I probably wouldn't, though. I certainly wouldn't take any less club than hybrid - the advantage of taking the fairway bunker out of play would be overtaken by the downside of having a mid- to long-iron into the green. 

You hit your hybrid 250?

[jamo]

3 minutes ago, iacas said:

You hit your hybrid 250?

Ehh I did some math a little wrong: 235 or so. So it should land shy of the stake but possibly roll to it. 

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, jamo said:

Ehh I did some math a little wrong: 235 or so. So it should land shy of the stake but possibly roll to it. 

Okay. I also rounded up 393 to 400 in my mind, too, so you get 7 yards more there as well.

[Vinsk]

I’m with @David in FL. I’m confident If I start my drive at the right edge of the left side fairway bunker I’ll end in a good position with my draw. 8-9i into the green. My miss? The diagram doesn’t show far enough left for me to see what’s there....

[dagolfer18]

I would play the middle tees at 344 yards, and hit 5W off the tee because of the runout at about 220 from the middle tees. I would aim toward the right edge of the bunker, because my fade should bring it back to the fairway. The 5W will leave me with about 130 into the green, which is either a hard 9I or an easy 8I for me, depending on the shot I feel like hitting at that moment. I would aim my approach at the back-left fringe of the green. Even if my shot fades, it’ll get past the bunker and at worst, leave me with a relatively easy chip.

[saevel25]

Back tees, 

I would hit driver right at the trees just left of the green. Then, I would be left with a wedge either in the fairway or the rough to the green. If the pin is front right, I would then bail out to the middle of the green on the approach. 

[billchao]

37 minutes ago, jamo said:

If I'm playing the back tees, it's a tougher equation.

It’s a little bit different from the back but honestly my strategy wouldn’t change. I’m taking driver and if I end up in the left bunker, so be it. I may hit a good shot that draws, carries that bunker, and hits the slope on the backside that kicks the ball forward a bunch, too.

I can’t hit my 3w to save my life and my 2h puts me too far back to be worth considering on this hole.

15 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

My miss? The diagram doesn’t show far enough left for me to see what’s there....

A BMW.

[Vinsk]

23 minutes ago, billchao said:

A BMW.

[DeadMan]

I'd play this from the back tees or the one-up tees, and the strategy is the same for me for both. Driver, probably aiming over the right side of that left bunker (I would aim a little further left from the one-up tees). Then, I'm going to have a wedge in my hand for the second shot. The only worst result would be fanning it a bit and being in the left bunker. But then, I'm still hitting a wedge at that point.

Is it just me, or this is a stupid hole? The fairway is so wide past the left bunker. There's not really a better angle from further back, unless the pin is way in the front. Even then, though, give me the wedge at a bad angle vs. an 8 iron at a good angle.

[Ronn]

Hey guys, I would play the middle tees from 344 with a 3 wood which carries about 200, up the right side and aim for the fairway bunker. Might be left with 130 ish, so that would be an 8 iron aiming for the middle of the green.

[Bonvivant]

344 tees. Dunes and bunker on left take driver out of possibility. The right side of the fairway looks nice for angle to the green, but the slope of the fairway may pull tee shot down to the left which is ok, but not the best. 3 wood aimed toward right bunker or 4 iron are my choices as shown. I like the 3 wood more because of distance. I think that in the moment, a 3 iron or 3 hybrid could be in a similar spot to the 4 iron or a bit passed it depending on wind, and a driver could be where the 3 wood is. If I can figure out a club that gets me a yardage that puts me at 130 out and is within reason, then that would be the choice. From there, center of green is the object, and if I land in the lowest part of the green, I am quite happy putting uphill.

Edit* If my garmin watch says its only 210 to clear the left bunker (cant tell how far it actually is as the crow flies), I am taking driver and aiming straight over the left bunker.

Edited April 19, 2020 by Bonvivant
added option*

[Nail]

From the back tees I’d aim just to the left of the right hand bunker hoping for either a slight draw or to stay straight and end up in the fat part of the fairway. I’d have a wedge left in. If I under carried it I’d end up in the bunker or just to the left of it which I wouldn’t be bothered about. 

Edited April 19, 2020 by Nail

[billchao]

6 hours ago, Bonvivant said:

If my garmin watch says its only 210 to clear the left bunker (cant tell how far it actually is as the crow flies), I am taking driver and aiming straight over the left bunker.

It’s about 215yd from your tee box.

[boogielicious]

My old eyes can’t see how high the trees are on the left fro the drawing, but the 344 tee is +10 higher, so I have a choice. I could do driver off the tee and aim for the right FW bunker to clear the left bunker. If the trees aren’t too high, then I’m aiming over the trees to the left edge of the fairway and most likely end up in the left rough. Rough is better than fairway bunker especially if I have to carry the green side bunkers with my approach.
 

With my driver shot zone, the over the tree actually has more room for error. Depending on wind though, a 4W at the 150 marker might be the correct play.