No. 1 HCP Hole On Your Home Course

[Mr Puddle]

Interesting that you call the hardest hole handicap 1, whilst in the UK well call it stroke index 1. A handicap in the UK is what you play off, ie I am a 15 handicapper. 

[Shindig]

27 minutes ago, Mr Puddle said:

Interesting that you call the hardest hole handicap 1, whilst in the UK well call it stroke index 1. A handicap in the UK is what you play off, ie I am a 15 handicapper. 

We have a lot of duplicated lingo in sports.  Hole handicap vs handicap index, golf club (organization you join) vs golf club (one of up to 14 instruments you strike the ball with during the round), safety (2 pt score in football) vs safety (defensive player).

[DrvFrShow]

The #1 handicap hole on the course is one of the easiest holes on the course.... you just have to hit a decent tee shot. You don't even need to hit a FW. Driver + HB + Wedge. But here's why it's the bogey leader. People go pin hunting and there's these sucker pin locations. I just go for that big fat part of the green with my wedge (apparently I learned something from LSW). Get over the bunkers and I've got a GIR. So what if I have a 35 foot downhill putt to a forward pin? Step it off and lag it. Tap it in for par. If it's a rear pin location, I've a chance for birdie. I'm a 90s golfer and once I figured out this hole, the worst I've scored is a bogey which happens about 10% of the time and is the result of a duffed shot because ... I suck at golf. I look at it as a birdie opportunity and usually end up with a par.

[Mr Puddle]

19 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

The #1 handicap hole on the course is one of the easiest holes on the course.... you just have to hit a decent tee shot. You don't even need to hit a FW. Driver + HB + Wedge. But here's why it's the bogey leader. People go pin hunting and there's these sucker pin locations. I just go for that big fat part of the green with my wedge (apparently I learned something from LSW). Get over the bunkers and I've got a GIR. So what if I have a 35 foot downhill putt to a forward pin? Step it off and lag it. Tap it in for par. If it's a rear pin location, I've a chance for birdie. I'm a 90s golfer and once I figured out this hole, the worst I've scored is a bogey which happens about 10% of the time and is the result of a duffed shot because ... I suck at golf. I look at it as a birdie opportunity and usually end up with a par.

Don't know how true this is, but was told by an experienced low handicapper. The stroke index (handicap) is designed to level things up between the lower and higher handicapped players, and not the order of difficulty. Hope you understand the post, as the terminology across the pond is a little different 

[PJCdude]

So I just moved to Fairfield, CT and have been exploring all of the courses in the area (so many great courses) but next year, if the world is normal, I will probably join the Mens Club at H Smith Richardson. It is the Fairfield town course and I'll probably get a Resident ID. Prime tee times are tough to get.

I've only played here once but I'll tell you about the number one handicap. Its Number 14, Par 4, 405 from the whites but uphill so plays closer to 420. It's the hole in the middle with the green top left. As you can see, there's other holes on each side so there is room to miss but the green is tougher than it looks on GPS. The back has a decent roll off if you go far and the bunker in front has a higher mound than you can tell on GPS. The green is decently undulated with I believe a semi valley, punchbowl in the middle.

The one time I played it, I hit a great drive but it only went 215 due to the up hill. (230 is my "solid drive" distance) For my second shot, I hit hybrid 190 out trying to aim at the right bunker and fade it in but it came out low and over faded, ended up JUST short of the front left bunker. I could have tried to land RIGHT on top of the mound and let it feed down to the hole but I didn't want to risk it coming up short in the sand so I went for the middle of the green and 2 putted. It's not THAT difficult but I think the distance and unforgiving green area gets it the number one. A bogey golfer hitting hybrid/fairway wood 200 out is going to be less accurate and make worse decisions than the single digit hitting a mid iron from 170.

Edited June 27, 2020 by PJCdude

[RickK]

At my club, it is the #8 hole.  A 585 yard par 5 from the back tees.  The trees on the right before the bunker are really not in play.  The trees on the left can cause you grief.  Anywhere too close to those trees and you are hitting a punch shot out under/between them most likely towards the lake.  You need to hang your tee shot as close to the right fairway bunker as possible or fly it if you can.  A ball in the right rough over the bunker is fine.  Most of us humans try to lay up just short of the left side fairway bunker, which leaves you about 120-140 yard shot into an elevated green with a big bunker between the lake and the green.  The back 10 percent of the green slopes severely downhill and balls rolling past the top of that slope will no stay on the green.  OB is right, left, and long.  A shot missing the right side of the green most likely will bounce OB.  

 

Edited June 30, 2020 by RickK

[The Flush]

The par 4 hole #5 is the #1 handicap hole at Big Beaver Creek Golf Club. From the white tees it is not too bad for better players, but for high handicappers who need to avoid the water it can leave you with a 200 yard second shot if you don't slice it further away or pull it into the water anyway. The second shot can then have water left and trees/OB right for the high handicapper to avoid.  If you can carry a drive 230+ you can get your second shot under 140 and it is not too bad. However you can also drive it through the fairway if you hit it a long way. You have to choose between going for the shorter second shot and the longer carry over water and that possibility of going through the fairway. The green itself if not too bad, but it is elevated above its surroundings, so you are less likely to have a short shot roll onto the green.

I usually aim for the middle of the trees across the fairway which requires a 200 yard carry over the water, but still gives me room for error with way.  My good drives go through the fairway and leave about a 150 yard second shot. I am not consistent enough to aim further left and force a longer carry over water.